Shenandoah i2d2 STEM Lab

01/09/2026

We were so excited to welcome Ms. Long’s kindergarten class into the STEM Lab today! Before visiting, Ms. Long carefully reviewed her curriculum and the objectives she has been teaching in the classroom, which made our time together even more meaningful.

During their visit, we explored all things farming! Students learned:

What a farmer does

What animals need to live

Why farmers raise animals

What foods and other products come from farm animals

Equipment found on a farm

We read a book together and quizzed the students on their knowledge. They showed what they knew by identifying farm animals and the sounds they make on the active floor. Students also had the opportunity to use VR headsets to explore farming in a whole new way! While waiting their turn, they built animal structures using LEGOs, answered questions to test their understanding, and drew pictures of their favorite farm animals.

Some engaging questions for after school to help ask about their time in the lab.

**How does a farmer “talk” to his sheepdog?
(With whistles, and hand signals!)

**How do ducks keep dry?
(They have waterproof feathers!)

**Which animal does yogurt come from?
(Milk from a cow!)

Ms. Long has clearly worked very hard with her students, and their learning truly shined through today. We were delighted to have such an amazing class in the STEM Lab and look forward to welcoming them back again in the future!

Thank you, Ms. Long, for all that you do! Teachers like you make a difference. ❤️

01/09/2026

STEM Lab Learning with Mrs. Neff’s 8th Grade Class!

We had an amazing time welcoming Mrs. Neff’s 8th grade class into the STEM Lab to dive into an exciting lesson on topography! Students explored landforms and elevation using our augmented reality sandbox, bringing maps and terrain to life right before their eyes.

On the active floor, students went head-to-head in a friendly competition to see who could answer the most questions correctly during lessons on the water cycle and the Earth, Sun, and Moon system. Mrs. Neff was right there offering helpful hints when students got stuck, and her strong teaching skills were truly shining through.

While waiting for their turn to race to the center and grab the gold before the other team earned the trophy, the rest of the class stayed engaged by working on their vocabulary words and reviewing key concepts.

We loved seeing the teamwork, focus, and enthusiasm from this group and were thrilled to have such a motivated class in the STEM Lab!

Try asking your students these questions at home:

What causes tides on Earth?

What do we call the first day of winter or summer?

What causes Earth’s seasons to change?

What happens when precipitation meets the land and either soaks into the ground, lands in water, or runs downhill into rivers?

What is the continuous flow in which water moves through Earth’s environment, changing from one state to another?

Thank you, Mrs. Neff, for preparing your students so well—we look forward to having your class back again! It is always rewarding to work with teachers like Mrs. Neff, where you can clearly see the time and care she puts into building not only her students’ academic skills, but also their real-world skills such as teamwork, responsibility, and respectful behavior.

12/14/2025

12/05/2025

Ms. Kelsey’s preschoolers had an exciting STEM adventure today! After reading The Three Little Pigs, our young engineers got to design and build their own houses for the pigs using pipe cleaners (straw), popsicle sticks (sticks), Legos (bricks), and all kinds of helpful materials like tape, paper clips, rubber bands, and blocks. Their goal: build a house sturdy enough to withstand the “Big Bad Wolf”… also known as our vacuum! 😄

The room was filled with laughter as the children watched their creations get put to the test. They loved seeing which designs held strong and which ones needed a little more engineering magic!

To top it off, they played an awesome matching game on the active floor—designed by Ms. Kelsey herself! Because what preschooler doesn’t love moving their body while learning through fun, interactive games?

We are so proud of our curious thinkers and creative builders.

12/04/2025

🚀 Blast Off with Mrs. Stephen’s 1st Graders!

Our astronomers took a trip to the STEM Lab last week to combine their study of space with the Hour of Code!

Using the NASA Space Jam activity, the students became computer scientists. They didn't just look at planets—they programmed them!

They made planets orbit and move, coded them to change colors, and they even used code to make space music!

It was "out of this world" watching them learn how to control the galaxy with code. Ask your student which planet was their favorite to animate!

12/04/2025

Mrs. Wagner’s 3rd Grade Class! ❄️👩‍🏫👦👧

The week before break, Mrs. Wagner’s 3rd graders brought big creativity into the STEM Lab! They came in two days to work in Tinkercad. Students learned the basics of Tinkercad, exploring 3D design by building their very own digital snowmen. ⛄✨

After mastering the shapes and tools, each student added a personal touch- Their name, year, and/or whatever else they wanted to write on their special ornament.

🎄 Next week, the students will return to the STEM Lab to see their creations come to life on our 3D printer! Each snowman will be printed as a one-of-a-kind holiday ornament for them to take home.

We love seeing their creativity shine and can’t wait to send home these special keepsakes!

12/04/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our amazing interns Kendal and Ida! 🎉

We are so proud to celebrate our two incredible interns who were just inducted into the National Honor Society! 🌟 Their hard work, leadership, and dedication shine every day—not only in their own accomplishments but also in the way they give back.

Both interns spend their time teaching and mentoring our younger students at the grade school, and those kids are truly lucky to have such positive role models guiding them. 💙📚

To our interns: we are proud of you beyond words. To everyone else that got inducted: congratulations all your hard work paid off. And to our students: keep shining—you inspire us every day! ✨

11/21/2025

This is great news!

10/30/2025

Ms. Brown’s Kindergarten Class Explores Community Helpers in the STEM Lab!

This week, our young learners dove into the world of community helpers! We talked about all the amazing people who make our neighborhoods great — from firefighters and police officers to doctors and teachers. The students had a blast playing a matching game where they paired helpers with where they work (like a firefighter with the firehouse ).

But that’s not all! These kindergarten engineers also put their coding skills to the test by programming an Indy car to move just the way they wanted. Our new intern Kendal, who’s thinking about going into education, even stepped up to lead a group during the Indy car coding activity! After only watching the lesson a few times, she did a fantastic job guiding students and keeping them engaged. This will be one of many classes she will lead as the year goes on. We truly hope she continues down the path of education — she has such a natural gift for it!

It was a perfect mix of creativity, problem-solving, and fun — all while learning how teamwork and helping others make our community stronger!

10/24/2025

The finished product of the laser engraved pumpkin.

10/24/2025

10/24/2025

Mrs. Harding’s preschool class visited the STEM Lab to learn all about signs! 🚦

The students played a fun matching game where they had to find and match different road signs, then we talked about what each sign was and what it meant once it was flipped over.

They also used their building skills to create and explore on the LEGO wall, bringing their creativity and teamwork to life!

Last they finished up by exploring what they could find in the magic sandbox which was a huge hit. They always love the sandbox.

What an awesome mix of learning, teamwork, and imagination from this amazing group of young engineers!