Sweet treats served as challenging STEAM supplies in a recent third-grade activity at Waverly Avenue Elementary School that required students to utilize precise planning principles to problem solve.

Students in Gina Menechino’s class worked in pairs to save Fred, a gummy worm whose boat had capsized. Using only paper clips, the third-graders were tasked with the challenge of putting a circular Lifesaver gummy around Fred to save him from the treacherous waters. To begin, students first planned how they would approach their task by imagining solutions, explaining how it would work and then testing their plan. Each pair worked diligently to put the Lifesaver around Fred in the time given to complete the activity. 

At the conclusion of the activity, Menechino emphasized the importance of revisiting and revising previous plans to efficiently problem solve. Students who did not complete the task on the first try were then able to try their revised plans.