News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Equipped with spaghetti, masking tape, scissors, and a marshmallow, students work on "the Marshmallow Challenge" in math teacher Kelly Peterson's class. Students working in teams use the materials to build the tallest tower they can, and put the marshmallow on top. "I use it quite often at the beginning of the school year to help build understanding of group dynamics when learning a concept together in a group setting," she said about the activity. From left are junior Sam Amarilla, sophomore Celeste LaPlace, and senior David Borden. - submitted photos
Students work on a team-building exercise involving cups, string, and rubber bands. "They had to stack cups in a pyramid, but were not allowed to touch with their hands," science teacher Garett Moore explained. "Each person in the group had a string attached to a single group rubber band, and they had to pull to expand the rubber band and place it over the cup to grab it. It required team work to grab, move, and release the cups." From left are freshmen Adrianna Robison, James Carlile, and Logan Valenzuela.
Lake Roosevelt students have been spending Fridays focusing on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) projects.
Junior/Senior High Principal Sara Kennedy shared several photos of students working on STEAM projects in her report to the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors on Monday.
"Teachers have been doing lots of fun, creative lessons," she wrote in her report.
"Students and teachers seem to be enjoying STEAM Fridays," she told The Star on Tuesday. "It has given the teachers some time to be creative and think outside their regular lessons to provide students with fun and educational enrichment opportunities."
Science teacher Garett Moore enjoys doing STEAM projects with his students. Projects like building straw towers or using only paper to make a structure to support the weight of stacks of textbooks.
His students Amy Dorman, Lily Brandon, and Riley Ayling built a paper structure that supported the weight of 89 textbooks.
"As a science teacher, I think that STEAM days are a great thing," he told The Star in an email Tuesday. "We went from last year having to cram science into a 25 minute period, to having a day to focus on STEAM. I think it's a great step for these kids, giving them a chance to see school in a different light. I had a student the first week (he doesn't like to participate) set a record for all my classes on building the highest tower out of straws. I have had a really positive experience with my students and STEAM this year."
Math teacher Kelly Peterson also enjoys STEAM Fridays and her students do, as well, including making towers out of only spaghetti, masking tape, and a marshmallow.
"Overall, my students seem to be enjoying the diverse activities that STEAM Fridays bring to our classroom," she told The Star. "And I enjoy the challenge of finding activities that spark their engagement and interest."
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