News From Sullivan County Schools

August 24, 2012

In This Issue

Holston Elementary STEM

Bluff City Elementary STEM

Miller Perry and Rock Springs STEM

Indian Springs Elementary STEM

Important Dates

September 3

Schools Closed
(Labor Day)

September 4

School Board Meeting

September 27

Parent/Teacher Conference Day (Students Do Not Attend)

Quick Links

Sullivan County Schools Website

It's Your School Blog

One of the exciting opportunities in Sullivan County Schools this year is our students' involvement in STEM programs. These programs focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and help students connect learning with real-world experiences, engage in hands-on projects, experiments, inventions, and problem solving. Sullivan County opened two STEM schools this year, Ketron Elementary and Innovation Academy. In addition, we have expanded our STEM programs across the county. This year we have programs at Bluff City, Emmett, Holston, Indian Springs, Miller Perry, and Rock Springs elementary schools as well as at Bluff City, Colonial Heights, Holston, and Sullivan North middle schools. This weekly update highlights some of the activities occurring in our Elementary STEM Programs.

STEM at Holston Elementary

Holston Elementary students started the year with ramps and pathways. Students had the opportunity to practice working as a team, to engineer a design, as well as problem solve along the way. While working with marbles and ramps, students begin to understand the basic laws of motion and physics.

The start of the year is also a time for students to develop questions about motion, physical science and science in general. Students will use the questions they formulate during their ramp activities to learn about designing investigations in order to find answers to those questions.

Plans for the near future also include activities and investigations in the areas of life science and the use of scientific tools. Older students will continue using new technologies to communicate information, collect and log data, and develop fundamental lab skills.

STEM at Bluff City Elementary

Students at Bluff City Elementary School began attending STEM classes this week. Students were introduced to STEM and how to think like scientists. Students created video cheers and commercials for the new class. During the next STEM rotation, students will begin video production and editing as well as a physics unit based on ramp building and marble mazes.

STEM at Miller Perry and Rock Springs Elementary Schools

The students at Miller Perry and Rock Springs Elementary schools will begin their experience with Professor Knowit in their STEM Labs by exploring the scientific method through exploration of ramps, forces & motion, and marble mazes. They will be doing photo journalism with iPods and flip cameras as they do their investigations. Other units of study include Vernier Probeware (temperature, motion, and pH probes), Robotics (Bee-Bots and Pro-Bots), and bridge building to name a few. We are in for an exciting year!

STEM at Indian Springs Elementary

Students at Indian Springs Elementary School will be learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in their new STEM lab. Students will visit the STEM lab for a full week during related arts several times throughout the year. During their first week of study, students will explore Engineering. By understanding the careers that focus on STEM skills, students will understand the importance of what they are learning and how it applies to the real world. Students will learn how to use the scientific method to investigate, explore laws of motion, and much more!