ICE Lab Busy as Lower School Students Immerse in STEM Learning

The students visit the ICE Lab once a week and are able to explore STEM learning using state-of-the-art technologies.
Each grade in St. Margaret’s Lower School dedicates time to computer science and digital literacy in the ICE Lab, under the direction of ICE Lab Manager Angela Mackenzie and Technology Innovation and STEM Teacher Londa Posvistak.

The students visit the ICE Lab (short for Imagine, Create, Engineer Lab) once a week for 30-45 minutes, where they able to explore STEM learning using state-of-the-art technologies.

“The ICE Lab provides the space and tools for students to take what they are learning in their classroom to the next level,” Mrs. Mackenzie said. “They have the opportunity to incorporate computer science, innovation and engineering and the end result is a meaningful project that they are really excited about.”

What does that ICE Lab work entail? Here’s a sneak peek at what’s happened recently across all grade levels:

Kindergarten
Kindergarten students have been busy with coding, STEM and robotics challenges in the ICE Lab. Each student now has a Code.org account which they can use to practice the concepts at home.  
 
First Grade
First grade students completed a collaborative unit called Weather Pals. St. Margaret’s partnered with a first grade class on the east coast and exchanged weather data, questions and answers about Southern California weather, and conducted weather research from science using an iPad app called SeeSaw. After studying different types of severe weather, the students each created a “weather story” using Scratch Jr., an introductory programming language that enables young children to create their own interactive stories. These stories were shared with the Weather Pals using SeeSaw.

Second Grade
Second grade students completed a design challenge in the Makerspace involving their STEM theme of air. Since the students have been studying air quality in science and working hard to collect air pollution data from idling cars, students worked to design and create air pollution traps. Students each sketched an idea and then worked with their partner to circle things that they liked about each other’s designs. Each team eventually created a new design that was a blend of ideas. Each unit was made with recycled materials and Little Bits, a system of electronic modules that snap together with magnets. Each Bit has a unique function (lights, sounds, sensors, buttons), and each invention had to contain a fan in order to activate the trap.

Third Grade
Third grade students completed a series of tutorials in TinkerCad, a web-based program for 3D design and printing. Students have been challenged to design a non-edible food-related item that can be 3D-printed in space in the year 2050. Students each sketched an idea and then worked with their partner to circle things that they liked about each other’s designs. Each team then sketched a new design that is a “mash-up” of both ideas. Next, students took the design from paper to 3D using TinkerCad.

Fourth Grade
Fourth grade students have started the Google CS First curriculum for game design using Scratch. This program guides students through in-depth tutorials that provide the background information necessary to create their very own online games using drag and drop blocks of code. Scratch provides students with the opportunity to program and share creations and helps them learn to think creatively, reason systematically and work collaboratively.

Fifth Grade
Fifth grade continues to work on their Lego Robotics water challenge. Teams are in the midst of a 10-week project and are programming their robots, building an environment using recycled materials from the makerspace and blogging each week about their process. The blog provides valuable insight into the design process and documents successes as well as challenges faced each week. 
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An Independent Preschool Through Grade 12 College-Preparatory Day School in Orange County California

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St. Margaret's Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admission, financial aid, hiring and athletic policies or in other school-administered programs.