Amid a flurry of excitement and activity, the sixth graders built SeaPerch underwater remotely operated vehicles in science class this fall. They then put their work to the test by attempting to successfully run their vehicles through hoops, into crates, and all around a large pool. “When I told the students they would be building underwater ROVs the excitement was almost uncontrollable,” said Scott Lieberman, sixth grade science teacher. “The students were so engaged in what they were doing they almost forgot that they were learning about buoyancy, density, electronics, and propulsion, as well as building the collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills that are so important today and in the future. Everyone knows that STEM is a hot topic right now, but what I love about our SeaPerch unit is that it is more than just tossing some technology, engineering, and math into our science curriculum. It’s truly building an entire unit of study that integrates all aspects of STEM and hopefully ignites a passion for science and an interest in STEM related careers.”