ASHLAND — Students built rockets out of tape, paper cups, straws and balloons at St. Edward School on Monday afternoon.
The class activity was a competition. The children — all in grades 3-5 — had to try and get their makeshift rocket to carry the largest number of paperclips while going the farthest distance.
Before having a chance to try their hand at the launches, videos taught them about engineering and the four forces of flight: weight, lift, drag and thrust.
“The kids were super excited about it, and very enthusiastic,” said Juli Schneeg, who teaches fifth grade.
Sara Paddags, a third grade teacher at St. Edward, added that students have engaged in open-ended activities like “Maker Space,” where they’ve designed things like mazes.
Building rockets to reach the ceiling, though, gave them a goal. Paddags said she thought it was “neat” that the students tried their hand at design engineering.
The room hosting the students was a flurry of activity Monday. Students meticulously drew plans for their rockets, built them and had opportunities to adjust when they didn’t work perfectly.
“We’re ready for launch!” they’d tell their teachers before sending their rockets flying, hopefully up to the ceiling.
The winning group, according to Kristen Strong, the fourth grade teacher at St. Edward, sent 20 paperclips to the ceiling with their balloon rocket.
On Tuesday, students also participated in a live virtual connection with NASA engineer Eduardo Lopez as a second part to Monday’s activity. He talked with them about the Space Launch System.
The two-day lesson was part of NASA’s Sparking Participation and Real-world Experiences in STEM (SPARX) program. St. Edward School applied and was accepted to participate in the program at the beginning of this school year.
Monday’s activity and Tuesday’s call made up the first lesson St. Edward students did with the program, according to Schneeg.
Throughout the year, St. Edward students will have opportunities to complete hands-on activities and participate in live virtual meetings with people who work at NASA.
Teachers at St. Edward will also have a chance to engage in professional development through the program.
“The hope is that perhaps we’ll light a lifelong fire for learning about science, and inspire some of them to pursue it down the line,” said Strong, the fourth grade teacher.
How did St. Edward get involved with SPARX?
The program was one teachers at the school, like second grade teacher Nella Blackford, registered to participate in.
Blackford said it was forwarded to the teachers by a mother who had a background in STEM. Teachers jumped in, and so did the principal, Suellen Valentine. Strong said participating requires Valentine’s support.
“I feel really lucky to work in an atmosphere where we’ve been supported in this from the jump,” Strong said.
The program will be taught for all three grade level “bands” at St. Edward School.
What does the program look like?
The program offers different curriculums for different grade levels. Blackford, the second grade teacher, said that all grade levels learn about the atmosphere in their science classes already. She added that third and fifth graders also have entire units dedicated to space.
The SPARX program, according to Strong, adds on more content beyond what students are already learning.
Teachers started lessons for SPARX in October, and it will run through May, with a culminating event at the end of the year.
Kindergarten through second grade students at St. Edward will learn about what astronauts do in a unit called “Out of This World Adventures.”
“This will be new for our little people in kindergarten, first and second grade,” Blackford said in September.
Third through fifth graders will participate in lessons focused on “Artemis to the Moon.” During Tuesday’s lesson, teachers talked about the Artemis project, which they said would put men and women on the moon on a long-term, continuous basis.
The class talked about packing Artemis III, which aims to be a manned trip to the moon for the long-term. Students suggested bringing items like food, water and tools.
Students in the sixth through eighth grade get to learn about “Adventures of Astro-bio Bot.”
Teachers’ takeaways
Paddags, Schneeg and Strong all said the first lesson ended up a success.
Schneeg said students were so excited to talk with a NASA rocket scientist that they jumped up and down.
Paddags added watching students work together and celebrate each other’s rockets Monday was meaningful.
“I always try to teach my students that mistakes make us grow,” Paddags said. “I hope that they take away the importance of trial and error, and to be curious.”
Paddags added Strong was the driving force behind the SPARX program for the third through fifth grade students.
Strong, for her part, said SPARX has brought science to life for the students already. The program provided tangible, real-world applications for making a career out of STEM, Strong said. She said she’s looking forward to future lessons throughout the year.
“It’s just a really wonderful opportunity to marry STEM with real-life, current things going on, and to ignite passion for the student body,” Strong said.
