News & Views

How Does Your Garden Grow? In 3D, with Creative Adaptations

Fifth grade Earth and physical science students and their parents participated in a STEM design challenge in which they were given an engineering problem to solve with limited materials, June 10. Working in small groups, they designed and then created 3D plant models each with a unique adaptation in reaction to a real world issue, such as limited rain, an abundance of sunlight or leaf eating predators.
The experiential activity was a culmination of the students’ yearlong study of botany and plant physiology. As part of their study, students had participated in research, presentations and labs ‒such as measuring the impact of solar radiation; comparing how two groups of people perceive an optical illusion; and germinating radish seeds, beans and corn in greenhouses built from milk cartons. The Fantastical Plant Challenge was one of several STEM design challenges students had completed.
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