Author: Brandon

Bluewater DSB
Grant: Fall 2021

Teachers Mary Jack and Natalie Patrick applied for a $500 grant purchase shovels and block makers for their Grade 2 and Kindergarten classes at Georgian Bay K-12 school in Meaford, ON. The photo below is SCF Executive Director Ron Cougler, posing outside the new school with Vice-Principal Julie Phillips in May 2022, on a school visit.

The STEM project supported at GBCS was to provide tools to create towers and igloos out of snow. This sounded like a great technology and engineering project for seven year olds, and one that STEM Camp Foundation was very pleased  to support.  In Mary’s words, “students will need to plan ahead, monitor weather conditions, learn about the states of matter and how temperature affects precipitation.  They will need to study structures, materials and use math skills to make their igloo stable . The Grade 2 students will ‘pay it forward’ when they make an oral presentation to the Kindergarten class about “building igloos that last”.

Waterloo Region DSB
Grant: Fall 2021

Lexington PS was granted $500 to participate in a STEM challenge in the Spring of 2022 using Makerspace technology. Grade 6 teacher, Leah Carter, indicated in her application that “Students will work collaboratively in teams to learn STEM concepts and participate in weekly build and design challenges. Engineering tasks involve a hands-on problem-solving project that students will work on as a team, with a given amount of time and materials.” This grant involves students with open-ended creativity, development of critical thinking skills, and intellectual flexibility. It will instill confidence and a sense of accomplishment in the students.