2019 S.T.E.A.M Inquiry Fair
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We are excited to announce our first school-wide S.T.E.A.M Inquiry Fair will be on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. Students will set up their projects throughout the morning on January 30th. The judging will take place in the afternoon from 11:00-4:00. Our open house viewing will be the evening of the 30th from 5:30-6:30. Please mark this evening down on your calendars.
This is an optional event for students. For some students, this fair will be a culminating action from their grade level work. For other students, this can be an extension of projects that are being done in the classroom or as an at-home project.
If your child is interested in participating, please use this link to register. The registration deadline is Wednesday, January 25th, 2018.
S.T.E.A.M Inquiry Categories
There will be five categories from which to choose: Collection, Experiment, Invention/Innovation, Connection to Learning and Creativity.
Collection
Collect and organize something of interest, answering questions related to observations made while exploring the world. Examples: What types of tree leaves can be found on my street? What kinds of tracks can be found at Castlewood Canyon? How old are all the pennies in my piggy bank? For more information, please click on this link to view the Collection Rubric which features the criteria and standards used to judge this type of S.T.E.A.M project.
Experiment
Conduct an experiment to find the answer to a question/problem. The Scientific Method will take you through the process of asking a question, doing some preliminary research, making a hypothesis (best guess), planning, and conducting the experiment, and analyzing the result. Be reflective in the analysis. Is there any real world application of what was learned? For more information, please click on this link to view the Experiment Rubric which features the criteria and standards used to judge this type of S.T.E.A.M project.
Invention/Innovation
Just about everything we use, work with or wear was invented or repurposed to answer a need. Someone had to think of how to design that object to solve a particular problem or need. ANYONE can be an inventor. Use science, math, technology and creativity to design a thing or a process that solves a problem or meets a need in the following manner:
Problem
Research
Come Up with Possible Solutions
Plan
Create
Improve Upon it
For more information, please click on this link to view the Innovation Rubric which features the criteria and standards used to judge this type of S.T.E.A.M. project.
Connection to Learning
Someone has already found the answer to a problem/question that is of personal interest to your child and now he/she will read books/magazines/Internet sites; visit institutions; speak with experts; etc. The display board may include drawings, photographs, charts, graphs, dioramas, etc. As S.T.E.A.M. learners, we ask our children to make connections to what they have learned everyday. Connections can be to other learning topics; looking at a problem from a new/different perspective; or a connection that inspires the students to take action because of what they learned. Example: How is the human eye like a camera? Now that I’ve learned about conservation of resources, I am inspired to take action in the following ways…. For more information, please click on this link to view the Connection to Learning Rubric which features the criteria and standards used to judge this type of S.T.E.A.M project
Creativity
Amazing things happen when students are creative. This project showcases true imagination. A student must create something new. This can be art or poetry, or it can be musical or digital. It can include writing, mut it MUST be an original and unique expression of ideas, thoughts or points of view. For more information, please click on the link to view the Creativity Rubric which features the criteria and standards used to judge this type of S.T.E.A.M. project.
Remember, these are student projects, but we encourage you to brainstorm with your child on different ideas and possible projects your child may want to pursue. The possibilities are endless!
We hope this will be an exciting experience for your child and all of the students and Mountain View Elementary.
Thank you,
Millie Grotts
Principal