SAM Labs
7 Case Studies
Case Study: Mount Nittany Elementary School sparks creativity and confidence with SAM Labs
A SAM Labs Case Study
Endless Project Possibilities with Just a Few Blocks!
Mount Nittany Elementary School in State College, PA, uses a universal STEM program for students in Kindergarten through Grade Five and wanted to strengthen creativity, joy in STEM learning, empathy-driven design, and student confidence. Working with SAM Labs and its STEAM Kit, K-5 STEM teacher Tara Pollick looked for flexible tools that could support a wide range of engineering and design projects across grade levels.
SAM Labs helped Tara deliver open-ended, hands-on lessons with customizable blocks that students could personalize, such as a simulated scarecrows project and a planned lighthouse unit tied to light. The result was stronger student engagement and growing teacher confidence in using SAM Labs more often, with Tara noting that the possibilities are “endless” and that fourth- and fifth-grade students are now ready for more independent, choice-based projects.
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Mount Nittany Elementary School
Tara Pollick
K-5 STEM Teacher