STEM Innovation Lab

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s STEM Innovation Lab is a central maker-space for all students to develop and grow their natural curiosity through hands-on projects focusing on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math). Our STEM Learning and Innovation Specialist collaborates with students and faculty members from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 to provide resources to build on the concepts learned in the classroom.

Through project-based learning, students are identifying solutions to social, environmental and personal problems to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subject area that they are studying. Translating an idea into another medium requires them to gain a true understanding of the project's complexities and its parts, resulting in a higher level of understanding. By encouraging students to create and construct solutions to real-world problems, they are learning to invent and inventing to learn - all while developing important skills like brainstorming, critical thinking and collaboration.

Courses

Middle School STEM

In STEM 7/8 students will be introduced to various technology-related skills through a series of hands-on activities. Each activity is designed to reinforce STEM related skill(s) and increase the level of confidence in students and encourage them to try new and different approaches to problem solving. There are six themes for the STEM 8 class and we will complete as many of them as time allows. The six themes are:

Design
Nautical
Light to Solar
All Things Mechanical
Environment
Coding

Students exercise the following fundamental skills during this course:

21st Century learning skills, such as the four "Cs" (creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration
Recognizing and utilizing design methodologies
Documentation of design and idea capturing
Use of 3D and other design software

Students will also explore real-world problems, such as erosion and the balance of forces, both of which will be included in the nautical theme.

Design Thinking and Innovation

This course is an engineering-based, problem solving elective for students in grades 9-12. The course encourages visual problem solving using a common graphic language to describe forms in a man-made environment. It challenges the creative thinker to conceive new products and to develop products using a hands-on approach in a makerspace lab. The basic emphasis is placed on developing fundamental architectural skills and techniques. This includes the latest technologies information, methodology and standards relating to drafting, CAD, design and construction.

Hands-on experiences include drafting, computer-aided design and modeling. Students dig deep as they apply the engineering design process, principles and standards, developing their creativity and critical thinking skills along the yearlong journey. They will work both individually and in teams, using old and new math and science concepts, to design solutions to a variety of real-world problems. Through this hands-on approach, they master graphic communication skills such as concept sketching, 3D modeling, STEM research techniques and how to effectively document and present solutions, ideas and a prototype in a Saints Tank project in the spring.

Design Thinking and Innovation II

In this course, Upper School students will work in conjunction with today's technologies to employ the theories of science and math to solve problems in the various fields of Electrical, Environmental and Software Engineering. Students will research, develop, design, produce, construct and test projects including structures, machines, products, systems and processes. It is an excellent course to prepare students for the academic engineering program at a preparatory college or any other institution that enables students to soar to new heights. A student team will have the opportunity to create new products of their own design while defining the systems structure of a manufacturing enterprise in a Makerspace setting. This will be accomplished using new technologies (CNC, CAD, and GEForce GTX1070 and Jumper T16) in conjunction with mold design, prototyping and production activities. An emphasis will be placed in aerospace engineering as students will learn the dynamics of principles of flight through a functional simulator.

Innovation Lab Internship

Upper School students enrolled in this academic course will provide assistance to those participating in the Innovation Lab or related STEM programs/activities under the direct guidance and evaluation of the STEM Learning and Innovation Specialist. The student will assist in small and large group settings for students, teachers and community members during the academic day. This may include periodic attendance during non-class hours, such as after school or otherwise, after academic hours to co-facilitate tours and training. The student will learn to manage and process requests for Lab equipment, assist with the facilitation of learning in the Lab, and problem-solve issues with the technical equipment. Throughout this year long program, the student will routinely meet with and be evaluated by the STEM Learning and Innovation Specialist.

Equipment and Software

3-D Printers and Scanners
Laser Cutters
CNC Router
LatheMill
Injection Molder
Vacuum Former
Soldering and Electronics Equipment Components
Arduino Microcontrollers
Autodesk Fusion 360
Autodesk Inventor
Adobe Illustrator
SolidWorks
Tinkercad