Playground Problems, STEM Solutions: Design Thinking in Elementary Science

What happens when elementary students become designers, scientists and problem-solvers in their own school community? This round table discussion explores how an authentic playground redesign challenge can transform elementary science into a hands-on, student-centered STEM experience. Rather than learning science as isolated content, students investigate real problems, gather evidence, collaborate, develop and test prototypes and document their thinking in engineering journals. Presenters share practical strategies for framing everyday school or community problems as design challenges, connecting design thinking to elementary science standards, structuring student teams and using student artifacts to make learning visible and assess collaboration, problem-solving and content understanding. Discover how meaningful local problems can increase student ownership, curiosity and confidence in STEM while creating learning that feels relevant, rigorous and engaging. You will also be introduced to practical strategies for identifying and applying for grants that can fund materials, classroom resources, community partnerships and project-based learning initiatives.