Quarter 2 STEM Night

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Justin Booker filed under STEM Night

Q2 STEAM Night Abuzz with Student ProjectsOn a rainy December Tuesday evening, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy was buzzing—and it wasn’t just in anticipation of the December break.CGLA students were buzzing with excitement and anticipation for second quarter STEAM projects. After school they put last-minute touches on models of community parks and presentations about a farming robot.Students hosted parents and community members on Tuesday, Dec. 13, to a showcase of their project-based learning results, and each grade had something to share.Project-based learning takes place during a daily class, but also in students’ time outside of school. STEAM relates to science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.All grades are tasked with solving a real-world problem, from updating the school’s emergency tornado plans to creating natural skincare products and designing a community park. The projects incorporate interdisciplinary skills—and other crucial life skills, such as marketing, fundraising, polling and research—that enable students to use their knowledge for crucial, real-world problem solving.Each student had a task for the evening. A group of girls greeted and signed in guests at the front door. Others led visitors through their class’ projects. Parents watched their girls present—each one had an introduction and a part to play in the class-wide effort.Among the highlights were the seventh graders’ strategic and thoughtful approaches to rethinking and reforming the school’s tornado safety plan. Teams measured and estimated how many students could fit in the tornado-safe rooms while others evaluated the physical effects of injuries related to storms and damages.Everyone appreciated the community partners—and the tasty foods, from fresh veggies and wraps to date balls from Whole Foods. Lodge Cast Iron led demonstrations with a giveaway, and guests from the TechTown with robots on hand. The most significant takeaway from STEAM night is seeing every student and parent involved. These events demonstrate students’ interests and exploration into different areas of study and potential careers in the future. Stay tuned for more details about our third-quarter STEAM night this spring!