STREAM Newsletter Fall 2024

Our Vision:

The STREAM committee is dedicated to developing a program that is inquiry based and that will develop students into confident, self-directed learners. In a safe and supportive environment our students will be engaged in group problem solving with applicable solutions that develops independent thinking while fostering collaboration. Students will have opportunities to gain real world experience through community partnerships and internships. Our goal is to combine science, technology, research, engineering, art, and mathematics to prepare our students to be contributing members of the 21st century work force.

So, you’re going to be teaching STREAM? That’s great! You may be a first-time STREAM teacher, an experienced STEM teacher eager to add new engagement and differentiation to your pedagogy, or a parent or guardian supporting your curious learner. In either case, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive into learning, planning, and preparing. I’m guessing that one question you have is: How can I plan and organize to make my STREAM lessons successful? Look below for some inspiration!

11 Engaging STEM Activities that will Foster Curiosity

Website: Teach Engineering K-12 STEM Curriculum

YouTube Channel: Try Engineering

STEM Resource Finder

50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Teaching STEAM

STREAM at Crawford Library

YouTube Channel: Emily’s Science Lab

YouTube Channel: Mrs. B’s Science

YouTube Channel: STEM Challenges

What’s STREAMing at...

ELEMENTARY

Chase School

After reading "Creepy Carrots" by Aaron Reynolds students used craft sticks and clothes pins to build a fence around Crackenhopper Field to keep the carrots in...or could it be to keep Jasper Rabbit out!

After reading "How I Met My Monster" by Amanda Noll students used a variety of materials to construct their own monsters. Kindergarten students used shapes to create their monsters.

Inspired by the book "The Runaway Pumpkin" by Kevin Lewis, students used materials from "the junkyard" to build a pumpkin stopper. The stoppers were then tested for their pumpkin stopping ability! If they were successful in stopping a small pumpkin they moved on to a medium and then lastly a large pumpkin.

Rutherford School

Mrs. Donato's fourth grade students are diving into exciting projects on Natural Disasters and STEM kits!

Mrs. Snow and Mrs. Brenner’s third grade students began their year studying the lifecycle of the mealworm and butterfly! Each student made amazing discoveries doing experiments with their own personal mealworm, which they named, weighed and measured! The children discovered that mealworms prefer to be in the dark while doing experiments using flashlights and black and white paper. They also did experiments using vinegar, water and tapping to see how the mealworms would react. It has been an adventure observing and experiencing the metamorphosis of their personal mealworm as they have changed from a larva to a pupa and then to an adult Darkling Beetle! We also observed each caterpillar miraculously change from a larva to a chrysalis, to beautiful Painted Lady Butterfly! Two of the butterflies actually burst from their chrysalises while the students were watching! It was an amazing site to see the wings unfurl and the butterflies begin todry their wings and flutter around the enclosed screened environment. Eventually, we had 10 butterflies emerge from their own chrysalis! The students learned that, in the Painted Lady’s short lifecycle, they can each lay up to 500 eggs! It was both exciting and sad for the Third Graders to say goodbye to the Painted Lady Butterflies as they flew away.

Cooke School

The second-grade classes at Cooke are growing pumpkins! In October, each classroom teacher read aloud the book "Pumpkin Jack", by Will Hubbel, and then facilitated a student lead discussion regarding the process of a plant decomposing to grow new plants, as in the book. Then the students helped design a class Pumpkin Jack that the teacher carved. Each week, the students made observations of the pumpkin, noting the changes and making predictions of what the pumpkin will look like the following week. In Spring, all of the seedlings will be planted in the school garden where each class will be responsible for tending to the seedlings and learning about germination and plant growth. These new pumpkins will be used the following school year.

Students at Cooke released butterflies that had emerged from their chrysalis’. The students loved seeing the Monarch butterflies fly from their teachers hand as they carefully took them out of the classroom butterfly garden habitat. Kindergarten teacher April Rutledge brought in a fish tank to house the Monarch caterpillars, so students at Cooke could easily view the process of the caterpillar and butterfly life cycle.

Robert J. Kaiser Middle School

Ms. Takacs' students were working on the New York State lab "All Mixed Up" where they created and carried out a step-by-step procedure to separate out different substances from a mixture. Then, they collected the data and changed their thinking to fit the data they collected.

Monticello High School

On October 16, 2024, Geometry students attended a field trip to the National Museum of Mathematics at NYC (arranged by Annette Farrell) where they experienced how mathematics illuminate the patterns and structures that exist all around us. They were able to view and interact with some activities in the exhibits and galleries. Additionally, the students participated in a coding/password class to create and break codes/passwords within a group using their math skills!

The Monticello High School Robotics Club creating their first Vex prototypes. Facilitated by Eric Shewmaker and Kiowa Garcia, students are free to explore, design, code and test robots that will hopefully qualify to participate in a future V5 Robotics competition.

SUPA Physics students investigate vectors using a force table. In this lab investigation, students experimentally determine the "equilibrant" force that balances two other forces. They then determine the same equilibrant using analytical and graphical methods and finally compare all of the results.

Find out more about our High School STREAM Journeys on the district website! https://www.monticelloschools.net/monticello-high-school/stream-journeys/

St. John's Street Science Supplies

Who: K-12 Teachers

What: A full room of STREAM and science materials!

Where: St. John’s Street Community School (22 St. John Street, Monticello)

When: Any school day before 9:00am and after 3:00pm until 6:00pm (security leaves at 6:00pm)

Why: To support and enhance your STREAM and science lessons!

How:

1. Use our inventory to see what is available: https://monticellocsd-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/kkeesler_k12mcsd_net/Ebw3c7ljpWpPlYvJUOkU8osB9YgVp3h_km1tppIQf0yFcw?e=OdQohl

2. Email Kayleigh Bowles at kbowles@k12mcsd.net. Share: 1. What you would like to take for your classroom. 2. The date/time you would like to go.

3. When granted the permission, please park in the rear lot of St. John's Street and enter through the back entrance. Bring your school ID.

4. Use the materials as long as you need them! If they are items that can be reused, please return them!

STREAM Lesson Support: If you need support and/or advice on leading a STREAM or science lesson, let your science liaison or DIL know. As a committee, we are happy to welcome you to our meetings, or meet with you individually, to discuss any ideas!

Check out how our TECHNOLOGY department can support you HERE!

Your STREAM Team: Kayleigh Bowles (KLR), Kelly Keesler (HS), Kiowa Garcia (HS), Patti Anderson (Chase), Joana Dutcher (Cooke), Kimberly Hazan-Leonard (HS)

Do you have something you would like us to highlight on the Winter newsletter?

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The Engineering Design Process is the heart of STREAM

Engineering Design Process