White Pine's STEM Portfolio

 History came alive in an exciting way as our third graders wrapped up their Ancient Rome unit with a hands-on, high-energy activity inspired by the Punic Wars . Instead of simply reading about history, students stepped into it—transforming their classroom into a friendly battlefield filled with learning, creativity, and a lot of flying paper. Students were divided into two teams, each representing opposing sides from the Punic Wars. Using materials they designed and built themselves, students created catapults to launch paper projectiles across the room. Before the showdown began, teams discussed strategy, tested designs, and made adjustments—putting problem-solving and engineering skills to work alongside their history knowledge. The activity gave students a deeper understanding of how ancient warfare worked while reinforcing key concepts from the unit, such as innovation, strategy, and the importance of resources and planning in historical conflicts. It also encouraged collab...

 Last week, White Pine students experienced science in action thanks to a visit from our community partners at the Idaho Environmental Coalition . Representatives from the coalition were on campus filming a hands-on lesson focused on cloud creation in Ms. Paxman’s middle school science class , giving students a unique opportunity to see classroom learning connect directly to real-world science. During the lesson, students explored how clouds form by observing changes in temperature, moisture, and air pressure. Rather than simply reading about weather patterns, students engaged in an interactive demonstration that allowed them to ask questions, make predictions, and observe scientific processes firsthand. The filming captured both the experiment itself and the curiosity and engagement of students as they worked through the phenomenon together. Partnerships like this are an important part of our STEM-focused approach at White Pine. When students interact with professionals working...

In one of the most memorable engineering challenges of the year, Mr. Lamb’s class combined creativity, physics, and a bit of humor in  a chicken drop challenge . The task was simple in concept but complex in execution: to  design a structure capable of protecting a whole boneless chicken when dropped from the school roof. Students worked in teams to brainstorm protective designs, considering principles such as impact force, momentum, shock absorption, and material strength . They experimented with a wide range of supplies—cardboard, bubble wrap, foam, parachutes, and cushioning layers—testing how each could reduce the effect of gravity on their airborne poultry. Once designs were finalized, the real test began. From the rooftop, chickens were released one by one, and students eagerly evaluated whether their engineering triumphed… or whether their chicken met an unfortunate (but educational) end. Both outcomes offered valuable learning moments. Throughout the challenge, stu...

This Halloween, learning came with a bang, glow, and ooze as a pilot group of our 4th–12th grade students experienced a special hands-on science demonstration presented by our EcosySTEM Ambassadors . The event, appropriately named Science CheMystery , blended chemistry, curiosity, and a bit of spooky-season fun! Students observed a series of high-engagement demonstrations that showcased: Chemiluminescence (how certain reactions produce glowing light), Mystery mixtures that changed color and texture, Safe, small-scale explosions used to demonstrate energy release, And polymers that oozed, stretched, and transformed before their eyes. But beneath the excitement, the focus was on scientific inquiry and explanation . Ambassadors shared how reaction rates, molecular structure, energy transfer, and material properties all play roles in what we see during chemical reactions. Students were encouraged to make predictions, analyze outcomes, and connect what they observed to r...

 In Ms. Clarke’s classroom, science came alive through a seasonal hands-on investigation with pumpkin dissections ! Students explored the inside of a pumpkin to learn about plant structure , observation skills, and the scientific process. Working together, students: Examined the outside and inside of the pumpkin Identified and labeled the stem, skin, pulp, and seeds Created diagrams to show what they observed Discussed how pumpkins grow and where seeds come from After studying the pumpkins, students cleaned, roasted, and tasted the seeds—making this lesson a true seed-to-snack experience . 🌱✨ This activity helped students build vocabulary, practice scientific drawing, and understand how food is connected to the natural world. And, of course, hands-on learning is always more fun when you get to end with a tasty treat! We are proud of our young scientists for their curiosity, teamwork, and willingness to try new things.

In our recent interdisciplinary project, STEM Academy students explored the architecture and culture of Ancient Greece by designing and constructing their own mini Parthenons . This project invited students to look closely at how engineering, mathematics, art, and history intersect in classical architecture. Students began by studying the structure and purpose of the Parthenon, examining its use of columns, symmetry, proportion, and geometric harmony . Using this knowledge, they planned their own scale models, selecting materials, testing structural stability, and refining design features to reflect the original architectural principles. Throughout the process, students collaborated in teams, applied problem-solving strategies, and made decisions about how to balance accuracy, creativity, and construction feasibility . This hands-on work allowed students to see historical architecture not just as something from the past, but as a real-world engineering achievement grounded in mathe...