Our school is the first STEAM elementary school in our district. Our students come from diverse cultural backgrounds including Indian, Japanese, Hispanic, and Caucasian. We have approximately 700+ eager students, and growing. Our school is settled in between farm fields in the growing suburbs of Portland, Oregon
The students at our school are always excited to take on innovative projects that give them the opportunity to be creative in their learning.
The STEAM activities we provide for our students will give them the experience and 21st century skills to think creatively and responsibly in the ever changing world.
My students' eyes light up when they get a chance to make and create. You can see them working out the design process as they learn to experience the benefits of perseverance through the iterations of their ideas. Engaging in problem solving tasks, like making music with a motor or drawing drone design challenges, allow them to connect their knowledge with real-world applications.
My Project
My students learn music skills through movement as part of the Orff-Schulwerk process. They love and need to move their bodies! However, when they have the chance to play our xylophones they sit uncomfortably on the floor, where the instruments are. This is a special challenge to those of my students with special physical needs. The Orff instrument stands would give them the space and allow them to keep moving their bodies while performing on the instruments in a more comfortable position.
My students thrive in an environment where they can play, sing and dance to express themselves, connect with the creative process and work cooperatively with their classmates.
The kindergarten through 5th grade students that come to my music classes are energetic as they are creative. They are highly motivated to practice and perform instrumental pieces on the xylophones we have in class. They are eager to learn new songs and make them their own with improvisation and the creativity that comes from their own diverse backgrounds.
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