JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - STEAM week took place April 15-19 and every student from kindergarten up to fifth grade participated in the daily activities at DeLalio.
The days of boring science experiments are over.
Utilizing the science, technology, engineering, art and math curriculum, students of DeLalio Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River participated in a weeklong entertaining and educational science, and engineering experiments and projects.
STEAM week took place April 15-19 and every student from kindergarten up to fifth grade participated in the daily activities at DeLalio.
The STEAM curriculum allows students the opportunity to learn using a hands-on approach to real-world application and problem solving.
Some of the experiments and projects the students conducted and created were pizza box solar ovens, marble drops and making a weight-bearing paper table.
Students of all grades showed their excitement when it was time for them to do STEAM activities with smiles and cheers.
They learned about solar gain and insulation while enjoying tasty treats using the solar ovens they created out of pizza boxes, aluminum foil and plastic wrap along with power of the sun to make s’mores.
STEAM has a five-step design process that includes: ask questions, imagine solutions, plan and design solutions to problems, create and build and improve your plan, said Norma Sanders, DeLalio teacher.
Using only tape and newspaper the students were asked to build a table that could withstand the weight of their textbooks. The assignment allowed the students a chance to be creative and come up with their own designs as well as learn what is most structurally sound, said Becky Malecki, head STEAM teacher.
“One of our students table was able to hold 18 textbooks,” she added.
Engineers and representatives also came from North Carolina State University to visit with and speak to the students about perspective jobs in their fields such as mechanical and aerospace engineering.
“Hands on learning and working in groups helps the students set themselves up for success and by learning great life skills,” said Malecki.