Recently, St. Joseph School students in Grades 5 through 8 spent several days at Webster Lake participating in STEM Days. The days were designed and coordinated by 6-8th Grade Science & Math instructor, Mr. Jeffrey Grupposo, and 5th Grade instructor Ms. Kelly Baily. STEM is an approach to learning that integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through STEM, students develop essential skills that include problem-solving, creativity, critical analysis, initiative, and communication. In addition, students learn to work as part of a team while also improving their independent thought process.
With these goals in mind, each morning, Mr. Grupposo and Ms. Bailey had students rotate through activity stations designed to reinforce their current lessons. At one station, students utilized microscopes to examine prepared slides of micro-organs such as bee heads and wings, parts of plants such as leaf sections and pine needles, blood, and bacteria. In addition, they retrieved samples of lake water, created slides, and analyzed them under a microscope. At another station, students completed soil tests where they examined the nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and pH of the soil. Following the tests, they compared their results with other groups and discussed why their results varied. A third activity was referred to as the “waterslide.” After reading a short story about how Newton’s Laws of Motion, inertia, and friction affect the design of waterslides, the students designed slides based on these principles. Another fun activity was the “Pirate Booty Challenge,” where students used a 6”x6” piece of aluminum foil to create a boat. They were also given 50 pennies and challenged to create a vessel that would hold the pennies without sinking. During the design phase, students utilized the scientific method and evaluated the surface area and weight displacement. Other stations included a nature scavenger hunt and a fun problem-solving and team-building challenge called “Saving Sam.”
The final station of the morning rotation focused on math as well as physical fitness. Mr. Grupposo utilized a sports combine activity and adapted it to his students. A sports combine consists of conditioning drills used to determine speed, strength, and skill level. The St. Joseph School Sports Combine event included the broad jump, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, shuttle run, and push-ups. The students were allowed to complete each drill three times to achieve their personal best and were required to log their results on a data sheet after each attempt. Results will be incorporated into future lessons using basic formulas in Google Sheets to calculate Mean, Median, Mode. In addition, the students will create bar graphs to compare their results to the median from each category. Mr. Grupposo also plans to have students utilize the data to create radar charts comparing the median as well as compare their statistics to NFL athletes and to monitor their personal growth each year.
The afternoon activities were just as fun and educational! Following a relaxing lunch under the shade of the new pavilion, the students got back into action. They participated in the “Predator versus Prey” game to help them gain a better understanding of food chains and predator/prey relationships. They also enjoyed fun Field Day games and various STEM challenges to encourage team building and critical thinking skills.
The SJS Home and School Association supported the St. Joseph School STEM Days at Webster Lake through fund-raising initiatives. In addition to paying for the needed supplies, they also made sure an ice cream truck visited the beach, and each student and teacher received a cold treat!
St. Joseph School would like to thank the Town of Webster and Recreation Director Carole Marchand for helping make the STEM Days possible. St. Joseph School’s STEM Days at Webster Lake were a huge success, and the school plans to make them an annual event. By utilizing a STEM learning approach, St. Joseph School empowers students with the skills needed to succeed and adapt in this changing world, providing them with the foundation to thrive at school and beyond.
To view more photos from this event, click HERE.
