News and Communications for St. Lucie Public Schools
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies eighth graders prepared for the state science assessment by finding the keys to success and the keys to the door of their classroom. Mr. Nicks’ eighth grade science students successfully found their way out of their FSA escape room challenge. Tasked with decoding cyphers, problem solving, and testing their middle school science knowledge; the students worked as a team and found the keys needed to exit the science room.
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies’ fourth graders wrapped up their science units for the year with a study of the earth, the moon, and the constellations. Students studied models and the movement of the earth and the moon. Fourth graders depicted the phases of the moon around the earth with a 3D model and took turns demonstrating its movement.
At Samuel Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies, early release means “Stop and STEM Day”, where ALL students look forward to participating in fun STEM activities. This month’s theme was ESCAPE ROOMS. Each grade level was given escape room materials that were designed specifically for the students to be successful, yet required problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Ms. La Bare’s students loved being included in solving problems, puzzles, riddles, and codes to discover the pirates lost treasure! To top it off, the students made pirate hats and eye patches to get into the spirit of the day.
Colt Nation’s 4th graders enjoyed a Leader in Me/Minecraft Stop & STEM day in which they collaboratively selected and reflected upon their favorite Leader in Me habit, expressed their communal voice through FlipGrid, and designed a visual representation of their habit in Minecraft. It took teamwork to execute this challenge using multiple modalities. Everyone’s genius was surely at work! Great job, Colts!
Happy Spring! Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies fourth-graders found caterpillars for the kindergarten students and we have all enjoyed watching them grow into big caterpillars, become a chrysalis, and emerge as a butterfly. Kindergarten students recently released their last butterfly.
Samuel Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies kindergarten has officially started their March Madness sight word fun!!! For each word a student earns, they will get to take one shot. With every three shots they earn, they move up on the winner’s bracket until we have a sight word champion!
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 7th grader, Yeilianis Nicol Torres won first place in the Microbiology category of the St. Lucie County STEM Fair! Her project, “Where Are the Germs” investigates where the truly dirtiest locations are in a school. She will be continuing on to the state competition in Lakeland, Florida.
Mr. MacKenzie, Project Lead The Way instructor, accompanied five student scientists from Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies to the 2021/2022 SLC Regional STEM Fair. These young ladies worked very hard to prepare their projects to be presented to the judges. Their topics ranged from Engineering to Microbiology. The day was busy with presentations as well as media interviews which was new and exciting to these middle-schoolers. The students did very well and are looking forward to hearing the results from the judging.
The Samuel Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 4th grade STOP and STEM challenge was to design a protective shell for Turtle Rehab Foundation to attach to an injured turtle’s body (Myrtle) so that she can return safely to her environment and survive the risks of harmful predators. Then, they created a turtle sanctuary in Minecraft. Great job, 4th grade COLTS!
Second-grade students at Samuel S. Gaines of Emerging Technologies learned all about two and three-dimensional shapes. They used toothpicks and marshmallows to create models of the shapes. After creating their model, they recorded the number of edges, vertices, and faces. We love hands-on learning at SGAET!
Mr. MacKenzie’s Project Lead the Way class continues to work on their Ankle Foot Orthosis prototype to aid children with Cerebral Palsy. Their job was to create an Ankle/Foot Orthosis that prevented children with Cerebral Palsy from walking on their tippy-toes and supported the whole foot and lower leg. They are in the trial and error portion of the build where students were figuring out the best way to develop their AFO for stability, comfort, and structure.
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies AVID students attended a virtual presentation by the University of Central Florida STEM Ambassadors. 6th and 8th grade students learned about various engineering degrees offered by UCF, as well as general information about college readiness. Students were able to connect what they are currently learning in their STEM elective classes to what they can study in college, and then what future career options are available to them.
Mr. Nicks is back at it again with another engaging science lesson for 8th graders at Samuel S. Gaines Academy! Students investigated how temperature affects the chemical reactions happening inside a glow stick. With the lights down low and the chemical changes happening in the glow stick, students were able to see first hand how increasing the temperature of a chemical change can speed up the reaction and lowering the temperature can slow the reaction down. The only thing brighter than these glow sticks is the future of these students!
Mr. MacKenzie’s Project Lead the Way class at Samuel S Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies is working on an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) in PLTW class. The students are tasked with designing, building and testing a AFO as a prototype for children with Cerebral Palsy. The students are to use the materials given by the teacher to create the prototype and then present their build and how it works all while following the criteria given.
Mr. Nicks’ 8th grade science class is back with even more hands-on learning. Students were able to measure and calculate the exact mass and volumes of various objects and substances using several different methods. Students were able to experience using science lab instruments and techniques such as using triple-beam balances, graduated cylinders, and performing water displacement calculations.
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies AVID students go on a Virtual Field Trip to learn about the Aerospace Program at Fort Pierce Central High School! SGAET’s tech knowledgeable students are always looking for future pathways in tech industries!
Ms. Blackburn’s Science Resource classes have been studying the water cycle. At the end of the unit, they created clouds in a jar to see the cycle in action. Using hot water and ice cubes the creation of evaporation and precipitation was shown. Then, hairspray was used to mimic dust particles for water droplets to attach to create the clouds. What an awesome STEM activity!
In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 6th grade students in Miss G’s computer science class are raising self-awareness on how to prevent bullying in their school and community using the block-based programming language called Scratch. Students get to put their computational thinking and problem-solving skills to the test by using events, sequences, and parallel responses to code an interactive anti-bullying message (in the form of their choice – e.g., ad, story, meme, animation), highlighting how to thwart and stand up against bullying. At the culmination of their project, students are encouraged to … Read More
Mr. Nicks’ 8th grade homeroom students were given a weekly STEM challenge: determine the number of balls in a large box. Students were given 5 minutes to plan their approach while keeping in mind the Leader in Me habit of “Think Win-Win”. The students were then given a 5 minute timer to execute their plan. The rules of the challenge stated that students must keep all the balls off the floor and that after the 5 minutes was up, all the balls must be in the box. The students used excellent teamwork to divide and conquer the task with some … Read More
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 7th grade science students used models and manipulatives to learn more about waves and their properties. Students rotated through activities using manipulatives such as tuning forks, springs, and rope to help them process concepts regarding the parts of a wave, wave interactions and model longitudinal and transverse waves. Their teacher, Mr. Breedlove, used a wave simulation model to help students identify various properties of mechanical waves. The wave simulation demonstration had students mesmerized at how a wave disturbance can be slowed down and investigated!