Mighty Girl Engineers to the RESCUE!!

To go along with our PBL and Science standards, we did an Oil Spill S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Challenge to help clean up the ocean and wildlife that were affected by the oil spill. 

First, we researched the Gulf of Mexico Oil spill through articles and videos and projects and engineering jobs who worked to clean up the oil spill and recorded our learning. 

Next, The girls were given a bucket of clean water and a feather to make observations before and after the "oil spill!" They were given a limited number of supplies such as sponges, straws, Dawn soap, coffee filters, cups, etc. and put in to collaborative engineering teams to CLEAN UP!

Here was their mission letter...

Dear Mighty Girl Engineers of Room 402, 

Now that you have learned about the causes and effects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (PROBLEM) and what chemical and environmental engineers are doing (SOLUTION), you have a special mission...

1. Plan/brainstorm with your group about what would be be the best materials to clean the feather and the water??

2. Make it happen!! Start cleaning your feather and water from the oil using your plan and materials.

3. Reflect-Answer the discussion questions on the guided reading table in our classroom. 

In our discussion after the activity, the girls shared the challenges and what they learned. Every group kept saying the importance of collaboration-working together and sharing each other's ideas and that they could NOT have solved this problem on their own. These girls make me SUCH a proud teacher!!! :) 


Way to be problem-solving, risk-taking, collaborative my MIGHTY GIRL ENGINEERS!!