SALT LAKE CITY – Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School teachers are immersing students in the Next Generation Science Standards through science experiments, investigations and engineering projects. The new standards emphasize discovery through questioning and inquiring, like real scientists and engineers do.
From our youngest learners in kindergarten who built their own marble run, which helped to demonstrate the concepts of gravity, speed and friction; to our middle-school students who invented rovers using light sensors, then operated them remotely on a track to test their design and functionality; students are given unique engineering problems that create a natural context for connecting science and math concepts.
Most recently, Lourdes’ fifth grade teacher, Mr. Little, had his students put their knowledge of Newton’s Laws of Motion and simple machines to the test by building a go-kart.
“I like to have the students apply what they learn in a fun and engaging way,” Mr. Little said. “When it comes to learning, it’s about the process, not necessarily the end product.”
To design and assemble the go-kart, which was made from donated materials from the students’ families, the students had to combine the concepts they had learned in science with math concepts and skills, questioning, inquiring, teamwork, and reflecting on results. They also learned how to safely use some power tools.
“It was fun and I liked it! I didn’t know you could make a go-kart without an engine,” said 5th-grader Takaiya Pennington.
Another 5th grader, Tara Villata, also enjoyed the project. “I would expect this to be an 8th-grade project, not a 5th-grade project. It was interesting and I liked using the power tools,” she said.
“I think it shows a lot of these students what they can really do with the knowledge that they are getting in school and it shows what they can really accomplish,” Mr. Little said.
Courtesy of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
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