Gorham Middle School SAIL

6th graders used  the Edison robots and experimented with bar-code programming to use the "Sumo Wrestle" mode.   They built onto their robots with LEGOs and competed with each other, attempting to be the last robot standing. 6th graders broke into 2 teams to compete in an obstacle course competition.  They measured distances and angles, then coded their Edison robots to navigate the plastic "gates" to the end of the course.  The winning team had to make their robot drive through each gate first. 7th grade: Working as a group, the students taped a marker to the back of the Edison robot and used coding to program the robot to mark a line through each box on the paper grid taped to the tabletop.  This challenge was timed, including brainstorming and coding time, to compete with the 2 other grade levels.  The 7th-grade team won!

Amelia Pennell, a 6th grader at Gorham Middle School, has had her bird pin design selected as this year's Odyssey of the Mind bird pin! Each year, Odyssey of the Mind invites students to create new pins that represent their region, and we are excited to announce that Amelia's design will represent Maine. This bird pin is particularly meaningful as it will be sold at the World Finals, where teams from around the globe participate in pin collecting and trading. Amelia's design will proudly showcase our state to the entire world this year!

Over the past few months, students have immersed themselves in a hands-on, performance-based restaurant project that brought real-world concepts to life. They explored important topics such as sales tax, bulk purchasing, and the strategic application of 30% markups, all while gaining a deep understanding of restaurant profitability. Putting this knowledge into practice, they created their own unique restaurant concepts, developing original recipes, sourcing ingredients, and carefully pricing each meal to ensure profitability. The highlight of the project was inviting their fellow 5th-graders to experience their culinary creations firsthand and "place orders" from the menus. This project provided an exceptional opportunity for students to apply a variety of math skills in a meaningful context, as they calculated profits and discovered the impact of their decisions in a vibrant, real-life setting! A Dream Come True Restaurant                ...

  Fourth-grade SAIL-Math students at Great Falls had a fantastic experience creating their own pets to sell in our Pet Shop. As part of this hands-on project, they crafted models of their pets and all the necessary supplies to care for them. We welcomed their fellow fourth graders to our pet shop, allowing them to browse and purchase their favorite pets and supplies. This project served as an excellent opportunity for students to apply a wide range of math skills while engaging in real-life scenarios related to pet ownership. It was a truly enjoyable and interactive experience, and I was truly impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm displayed by all the students! 😊

 To kick off the start of a new school year, students in the SAIL-ELA program created  Autobiographical Life Islands, where students represent their lives metaphorically through symbols. This project aims to promote affective skills such as self-awareness, identity, and creative expression. I truly enjoy starting the year with this project because it provides a fantastic opportunity for us to get to know each other on a deeper level.

The CubeSAT team participated in a high-altitude balloon launch for the USM CubeSat Challenge at the University of Maine in Farmington. Their mission was to send an isopod into space inside a terrarium, hoping to keep it alive throughout the journey. Despite their tremendous efforts—including the use of hand warmers, insulation, a pressurized jar, and moss for oxygen—the isopod unfortunately did not survive. However, the team gained valuable insights from this experience and has already begun brainstorming ideas for their mission in next year's CubeSAT challenge.