A Great Pumpkin STEM Day
Bechtel Elementary kindergarten classrooms transformed into pumpkin patches on Thursday, Oct. 31 as students excitedly explored Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities involving – you guessed it – pumpkins!
Twenty-two parent volunteers led eight different stations where students engaged in hands-on learning, exploring concepts like counting, measuring, and making scientific predictions. Students planted pumpkin seeds, created pumpkin pal glyphs, measured the circumference of pumpkins using string and square blocks as a unit of measurement, predicted whether pumpkins would sink or float in water, and predicted whether candy corn would sink or float in three liquids – water, soda, and vinegar.
Ms. Bashor, Ms. Lewis, and Ms. Martinez combined efforts for the day’s activities; students were assigned to small groups with peers from across the grade level.
“When you collaborate, ideas are coming from all directions,” Ms. Bashor said. “You get what’s best for kids because everything just keeps getting stepped up, better and better.”
“Everyone pitches in and gives a new idea, so you get the best outcome for every student,” Ms. Martinez added, noting the teachers worked together to ensure the stations offered differentiated learning to meet students’ needs.
This event would not have been possible without parent support – many thanks to parents who brought in pumpkins and/or volunteered their time to run a station.
