Connecting Science to Problem-Solving in the Real World

At Barbara Morgan STEM Academy, an elementary school in Meridian, Idaho,  students approach nearly every subject through a STEM lens. As fifth-grade teacher Jamie Schildknecht explains, “So many of the problems in the world—and [the ones] that we’re going to solve in the future—are going to be solved through scientific thinking. Even if the students are not becoming scientists, those ideas of collaboration, critical thinking, and communication are going to tie into anything they end up doing.” This perspective is particularly powerful for elementary students, whose natural curiosity drives them to learn about the world around them. Teachers at Barbara Morgan harness this curiosity and create meaningful projects for the students by pulling in real-world science challenges.

In Schildknecht’s class, students make a direct connection between their lab and an environmental disaster: the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. After learning about the devastating impact, students are tasked with working in small groups to design and test their own cleanup strategies. Aluminum trays become miniature oceans, with cotton feathers standing in for birds and pipe cleaners representing sea mammals. Equipped with a selection of everyday materials like sponges, spoons, baking soda, and cotton balls, the young scientists dive into the challenge with  inquisitive focus.

Guided by Schildknecht’s questions and encouragement, students plan, test, and adjust their strategies as they go. They compare results across groups, talk through what worked and what didn’t, and reflect on how they might improve their approach next time. The activity feels playful, but it’s also deeply purposeful: students are practicing how to think like scientists while building essential habits for problem-solving and teamwork.

For principal Katie Mittleider, the value of these moments is clear. “It’s powerful to see kids connect what’s happening in the world with what they’re learning,” she says. “They begin to see that they can make a difference.”

By approaching real-world challenges through hands-on inquiry, Barbara Morgan STEM Academy helps students see that their ideas matter—and that they already have the tools to take on complex problems.

For more ideas on how to bring authentic problem-solving into science class, check out Jodie Deinhammer’s article for Edutopia, “How to Give Science Lessons a Real-World Boost.”