Students designed and constructed solutions to the problems of Curious George, the Three Little Pigs, and the Billy Goats Gruff during Turkey Hill’s School’s recent Spring into STEM day event.
Students practiced applying essential twenty-first century science, technology, engineering and math skills as they planned, built, tested and redesigned their challenges throughout the day. The best projects came together in a final all-school assembly where their structures were put to the test.
Grades 1 and 2 created foil boats that carried Curious George and as many cars as possible across a river. The most successful design held 13 cars for 10 seconds. Grades 3 and 4 built and tested homes for the Three Little Pigs that withstood “hurricane force winds.” Grades 5 and 6 had the most difficult challenge, as they built a bridge to go over an 18-foot-wide, 3-foot-high high “gorge” that would hold three “goats” individually weighing 10, 12, and 15 pounds. The fifth-grade team of Anthony Capecelatro, Brendan Gunning, Ethan Lah and Chris DiGiovanni exceeded the challenge by building a bridge that held 28 pounds.
Students innovate to meet engineering challenges for characters from children’s stories during Turkey Hill School’s Spring into STEM day. Contributed photos.