STEM is a big deal with for the third graders at HHE. They are preparing for their futures by participating in activities that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. All of these things together added up to some spooky STEM fun on Halloween!
Ms. Charloff's class joined us for our project. We looked at some amazing architectural examples of towers that have been built around the world. We noticed one thing: the bases of the towers were always wider than the tops. Sometimes, the tops of the towers were simply rods or poles. So, it got us to thinking about the engineering that goes into building a tower that will stand firm under any condition. Working in small groups, we discussed our thoughts and made some notes in our Spooky STEM journals. Then, we were charged with building a tower using toothpicks, candy corn, and candy corn pumpkins. Seems easy enough, right? Well, the tower had to stand. Ugh. Does it count if it stands for 2 seconds?
We made a plan which consisted of many of our groups using the pumpkins to form the base. After hard work (and many failures), we had a better of understanding and appreciation for engineers and builders. And, unlike them, we got to eat our building materials. :)
Campaigning is officially complete for national, state, and local candidates (insert sigh of relief). However, while the action was in full swing, our class was learning about the three branches of government and the election process. Our classroom was transformed into "Campaign Corner." Students were introduced to the presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, through an article in Time for Kids. After reading about their many accomplishments and ideas for the future of our country, we continued our research using informational websites like Scholastic to learn more about them. Then, we created charts to compare and contrast the nominees. Many students held strong opinions about the nominees, but were surprised to learn about their views on important national issues like education, defense, healthcare, and taxes. Like most Americans, many students shifted their support from one nominee to the other in the final days. We made campaign posters that shared at least one specific policy promise along with some well-known slogans, and hung them in the hallway. Finally, all of our work and research led us to Election Day. Each voter was given a ballot, secret of course, and then put the ballot in the ballot box. 
