STEAM Careers
In this exciting and dynamic course, gifted 5th-grade students will dive into the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) careers, with a particular focus on cutting-edge fields like supercomputing. Through hands-on projects, interactive discussions, and problem-solving activities, students will explore how advanced technologies like supercomputers are used to solve complex challenges in various industries, from healthcare to space exploration. This class will help students understand the diverse career opportunities available in the STEAM fields and how the skills they develop now will shape their future.
Systems of Play: Strategy, Structure, and Challenge
The heroes take up the quest to stop the villain, traveling out into harm’s way to stop their dastardly plans. But have you ever wondered where the villain came from? What goes into those plans? What calls these adventurers to action? An RPG (Role Playing Game) is a form of tabletop game which is closer to collaborative storytelling. One player is the world, the villains, the allies, and acts as a referee. Each remaining player is one of the heroes. The free-form nature makes this an excellent practice in real-world problem solving, since the referee is actively participating and can fluidly change scenarios.
We’ll discuss the classic narrative structure of a short story and how they pertain to the interactive storytelling that are tabletop RPGs. Through some light structuring, we’ll use that knowledge to write and design our own self-contained “dungeon” to challenge friends with!
Monday - Five Room Dungeons & Story Structures
Tuesday - Dungeon Design – Small Groups
Wednesday - Dungeon Design – Individuals
Thursday - Online Dungeon Design Software
Friday - Playtesting, Design Questions, and Evolving Work
Triangles, Squares, and the Math Between
Come explore the world of shapes by building, drawing, and solving puzzles with triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons. We’ll look for surprising patterns, discover how shapes are connected, and figure out new ideas by thinking creatively and asking great questions.
Instead of just learning rules, students will explore why geometry works. They’ll test ideas, explain their thinking, and share their discoveries as they learn to see shapes in new ways. This class will help students strengthen spatial thinking, problem-solving skills, and confidence in tackling challenging math.
Monday - Polygons, angle sums, and classification puzzles
Tuesday - Triangles—types, angle logic, and missing-measure problems
Wednesday - Quadrilaterals and special properties (squares, rectangles, trapezoids)
Thursday - Area & perimeter (will include nonstandard shapes and tiling challenges!)
Friday - Geometry puzzle day + design-your-own shape challenge
Printmaking
In this hands-on exploration of printmaking techniques in the MSU Residential College’s own art studio. Participants will develop and learn about a variety of methods and tools to express our creativity.
Monday - students will create unique Cyanotype prints using found objects.
Tuesday - students will explore pattern-making and produce Relief Prints using Legos.
Wednesday - students will design original drawings and reproduce them with a Risograph Printer.
Thursday - students will combine our skills to tell a collaborative story through print.
Friday - students will harness the precision of a Laser Cutter to design and print innovative shapes. The course will culminate in a printed book of our collective creations, showcasing the journey and everything we made.