Connecting Literacy with Engineering

This week in the Library STEAM Center, all of our students JK-4th grade made connections with pumpkin stories and engineered models based on those stories. 

JK, K & 1st graders connected the "5 Little Pumpkins", discussing beginning, middle, and end of the story by engineering fences and seeing if they can fit 5 little pumpkins in a row on top of their fence.  If it didn't work, they reflected on their design and redesigned it.

Our 2nd, 3rd & 4th graders connected "The Runaway Pumpkin", discussing beginning, middle, and end of the story by engineering hills or ramps with a barrier at the bottom to stop their pumpkin.  If the barrier didn't stop the pumpkin, they reflected on their design and redesigned it.

Throughout the process, students worked with the engineering design process by understanding these steps:

1. Define the Problem
2. Plan Solutions
3. Make a Model
4. Test the Model
5. Reflect and Redesign

We are Thinkers and Tinkers in the Hornung Library STEAM Center!