Imagine being tasked with tackling this real-world challenge: researching, innovating, and designing a practical yet creative solution to a transportation or infrastructure problem here in Pennsylvania! 

Guided by our engineering mentor, Mr. Dave Brown who is known for his own design for a solar-powered median strip prototype, students embarked on a step-by-step journey to develop unique solutions addressing a range of issues across the state—everything from road surface conditions and traffic delays to accident clean-up, travel comfort, and even preparing a financial report on highway and road expenses. 

Their final presentations were clear, thoughtful, unique, and creative! Well done 5th grade gifted!👏🏻

The 5th-grade gifted student team went on to collaborate enthusiastically to plan, design, and run a fully student-driven Battlebotz tournament. From brainstorming creative strategies and engineering their robots to organizing the event logistics, these young innovators took charge every step of the way. With guidance inspired by real-world problem-solving approaches—like those used in transportation challenges—the students combined creativity, teamwork, and technical skills to bring their competition to life. 

Their dedication not only showcased their engineering talents but also highlighted their ability to manage complex projects independently and work together toward a common goal.🏎️🏁

The award-winning Albert M. Greenfield Foundation UNLESS Contest has empowered thousands of K-12 students to take action for wildlife. This extended PBL investigation (project-based) contest encourages students to create real solutions to environmental issues. https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/unless-contest/

Congratulations to our 6th-grade gifted student team, who recently competed as state finalists in the Philadelphia Zoo’s ‘Unless Contest’. As its name suggests, the ‘Unless Contest’ challenges students to think outside the box to create an environmental awareness campaign to connect global and local issues. The team’s focus was on how technology use and poor recycling practices can negatively impact the environment, leading to issues such as deforestation and habitat loss for many animals. The students connected this issue to their project animals, which were the Golden Lion Tamarins, along with other local wildlife through a campaign to use ‘walking classrooms’ that they created in partnership with Nolde Forest. Their ‘Unplug, Give Nature a Hug’ initiative attracted visitors who came to hear each of the 8 students speak about their research and information in their pop-up classrooms along the trail. We even had a visit from a reporter/photographer from the PA Department of Education who included our students' work in a featured post! The students proudly presented their research and project at the awards ceremony at the Philadelphia Zoo on Thursday, May 8th. Congratulations to these outstanding panthers!”

During the cow eyeball dissection lab, students in each grade developed several important skills. They enhanced their observation skills by carefully examining the different parts of the cow eye, learning to identify structures like the cornea, lens, retina, and optic nerve. We used precise tools to carefully dissect and handle delicate tissues. Critical thinking and scientific inquiry grew as students made hypotheses, asked questions, and connected what they saw to how the eye functioned. They also developed patience and attention to detail, since dissections require careful, step-by-step work to avoid damaging important parts. Finally, students gained a deeper understanding of anatomy and biology by seeing firsthand how complex organs are structured and how they relate to human vision. So cool!😎👁️