Developing Sustainable Solutions in Fifth-Grade Science

Once back in class, students shared the issue they felt most passionate about in a “speed-dating” format where each pair had one minute to share their ideas before they rotated to a new partner. During this rotation, students took notes and added environmental issues to their own list if they found any ideas that interested them. Students were then asked to pick the problem they were most interested in—it could be the same or different from their original choice.

 

Students worked in groups of up to three and were lead through different activities to develop a driving question, impact statements and research a solution to their problem. This work culminated in a Shark Tank presentation, where students presented a first draft model of their solution invention and a visual to present their ideas. Leading up to the presentation, students worked in the innovation lab to build their models with their teams.

 

The Shark Tank panel included members of the Middle School faculty and administration, whose role was to ask questions and help think further about potential rising issues they may face with their solution ideas. Through the process, students were introduced to the idea of design thinking and were able to connect the concepts we have learned in class to the real world.

 

One group tackled the problem of the smell on the rocks at La Jolla Cove from the seals by using a drone that looks like a pelican to  spray an eco-friendly substance over the rocks to dissolve the odor. Another student used his passion of technology and video games to create a program that teaches students how to conserve energy.

 

Students had fun with the hands-on components and were surprised that even at a young age, their ideas could inspire greatness within our San Diego community.