Fifth Graders Go To STARBASE

Posted Date: 02/08/2022

Fifth Graders at CIMS spent the last few Wednesdays on site at McConnell Air Force Base learning STEM principles from experienced teachers as part of the STARBASE program.

According to the website, STARBASE “engages students through the inquiry-based curriculum with its ‘hands-on, mind-on’ experiential activities.” The program is free. 

CIMS students were able to learn Computer Aided Design (CAD), map coordinates, Bernoulli’s Principle, physical science concepts like buoyancy and laws of motion, and much more. 

Fifth Grader Layla Harris learned about electricity using the littleBits circuits. “I used the circuits to make noise and turn the lights on. It was my favorite thing to do,” she said.

“The program exposes students to content and hands-on experiences that they use to relate to what they are learning in the classroom. It’s especially impactful because students have access to equipment we don’t have, such as the CAD machines and some higher-level activities,” said 5th Grade Teacher Mrs. Welty. She and Mrs. Thomas are the 5th Grade teachers who sponsor the program.