Proactive designs propelled Lynwood Elementary School first-grade students in Corinne Hinteman’s class as they used construction to stop destruction during a STEAM activity focused on coastal erosion.

The goal of the activity was for each student group to construct a wall capable of withstanding conditions that replicated erosion. To begin the activity students were supplied with clay, cloth, cotton balls, Popsicle sticks and tape. Utilizing the provided supplies students began design and construction of their walls that would need to withstand 20 simulated waves created by Hinteman. The walls separated sand from water and the success of each wall was determined by the amount of sand that floated from the shoreline into the water. Following the initial test students made improvements before the walls were tested again. 

Concluding the activity, each group engaged in a student-directed discussion about design improvements that could have positively affected the outcome of their experiments.