Comenius Corner - Moravian Academy

STEAM Day and SCORE Projects at the HDC

Written by Julia Fox | Feb 25, 2024 1:51:47 PM

On Friday, February 23, 2024, the Da Vinci Science Center brought a traveling exhibition to the Historic Downtown Campus, transforming our spaces into interactive STEAM exploration centers for students in grades Kindergarten-6. 

Students rotated through fun learning stations, and as you will see in our highlight video, they were wide-eyed with wonder and the joy of discovery as they participated in the following STEAM activities led by Da Vinci staff: 

  • KEVA - Use KEVA planks to explore building in a new way. Build the tallest towers, connecting bridges, and even ancient structures with these hand-cut building blocks!
  • Wind Tubes  - Float, hover, and fly! Use everyday materials to build and test objects to launch inside a 6-foot wind tube.
  • Balancing Sculptures  - Experiment with forces and motion to create a moving sculpture that balances on a single point. Challenge yourself to use materials in ways you never have before to create something uniquely YOU!
  • "Pick it Up!" Engineering Challenge - Use the Engineering Design Process to design a solution to a community problem!  Can you build a device to remove a collection of trash from a neighborhood park? *This activity is designed by Museum of Science
  • Color Creations - Learn about the primary colors!  Experiment by mixing them in different combinations and proportions to see what amazing colors you can create! 

Another important highlight of STEAM Day was the presentation of SCORE Projects by students in grades 7 and 8. SCORE, or the Student-Centered Original Research Experience, is an independent research project that uses the Stripling Model of Inquiry to guide students while their curiosity drives the research process. Students choose the topic and faculty mentors guide them through each stage until students become experts on their topic. Students explored topics and questions in the table below. 

During the SCORE Exhibition, students become the teachers as they share their knowledge with families, faculty, and students in younger grades. 

Completing a SCORE project is an important milestone for Historic Downtown students as they strive for excellence and prepare to build upon their research, critical-thinking, and presentation skills at the Upper School level. 

Eighth Grade Topics Seventh Grade Topics
Cultures of the middle east Seed Germination in response to ph
Baking around the world - history and baking techniques Make a car that charges while driving (PJAS)
How will a different nozzle affect rocket performance history of world cup soccer balls
Who is Lando Norris and what is his future in F1 stay strong, live long
History of Lacrosse and what its future will be 6 star marathons
Evolution of fashion color psychology of musicals
Social medias effect on teenagers mental health Antartica Research book
What affects the probability of scoring on a penalty kick
Evolution of sports through technology
Garlic knots: history, nutrition, and how to make them
What Makes the Best Cookie: ingredients, the science, recipes, and how to make them History of video games
All Blacks New Zealand rugby team
How different music affects your mood
Career option: What does a computer scientist do?
The Enigma Machine & Alan Turing How to improve Dr. / patient relationships
comparing and contrasting different paints for art Machine Learning
Supernovas: Why do stars die, and what happens when they do? Pros and Cons of gaming
The Miracle Berry* Becoming a penetration tester (pentest)
Motivation for Murder: the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case (psychology and law) Different temp golf balls affect performance
Learning & celebrating 50 years of hip hop hydroponics system
Women's Australian Open (tennis)
Dance through the ages
Kids these days..... how growing up these days is different than in the past
How lifestyle affects mental health Electric vehicles, their effect on the earth and the economy
The history of herbal medicine radiation from cell phones and tablets
Why animal testing should be banned
The invincibles (Arsenal FC)
How nutrition helps keep NBA players in shape
How to make the perfect slice of pizza effects of egg substitutes in baking
The mental and physical benefits of being bilingual money generated from NFL vs Premier League
The Dominance of Alabama Crimson Tide Football
history of gymnastics and dance
Characters in Fiction
The evolution of vocal music through the years Causes of the Byzantine Empire's failture to conquer the Mediterranean
Beauty standards of today and the effect on self image Are Pet Stores Abusing their Animals?
How the strategy of football has evolved History of Field hockey
The effects of rumors and gossip on mental health Do fast food french fries rot and the effect of moisture
The different genres of fantasy and their pioneers Effect of temperature on enzymes
Heat insulation protection materials Soccer Fanatics
Competitive mogul skiing- How coaches strategize and prepare skiiers for competition Can listening to music improve comprehension?
Exploring Archimedes Principle Effect of Caffeine on pulse rate
  effect of string tension on tennis racket on ball bounce
  Evolution and history of sports cars
  How do you get stronger and how it affects you mentally
  history of graphics cards
  The real taste of India