Climb the tallest mountain or visit the solar system! It’s all possible in Jessica Buchanan's classroom at Harmony Hills Elementary School. Her classroom is known as the STEEL. STEEL stands for Space, Technology, Earth, Exploration Lab and it was made possible through a North East Educational Foundation (NEEF) Grant.
“If you are a visual learner, you can learn so much better here,” said one student.
What was once used as storage has now been converted into an educational amusement park of sorts with virtual reality stations, a planetarium, a gardening and weather station and all kinds of innovative, hands-on learning stations.
“It’s a fun process to do at school,” said fifth-grader Jessenia Mendoza. “To me, this is the coolest place to learn. It’s amazing all the things we can do in here. It’s really interesting to look at the stars and to see the plants grow. It’s really cool, it really is.”
What’s even more incredible about the STEEL is that fourth and fifth graders learn about the stations and then teach younger students. This helps them build knowledge and confidence while giving them new skills to help them be successful in and outside of the classroom.
At Harmony Hills, innovation is fueling a lifelong love for learning and igniting passions #theNEISDway
