Keeping STEAM topics alive beyond the classroom is the goal of a dedicated group of Dallin Elementary School caregivers. This winter the STEAM Team, with the support of the school administration, Math Coach Carolyn Snook, and the After-School program, organized and executed three events that have become very important to the school community. The second annual STEAM Game Night was held on January 26. For two hours caregivers and students were able to rotate through different games and activities that were designed to stimulate interest in mathematics and promote critical thinking.
Choices included a giant interactive Connect 4, traditional board games and card games like Sorry! and Uno, and one-person and group puzzlers, mazes, and game sheets. STEAM Team member Angela Elias reports that “There was high traffic from students of all ages at the individual “paper” activities tables, which had KenKen, dot-to-dot counting creations, math mosaics, and other STEAM puzzles.” She also noted that “Many younger students gravitated towards a gross motor measuring station and giant Jenga blocks used for engineering practice. Older students often circulated through the more complex table games like Qwirkle and Prime Climb, sometimes learning them for the first time with station volunteers or via short tutorial videos accessed through QR codes.”
Approximately 131 people attended, and Ms. Elias reports that “There was excitement in the air throughout the evening, whether families casually explored various game tables or specifically targeted old-favorites following the Game Night Map.” Adults that were tired after a long week left with smiles and teachers and administrators appreciated the enjoyment among the attendees. Three families won gift cards to Henry Bear’s Park in Arlington where they can purchase games to play at home.
The next event was Dallin Science Day, organized by STEAM Team member Stephen Wilson and held on March 1. During the morning, members of the community with science interests and expertise come into the school with a variety of demonstrations and presentations to share, most of which were done by Dallin caregivers. Many of the presenters had a scientific background, but that was not required.
Students from Kindergarten through fifth grade were able to visit 10 stations, and the variety of what was offered meant that all ages could get value from attending. A perennial favorite, the Electric Pickle Blaster, was on hand as well as An Exploration of Salt. The body-related demonstrations were grouped in the cafeteria where the attendees could take a virtual tour of the heart, see a blood transfusion set-up and understand the cells in blood, and explore their “amazing brain.”
This was the first time that Science Day has been held since COVID, and Mr. Wilson was instrumental in bringing it back. In his words, “The kids really seem to enjoy it and it fills a different niche than the other events in that the kids are exposed to a wider variety of science topics.”
The last event was the Student Science Expo that took place on March 27. This year there were 65 participants from Kindergarten through fifth grade presenting 42 projects. The range of topics was broad. Attendees could learn about Which Fruit is the Juiciest, Rock Candy-Which Sugar Works Best?, and view Candy Color Chromatography. Students explored Cold Chemistry, Optical Illusions, Volcano Volume, and Potato Batteries. Other young scientists wondered How is the ocean organized?, Why are there seasons?, and What is Density? Marble run projects from two of the fourth grade classrooms were also on hand.
Participation in the Expo is voluntary and everyone is asked to focus on using the engineering design process to invent something new, or the scientific method to answer a question by conducting an experiment. Participants may work alone or in teams of up to four students, and Kindergarten through second grade students may work with a parent or other adult. Tri-panel poster boards are provided for display and this year those who wished to do so could share their posters with their class after the Expo. All work is done at home.
STEAM Team member Tracy Callahan observed that “Parents and other attendees are always amazed and impressed with the work the students do on their projects.We continue to do it each year because it is a great community event that gets to really showcase student work and creativity.” She also shared that Principal Thad Dingman always visits every project, something the young scientists really love.
Mr. Dingman had this to say about the event: “I was absolutely blown away by the student projects at Dallin’s Science Fair this year. The amount of curiosity and exploration was maybe the best I’ve ever experienced in my 10 years. Students were engaged and informed and could really talk in depth about their process and the science behind the projects. I learned about pulley systems, made art with organic paint, interacted with a model of the upcoming solar eclipse, reviewed an anti-shark suit prototype, explored electric circuits - and so much more. We have such an amazing community of learners! Giant thank you to our PTO family volunteers who have added so much enthusiasm to STEAM enrichment at our school.”