How can the Three Little Pigs keep their house upright? How can leaves be removed more efficiently?
Students at Valley Grove Elementary tried their hand at finding answers to those questions Friday during STEM Day.
Staci Cooper's third grade students tried their hand at scooping and transporting leaves more efficiently.
Students created tools to scoop and haul away leaves.
Just down the hall, Taylor Pickett's fourth grade class tried to light up a Christmas card but to do so, the electricity needed a way to travel.
Students then built circuits.
Those projects were part of the district's STEM curriculum, "Create2Think."
New curricula means new training for teachers. Teachers are being trained to take on facilitator roles.
"The teacher isn't telling the kids what to do," explained Andrew Jones, STEM coordinator at ACS. "You get a lot more leeway for the kids to make mistakes."
Jones used engineering projects as an example. He said students will figure out if their designs are faulty and will adjust accordingly.
Students become reluctant to engage, fearing their idea will be wrong.
"The best outcome of this is students realizing they don't have have the right answer and raising their hand," he said.
Jones said the goal is to keep students engaged.
Assistant Principal Lauren Cobb said she's excited for students to get more hands-on learning experiences.
Implementing a STEM curriculum is one of the steps toward ACS receiving a STEM certification from the state.
ACS could be approved for a STEM certification sometime before 2025.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.