Third grade students created their own amusement park through an Exploratory Investigations Program introduced recently at Viola L. Sickles School.
Press release from Fair Haven School District
Third grade students at Viola L. Sickles school in Fair Haven recently brought hands-on learning to a new level, by building their own amusement park through a program designed by Bricks 4 Kidz.
The third-graders were the first Sickles students to participate in an Exploratory Investigations Program designed to supplement the curriculum, and provide additional opportunities for learning and exploration.
The Bricks 4 Kidz project marks the first appearance at Sickles School for the program, designed to teach children the principles of engineering and architecture using Lego® bricks.
Melina Stock, a representative from Bricks 4 Kidz, introduced the third-grade students to the program and invited them to participate in a hands-on building and learning experience.
The initial lesson, provided to all of the Sickles third-grade students, imparted a science concept that was demonstrated by a creation made with the Lego bricks.
Next, all interested students were invited to participate in hands-on building sessions with guidance provided by Stock.
84 students elected to participate in these sessions, held in the Sickles Library over a period of five weeks. This resulted in the completion of many intricate amusement park rides.
The five-week-long building experience culminated in the creation of an entire amusement park featuring all of the rides created by the students.
“The third graders worked beautifully together in building and designing the amusement park,” said Marion Carolan, Exploratory Investigations Program Coordinator and District Supervisor for the Fair Haven School District. “Through this program, they were able to problem-solve and gain an understanding of concepts in science.”
The Exploratory Investigations Program is also in place at Knollwood School in Fair Haven. There, fourth through eighth graders have participated in lessons exploring subjects such as Dance, the Works of William Shakespeare, Legos/Robotics/STEM, and Our Legal System.
