Driving Question: How might we create a pinball machine for our classmates to use during recess?

Since 2020, students at Fishkill Plains Elementary have been diving into the exciting world of motion through a hands-on project-based learning (PBL) experience—designing and building their own pinball machines. Some students have continued this journey year after year, deepening their understanding of force and motion through creativity and engineering. We were excited to welcome Myers Corners Elementary to the experience, expanding the learning and innovation to even more young engineers across our district.

Students explored how pushes, pulls, and collisions affect movement. To bring their learning to life, they used everyday materials like cardboard, shoe boxes, bottle caps, marbles, and recyclables to create their own indoor recess pinball games.

This engaging PBL challenge empowered students to apply science concepts, think creatively, problem-solve collaboratively, and engineer with purpose—all while having a blast. It’s more than just play—it’s physics in action!

Driving Question: How might you use your science knowledge to create a National Geographic magazine, in order to bring joy to patients at Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital?

Students from Sheafe Road Elementary (Grades 3 & 4), Kinry Road Elementary (Grade 4), and Vassar Road Elementary (Grade 1) joined forces in a heartwarming National Geographic-style Project-Based Learning (PBL) initiative designed to educate and inspire young patients at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

Each grade level explored a different area of science, then used their findings to create engaging and beautifully illustrated digital magazines that brought complex concepts to life in fun and accessible ways:

• Grade 1 students at Vassar Road became Science Explorers, learning how plants and animals use their body parts to survive and grow. They also explored how young animals and plants resemble—but aren’t identical to—their parents, turning their discoveries into colorful, easy-to-understand pages.

• Grade 3 students at Sheafe Road acted as EcoAdventurers, investigating ecosystems, fossils, and weather patterns to understand how organisms adapt to their environments. Their magazine featured detailed illustrations, infographics, and student-authored articles. 

• Grade 4 students from Kinry Road focused on Earth systems, creating magazine content that explained the interactions between air, water, land, and living things in ways that young readers could easily understand.

• Grade 4 students from Sheafe Road explored energy and waves, developing colorful and engaging pages that explained how sound and light travel, and how these phenomena are part of our daily lives.

All students worked alongside a friendly AI helper named Brisk and collaborated with hospital partners to ensure their magazines were engaging, educational, and accessible.

This meaningful PBL experience empowered students to turn curiosity into creativity and use science to brighten the lives of others—proving that even the youngest learners can make a real-world impact.

Driving Question: How might we use digital storytelling to teach others about how structures and functions help living organisms survive? 

In this interdisciplinary Grade 4 PBL experience at Gayhead Elementary, students combined their learning in Science and English Language Arts to create original digital books featuring mythical creatures adapted to survive in imaginative environments.

Students explored how real animals' structures and functions help them survive, then applied that knowledge to invent their own creatures. Each student-designed creature had unique traits suited to habitats like forests, mountains, or oceans.

They brought their creations to life by:

• Designing and illustrating their creatures with AI tools

• Writing fictional survival stories that explained how their creature's features helped it overcome environmental challenges

• Publishing digital books to share their work and teach other 4th graders about the powerful connection between adaptations and survival

This project fostered creativity, scientific thinking, and storytelling—turning students into both creators and teachers in a magical exploration of life science and imagination.

Driving Question: How might we use our knowledge of physical science and engineering to design and launch a cost-effective rocket?

Launched in 2024 and now an annual tradition, this 4th grade STEAM PBL at Gayhead Elementary revives a 50-year legacy that began at Fishkill Elementary. Students take on the role of NASA-backed rocket companies, using their knowledge of physical science, engineering, and financial literacy to design, budget, and launch cost-effective rockets.

Guided by the driving question, “How might we use our knowledge of physical science and engineering to design and launch a cost-effective rocket?”, students form teams, assume roles, build rockets, and present their launches to the school community.

The project integrates Next Generation Science Standards, mathematics, and real-world skills—with support from M&T Bank and strong family involvement—bringing excitement, purpose, and tradition to learning.

Driving Question: How might we create a scientific model with explanations of an ecosystem in order to inform our community?

Fifth grade students from Fishkill Elementary, Fishkill Plains Elementary, Brinckerhoff Elementary, and James Evans Elementary embarked on a thrilling STEAM adventure to explore how matter and energy flow through ecosystems.

In collaboration with high school mentors from John Jay High School and local stakeholders, students developed detailed ecosystem models that showcased the invisible world of particles, chemical reactions, and energy transformations. These models demonstrated how matter cycles and energy flows through plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment, highlighting the vital role these processes play in sustaining life.

This project emphasized real-world relevance—connecting science to community health, environmental stewardship, and economic sustainability. Final products are featured on the Wappingers Central School District website, school websites, and the Dutchess County Environmental Management Council (EMC) webpage, allowing the broader community to benefit from student learning

Driving Question: How can we create a public service announcement for the WCSD community to show how space systems are connected to keeping Earth sustainable?

Fifth grade students from Fishkill Elementary, Fishkill Plains Elementary, and Oak Grove Elementary participated in a dynamic Project-Based Learning experience titled Earth, Sun, and Sustainability: Connecting Systems for a Brighter Future.

As Earth System Explorers, students investigated the fragile balance of Earth’s systems—air, water, land, and life—and how they are influenced by space systems like the Sun, Moon, and stars. With the world facing record-breaking heat waves, melting glaciers, and water shortages, understanding these cosmic connections is essential for informed environmental action.

To bridge the gap in public understanding, students created Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in podcast format, blending scientific research with creative storytelling. These student-led podcasts aim to educate and inspire action by linking the wonders of space to practical solutions for sustainability—locally and globally.

By giving voice to science through storytelling, students are helping shape a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

Throughout the project, students:

• Conducted scientific research using multimedia and AI tutors

• Collaborated with classmates and Central Hudson professionals

• Created detailed blueprints and transformed them into 3D prototypes

• Used AI brainstorming tools and design software to enhance creativity

• Evaluated and refined their ideas through multiple design iterations

This authentic learning experience culminated in a student-led exhibition and a digital product that is now showcased on Central Hudson’s Kids Corner webpage, educating the community on renewable energy and the science behind it.

This project not only deepened students’ understanding of physical science but also demonstrated the power of STEAM learning, creativity, and real-world application.