STREAM Newsletter Spring/Summer 2022

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 a group problem solving with applicable solutions that develops independent thinking while fostering collaboration. Students will have opportunities to gain read 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 Life Ready.

We are dedicating our winter newsletter to wellness. Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal.

Great Resources

Teach Engineering

Try Engineering

We are Teachers

our top Health and Wellness picks

How Teachers Can Practice Self-Care for Long-Term Health & Wellness By Jennifer Gunn

5 Quick Stress Busters for Teachers

What is Gratitude? Why is it so Important?

The Science of Happiness

What’s STREAMing at...

Chase, Cooke, & KLR

Chase

Ms. Furman's second grade class learned about simple machines and the kids made marshmallow launchers. They also learned about the engineering and constructed a model that bears weight. Currently they are researching dog breeds and painting life size models using the measurements they found in their research.

KLR

Mrs. Bowles and Mrs. Futrell's fifth-grade class became zoo exhibit curators! After completing research on their animal, they created a zoo habitat for their animals to survive in. They had to ensure they included all elements to meet the needs of their animals. Mr. Palmer even came on the zoo tour!

Mrs. Wendt and Mrs. Kreeger's fifth-grade students each created their own zoo habitat for their animals. They went outside on a nice, sunny day to display and present their projects!

In a recent science unit of study, Mr. Scecina's fifth-grade class followed the Question Formulation Technique through an exploration of energy forms. The unit culminated with a STEAM task: build a roller coaster with the maximum possible amount of twists and turns. Students worked in groups and had a chance to reflect on their strengths and difficulties of the project.

On Friday, May 13, all students in Mr. Scecina's fifth-grade class are scheduled to release the Brown Trout that have been growing from the egg stage in his classroom aquarium since September! There are activities planned for the release day, which will be located at the intersection of Holiday Mountain Road and Bridgeville Road, along the bank of the Neversink River.

Mr. Wharton and Mrs. Orlando's third grade class are studying extreme weather conditions. Then they were given a "STREAM Challenge". The problem was to create a structure to reduce the impact of these extreme weather condition. The student engineers were tasked with first designing a structure, then were given supplies to build! The supplies included cardboard, Styrofoam, popsicle sticks, and tape. Their creations were amazing and the students learned so much about weather conditions an the engineering design process!

Mrs. Snow provided her third grade class with the opportunity to go on a simulated archeological dig. Her students discovered what fossils might be found under different layers of the earth. Next, the students got to identify fossil traits to determine the habitat of each prehistoric animal. Students determined whether it was a land animal or a water animal. Mrs. Snow also brought in a Eurypterid, which is the official New York State fossil. She discovered the sea scorpion fossil while visiting Crab Island in New York. The student archaeologists examined the fossils!

Cooke

Students in Mrs. Boardman's class participated in an egg-citing STEM project where they were challenged to make a basket out of pipe cleaners that would carry the most eggs. The winner built a basket that was able to hold 7 eggs!

Update

UPDATE COGNIA

Both the middle and high schools had their readiness diagnostic meetings in May and the team will be working this summer to begin gathering evidence for our site visit in the spring. The teams will work to separate the evidence based on the three domains (leadership, learning, and resources) and then the standards within each of the domains. The team has decided to focus on earning our accreditation first and then continuing with our STEM certification.

COGNIA

RJK Middle School

Students in the seventh-grade STREAM class have been working on their LED clocks. First, they build the base out of wood. Then, they stain it and put a clear coat on it. Next, they learn how to assemble a series circuit using 3 LED bulbs, a circuit board, a switch, and a power source. Once their base is assembled, they work on the clock face by processing a 5x6 piece of acrylic. Then, they go online to pick a vector image (Black and White) to laser onto the face of their clocks using the Corel draw program and the laser engraver.

Some of these Sixth Graders are working on renewable energy and civil engineering concepts. They are assembling a vehicle powered by AIR, The goal is to use compressed air to run a pneumatic motor powering gears and moving their vehicle.

These 6th graders are working on how architectural engineers apply scientific principles to their designs, and how they use those principles to push their buildings to the limits. Students get to build a strong foundation in architectural design while exploring the engineering principles behind planning and developing real buildings and structures.

Monticello High School

Using project-based learning to increase student engagement, learning, and understanding. Students were able to study arson from two points of view. Students played the role of the arsonist and the first investigator. They built structures that were 6 x 6 and had no height requirement. They needed to have at least one window and one door. We had our resident Fire Chief with us Charles Paynes on the day of the live burn. Students chose the location to place a duraflame cube in their structure. They lit it and recorded the burn. They evaluated their own burn and a burn from another group. They looked for fire burn patterns, how long the structure took to burn, and what factors affected the rate of burn.

Mr. Payne spoke with SUPA Forensics students about burn patterns.

Medical Intervention students are learning all about Biofeedback and how it can be used to control their stress. They are collecting baseline data and then purposefully expose themselves to a stressful situation. For instance, complete a task within an allotted amount of time. They then explore techniques like belly breathing, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation and see which one works the best for them during a stressful situation while monitoring their vitals and then comparing them to their original vitals prior to employing one of the techniques they learned.

Medical Interventions students collect baseline data on EKG, respiration, and temperature. From left to right we have Awa and Michelle, Jason and Ava, and Alyssa and Meg

First Aid is one of the units in our Principles of Health Science course which also serves as the foundation course in the Pre-Health Science Journey. This year we had 12 students get American Red Cross certified in Adult CPR/AED, Infant CPR and First Aid. It took almost two weeks but they all successfully demonstrated the proper skills and now have a life skill they can use in the community.

Chase McFarland and Christopher Poitras

In the IT Journey course Introduction to Computer Science, students used MCSD's Makey Makey devices to learn a little bit about the intersection of hardware and software design along with its connection to computer science. Students could use the skills gained to transfer into robotics and artificial intelligence.

Student reflection: Some things I learned were that Makey Makey's work if the alligator wires are connected to any conductible object, which may then allow it to be activated by touching the object while holding onto the ground wire. I also learned how to solve real-world design situations and how to build things. The things I learned from using the Makey Makey's may help me in the future when I encounter a situation that may use this knowledge, or practice. -Josh Miller

Student Reflection: When we used the Makey Makey's, we used our thinking skills like we normally do in computer science to come up with a solution or figure out how something works. When we figured out how it worked, we were able to connect it to our laptops to create music, drawings, etc. The Makey Makey's send signals to the computer that tell them what to do based on what buttons we press. In total, we used our problem-solving skills to figure out how Makey Makey’s worked and used their applications to create things. -Josh Miller

Practical Science students participate in a nature walk, lead by Living Environment teacher, John Carelli. Students unplugged and took time to observe the amazing world around them.

Physics students undergo an engineering challenge, exploring the concept of Conservation of Energy.

Practical Science students using the Engineering Design Plan to create rubber band powered cars as part of their Physics unit.

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The Engineering Design Process is the heart of STREAM

Engineering Design Process

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with an image by ROverhate - "butterflies flowers pollinate"