What is Your Problem: A Visit to the Innovation Station

To kick off STEM week I brought our class to our school’s Innovation Station. It recently opened, and I was curious to see what students would do there. Our school’s innovation station is outfitted with various activities students can do from creating animations, using Makey Makey’s, coding with Scratch, exploring robotics, and engaging with Lego.

Last year I would bring our class down, assigning students to stations. Though they were interested in their activity I did not see the dynamic engagement I had hoped I would witness. I realized that students should choose where they go in the Innovation Station and have some flexibility in moving to the different activities.

Today I announced to students we would be heading down to the Innovation Station to begin STEM week. We discussed what STEM meant. Then I shared that most scientists and engineers start with a problem. I asked, “What is your problem?” They had to think about that question before choosing a station. 

As a class we shared examples of what a problem could be. Using a recent read aloud book, Beekle, students had to come up with the next part of the book at the animation station. Visiting the Lego robotics station, students could design a vehicle to go up a ramp. Dash and Dot were robots that could face an obstacle course and need to get around cones, balls, and other items. The problems were flowing!

Upon arriving, our principal was already in the room excitedly setting some things up. We talked about the possibilities students could encounter while working together. I then witnessed 60 minutes of engagement. 

I played a game one of our students coded using a basket and caught balls for points. He realized as I was playing maybe he should lower the point total to win (300 took a little while) and add a timer. Students were refining and reflecting on their design process without even realizing it! Other students decided to figure out how to get Dash and Dots to play Ring Around the Rosie. 

Several students created animations for our book hero, Beekle. They had to build sets and come up with scenes, using HUE animation to tell their story. A few students tirelessly tried to figure out how to make a Lego vehicle without the instruction manual or get a car to work with the power of a fan.

Regardless of the activity, students worked collaboratively to solve a problem. The Innovation Station in our school is a place for students to explore, play, imagine, create, design, fail, reflect, and laugh. We are very lucky to have a space that encompasses whole child learning, and I cannot wait to bring our class back!