Serena Hills Students Get Hands-On With STEAM In Kite Project

FLOSSMOOR, IL — On a bright, breezy afternoon, students at Serena Hills Elementary School in Flossmoor School District 161 experienced the kind of learning that literally lifts off the page. Led by Golden Apple Award-winning teacher Andrea Beaty, 3rd-grade students participated in a hands-on STEAM project focused on the science of flying kites.

In the weeks leading up to the launch, students explored the forces that make flight possible. They studied lift, drag, gravity, and thrust, gaining an understanding of how wind interacts with surface area and shape. After reading about William Kamkwamba's amazing journey in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, their class decided to become inventors too. They started by making paper airplanes to see how air moves, then used our 'Engineering Superpowers' to ask, imagine, and plan our very own wind turbines. Just like real engineers, they built models, tested them in the wind, and kept making them better until they really worked.

Through hands-on experiments and design challenges, they discovered how adjustments to a kite’s tail, frame, and angle could impact stability and height. Concepts like measurement, symmetry, and engineering design came to life as students built and refined their own kites.

Students realized how wind is created by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface. With the spring temperatures going up and down, when launch day arrived, the conditions could not have been better. The winds were perfect, steady enough to send each carefully crafted kite soaring. Laughter and excitement filled the air as students watched their designs take flight, making real-time observations and cheering each other on.

“This project gave students the chance to truly experience science in action,” said Andrea Beaty. “They were not just learning about forces and motion. They were testing ideas, making adjustments, and seeing the results right in front of them.”

Serena Hills School was grateful to partner with the Chicago Heights Park District on this memorable experience, providing students with the space and support to bring their learning outdoors and into action. Principal Elizabeth Reich reflected on the day, sharing, “There is something powerful about watching students apply what they have learned in such a joyful, hands-on way. Experiences like this spark curiosity, build confidence, and create lasting memories.”