Elementary engineers

Many people look back on third grade and think of cursive writing or chapter books.

They don’t think of engineering projects.

But the third-graders at Vestavia Hills Elementary West always will, thanks to a Makerspace program that teaches elementary students to harness their problem-solving skills from a young age.

“This year has been a huge push toward thinking like an engineer, thinking like a problem solver,” said Megan Humphries, a third-grade teacher at VHEW. “For the students, this is a very new experience.”

And it plays out in the form of projects that teach teamwork and help students discover talents they might not realize they had, she said.

“The kids love it — they love the hands on, and it’s great for their motor skills,” Humphries said. “More importantly, it has really just been a good confidence booster for a lot of the students.”

In one recent project, for example, third-graders were challenged to build the tallest tower they could with a limited amount of tape and paper cards.

And they began the year with a project that tasked them with working as a team to build a pyramid of cups. 

“They had 10 cups to use, but they were only allowed to touch them with a rubber band and four pieces of string that we had given them,” Humphries said. “They had to figure out how to use them to build the pyramid without touching the cups with their skin — and they had to do it without talking.”

That last part was especially a challenge, she said. “They love to talk in the third grade.”

But for many kids, the projects have ignited a rebirth of excitement about school. Every grade at VHEW participates in a Makerspace-style project in their classroom once a week, and third-graders who choose to can be a part of the Makerspace engineering club that meets every Wednesday afternoon after school.

“We have about 50 for that,” Humphries said.

And 10 third-graders — a team of five from Humphries’ class and a team of five from teacher Terri Kennamer’s class — will be participating Dec. 11 at the second annual University of Montevallo Science Festival, put on by the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative and Shelby County Schools.

At the festival, third- through fifth-graders compete in teams for engineering project awards.

“Once they arrive, they will be given their challenge,” Humphries said. “We’re pretty excited. This whole thing been really fun.”

Kim Hauser, the VHEW principal, agreed.

“Our students are thrilled for these opportunities. They seem to love trying new things, and they are good at it,” Hauser said.

Makerspace fosters just the kind of learning VHEW values, she said.

“We want our students planning, creating, thinking, building and rebuilding. Makerspace allows for this type of engineering process,” Hauser said. 

And, she said, the program “provides the opportunity for students to participate in higher-order thinking while engaging in a motivational and purposeful activity.”

For more information about the University of Montevallo Science Festival, visit umsciencefestival.com.