Alden Terrace School fifth graders recently put the 4 Cs of STEAM — Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking— into action during an Engineering Tower Challenge. 

During their lesson with STEAM teacher Connor Beirne, the scholars were grouped into teams and tasked with designing and building the tallest tower possible using only two out of three provided materials: cups, plates and popsicle sticks. 

Throughout the challenge, students tested their designs, made adjustments and solved problems as they worked toward their goal. The hands-on activity reinforced the importance of teamwork, perseverance and creative thinking, while demonstrating that successful engineering often comes through trial and error.