STEM News
Sparta Alpine Elementary School Kindergarten Students
Explore Forces on ‘Star Wars’ Day
SPARTA, NJ – The kindergarten students at Alpine Elementary School had the opportunity to explore “forces” earlier this month. Beginning on May 4, aka Star Wars Day [“May the fourth be with you”] with the help of engineers and scientists from Picatinny Arsenal, students moved through several stations set up in the all-purpose room to experience scientific concepts.
A quick look around the room showed for the young students it was just fun; fun while engaged in STEM lessons from hoisting bowling balls with the aid of pulleys, to pulling nails with different length pry bars and much more.
“We are so thankful to kindergarten teacher Dr. Burgess, Supervisor of Science Dr. Wilson and Alpine Elementary School STEP teacher Mrs. Morrow for planning, organizing and coordinating with the Picatinny staff to bring such wonderful S.T.E.A.M. activities to our kindergartners,” Principal Pete Miller said. “The students loved the assembly and demonstrations. We are hoping this is the start of a great partnership to continue to expose our students to fun and educational hands-on activities.”
- Penny said her favorite station the pulleys (and coloring baby Yoda)
- Isabella liked the “static ball” where she “used her Jedi force.”
- Evie also liked lifting the bowling balls and explained her “dad is an engineer” so she was doing things like her daddy.
- Jordan said the 3D printer robot was the best and
- Spencer felt strong lifting the bowling balls on ropes.
Students also used remote control robots, folded paper to create structures, compared bouncy balls of different density, levers and wrenches of different lengths and other experiences.
Picatinny Arsenal STEM Outreach’s Ralph Tillinghast said the day was intended to introduce STEM to younger children and get them excited about STEM.
“We want them to see how STEM relates to their lives and lets them know they are already engineers,” Tillinghast said.
He said once a week they are visiting schools interacting with students from Kindergarten through High School as well as holding teachers’ workshops to help them learn how to share science, technology, engineering and math concepts with their students in an interesting way.
Tillingham said it is great when they “see kids we saw as kindergartners coming back to work for us.”
The Picatinny Arsenal Crew:
- Ralph Tillinghast – Engineer
- William Truran – Engineer
- Gihan Oraby – Engineer
- Haley Fica – Enigneer
- Damien Marianucci – Physicist
- Kristian Ferland – Engineer
- Kimberly Chang – Engineer
- George Fischer – Physicist
- Stephanie Maruca – Physicist
Kindergarten teacher Viviana Burgess and STEP teacher Christina Morrow organized the day with Picatinny Arsenal.
“I think it was an organic process. The students are walking away with a better understanding of forces and motion, and an understanding of what they do at Picatinny, and how important Picatinny Arsenal is to the community. Now they have a better understanding of the impact people who work at Picatinny are making in people’s lives.”
Science Supervisor Marisa Wilson said, “Thank you to Dr. Burgess for her hard work and love of May Fourth.”
By Jennifer Dericks, TAPintoSparta - May 20, 2023
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