Sea Cliff Students Participate in STEAM Parade

Learning Skills about the Science of Sound to Create Instruments from Recycled Materials

During their time in the STEAM Lab, first graders at Sea Cliff School enriched their learning about the science of sound and worked through the steps of the engineering design process to create their own musical instruments from recycled materials. After first discovering how sounds are made and changed, first grade engineers explored different instruments to figure out what parts the instruments need and how the instruments make sound. From there, engineers tinkered and experimented with a variety of recycled materials and considered how they might use these materials to make an instrument that meet certain criteria, or requirements.

First graders could only use up to 10 materials to make an instrument that needed to make more than one sound, be carried in a parade, and be played by hand. Before building their innovations, students took time to plan their instruments, communicating their ideas through labeled sketches and sharing their designs with peers. Once constructed, students drew detailed diagrams of their instruments and used their scientific understanding of sound to explain what part or parts of the instruments vibrate; these documents were turned into informative pinnies that engineers wore proudly during the parade. To celebrate their efforts as scientists and engineers, all first graders then marched through the hallways of Sea Cliff School, playing their recycled instruments for waving spectators during our annual STEAM parade.s

Please watch this video of the students at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1moBP0TgXfVam71Io0xb-2U4OOw-t-ubG/view?usp=sharing

STEAM teacher, Ms. Adrien Kaye stated, “While this engineering experience enriched and extended the sound science unit, it also supported the district's emphasis on innovation and the importance of teaching our students to be thoughtful consumers and responsible citizens. The STEAM parade was a chance for our first grade engineers to communicate this message with the entire school community and to show all students and teachers what is possible with a commitment to conservation, hard work, and ingenuity."

Article and photos provided by Elementary STEAM teacher, Ms. Adrien Kaye