6.9 Students are supported in their STEM learning through adult-world connections and extended day opportunities.
Students at Michael C. Riley have the opportunity to take part in a variety of clubs, programs, competitions, and events that extend their STEM learning.
On Monday and Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year, students in second through fifth grades have opportunities to stay after school for our “Homework Club,” Imagination Foundation, and Robotics clubs. Students in the Homework Club enjoy additional time with teachers who offer assistance with homework, science projects, and skills across subject areas that will contribute to those students’ readiness for future levels.
Members of the Imagination Foundation group became leaders in Michael C. Riley’s participation in the Global Cardboard Challenge in October. Over 100 students in grade levels kindergarten through fifth participated in this event. The students were challenged to create a machine, robot, or game made from cardboard and other household materials. Members of the Imagination Foundation afterschool group organized the event, created models of games and robots to engage other students, and advertised the event to potential participants and visitors.
Students in this group continue to meet throughout the year with the goal of finding and fostering creativity and entrepreneurship. The M.C. Riley Imagination Chapter explores many STEM-based concepts and activities, including engaging in the design process through various challenges, participating in Hour of Code, experimenting and creating new machines using LittleBits, and taking apart small electronics to better understand what makes them work.
Students at Michael C. Riley have the opportunity to take part in a variety of clubs, programs, competitions, and events that extend their STEM learning.
On Monday and Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year, students in second through fifth grades have opportunities to stay after school for our “Homework Club,” Imagination Foundation, and Robotics clubs. Students in the Homework Club enjoy additional time with teachers who offer assistance with homework, science projects, and skills across subject areas that will contribute to those students’ readiness for future levels.
Members of the Imagination Foundation group became leaders in Michael C. Riley’s participation in the Global Cardboard Challenge in October. Over 100 students in grade levels kindergarten through fifth participated in this event. The students were challenged to create a machine, robot, or game made from cardboard and other household materials. Members of the Imagination Foundation afterschool group organized the event, created models of games and robots to engage other students, and advertised the event to potential participants and visitors.
Students in this group continue to meet throughout the year with the goal of finding and fostering creativity and entrepreneurship. The M.C. Riley Imagination Chapter explores many STEM-based concepts and activities, including engaging in the design process through various challenges, participating in Hour of Code, experimenting and creating new machines using LittleBits, and taking apart small electronics to better understand what makes them work.
Over the past few years, we have offered a Robotics Club, and this year, we are also proud to field our first competitive robotics team with First Lego League. Currently open to fourth graders, this team meets three times per week to explore robot design, programming, and sportsmanship goals. Meetings are held twice per week during the students’ lunch period, and on Wednesday afternoons after school. Our school objective is to open this opportunity to more students in the future.
During the school day, students are also engaged in a variety of clubs, including the Recycling Club. Approximately forty fourth and fifth graders meet weekly to help the school meet its environmental goals of having a recycling bin in every classroom. These students work to educate others about the importance and logistics of recycling, and collect and empty bins from classrooms on a weekly basis. Members of the recycling club also first developed the school’s competition-based participation in the May River Cleanup in April 2014. Led by the Town of Bluffton Water Quality Department, the May River Cleanup is an annual community-wide event focused on cleaning the areas in and around the May River watershed. Families at Michael C. Riley became involved by creating a competition among grade levels for the greatest participation. The award for the grade level with the greatest participation won a visit by a local “Critter Management” company, who brought examples of native local wildlife. The Recycling Club also helped to advertise the event to students and their families.
Fifth graders have the opportunity each fall to attend Camp Driftwood, an overnight camp in coastal Georgia where groups are immersed in ecology and the local habitat, as well as team-building activities. This educational experience outside of the regular classroom setting is invaluable in engaging students in science exploration and inquiry.
Every spring, students in all grade levels are also involved in our school wide Career Day, in which community members and business partners visit Michael C. Riley to share their experiences and inspire students. Visitors range from firefighters to chiropractors, all of which make connections between STEM disciplines and their occupations. We have even had speakers from such STEM-specific occupations as aeronautical engineers from Gulfstream, and wildlife experts from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.