Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Rummel Creek students learn valuable skills through becoming engineers and teachers for a day

 

 

Learning about career pathways at an early age allows students to use their personal interests to explore their strengths and weaknesses and get them excited for the future. 

Recently, second through fifth-grade students from Rummel Creek Elementary participated in the fifth annual Engineering Day, an event where students learn from engineers and engage in activities that involve STEM concepts. 

This year, students were given 15 minutes to build a protection device that would prevent an egg from breaking. The students then engaged in a competition to find who created the best project. 

“The students collaborated with our volunteer engineers from AECOM Technical Services and had the opportunity to hear about different types of engineering,” said Rebecca Dudley, Rummel Creek librarian, and event coordinator. “It’s important for them to discover that engineering is not simply about building things, but takes on a multitude of skills to solve real-world problems.” 

AECOM Technical Services engineers have hosted the event since its inception and hope to continue providing students with learning experiences that create a foundation for their future. 

Dudley hopes that events like this encourage students to think critically and be excited about STEM concepts. She notes that they were thrilled to learn about engineering and explore the field. 

“It was nice!” said Bell, a participating fourth-grade student. “One of the engineers is building a car and he showed me how batteries work. I liked learning!” 

Engaging students in career exploration helps develop Spring Branch ISD’s Core Characteristics of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate. Initiatives like these help them become Academically Prepared by equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. 

Rummel Creek also held a Science Day, where fifth graders taught science lessons to students across all grade levels. 

“Our students worked for weeks developing a plan to prove their mastery of concepts. The best way to master a concept is to teach it!” said Candase Charles, Rummel Creek teacher, and Science Day coordinator. “The fifth graders really loved the day!” 

The fifth-grade students developed a variety of hands-on activities for their lessons, including crafting straw pan flutes, planting seeds, creating LED light name bags and even creating their own books to read during read-aloud sessions. 

“Science Day is a very fun day for all grades at Rummel Creek!” said Savannah, a participating fifth-grade student. “Kids get to experience very fun things in science like blowing unpoppable bubbles and painting with magnets. It is incredible what science can do. It was fun being the teacher, but very hard work!” 

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