HOT and STEM Work Hand-in-Hand!!

The 7^th and 8^th grade students have been working on some STEM challenges during their daily HOT period.  Working collaboratively, the students have had to brainstorm and then try to create the tallest tower with the materials given.  The groups quickly learned that they needed to have a sturdy base in order for their towers to stand tall.  Here are some of the finished projects.

Book Face Project

In honor of National Library Week, the 7/8^th grade students and Mrs. Paulsen worked together to create a project to be displayed on the hallway TV’s.  In order to promote literacy and showcase our technology skills we decided to hold a “Book Face” competition.  All the students had to find a book or magazine with a face or partial face on it from the library and then line it up with their own face to take a picture.  We then added the book title and author and compiled them into a presentation.  What do you think?  I think they turned out great!

Here are just a few of the "Book Faces" that the students turned in!!

The complete presentation is now showing on the hallway TV's, please check it out when you are in the building!

Schleswig Tech Club

The Schleswig Tech Club has 33 members this year that are working in five different areas: Minecraft, Robotics, Memory Book, Multi-Media, and School News.  We meet each morning at 7:30 to work on individual and group projects.  Besides putting in extra time to work on technology projects, the Robotics and Multi-Media groups are getting ready for a statewide virtual competition this spring. 

The Robotics groups are using the Lego Mindstorm kits to build and program a robot to solve a dirty or mundane situation.  After their programing is complete, they will then have to film their robot in action preforming its job.  Their video and an accompanying essay are what will be judged against other middle schools in the state.

Our Multi-Media kids had to develop an idea for a wearable tech product that they could sell to their peers.  They then had to create websites, commercials, logos, and posters to sell their “product concept”.  This group is so lucky to have Aaron Lingren, Schleswig Alum and designer for bluespace creative in Denison, as their Tech Mentor.  Aaron comes in twice a month to be a sounding board for all the ideas that our kiddos come up with.  This group will also submit their work electronically to be judged against other schools in the state.

I would like to thank all of these Tech Club kids for their dedication to the program.  Not only do they come in early to work, but they stay after school frequently to troubleshoot their projects and to help others.  These kids continue to amaze me with their self-directed learning and willingness to be technology leaders here at school!