February 2019 – Oconomowoc Area School District, School Board Showcase Presentation
All Means All – Meadow View STEM Experience
This school year, the Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD) enhanced the Elementary Library curriculum to include a broader focus on engineering and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Our goal is to help create learners who are resourceful and knowledgeable, purposeful and motivated, and strategic and goal-directed in their learning. STEM lessons allow us to meet these goals because they have the following characteristics:
- They are open-ended, which promotes creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving
- They require active learner participation and invites collaboration and communication
- They are a hands-on, experiential experience
- They focus on the process, not only the product while embracing failure as part of the overall process
Most importantly, high-quality STEM activities foster a love of learning and Meadow View Elementary School students put this love of learning on display at the February 19, OASD School Board meeting. Meadow View students from 5K through grade 4, along with STEM Teacher Rebecca Janny, demonstrated some of their Learning Lab activities for the School Board and community. They created 10 STEM stations and students guided School Board and community members through each station, using IPads and videos to supplement their experience. Stations included:
- Build a machine using LEGO®
- Design a catapult
- Use computer software to design a roller coaster
- Use paper to build an airplane
- Create a chain reaction
- Create and film a stop motion video
- Makey Make Center
- Build a robot using LEGO®
- Create a simple circuit
- Communication center using online tools like SeeSaw and Class Link
Students ended the presentation by sharing what they love the most about STEM. Autumn S. said, "You get to build things you usually don't get to build every day." Jackson S. said, "My favorite thing that you can do in STEM is engineering." Lauren S. said, "When I'm in STEM I feel like I can do anything." Brady L. said, "I like to do stuff that many people can't do." Kylie L. said, "I like to be creative in STEM." Caleb S. said, "I like that you can learn something every second." Rebecca Janny concluded the presentation by saying, "Not only is STEM super important, but everything in our curriculum has a purpose, it just looks different because it's 2019. STEM isn't just coding and game design...it's about teaching students how to figure things out for themselves. Two of our goals for the year are to love to learn and know how to learn. Every day in the Learning Lab, we focus on those goals."
Meadow View Elementary School Board Showcase Presenters
Front Row (L to R): Annika R., Olive L., Cody W., Brady L., Isaac D.
Back Row (L to R): Caleb S., Autumn S., STEM Teacher Rebecca Janny, Lauren S., Kylis L., Principal Jason Schreiber, Lucas D., Jackson S.
Meadow View Elementary students, Isaac D. and Jackson S. demonstrate simple circuits to OASD School Board President, Jessica Karnowski.
Meadow View Elementary student Brady L. demonstrates how to build a catapult.
Meadow View students Lucas D. and Lauren S. talk about chain reactions.
Meadow View Elementary student Caleb S. talks with OASD Superintendent Roger J. Rindo, Ed.D, about building robots.
