Cherry Avenue Kindergarten Students Blend Science Fun with Leprechaun Lore

Blending Science Fun with Leprechaun Lore

Students in Mrs. Gallo’s Kindergarten class borrowed elements from St. Patrick’s Day legends for S.T.E.M. (Science Technology Engineering Math) activities.

“Who doesn’t love the magic of rainbows, leprechauns, and pots of gold?” asked Cherry Avenue Kindergarten teacher Nina Gallo.  “S.T.E.M. activities are the perfect addition for young learners.  The activities promote observational skills, critical thinking skills, and design skills. For me, the biggest perk is teaching the children about failure before success. It’s all about perseverance and patience! “

Mrs. Gallo engaged her students in three St. Patrick’s Day themed S.T.E.M. activities: “Students used pipe cleaners and Play-Doh to construct rainbow bridges.  They balanced a pot and added gold coins to see how much weight their bridge could hold.  They altered the design of their bridge to see how to make the bridge stronger.”

For the second activity, Mrs. Gallo’s students “constructed lever catapults and launched LUCKY CHARMS marshmallows.  We explored the science behind the lever and discovered that if we put energy in and pushed down, the marshmallow launched in the opposite direction when released.“

For their last experiment, Mrs. Gallo had her students explore ways to trap a leprechaun. “We brainstormed traps that we could create to catch a tricky leprechaun! With SeeSaw, students used items such as sticks, lucky horseshoes, boxes, gold coins, and nets to bring their contraptions to life.”