OneCarver Celebrates National STEAM Day with Innovative Activities

First-graders at Gideons Elementary School building a bridge using Leggos. Photo courtesy of Gideons Elementary School, APS ©

In celebration of National STEAM Day, Atlanta Public Schools’ Carver Cluster (OneCarver) hosted “Stop, Drop + STEAM Day”. Each school tailored the day to fit its unique learning environment by engaging students in hands-on activities addressing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

At Finch Elementary School, fourth-graders experimented with hydroponic techniques. They participated in collaborative STEAM-related activities, while third-graders at Kindezi at Gideons Elementary School (Gideons) engaged in engineering and physics challenges, including constructing paper bridges capable and designing contraptions to protect eggs from breaking as part of the classic Egg Drop Challenge.

Third-graders at Gideons Elementary School conduct the Egg Drop Challenge. Courtesy of Gideons Elementary School, APS ©

Gideons’ second and fifth-graders also participated in physical challenges. They constructed volcanoes, catapults, and Ferris wheels to explore concepts of force and motion or learned about thrust through the Balloon Rocket Race, in which they raced balloons along a string “track” across their classroom.

The Spaghetti and Marshmallow Challenge was the main focus at Sylvan Hills Middle School, where sixth-graders tackled an engineering exercise that required building the tallest free-standing tower using uncooked spaghetti, string, tape, and a marshmallow as the crowning piece. Working in groups of four, students applied the Engineering Design Process, which included imagining, planning, creating, and improving their designs. The challenge honed their problem-solving skills and reinforced math and engineering concepts through collaboration.

Ms. Jackson’s seventh-grade science class at Sylvan Hills Middle School participating in the Spaghetti and Marshmallow Challenge. Courtesy of Sylvan Hills Middle School, APS ©

In addition, the seventh-graders in Ms. Aiyana Ross’ mathematics class and Ms. Brikeshia Jackson’s science class participated in challenges in which students used their creativity and analytical thinking to develop solutions to complex STEAM-related problems.

By engaging in activities that blended theoretical knowledge with practical application, OneCarver students developed a deeper appreciation for the STEAM disciplines and their relevance to real-world problems, making “Stop, Drop + STEAM Day” successful.

Enjoy the below photo recap of OneCarver’s Stop, Drop + STEAM Day.