Drop Everything and STEAM Week in Fifth Grade

During the week of March 10-14, students in the Shorecrest Class of 2032 and their team of teachers tackled fifth grade's annual Drop Everything and STEAM Week. A milestone Middle School tradition, STEAM Week dedicates five school days to exploring real-world intersection and application of science, technology, engineering, art and math. Inspired by recent professional development made possible by the Teachers Fund, this year's STEAM Week was reenvisioned with a new central theme of "space technology and exploration" and featured guest experts including NASA engineer Michael Frawley and NASA astronaut and aquanaut Nicole Stott.  

Field Experiences & Guest Experts 

Prior to the start of STEAM Week, fifth graders received their STEAM "crew" assignment for the week and worked together to design a mission patch, symbolizing the mission's objective and the crew's identity. Pre-week work also included lessons in the engineering design process - a skill critical to achieving the week's challenges - and a field experience at the St. Petersburg College Planetarium and Observatory. There, students learned how to identify many objects in the night sky including constellations, planets and star clusters. They also had the opportunity to observe sunspots through a special filtered telescope.

During a virtual visit with Michael Frawley, a mechanical design engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, students learned how origami - the Japanese tradition of paper folding - has inspired a number of his unique spacecraft designs. Mr. Frawley worked on the Perseverance Rover that landed on Mars in 2020, and the Europa Clipper that launched in 2024 and will arrive on Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2030. He emphasized the importance of teamwork, creativity, and resilience, reassuring students that failure is a natural and valuable part of problem-solving. 

Another guest expert, astronaut Nicole Stott, who spent 104 days in space on two space shuttle missions, came to Shorecrest in person and shared insights with the full fifth through eighth grade Middle School about using science done in space to improve life on earth. She was impressed by how well STEAM is incorporated into so many aspects of Shorecrest life. (While on campus she also recorded with the Upper School “Women in STEAM” podcast. Be on the lookout for that episode soon!)

Hands-on Design Challenges

In addition to field experiences and guest experts, the week featured a number of opportunities for students to test their learning in space-themed design challenges, including the "Egg Drop and Rove" challenge, inspired by the Google Lunar X Prize, and the "Heat Shield Challenge" which tested students' understanding of thermal protection in a mock space shuttle re-entry.  

Another hands-on activity explored origami, demonstrating how engineers use folding techniques to optimize space-saving during launches. Their work with paper led to constructing and launching high-powered paper rockets to investigate how factors like height, angle, speed and mass affect a projectile’s flight. 

Enriching the learning further, students read NASA’s first interactive graphic novel, "Dream to Reality," which tells the story of Callie, the first woman on the moon. Through augmented reality they explored the perseverance needed to overcome obstacles in space exploration, drawing connections to their own problem-solving experiences throughout the week. The book contained QR codes for additional learning and an audiobook to add voiceover to the experience. 

Throughout the week as they progressed through the challenges, students reflected on their engineering strengths and areas for improvement. The debrief and documentation helped teams to recognize and leverage team members' strengths and to improve collaboration, emphasizing that teams thrived when each member contributed individual talents. 

Presentation and Recognition 

The action-packed week culminated in the STEAM Showcase on Pi Day, March 14, where students proudly presented their projects to families. STEAM Week crews shared their triumphs, reflected on challenges, and demonstrated their newfound knowledge. Guests were impressed by the depth of learning and creativity on display.

Just as the students worked together during STEAM Week, so did the fifth grade team of teachers including Sally Blush (Science), Mandy Howell (Math), Sandy Janack (Social Studies), Melanie Jarvis (Spanish) and Bonnie Lurie (English), with collaboration from Technology Teacher Chris Scoby and Media Specialist Casey Giroud '02. 

Following a recent career-highlight professional development opportunity at NASA Space Camp for Educators, made possible by the Shorecrest Teachers Fund, science teacher Sally Blush took the lead in overhauling this year's STEAM Week and integrating the space exploration and technology theme. 

“Sally began dreaming of revamping STEAM week as soon as she returned from her summer at Space Camp,” shared Sandy Janack, fifth grade dean and social studies teacher. “Her enthusiasm and energy were both palpable and contagious. We launched STEAM Week in 2016 and it has always been an impactful learning experience for our students, but this year's was truly exceptional. With Sally's Space Camp experience and leadership, the teachers learned as much as the students! She searched non-stop for materials, experiences, and guest speakers to augment and fill out the program. It was such a great week." 

In addition to thanking the fifth grade team, Sally is quick to acknowledge the other staff members who helped make the week special for our students. “Thank you to the Maintenance team who created the rocket launchers and the heat shield stand. They oversaw the heat shield safety and helped pressurize the rockets. And Casey Giroud '02, MS/US Media Specialist, offered insight to every project with her Makerspace and Tech skills. She helped coordinate the astronaut visit and book signing. She also helped prepare the origami materials.” 

STEAM Week exemplifies Shorecrest’s commitment to project-based learning, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and academic risk-taking. These hands-on experiences create lasting educational benefits, equipping students with problem-solving skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

More photos:

Flickr album: Drop Everything and STEAM Week 2025 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin