Kids Participate In Fall-Themed STEM Challenge

North Bellmore School District: Apples are a staple of autumn, and with summer coming to an end, students at John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District participated in a fall-themed STEM challenge. The third grade classes came together in the cafeteria on Sept. 19 for an activity that required teamwork to be successful, along with ingenuity and perseverance.

In the Apples Aloft activity, each group had to construct a tower using a limited supply of materials that could support the weight of an apple. The materials included index cards, pipe cleaners, pencils and markers, a paper bag, straws, string and masking tape. Before building, students had to discuss a plan of action with their teammates. Children were encouraged to share ideas and come to a consensus on a plan. They then had 25 minutes to build. Teachers Lori Alduino, Dana Rudnet, Laura Russo and Stacey Theodore observed as students tried different design ideas and then made adjustments along the way. The following day in class, students discussed the process and analyzed what did and didn't work in the designs. Ms. Russo explained that the purpose of the activity was for students to express their creativity, to improve their problem-solving abilities, to collaborate with each other and to understand that failure is only a reason to try harder. “If it doesn’t work,” Ms. Russo said, “figure out why and do it differently.”