Dear Parents,

Over the coming weeks, we will be piloting a design thinking program in our 3rd and 4th-grade art classes. Design thinking is a flexible process for getting the most out of the creative process. It is used in the arts, in engineering, in the corporate world, at universities, and in social and civic spaces. Corporations and universities alike are using this framework to boost creativity and increase innovation.

When students use design thinking, they are better equipped for future jobs that don’t even exist yet. More and more, corporations are describing how creativity, problem-solving, and innovation have become some of the most vital skills in the new economy. Design thinking is specifically tailored to develop the skills, mindsets, and thinking habits to prepare students for this new reality.

Sound different? It is. However, students will still be learning the same necessary content and standards that they need to succeed in school. The only difference is that they will master these standards through a design process where they engage in inquiry and research, solve a complex problem, and design a solution.

The engineering problem: each team's pumpkin will fall from a great height. Students must design a Pumpkin Protection Unit (PPU) using set criteria and constraints. Students will gain an understanding of potential and kinetic energy as well as force and motion.

Thank you sincerely,

Ms. Macfarlane

Stream Director | Art Teacher

mmacfarlane@stmorenews.com

Instagram @STM_STREAM

Pumpkin - Challenge

WANTED: A few great pumpkins!

The students of STM will all participate in a pumpkin STREAM project during the month of October and November. We are in need of 18+ pie pumpkins (not mini pumpkins) and numerous large pumpkins. If you would like to donate a pumpkin to be used for our projects, please drop it off in the office. It does not need to be labeled as we will use them in groups. Thank you for your help!

Materials

Our planet is affected by the engineering profession. Professional engineers face challenges and opportunities that arise from needing to achieve sustainable development. Engineering firms and universities have embraced sustainability and seek employees equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to meet client needs. As we look to engineers to design solutions to global problems, training for sustainability is now recognised as essential for students.

Ted Talks: Sustainability by Design

REDUCE - Reduce the number of materials that will end up in a landfill by reducing the number of materials purchased for the sole purpose of this project. Do not buy any new materials, or send any unused materials that are already in your homes. Example: brand-new bubble wrap, unopened trash bags, new packages of straws.

REUSE - Reuse materials that have already had one "life or purpose" in your homes. Collect packaged air, bubble wrap, etc. from mailing packages and give those materials a second and higher purpose, the education of a child. Straws, forks, cups, chopsticks should be sanitized through a dishwasher before donation to students.

RECYCLE - Reuse items from home that are recyclable. At the end of our learning experience, students will disassemble their projects and sort the materials for proper disposal.