Students at Struble Elementary School and Colerain Elementary School are bringing innovation to life through hands-on STEM experiences thanks to before- and after-school clubs funded by two separate grants (one for each school) through the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative (GCSC).
Thanks to the grant money and two dedicated educators, the students who participate in these clubs enjoy valuable opportunities to explore 3D design, engineering, and problem-solving skills while fostering creativity and critical thinking.
Struble Elementary School’s C3 3D Printer Club was formed in 2018 as a co-ed program by Gifted Intervention Specialist and teacher coach Melissa Pitzer.
At Colerain Elementary School, Gifted Intervention Specialist and teacher coach Jill Darling divides her school’s grant between two STEM clubs, one for boys and the other for girls. She leads both.The All Girls STEM Club has the added opportunity to explore the impact of women in STEM fields, offering students inspiration and real-world role models.
At both Struble and Colerain Elementary, follow a curriculum developed by the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative in partnership with the University of Cincinnati.
“We learn about Rube Goldberg and his famous machines so that we can create our own,” Ms. Darling said. “We call these Cleverly Contrived Contraptions (C3) - the goal is to complete a simple task in an overly complex way.”
The curriculum also covers simple and compound machines, potential and kinetic energy, and the engineering design process.
Students also design 3D objects using Tinkercad and print them using a 3D printer (provided by the program). Their final projects combine all of their knowledge to build a C3 machine that meets specific criteria:
At least one 3D-printed part
At least two simple machines
5–7 energy transfers
The machines must also deliver a "courage card" to their audience, and each group must develop its own motivational courage quote as part of the project.
Through the clubs, the students are immersed in designing and printing their own C3 (Cleverly Contrived Contraption), a complex machine designed to complete a simple task.
“This experience allows students to apply science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) principles while enhancing their creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork,” Mrs. Pitzer said.
These STEM programs will culminate in an all-region showcase on Saturday, March 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati. Students from Struble and Colerain Elementary Schools will come together to present their C3 contraptions to the community.