Messing around and having fun!!!

If any one would like to use these or have a custom one made let me know. I made these using PowerPoint! I'm willing to share and help with anything just ask.

STEAM Day 1 @ New Mountain Hill Elementary School (NMHES)

 

August 23rd, 2017

Ms. Tamburo's Pre-K

 

      I was really impressed with NMHES and the way they have produced in a short period of time a school that is shockingly different than any I have been in before. The integration of STEAM is intriguing and beautiful. After our brief yet exciting tour of the grounds I was introduced to my class of energetic preschoolers. When I walked in they were about to have story time, during the story time the teacher used read-aloud to read the book, " I Like Myself " by Karen Beaumont. As the story progressed the students were making observations about the books illustrations without being prompted. I was impressed at their level of observation, especially from students that had only been in school for a few weeks at this point. After story time it was journal time, Ms. Tamburo had the students work on writing their names on pre-made journal sheets. One management technique she used was to have the students sit at their seats quietly by putting their heads down so that they could earn their pencil. it was a great way to quietly transition from story time to journal time. She also used this time to instruct the students on the proper way to hold a pencil so that they could practice writing their full names. When journal time ended it was time to get ready for lunch, to prepare for lunch the students took a bathroom break and washed their hands followed by preparing their nap areas for their after-lunch naps. Once everyone had their nap areas ready it was time for lunch.

     As the Pre-K went to lunch I was able to step into a 1^st Grade classroom that was making rain gauges for their planters outside. The problem the students were having is that the plants were dying from lack of water and from over watering, so they needed a way to measure how much water the plants were receiving outside of the classes watering of the plants. The creativity involved in solving the problem was amazing, there were gauges with stabilizing legs and some with platforms, there were some with lightning protection systems and even one with a debris cover. All in all, the students showed how a problem can have a multitude of different and effective solutions.

     The last thing I was able to observe was the Arts part of the STEAM Day and that was a presentation by a local theatrical artist. He was using the history of myths to make theatrical presentations. One mini presentation was about an Oracle giving cryptic directions on how to escape a labyrinth (Oracle of Delphi and Theseus and the Minotaur) another mini presentation which used five volunteers and puppets and masks was about how Demeter lost Persephone to Hades, the last mini presentation was about Daedalus and Icarus and their escape with wings made of feathers and wax. These presentations were entertaining and showed how well the students really knew about the ancient gods and goddesses. The whole experience was fun and eye-opening and I can’t wait till our next STEAM Day with NMHES.