Fourth Grade Students Study the Basics of Scientific Inquiry Through a Series of Hands-On STEAM Lessons
BABYLON, NEW YORK (September 2023)—Fourth graders at Babylon Memorial Grade School started the academic year learning about the scientific method. Through a series of hands-on STEAM lessons, students were introduced to a crucial foundation of scientific inquiry.
In Ms. Scalfani’s class, students worked to complete the index card tower challenge, in which they hypothesized ways in which they could build the highest-possible tower using only index cards. The students then went about building the towers, with the highest reaching 36 inches tall. Then, students worked together to construct the longest-possible chain using only paper. Finally, each student was tasked with stacking pennies using only one hand under a one-minute time limit.
In Ms. Foerster’s class, students practiced scientific prediction skills through the same index card tower challenge. Additionally, they hypothesized how Skittles candy, when arranged in a certain manner on a paper plate, would react when exposed to water. They predicted how the candy’s colors would flow and interact, and measured how the results lined up with their predictions.
These introductory STEAM lessons allowed the students to flex their powers of hypothesis and acquainted them with the ever-important scientific method, which all scientists adhere to in their research.
For more information about the Babylon Union Free School District, please visit the District’s website at www.babylon.k12.ny.us. Exciting activities happening throughout the District and programs celebrating student achievement can also be found on the District’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/babylonschooldistrict/.
Date Added: 10/2/2023