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Very early in life children show that they are naturally fascinated by engineering ; they just don ’ t know it yet ! Think about our earliest toys . We built things , tore them apart , and rebuilt them in different , and sometimes innovative , ways . For this reason it is easy to see how Montessori and engineering go hand in hand !
At the Montessori Centre Academy in Glenshaw , fifth graders are presented a unit called An Introduction to Engineering : Invention and Innovations . This unit culminates with a project we like to call “ The Shark Tank Project .” It has grown to become one of several annual projects that Montessori students look forward to as they advance from grade to grade .
Sixth grader Baylin Bitar said , “ I loved doing this project because I came up with something that could really solve a problem .” Many of the inventions and innovations over the years are memorable . How about a single hanger that holds an entire outfit including socks ,
undergarments and accessories , or a shopping cart attachment that uses your shopping list to map out the route through the store in the quickest possible time ?
■ BRAINSTORMING and RESEARCH The students use the engineering design process and begin by brainstorming problems to create an innovation . Is there anything like it out there and , if there is , how can we make this innovation different , or better ?
■■ DESIGN
Next , we use cardboard and craft materials to create or design a model , and , for the kids , this is the most fun ! Montessori students work with their hands to physically assemble what they ’ ve envisioned in their minds . In real life it is just cardboard and junk , but in their minds they are creating the next new trend ! By this time , the students are “ all in ”; they are totally engaged in the project .
■■■ MENTORING and MATH
Sixth grade students , who completed this project last year , will come to join in , mentor and assist the fifth graders with how to improve their project . They will troubleshoot with them , help them evaluate the design , and make suggestions on how to market and determine a valuation of the invention . According to sixth grader Ashton Ragoowansi , “ the business side that was applied was extremely fun , where we learned about royalties , stocks , and controlled percentages .” The sixth graders now get to teach this concept to the fifth graders in a method Montessorians call cooperative learning .
■■■■ PRESENTATION – Welcome to the Tank
Keeping with the “ Shark Tank ” theme , students will present their innovations to the “ sharks ” ( sixth graders , teachers , and administrators ), who will then mock invest in the students ’ projects . It has a real feel , just like the TV show — the music plays , the lights are low ... this is their moment to shine !
There is a flood of benefits to introducing engineering concepts at the elementary school level : preparing them for 21st century careers , building skills in physics and logic , engaging students in real-world learning , just to name a few . STEM education , which is the latest buzz among education professionals , stands for Science , Technology , Engineering , and Mathematics . STEM learning creates cross-curriculum projects that inject experiences with the concepts . Hands-on learning isn ’ t anything new for Montessori , but at Montessori Centre Academy the teachers are consistently learning how to combine Montessori philosophy , brain-based teaching methodology , and cutting-edge technology to create an unmatched blend of educational experiences for students .
About the author : Rachel Sams has many years of experience teaching technology and computers to both children and adults . Combining her undergraduate Elementary Education degree and her master ’ s degree in Technology Education and STEM Education , she developed the curriculum to teach first through sixth grade at Montessori Centre Academy in Glenshaw , PA , for the past six years . www . montessoricentreacademy . com
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