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Makey Makey Game Controller Madness in Mrs. Moss's class...

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What makes a good game controller? 5th graders in Mrs. Moss's Quest class recently tackled this question by designing their own, utilizing Makey Makey technology. This project was more than just fun; it was a deep dive into design thinking and engineering. I was blown away by their ability to apply engineering principles. Some students created wearable controllers, while others engineered complex, multi-touch surfaces. Watching them analyze which materials conducted electricity best (Play-Doh was a hit!) really highlighted their grasp of circuits and conductivity. 
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Building HUMAN Christmas trees in Mrs. Moss's room!

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We had fun with this festive activity! Teams had to wrap one of their teammates in green streamer paper, make 5 balloon ornaments, make hangers to hang the ornaments on the tree, and create a self-standing star topper for the tree! Fun times!
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Building the Mayflower: it's sink or swim time in Mrs. Moss's class!

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  Before Thanksgiving break, my gifted 5th graders tested their engineering skills by building Mayflower boats from foil, tape, and straws to see which could hold the most pennies. It was a fun, hands-on STEM challenge that taught them about design principles, like how a wide, flat-bottomed boat can hold more weight before sinking. The winning team maxed out the penny load by using all 140 pennies! We then had to use heavier magnets to load on the weight. The winning group ended up using 140 pennies and 21 magnets! 
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