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Course: 5-6 STEM Project-Based Learning

We are no longer accepting new families for the 2026-2027 school year. 

5-6 STEM Project-Based Learning

Grades 5 - 6
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Course Schedule
Class Follows K-6 Annual Schedule
Dates: 2026-08-25 to 2027-04-06
Cost
Tuition: $250 / Annual
Supplies: $25
Expectations and Homework
Some challenges will be completed individually, while others will provide opportunities for partner or small-group collaboration. Class discussion is an important part of our learning—students are encouraged to share their own ideas and to listen thoughtfully as other engineers explain their designs and thinking. Homework is designed to be light and meaningful, typically taking about 10 minutes. Assignments may include sketching a diagram, listing materials, or briefly explaining how or why a project worked (or didn’t). If your engineer is not yet writing fluently, please feel free to discuss the assignment together. The conversation and reflection around our challenges are more important than written responses, and writing ability should never be a barrier to enrolling in this class. I will post a summary in Google Classroom after each class describing what we worked on and outlining any homework for the following week. Additionally, the 5th–6th grade class will have one at-home project each term—one focused on research and the other a longer design/build challenge. Details about both of these fun, hands-on projects will be shared at the start of class.
Prerequisites
None
Class Supplies Needed
The supply fee covers all materials needed for our projects, though families may occasionally be asked to send in small recycled items such as cardboard tubes, bottle caps, or egg cartons.
Get in Touch
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About the Course
5-6 STEM Project-Based Learning

5th/6th Grade STEM (Builders Year)

The 5th/6th Grade STEM class builds on foundational STEM skills while challenging students to think more critically, work more strategically, and design with greater purpose. This hands-on course emphasizes problem-solving, engineering thinking, and real-world applications of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

Like the younger class, this course now rotates through two alternating years:

  • Builders Year
  • Innovators Year

Students may enroll for one or two years, encountering new challenges each year. After two years, the curriculum repeats, allowing students to revisit concepts with increased depth and maturity. If your child was in the 5th-7th grade STEM class in 2025-2026, he or she is encouraged to enroll in this year's class also!

Each week, students will explore general STEM topics through structured challenges and design projects. Lessons focus on engineering principles, scientific reasoning, and mathematical thinking rather than story-based prompts. Students will regularly work both independently and in collaborative teams, practicing communication, planning, and iteration.

Possible topics include:

  • Engineering & Design Challenges: Solve open-ended problems using constraints and criteria.
  • Forces, Motion & Energy: Analyze how forces affect motion and how energy is transferred.
  • Structures & Systems: Design and test stable structures and interconnected systems.
  • Logic, Measurement & Data: Apply math and reasoning to improve designs and explain results.

Some lessons might include LEGO-based engineering, while others will involve building prototypes from classroom materials. Projects are designed to encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and persistence, with an emphasis on improving designs through testing and feedback.

Students will regularly use the Engineering Design Process, learning to plan thoughtfully, justify decisions, analyze results, and refine their work. While the 5th/6th Grade STEM class builds on foundational skills, the activities are distinct from those in the 3rd/4th grade class and are not simply harder versions of the same projects. This allows students to continue in STEM for multiple years while engaging in new challenges that require deeper thinking and greater independence.

This course fosters independence, teamwork, and creative problem-solving, equipping students with the confidence and skills needed to tackle real-world challenges and future STEM opportunities.

Registration

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About Allison
Allison

Hello! I’m excited to be at Cornerstone for another year! I teach STEM for 3rd–6th grades and 5th/6th language arts, encouraging curiosity, hands-on learning, and independent thinking.

Before homeschooling our family for the last nine years, I taught kindergarten for nearly ten years, led summer enrichment courses, and presented professional development in technology and literacy. I hold degrees in Business, Communications, and Spanish from the University of Minnesota and Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, plus National Board Certification.

Outside class, I love gardening, biking, hiking, crafting, and reading—you’ll always find me with a book or two in my bag!

More Classes
View other classes for elementary and upper school or all courses taught by Allison Hawley.