Elementary school students at Claypool learn about coding robots. Kiera McGlennen is on the left and Marlee Alldaffer is with the iPad. Photo by Tim Ashley.

By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — Whether learning about native birds, gardening, robotics or how humans can positively or negatively impact the environment, students at Claypool Elementary School are getting real world, practical learning experiences through STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Claypool Elementary is one of four state certified STEM schools in Warsaw Community Schools in addition to Madison, Jefferson and Washington elementary schools.

Project based learning is a major part of learning in today’s classrooms. According to Brock Rhodes, STEM coach at Claypool Elementary, surveys indicated a desire for STEM learning. “We see a need in the community for STEM skills,” he said, or more specifically employable skills for the future.

“In partnering with companies in our community, we are able to learn what skills are needed for our students to enter the workforce and be successful in the 21st Century,” wrote Melissa Rees, principal, in a letter of support for Claypool to become STEM certified. “In order to meet the needs of local companies, as well as companies worldwide, Claypool Elementary students are gaining the necessary knowledge and practicing the skills that will allow them to enter and become leaders in a multitude of industries.”

Rhodes said “we try to have projects with real world tangible outcomes in the end,” and to have a public audience. As much as possible, STEM is incorporated into classroom learning.

Students in kindergarten learned how to “build a house to stand up to the big bad wolf” in reference to the fairy tale about the three little pigs. Kindergarten students also learn some robotics and coding and planted beans in a garden.

First grade students learned about the biome, or habitats of wildlife. Second grade students learned about the native birds of Indiana and put bird feeders out in order to attract some of those birds.

Other grades learned about positive and negative impacts of humans on the environment by visiting the woods on school property, how to memorize the Midwest states through using color coding and robots and building rockets and a land rover as part of exploring space. There are also aero gardens in each classroom where things are grown with no soil and only water and nutrients, or hydroponics.

“We want them to see things locally,” Rhodes noted. In the wooded area there is an outdoor learning classroom close to a stream.

Students can actually go into the stream and test the water quality with the data being recorded in the Hoosier Riverwatch database. They are taught to connect the land and water with natural resources.

The Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District has indicated an increase in student interest and awareness of water quality and related resources. Students only have to walk a short distance from the school building to see nature up close and personal.

Each of the four Warsaw STEM schools focuses on specific “pillars” of learning. For Claypool, those are agricultural technology and lakes and streams. The school is located in a rural area with abundant farming nearby.

“Even if they (students) don’t farm, they can still get a job in agriculture,” Rhodes said. “Somebody (for example) needs to program the GPS on tractors.”

The global population continues to grow and will need to be fed, but there are fewer agriculture related workers, thereby creating a huge challenge for the future. “Agriculture is the original STEM industry,” noted Jeremy Mullins, commercial manager at the Louis Dreyfus Company.

Claypool Elementary became state certified during the 2019-20 school year, but that process started in around 2016. “It is a strict process,” Rhodes said.

Student teacher Athaiah Peters reads a book to Claypool Elementary School students. Photo by Tim Ashley.