Albuquerque Public Schools
Set Sail for STEM
Mission Avenue PreK transformed pirate fun into hands-on science and family learning.
At Mission Avenue Elementary, STEM education isn’t reserved for the older grades, and it certainly doesn’t require sitting at a traditional desk. This month, Mrs. Rodriguez and Miss Melissa’s PreK students proved that real scientific discovery can start with a wooden spoon, a recycled carton, and a hearty "Ahoy, matey!"
In celebration of National Talk Like a Pirate Day, Mission Avenue’s youngest learners embarked on a weeks-long, hands-on unit blending physics, vocabulary and creative design. Before donning their pirate hats, the four-year-olds explored fundamental scientific concepts: weight, buoyancy, boat structures and propulsion. They practiced directed drawings, built their vocabularies and dove into pirate-themed literature to spark their imaginations.
A cornerstone of Mission Avenue’s PreK program is bridging the gap between classroom instruction and home engagement. For this unit, families were challenged to collaborate with their children to design and build custom boats using materials found around the house.
The excitement peaked when students proudly carried their homemade vessels into school for testing. Before setting their creations into a pool of water, each child stood before their peers to explain their design process, name the family members who helped, and make predictions about whether their boat would sink or float.
This type of hands-on STEM exploration is critical for PreK students a they learn predicting, questioning, observing and problem-solving. They’re building early engineering and critical-thinking skills, understanding cause and effect, and learning how to articulate their reasoning, all while they just think they're having fun.
The unit culminated in a full-day Pirate Celebration. Mission Avenue PreK partnered with Miss Amanda’s first-grade class, whose students acted as peer mentors. Decked out in pirate gear, the combined classes set off on a school-wide treasure hunt, deciphering clues together until they tracked down a chest filled with "booty" in the gym. Back in the classroom, students completed creative writing and drawing prompts, imagining their own adventures as high-seas captains.
Experiences like this highlight the true vision of STEM at Mission Avenue Elementary: empowering students to see themselves as thinkers, creators, and scientists from their very first day of school. The pirate costumes may come off, but the curiosity, confidence and love for learning built along the way are treasures these students will carry with them all year long.