Some of Solvang’s budding scientists had the opportunity to present research projects involving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to their classmates and community members at Solvang Elementary School on Nov. 15.
Solvang Elementary fourth and fifth graders, also known as the All Are Scholars Academy, have been researching STEM related topics all year through Project Lead the Way, a nationwide program focused on offering comprehensive pathways to STEM education for K-12 students. Project Lead the Way relies heavily on a hands-on, collaborative learning experience.
Solvang Elementary School District is the only district in Santa Barbara County currently offering a Project Lead the Way program, according to Solvang Superintendent Steve Seaford. Grades K through five build projects, create presentations, and conduct various experiments through the program, Seaford said, while grades six through eight are offered elective Project Lead the Way courses. Through electives, older students can learn about anything from robotics to biomedical science.
To teach Project Lead the Way, the district’s teachers participate in summer training at major universities, Seaford said, most recently at Cal Poly Ponoma. Although Cal Poly San Luis Obispo doesn’t do training currently, Seaford said he hopes Solvang’s teachers will be able to provide that service to other teachers through Cal Poly SLO.
“Given our teachers’ experience, they’ll be able to provide the training in the near future,” Seaford said.
Fifth grade teacher Gracie Romero said her students frequently have the opportunity to give presentations under the umbrella of a specific topic, the topic on Nov. 15 being Project Lead the Way.
Romero’s students this year have been focused on infections and how to detect them. Through Project Lead the Way, students were able to answer their own questions through hands-on work. Romero said one student wanted to know where germs grow in a classroom setting. To answer the question, students swabbed various parts of the school and watched the germs grow under a microscope.
“When I was kid I had to read from a book and write notes to learn about science,” Romero said. “These kids get to come up with their own models and experiments. I’m just so extremely proud at how motivated, independent, and productive our kids are and how excited they are when we have exhibitions like this.”
This article appears in Nov 23-30, 2017.