So for the past 3 years one of my best friends (who teaches Kindergarten) and I have partnered our classes for various projects each week. We often try to have a STEAM focus, but not always. The key is trying to match my 5th grade curriculum to the K curriculum. This week the Kindergarten students are learning about different types of movement. Side to Side, Back and Forth, Zig-Zag, Round and Round. We have done this project the past few years and it is always one of our favorites. The students must use a piece of posterboard to create a track for a marble to pass from one side of the track to the other while demonstrating 3 different types of movement. They only have popsicle sticks, straws, scissors and tape to complete this challenge. This is always a great way to see the students' problem solving skills. Here are a few pictures from this year and years past.
The students quickly figure out that when they pick up the posterboard to guide the marble through the track that the marble rolls right over their "guides" and off of the track. Very few students build up higher walls at first, but after their first test run they find out that these walls are essential.
Here are a few more projects:
Toothpick Towers: Given 40 toothpicks and one tub of play dough, who can build the tallest tower?
Two Part Project:
Part 1: Using aluminum foil, build a boat that can hold the three men (Lego Men) from Rub-a-dub-dub.
Part 2: How many unifix cubes can your boat hold? Do you need to change you plan?
