Fourth and Fifth-grade students from Pleasant Gap Elementary participated in a STEM K’Nex competition hosted by Intermediate Unit 10 on April 12,2024. These 16 students, seven fifth-graders, and nine fourth-graders competed against teams from Moshannon Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola, and Bald Eagle Area School Districts. There were eight elementary teams and two middle school teams at the competition.
The students had to build a prototype, create an engineering design notebook, have a 2-minute presentation, and create a blueprint. They had two hours to build their prototype and then do their presentations afterward for the judges.
The Red Wagons - made up of Aria Gates, Brynley Marker, Camryn Miller, and Avery Smeltzer - finished third in the competition out of eight teams. Their vehicle was designed to remove rocks from the field and till the field to prepare the area for planting.
The students' challenge was to create a piece of agricultural equipment out of K’Nex pieces and had to include a motor. The students had to follow the steps of the engineering design process, make a blueprint, and create a presentation.
The students, under the guidance of Mrs. Miller and Mr. Gearhart, worked on plans and worked on their designs during after-school time on Thursdays and during some indoor recess times, following the holiday break. Mrs. Jodon, substitute teacher Cati Besch, Penn State student teachers Olivia Cavell and Grace Brennan, and school volunteers Mr. and Mrs. Litten also helped the students prepare for the competition.
The other four-person teams were the Yellow Plows, the Blue Balers, and the Green Seeders. The Yellow Plows designed a vehicle that will plow, plant seeds, and water the field at the same time. The Blue Balers built a “self-planter.” It’s designed to rake the field and plant the seeds. The Green Seeders’ vehicle also was designed to prepare the field, plant the seeds, and water the field.