Virtual Summer STEM Challenge

Overview

Meriden Public Schools sought to provide its students with continued opportunities for enrichment throughout the summer to support their learning even when not in school. To provide students with continued learning opportunities while on break, the district launched a virtual summer STEM enrichment program for 4th-grade students selected to participate.

"Because of the pandemic, we couldn't hold our in-person STEM camps that we would normally hold, so it was a virtual experience. A box of STEM materials was shipped to every participating student's home. They opened up their box, got on a Google Meet call with their teachers, and they went through the contents in the box and created something. Then they came back and shared with the rest of the group what they had created. We’re just trying to make sure that those learning opportunities are still there even when the students aren’t in school." - Susan Moore, Supervisor of Blended Learning

Approach

Students across Meriden's eight elementary schools were selected to participate in a summer STEM program based on their academic performance. Each student participating was sent a supply box to participate from home to build their project, and twice a day for 30 minutes, students joined their camp facilitator on Google Meet for STEM enrichment. Throughout the week-long program, students applied design thinking through a STEM project, such as building a functioning tabletop game. Students ended the week with a showcase to share their projects with one another.

This strategy is a part of TLA's Hop, Skip, Leapfrog release, which explores the concrete ways in which schools and systems pursued student-centered innovation during COVID-19. Explore the full guide to find additional strategies, insights, and resources.