Harvard Community Unit School District 50 issued the following announcement on Nov. 14.
An inflated balloon taped to a drinking straw hangs on a kite string stretched across a Washington School classroom. pre-K student Isaac Rivera Arce holds the balloon. Visiting Jefferson Elementary fifth-grader Kayla Pichardo signals to Isaac to release the balloon. Isaac let’s go and the balloon rocket sails across the room. Both students flash a smile at the successful demonstration of forward motion. The thrust experiment is part of Harvard’s new STEM Buddies program that pairs fifth-grader with pre-K students.
Beginning this fall, Jefferson Elementary fifth-graders visit Washington School to conduct experiments with their younger partners. Fifth-grade teacher Erin Kruckenberg explained “All fifth-grade students and all of the pre-K classes are participating. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) offers students an opportunity to collaborate, lead, develop a growth mindset, and of course learn.” Students activities include engineering challenges like constructing bridges made of dry spaghetti to see how much weight they can withstand before breaking.
Washington Principal Steve Torrez said, “Our data suggests we benefit from expanded opportunities in math and science, and STEM Buddies provides a unique avenue of learning for our students.” Citing educational researcher John Hattie, Torrez found the use of student peers as educators allow students to take control of their learning. “It was incredible to see the similarities in content from early childhood to fifth grade,” Torrez said. “We started with forces of gravity, a fifth-grade standard, and linked that to preschool learning such as observing, asking questions, solving problems, and drawing conclusions.”
The program has made an impact on Kruckenberg’s students. “Jefferson students love it, she said. “They leave Washington beaming with pride and joy. Some of my students have commented on how important they felt. They loved taking the lead and guiding pre-K students through the activities. Students have made comments about how they were in those classes only five years ago. They were impressed with themselves at how much they have learned in that short time. One student even said, ‘Imagine what we will learn in the next five.’”
Original source can be found here.
Source: Harvard Community Unit School District 50