Classrooms Where Odds and Ends Are the Textbook

Manassas Embraces Engineering Projects

Spaghetti, crumpled cereal boxes and other household goods have become teaching tools in some Manassas classrooms as educators deviate from traditional methods and seek innovative ways to challenge students in the 21st century.

"In the 20th century, it was all about memorizing content, but today it's not just about that. It's about being able to integrate other skills like critical thinking, communication and technology skills," Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, said in an interview. "Parents, educators and policymakers all know things have changed over the last 50 years, and we need a new model in education to match those changes."

On Monday, about a dozen Manassas teachers presented to their peers an array of hands-on "engineering" projects they did with kindergarten through eighth-grade students. The teachers were part of an 18-member team that had just completed a 12-week children's engineering class led by James Madison University adjunct professor Marcia Hickey.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm in embracing this project," Manassas School Superintendent Gail Pope told the educators. "I've gotten so much positive feedback from students and parents. I think this is an excellent start as we try to get more children excited about math and science."

With new technology emerging daily, more demands in the workplace and global competition, students need to do more than solve algebra problems or regurgitate historical facts, Pope said. They need life skills that will make them competitive in a global economy.

Pope said the children's engineering initiative is just one step the school system is taking to meet the changing demands on students. The initiative is being funded through the $200,000 the school system received in fiscal 2009 as part of the city's Manassas Next plan. Pope said Monday's demonstrations, at Grace E. Metz Middle School, were meant to help other teachers think creatively so innovative projects and ideas can reach all Manassas students.

"This type of teaching goes beyond the typical textbook lessons," said Baldwin Elementary School science and social studies teacher Jill Grissom, who did a project with her first-graders. "Kids that don't necessarily shine can shine in something like this."

The projects incorporated in the classrooms addressed mainly science and engineering concepts but also challenged students to work in teams and solve problems quickly. Students were given a task to brainstorm, design, build, test and evaluate at the end. Projects covered such things as how to turn trash bags and paper cups into hot air balloons and how to construct bridges out of uncooked spaghetti.

"I've been teaching for 30 years, and I think we have gone from a very test-oriented way of teaching over the last 10 years to one that revolves around more engineering, construction and problem-solving," said George C. Round Elementary School teacher Diane Sterbutzel, who worked on the spaghetti project with third- and fourth-graders. "These projects bring you back to the real world and get you using skills you need in real life."

Sterbutzel, who works with the gifted and talented students at the school, said students were given 30 pieces of spaghetti to build a structure that could withhold the weight of numerous books. Although using hot glue with young students posed a challenge, Sterbutzel said, they loved the hands-on activity and were forced to collaborate and contribute to the end product.

"Children like having a problem in front of them that they have to solve," she said. "I also think these projects are good because they get kids to speak out versus sit back and wait for someone else to raise a hand and answer a question."

Baldwin Elementary School science teacher Julie Rodgers had her fourth-grade class build animals in their respective ecosystems. The challenge was for students to make part of an animal move without using their hands. Rodgers said students mostly used string or magnets to get a bird's wings to flap or a snail's antennae to wiggle.

"I think the hands-on approach appeals to a lot of different learning styles," she said. "I'm a firm believer in this [kind of learning] because it is something every child can have success with."

Although teachers said students loved the hands-on activities, there were kinks and challenges. Several teachers said students had a hard time writing down the problems they encountered and working in groups. And teachers admitted having trouble stepping back and letting the children be creative on their own.

"We all ran into some of the same issues because the children haven't experienced this kind of learning before," said Grissom, who had her students make either a house that moved through the seasons or seasons that scrolled by a house. "They had trouble using skills they need when they leave school, like brainstorming and working together."

Manassas schools' science and engineering specialist, Janet Graham, said the goal this year is to incorporate three of the engineering projects in each classroom in grades kindergarten through eight. Projects will revolve around "office materials," she said, and next year school officials want to move into woodworking technology.

"This has infused so much excitement in our students," Pope said about the initiative. "I'm amazed at the creativity of these small children. . . . This is just a different way of problem-solving and learning, and it is the way we need to continue to go."