Fifth Grade Drop Everything and STEAM Week [Photos]

Shorecrest’s annual Drop Everything and STEAM Week brought fifth graders together to tackle science- and art-based challenges, incorporating science, technology, engineering, art, and math to simulate real-world STEAM professionals' work.

The week's central theme, Designing Kinetic Sculptures, inspired students to use recyclable materials in their projects. Following the eight steps of the engineering design process they identified, investigated, imagined, planned, created, tested, improved, and communicated their way to various kinetic projects within specified criteria and constraints.

One project focused on gears, and students learned about the driving force behind kinetic sculptures and exploring ratios while creating artistic sculptures. Criteria for the sculptures dictated that two objects must interact as specific gear parts passed each other, such as a soccer player on one gear "kicking" a soccer ball on a separate gear.

Another activity delved into simple machines, emphasizing how wheels, axles, and levers collaborate for motion and task completion. Students were tasked with creating a transportation system using a wheel and axle to move a load of twelve dominoes one meter and employing a lever to unload the cargo.

Further utilizing the engineering design process, students crafted flag-waver automata, employing pulleys, gears, dowels, clips, rubber bands, blocks, and index cards. They addressed forces inhibiting motion, and reduced friction through engineered solutions, such as adding wax to dowels.

The final challenge was to replicate the inner construction of a “mystery tube.” Students were given a PVC pipe sealed at the ends, with strings on the outside that could be pulled to move beads. They used observations and imagination to form a hypothesis of what was going on inside the tube (without being able to look inside of the tube.) Students collaborated to create a prototype tube to test if their hypothesis was correct, making revisions along the way. Once each group had a working prototype, each student made their own mystery tube and added artistic touches to make their tube into a creative toy to baffle family and friends. 

Throughout the week, students reflected on their engineering strengths and areas for improvement. Recognizing and leveraging team members' strengths improved collaboration, emphasizing that teams thrived when each member contributed individual talents. Shout-outs at each activity's conclusion celebrated leadership, communication, collaboration, and focus.

The week culminated in a STEAM Showcase with families, at which students demonstrated and explained their kinetic sculptures. Students shared their successes, how they overcame challenges, and other information about each sculpture. Family members were impressed by the knowledge students shared. Cross-curricular, hands-on lessons like these stress all the great things about Shorecrest’s focus on project-based learning and have long-lasting educational effects. From critical thinking, collaboration and academic risk-taking to creativity, problem-solving, and personalized learning, STEAM Week is an exciting and meaningful challenge for fifth grade Chargers!

View photos from STEAM Week

Flickr album: 5th grade STEAM Week | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

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