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Delaney Alphan, left, can’t watch as her bumper car with an egg passenger slides down a ramp before crashing. Nolan Bailey, Anna Holmes and STEM teacher Jennifer Donais all watch.
Anna Holmes confirms her egg survived a crash.
Owen Olds and Sadie Wilson check their egg after a collision. STEM teacher Jennifer Donais watches from behind.
Delaney Alphan, left, can’t watch as her bumper car with an egg passenger slides down a ramp before crashing. Nolan Bailey, Anna Holmes and STEM teacher Jennifer Donais all watch.
Anna Holmes confirms her egg survived a crash.
Owen Olds and Sadie Wilson check their egg after a collision. STEM teacher Jennifer Donais watches from behind.
AMESBURY — STEM coach Jennifer Donais was no doubt having mixed feelings Tuesday as fourth-graders tested mock bumper cars carrying fragile egg passengers outside Cashman Elementary School. The potentially messy experiment marked her final STEM Day with the district.
“Of course, I’m excited for the future, Donais said. “I’m excited for a new challenge and I know some of these teachers will continue doing some of this stuff.”
After five years, Donais is leaving to join the Mass Learning Project and will teach STEM throughout the state.
STEM – an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics – has been a part of school curricula for years and seen a recent spike in popularity.
The students gathered outside the school at 1 p.m. ready to flaunt their engineering skills through the lessons they learned from a recent field trip to Jay Gee’s Ice Cream & Fun Center in Methuen.
“They basically had the project of taking their egg, and if an egg gets in a collision, what can I do to keep it safe?” Donais said. “How can I keep my baby safe? Most of those were really successful.”
Bubble wrap, tape, cotton balls and other materials were used to create padding for the bumper cars and to secure the eggs.
The students each took turns sending their vehicles down a ramp and into a wall, with successful attempts leading to a second, higher drop.
Crowds excitedly formed after each collision to see if the egg survived, followed mainly by cries of, “It’s alive!” or “We survived!” Donais said that of the 15 eggs dropped, only three broke.
Fourth-grader Vaughn Morin described what went into his group’s bumper car.
“We put in a bunch of cotton balls and bubble wrap,” he said.
After his group’s egg survived the test, Vaughn said it was great working with his friends to create a successful project.
“We all had different ideas, so we all added it together,” he said.
Student Anna Holmes, whose group also successfully protected its egg, talked about what they learned from the Jay Gee’s field trip.
“We took away how the structure was and how it had that rubber lining on the outside so we were all safe,” she said. “So we put bubble wrap on the outside to make our egg safe.”
Fourth-grade teacher Christine Leary said she is grateful for the wide range of activities in which Donais got teachers involved.
“I think she showed us we could take some risks and do this kind of stuff,” Leary said, adding that she hopes they can have similar activities next year.
While sad to see one of his favorite teachers leaving, Vaughn wished Donais luck.
“Thank you for making us have fun at school,” he said.
Donais hopes she left lasting memories with the students.
“I have one student that goes, ‘Oh, every time you’re here, that’s the fun stuff.’ I mean, that makes me feel good, obviously,” Donais said. “I truly care about them to getting applied learning, real learning, and getting the skills they’re going to need in the future.”
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.
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