Space & STEAM Week Comes to Lindbergh Elementary

May 2023 -- The COVID-19 shutdown meant little to no equitable hands-on learning for students. This was especially detrimental to our youngest learners who developmentally make more connections with new learning through kinesthetic activities. Developing fine and gross motor skills are a priority in the primary grades, while intermediate grades focus on critical thinking skills for math and reasoning. Lindbergh Elementary created an enriching, family-friendly acceleration learning pathway for its students using ESSER funds to purchase much-needed books, resources, materials, and other supplies.

As the academic year begins its inevitable conclusion, Principal Tooman and Instructional Coach, Tiffany Campbell Dye, worked tirelessly to create a fun, cross-curricular, and differentiated learning experience through Space and STEAM Week! Getting the staff on board was an easy ask. The Lindbergh staff clearly saw the areas of need through their own anecdotal evidence; iReady and other diagnostic tools confirmed opportunities for growth at each grade level. Armed with this data, the Lindbergh staff responded to these opportunities, brought about by the COVID-19 closure and reopening, by aligning each and every hands-on learning activity to appropriate standards students had not yet mastered.

Using ESSER funds, Space and STEAM Week was able to include far-reaching equitable acceleration and enrichment activities. The culmination of the week included a family night with hands-on activities for the entire family, "space" concessions, and the ability to see the mastery of learning from all Lindbergh students. Some of the activities students and families participated in included:

• Forces and Motion Science demonstrations with Mobile Ed Productions
• STEM creations
• Cross-curricular writing
• Spaced theme home library
• Math take-home kits
• Math games
• Galaxy art

The learning students engaged in was evident throughout the entire week, especially on Family Night. Students helped their adult family members with activities, explaining why and how the activities worked, and family members were actively immersed in the many stations set up throughout the building. Even the outdoor space was used and one staff member, building sub Ms. Brandy, donned an astronaut costume purchased by Building Improvement Coach Ms. Tiffany! The Space and STEAM Family Night was one of the most well-attended events of the year, allowing family members to authentically participate in the same and similar activities as their students. Feedback from students and family members indicates this event was a success, but even more importantly, students were able to showcase their learning in critical thinking, math, reading, writing, science, social studies as well as the visual and performing arts.

#CCS #LindberghES #Spiritofccs #SpaceAndSTEAMWeek