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Lower Merion School District

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4th and 5th Graders Reach for the Stars During Summer STEM Program

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4th and 5th Graders Reach for the Stars During Summer STEM Program
Group photo of LMSD STEM camp attendees and teachers on steps at LMHS

In early August, nearly 100 rising fourth and fifth graders blasted off into the world of aerospace engineering during an action-packed Elementary STEM Camp. Turning curiosity into hands-on innovation, these young space explorers spent the week immersing themselves in the Engineering Design Process (EDP)—asking, imagining, planning, creating, testing and improving—while working in teams and strengthening their communication and collaboration skills.

Throughout the week, the camp became a buzzing mission control center. Campers tackled real-world design challenges, constructing custom space capsules and landing modules capable of surviving simulated planetary landings. They tapped into creative problem-solving by designing specialized space utensils adapted for zero-gravity dining and folding high-performance paper airplanes to explore basic principles of lift and drag.

The excitement didn’t stop at the atmosphere. Students programmed robots designed for simulated space missions, navigating complex obstacles across extraterrestrial terrain. Out on the test pad, campers launched straw rockets to measure how subtle design changes affected trajectory and flight distance, gathering and analyzing data like true research scientists.

A major highlight of the camp was a special visit from a young female United States Marine Corps pilot. Bringing the thrill of high-altitude aviation straight to the classroom, she captivated campers with stories from the cockpit and introduced them to the physics of flight in terms they could easily understand.

Her key message focused on a critical stage of the Engineering Design Process: improvement. Sharing how military aviators continuously analyze performance and refine their strategies, she encouraged students to view design revisions not as failures, but as essential steps toward success. Her insights resonated with the campers, encouraging them to re-test, tweak and refine their designs with newfound confidence and determination.

By the end of the week, the young engineers walked away with more than just custom gadgets and soaring rockets—they gained a deeper understanding of aerodynamics, teamwork and the resilience needed to solve tough problems.

Enjoy a collection of photos from the week in the slideshow below!

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Several children in the foreground are working together to balance a yellow ball on strings, while in the background, a whiteboard displays instructions and chairs are arranged around the room.
Four young girls are playing a game with a rope and rings in a room with a dark background.
Three young girls are conducting an experiment with measuring tapes on a tiled floor in the foreground, while a hallway with tables and boxes is visible in the background.
Children sit on the floor in the foreground watching a presentation on a large screen in the background, where a woman is also visible.
Three young girls pose with their science projects in a hallway with stacked boxes and tables in the background.
Three young girls are engaged in a craft project at a table in the foreground, while a dark, workshop-like room with artwork on the walls forms the background.
Three children are gathered around a table with spaghetti and marshmallows, while drawings are displayed on the wall behind them.
Two young boys are building a spaghetti tower on a table, with colorful balloons and craft supplies visible in the blurred background.
Three children stand behind a table with a spaghetti tower and art supplies, while a black curtain hangs in the background.
Two children are working on a spaghetti tower project at a table with art supplies and a whiteboard in the background.
Three women in matching t-shirts stand in a classroom with shelves of supplies and artwork on the walls behind them.
A smiling young girl in a light green tank top and black shorts holds a red pencil in a school hallway with lockers on the left and a long corridor stretching into the distance.
Three children are building a tower with spaghetti and marshmallows at a table, with artwork displayed on a wooden wall in the background.
Three smiling girls pose around a table with a craft project in the foreground, while a black wall with artwork and doors forms the background.
A group of children in matching t-shirts are posing for a photo on a checkered floor in front of a stage curtain.
A group of children and two adults pose for a photo in front of a stage with black curtains and tables in the background.
Children in the foreground play a balloon game on a paved path, while others gather in the background near a building and trees.
Children in the foreground play a game with a purple ball and strings, while others are visible in the background near a building.
A young girl in a blue dress holds strings attached to a large purple balloon in the foreground, with a building and grassy area in the background.
Two young boys in the foreground are playing with an orange ball and strings, while in the background, a school building and trees are visible.
A boy in a yellow shirt controls a small robot on a colorful space-themed mat, while another person holds a phone displaying a color-changing app in the foreground.
Two boys are playing a space-themed board game on the floor in front of a classroom with desks and chairs in the background.
A young girl in a hoodie and striped leggings lies on the floor, engrossed in her phone, with a colorful space-themed mat featuring planets and asteroids in the foreground and shelves of supplies in the background.
A teacher and three children are gathered around a clear container of green liquid on a paved surface, with a grassy area and building in the background.
Two young boys are engaged in a craft project at a wooden table with various supplies, while a colorful abstract painting hangs on the wall behind them.
A teacher and three children observe a clear container with a green object in the foreground, while a building and grassy area form the background.
Three young girls stand on a paved walkway in front of a building, with one girl holding a plastic bottle.
Three smiling girls pose with a craft project in the foreground, while a classroom setting with a window and shelves is visible in the background.
Three smiling girls pose with a green and black robot in the foreground, while a classroom with blinds and a bulletin board with sea creature cutouts is visible in the background.
Two young girls in STEM camp t-shirts work on a project with aluminum foil and other materials in the foreground, while a classroom with a projector screen and chairs is visible in the background.
A teacher uses a hairdryer on a craft project at a table with several students gathered around, while a classroom with windows and chairs is visible in the background.
Three young boys stand in a classroom, with one holding up a small white object, while a whiteboard with numbers and instructions is visible in the background.
Three smiling girls stand in a classroom, with one holding a colorful triangular craft in the foreground, and a projector screen and a numbered chart visible in the background.
Three young girls are engaged in an art project at a table in the foreground, while other students work at desks in the background of a classroom.
Two young boys are engaged in a craft project at a table with supplies, while shelves filled with art materials are visible in the background.
Three young boys stand in a classroom, with the boy on the left holding a circular craft project, and a whiteboard with instructions visible in the background.
Three young boys sit on the floor in the foreground with a laptop and a robot on a course mat, while in the background, other children and classroom elements are visible.
Two boys are engaged in a science experiment at a table with drawings and supplies, while a kitchen-like background with cabinets and a sink is visible.
Four boys are playing with a jump rope and a red ball on a paved area in front of a building with large glass doors.
Two children kneel on a tiled floor, one holding a string attached to a small robot on a coding challenge mat, with a laptop and water bottles nearby, while a blurred outdoor scene is visible through a large window in the background.
Two girls are working on a coding challenge with a robot and a laptop on the floor, with a hallway and lockers visible in the background.
Children play with a yellow ball and a metal structure on a sunny patio in front of a building.
Children play with a yellow ball on a sunny day outside a building with trees in the background.
Four boys play a game with a red ball on a paved patio in front of a brick building with a black fence.
Children play with a jump rope and a balloon on a sunny day in front of a school building with trees and a grassy lawn.
Children in the foreground are engaged in an outdoor activity with a blue ball, while a brick building with large windows forms the background.
Children play with a blue balloon on strings in the foreground, while a school building and trees form the background.
Four boys play with a red ball on a paved area in the foreground, while a grassy park with trees and a fence forms the background.
A teacher in a tie-dye shirt stands in front of a projector screen displaying %22Physics of Flight: Airplanes vs. Helicopters%22 in a classroom filled with student artwork.
A collection of children's drawings featuring rockets, planets, and starry skies are taped to a window, with a bright light illuminating them from behind.
Children in the foreground play with a green ball on a sidewalk, while a building and trees form the background.
Four boys in blue and teal shirts play with a red ball on strings in front of a building with large windows and a metal fence in the background.
Two young boys are working on a project at a table in a classroom, with shelves and a sink visible in the background.
Five young boys sit at a table in a classroom, looking out a window at something unseen.
Two young boys are engaged in an origami activity at a table with craft supplies in the foreground, while a classroom setting with shelves and a sink is visible in the background.
Two young boys are focused on papers spread across a white table in the foreground, while a classroom with shelves and a yellow door is visible in the background.
Four young boys are focused on their projects at a table with blueprints and art supplies, while a bright window with blinds fills the background.
Two girls in the foreground are folding paper at a table with art project instructions, while in the background, other children work on their projects in a classroom setting.
A teacher helps a young student with a project at a table filled with art supplies, while other children work at tables in the background of a classroom.
Two young boys in red shirts are folding paper at a table in the foreground, while shelves stocked with art supplies fill the background.
A young girl in a purple tracksuit folds paper at a table with craft instructions, while other children work on projects in the background of a classroom.
Two children are working on a project at a table in the foreground, with a classroom environment visible in the background.
Two young girls are intently studying papers with diagrams of paper airplanes on a white table, with a classroom environment visible in the background.
Four smiling young girls in the foreground hold paper airplanes, while in the background, other children and adults are engaged in activities within a bright, art-filled classroom.
Two smiling boys in matching teal shirts stand in a bright hallway with a large, spherical sculpture in the background.
A young boy in a red shirt and patterned shorts throws a paper airplane in a school hallway, with other children and a bulletin board visible in the background.
A young boy in a blue t-shirt cuts a piece of white paper on a wooden table, with a colorful abstract painting in the background.
A young boy in a green and white striped shirt smiles at the camera while holding a piece of paper in a classroom with other students and art supplies in the background.
Two smiling boys, one in a blue Mario shirt and the other in a red shirt holding a paper airplane, stand in a hallway with lockers and bulletin boards in the background.
A smiling young girl in the foreground holds a paper airplane, while other children walk down a hallway with artwork on the walls in the background.
A young boy in a gray hoodie throws a paper airplane down a school hallway, with other children and artwork visible in the background.
Two children hold paper airplanes in the foreground, while other children play in the background near a building.
Two young girls stand in a hallway, one holding a paper airplane, with a collage of black and white photos on a cylindrical object behind them.
Two children, one in a blue t-shirt and red shorts, the other in a striped shirt, work on a laptop placed on a large sheet of paper, with a wall and a metal fixture in the background.
Two boys are working on a coding project with a robot and laptop on the floor, with a brick wall and window in the background.
Two young boys in an orange and gray t-shirt are working on a science project with a catapult in a foil pan, with a window and some artwork in the background.
Two young boys are kneeling on a classroom floor, one with a laptop and the other holding a remote, as a small robot navigates a white course marked with dashed lines.
Five young boys are engaged in a craft project at a table in the foreground, with a large window showing greenery in the background.
Three children are gathered around a large table with art supplies, while a window shows greenery outside.
Two young girls are working on an art project at a table in a classroom, with shelves of art supplies and a projector screen visible in the background.
Two young girls are engaged in an art project at a table with craft supplies, while other students work in the background of a classroom.
Two children, a girl in a yellow jacket and a boy in a black shirt, sit at a table with craft supplies, while a colorful bulletin board with various items is visible in the background.
Two young boys work on a craft project with bubble wrap and tape on a table in the foreground, while shelves filled with art supplies and ceramic pieces are visible in the background.
Two children in the foreground are working on cardboard projects in an art classroom, while other students and art supplies are visible in the background.
Two smiling girls in the foreground are working on crafts, while other children are engaged in art activities in the background of a classroom.
Two young boys are working on a craft project at a table in a classroom, with shelves and cabinets visible in the background.
Two boys stand on a picnic table and on the ground respectively, with a plastic tub of water in front of them, while a school building stands in the background.
Two boys stand on a wet, paved area with picnic tables, while a building with windows and trees forms the background.
Two young girls stand on a seesaw-like structure with a plastic tub of water in the foreground, while a school building is visible in the background.
Two young boys are engaged in a craft project at a table with colorful water bottles and art supplies, while a window in the background reveals a glimpse of greenery.
Four children stand on a wet paved area with picnic tables, while a modern building with large windows forms the background.
A boy in a red hat and blue shirt stands on a picnic table outdoors, with a clear container of water and ice in front of him, and a brick building in the background.
Three women in matching %22LMSD STEM CAMP%22 t-shirts stand in a classroom with shelves of art supplies and student artwork in the background.
A young girl in a pink shirt and patterned shorts holds a clear plastic bag filled with colorful toys in front of a metal fence and trees.
A smiling woman stands between two young boys, all wearing STEM camp t-shirts, against a backdrop of planets, stars, and a rocket.
Two children are working on a coding challenge on the floor in front of a large white paper with a green circle and a small robot, while in the background, shelves are filled with art supplies and a laptop.
Two young boys are engaged in a robotics challenge, with one boy on the left using a laptop while sitting on the floor, and another boy on the right crouching near a small robot on a track in a classroom setting.
Two girls collaborate on a laptop in the foreground, while other children work on robots and laptops in the background of a classroom hallway.
Two young girls sit on the floor in front of a laptop displaying code, with a blank challenge sheet and a small robot in the background.
Four young boys are engaged in a robotics activity at a wooden table in a classroom, with a whiteboard and a wall covered in student work in the background.
A young girl with blonde hair smiles at the camera while sitting on the floor in front of a small robot and a coding challenge sheet, with other children working on laptops in the background of a school hallway.
A woman and a young girl smile at the camera, holding a craft project in the foreground, with artwork displayed on the walls in the background.
A young girl with long blonde hair smiles at the camera while a small robot draws on a piece of paper in front of her, with a classroom setting visible in the background.
Two smiling boys stand in the foreground, one holding a stack of papers, with artwork and a yellow wall visible in the background.
Children sit at a wooden table drawing and working on projects, with a classroom or workshop environment visible in the background.
In the foreground, children in a classroom are engaged in a string-and-ball activity, while the background shows a typical classroom environment with shelves and artwork.
Five boys in the foreground are playing with a green balloon on a sunny day, with trees and a road visible in the background.
A large group of children and adults pose for a photo on a wide staircase in front of a school hallway.
Three boys play with a purple ball on a paved area in the foreground, with a grassy hill and buildings in the background.
A large group of children and adults in matching t-shirts pose on a wide staircase in front of a space-themed banner, with a school hallway visible in the background.
A large group of children and adults in matching t-shirts pose on a staircase in front of a space-themed banner, with a school hallway visible in the background.
A large group of students in white t-shirts are posing on a wide staircase in a school hallway, with a banner displaying a galaxy scene behind them.
A large group of children and adults in matching t-shirts pose for a photo on a wide staircase, with a space-themed banner held up in the background.
Two young boys are working on a craft project at a table with water bottles and craft supplies in the foreground, while shelves filled with books and art supplies are visible in the background.
Two young girls are engaged in a craft project at a table in the foreground, while a teacher stands in the background near a whiteboard.
Two young boys are engaged in a science experiment, with one holding a small, colorful creation while the other watches intently, as a lush green outdoor scene is visible through a window in the background.
A space-themed tapestry featuring planets, an astronaut, and a space shuttle hangs in front of a window, with a glimpse of trees and sky visible through the glass.
Four boys play a game with a red ball and a rope on a paved area in front of a brick building.
Children play with a hula hoop and ball on a paved path in front of lush green trees.
Four children in the foreground are playing with a blue ball on strings, while a green hedge forms the background.
Three young girls sit at a wooden table with art supplies, while a classroom with shelves of materials is in the background.
Two young boys are engaged in a science project at a wooden table in a classroom, with other students and art supplies visible in the background.
Three young boys collaborate around a table with papers and water bottles in the foreground, while other students work at desks in a bright classroom in the background.
Children play a game with a red ball and strings on a paved path in front of a grassy area with trees and a building.
Four girls play with a blue ball and cups on a paved area in front of a building.

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