Fourth Grade Students Compete in STEM Challenge
Fourth-grade students were hard at work during a recent STEM challenge, led by Mr. Griffis and Ms. Boykin. The groups of three to four students headed out to the basketball courts with pipecleaners in hand. Their goal was to create the tallest free-standing structure possible.
“I love that STEM projects allow for our students to be creative and learn to brainstorm ideas with their peers in a fun and exciting learning environment. These projects utilize hands-on learning and exploration which allows students to shine," says fourth-grade teacher Ms. Boykin.
"In this project, the students learned that there is more than one solution to any real world problem and working as an effective team makes all the difference."
All of the teams were able to make a free-standing structure, and the three winnning teams were within just centimeters of one another. The first place team included: Maddox Hoffman, Cooper Sukhu, Wilhelmina D’Loughy and Jessica Baklayan.
"In this project, the students learned that there is more than one solution to any real world problem and working as an effective team makes all the difference."
All of the teams were able to make a free-standing structure, and the three winnning teams were within just centimeters of one another. The first place team included: Maddox Hoffman, Cooper Sukhu, Wilhelmina D’Loughy and Jessica Baklayan.
“STEM projects are central to the kind of learning our students do at Benjamin," says Griffis.
"It presents a question to the students and gives them materials they can use to answer or solve the question. They have to use what they know to explore the challenge. They create a plan and work as a small group to implement the plan. Then they have the opportunity to adjust the plan as they learn about how the materials perform and how they can construct something that will achieve the goal they have been given."
Griffis says the best part of STEM projects is that the students really enjoy them.
"If a student enjoys an activity, they will remember what they did and assimilate the skills or understanding in a deep and meaningful way.”
Lower School students will continue to work on STEM projects throughout the year. Expansion on the Lower/Middle School campus includes plans to break ground on a STEM center in 2016.
"It presents a question to the students and gives them materials they can use to answer or solve the question. They have to use what they know to explore the challenge. They create a plan and work as a small group to implement the plan. Then they have the opportunity to adjust the plan as they learn about how the materials perform and how they can construct something that will achieve the goal they have been given."
Griffis says the best part of STEM projects is that the students really enjoy them.
"If a student enjoys an activity, they will remember what they did and assimilate the skills or understanding in a deep and meaningful way.”
Lower School students will continue to work on STEM projects throughout the year. Expansion on the Lower/Middle School campus includes plans to break ground on a STEM center in 2016.
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A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.