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Creativity in Motion: A Glimpse into the 2025 STEAM Week at SHSID Hongkou Campus

May 26, 2025

The 2025 STEAM week at SHSID Hongkou Campus was an event unlike any other this semester. In the G1 hallway, there were clinks of marbles, snips of straws and the smell of 50 glue bottles being squeezed. On the second-grade hall, students did measurements, worked in pairs, and created plans for rollercoasters. Throughout the building, teachers observed, assisted and explained every detail that students needed to succeed. The focus of each grade was different, yet the final product was the result of days of careful measuring, testing and redesigning.






The first graders completed the marble maze project for STEAM week. The week began with an introduction to the concept of a maze made with straws, glue and shoeboxes. Students were even given a maze to practice working on, enabling them to get a sense of what they wanted to build. After spending time designing and sketching their maze, students went right to work, meticulously cutting and gluing paper straws together to complete their masterpieces. But, as any good engineer knows, it is only after a model is built that the flaws come into view, so the students had to test and redesign their projects to make sure their mazes were functional and playable. In the end, every student completed a unique maze that not only looked good but was also good fun to play through.


 




In grade 2, students started the week by learning about the steps in the design process. Once they understood these steps, they got a firsthand look at how to apply it by becoming rollercoaster engineers! Given the problem that an SHSID Theme Park was about to open without any rides, students worked independently, in pairs or groups of three, to come up with different ideas and designs for rollercoasters. Selecting their best plan and creating realistic blueprints, children worked their way through the design process, testing their ideas and redesigning their rollercoasters on their way to producing a great ride for the attendees of this fictional theme park.





Thursday brought the STEAM Gallery Walk and a chance for children from all classes and grades to explore interesting and impressive works from their peers. Grade 2 students marveled at and were amused by the magnificent marble mazes of Class 1(1) and Class 1(2). They reflected on how they themselves had taken on that challenge only a year ago. Grade 1students excitedly explored the blueprints and designs of the Grade 2 Roller Coaster Projects, previewing what could be a milestone on their own journey through science next year. Along with these class projects, individual students brought in their own experiments and projects from home to share their scientific discoveries with the school, including robots programmed by students to perform simple tasks, wind-powered cars, hydraulic pressure-powered arms and so much more. The students of SHSID Hongkou both impressed and inspired their teachers and peers throughout this amazing week!









Written by Nicholas Di Dolci, Samuel James Alexander, Nina Kang

Pictures by Rachel Wu, Elaine Zhu