KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At Gordon Parks Elementary School, a class of fourth graders are turning stuffed animals into purses, or rulers into back-scratchers.
It's not part of recess, rather a project that allows them to showcase their creativity while incorporating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The project is part of the school's INSPIRE! program.
Every quarter each class is given a question they must solve. This classes question was: how can we contribute to a circular economy?
Fourth grade teacher Miss Lauren Moss calls it "tricky learning."
"Its a way for them to take those core content areas of math, science, english, language arts, take that learning and apply it in a way that is important to them, that’s meaningful," Moss said. "Kids are having fun, they don’t even know that they’re learning. But they are."
The classroom is filled with hot glue guns, glitter and markers as kids work diligently on their projects. The execution is not easy. These kids have some big ideas.
"I’m using this to sew the skirt, and trust the process." student Nova Bradley said as she showed off the doll she's giving a new life to.
"We’re gonna keep this fluff in there so you can put your phone in," another student said as he showed off the stuffed animal he's turned into a phone-holder.
At the end of the project, the results will be on display for the rest of school to see, while the excess toys get donated back.
"Again, circular economy," Moss said. "We’re not gonna pitch them."
Moss' goal is her students taking this lesson outside the classroom, making the world more eco-concious, and inventing the next big thing.
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