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    Banner with Black History Month type in green, yellow and red and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in white

    Throughout the month of February, students across the district will be learning about the achievements, contributions and efforts of African Americans to the fields of language and literature, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), arts and music, and social studies and political science. This second week, Feb. 10-14, we're focusing on STEM.

     

    Strong Vincent Middle School

    In Ms. Hendricksen's STEM classes, each class is making a project based on a famous scientist.  The Integrated class is working on George Washington Carver. To help the students understand him better, they are working in groups making farms/gardens to help represent the impact that Carver had on agriculture.   
     
    In recognition of Black History Month, our 7th grade science students are starting research projects on black pioneers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field. Students are given a week to research their chosen STEM pioneer before they give a presentation on that person at the end of the week. Each presentation will be 3-5 minutes and cover the life, contributions to the field, and legacy of their chosen pioneer.
     
    A group of three students huddle over a paper spread out on their desk, at work on a Black History Month project.Three students working together in groups making farms/gardens to understand the work of George Washington Carver.Two students construct a farm on paper to understand the impact of George Washington Carver.Two female students at a desk, using a computer to research a STEM pioneer.
     
    Edison Elementary School
     
    This week, grade 5 students shared conversation/learning about NASA scientists/mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson and their work behind the scenes to support astronauts and space exploration. The graphic shows the interconnectedness of the women and their connection to John Glenn as he was sent into orbit.
     
    A female and male student holding up a graphic showing the interconnectedness of several female scientists to John Glenn.
     
    Wilson Middle School
     
    Students in Ms. Swigonski's eighth grade class researched famous Black contributors to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, and made classwide presentations.
     
    A student presents information he learned as part of a classwide presentation about famous Black contributors to STEM fields.A student presents what she learned about Lonnie Johnson during a class presentation on Black contributors to STEM fields.A student presents information she learned about Mae Jemison in front of the class.
     
     
    Lincoln Elementary School
     
    Ms. Huey's kindergarten class learned about Mae Jemison and her impact as the first Black woman to go to space.
     
    Photo of a door covered in a an outer-space theme and featuring information about and photos of Mae Jemison.
     
    JoAnna Connell Elementary School
     
    Ms. Millet's students discussed influential women that made space travel possible. First, they read "Hidden Figures," the story of how Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson helped launch John Glenn into orbit, and then worked on a coding challenge: Students learned to directionally code astronauts to the moon using arrows on a grid. They, they worked together to use the Sphero robots to code them on a larger scale on the carpet, being careful to avoid objects, calibrate the robots correctly, and accomplish the mission of making it to the moon.
     
    Two male students kneeling near a rug on which they're completing a coding project.A female student sits at a table, working on a coding project as part of a Black History Month assignment.Photo of a screen showing the cover of the "Hidden Figures" book.Photo of a coding assignment in which students "code a path to put an astronaut on the moon." Part of Black History Month.
     
    Erie High School
     
    Ms. Till's students will be learning about Marie Maynard Daly, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. 
     
    Photo of an assignment for Black History Month focused on learning about Marie Maynard Daly, scientist and advocate.
     
    Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School
     
    Photo shows a series of five student-drawn pictures of Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space.
     
     
    Fifth grade students learned about Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. They gathered facts and then drew pictures to represent her historic contribution.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Harding Elementary School
     
    Astronauts were also on the minds of Harding kindergartners, who learned about Ron McNair, and first-graders, who also learned about Mae Jemison.
     
    A little girl shows off construction paper artwork featuring a rocketship.A group of students, each student holding up a cutout of a rocketship.
     
    Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy
     
     
    Students in Mr. Olszewski's class studied the three body problem while learning about NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. 
     
    The students had to figure out the mass of the Earth, moon and spaceship, and then the distance of the moon from the Earth and the gravitational constant. Using different time increments, students were able to see a visual of how far they are away from the moon and how the gravity from the Earth and the moon affected the spaceship's speed. These basic calculations allowed the class to see just how smart Katherine Johnson was, and how hard she worked to fitgure out those calculations by hand.
     
     
    Jefferson Elementary School
     
    Students explored the lives of influential African Americans who have made a significant impact in various fields such as sports, medicine, politics, science, math, and more. Each child selected a person of interest, read a brief summary about them, and then completed the STEM challenge on their challenge card. Using materials like paper, cardboard, and other recyclable items, students constructed their ideas and brought their projects to life, all while learning about the contributions of these remarkable individuals.
     
    Photo of a student working on what appears to be a kit made up of green pieces that when assembled look like a tank.A male student sitting at a desk displaying a paper project meant to resemble an invention made by a Black American in STEM.
     
     
     
    More student artifacts will be added throughout the week, so please check back frequently!