{Launch}

Launching a new program takes some figuring out. 

With my first unit, I did a separate activity with each grade level...

with my second unit, I did one activity with K-2 and one activity with 3-5!

With each group we were introduced to our first Scientist of the Month, Jane Goodall. 

We began by examining her quote:

We talked about what her words might mean for us and then watched a short video on her work as a scientist.

Each grade level completed their first journal entry in their STEM Journals. K-2 glued a picture of Jane Goodall and drew/wrote about her and 3-5 wrote a response to her quote.

After that, we talked about what it means to be an engineer. 

Here is Mrs. Hilley reading aloud Rosie Revere, Engineer.

{Knights, Castles, and Dragons}

Our first unit in launch was inspired by our school's mascot- the dragon! I figured why not? Let's have fun with dragons! Encompassed by a Knights, Castles, and Dragons theme, each grade level explored the Fab Lab through a science experiment, tinkering, or an engineering challenge.

The Kindergarteners read Puff the Magic Dragon and learned that dragons have special powers. They demonstrated this through making Foaming Dragons!

Check out the Kindergarten Page to see more pictures!

First Grade researched castles and designed their very own using cardboard, 

LEGOS, and magnetic tiles:

The second graders read The Dragon Machine and tried their hand at constructing dragons 

out of LEGOS:

Check out the Second Grade page to see more pictures!

Third Grade learned about knights and engineered their own catapult design:

Check out the Third Grade Page to see more pictures!

 The fourth graders reviewed some drawbridge designs and attempted to construct their own:

Check out the Fourth Grade Page to see more pictures and VIDEOS!

Finally, fifth grade checked out the history of castles and then made green dragon fire!