Hold on tight! A Grade 3 amusement park project is taking students on a wild ride. The boys took on the exciting challenge of building their own region-themed amusement parks. 

The boys studied the five regions of the United States in social studies, learning about each area's culture, history, landmarks, climate, and food.  

“We were learning about the states and capitals, and we started with the Northeast, Southeast and kept going,” Ben B. ’34 said.  

For their final project, students teamed up in pairs or trios to bring that knowledge to life under the guidance of teachers Wendy Lindley and Shane McBride. 

“I think it’s definitely going to be a memory for my whole life because it’s really fun and everyone is so happy because we’re doing it all together,” Adrien M. ’34 said.  

Each park must include: 

• At least two rides or attractions based on the region 

• A famous landmark from the area 

• A food stand with regional cuisine 

• A labeled map of the park 

• Written explanations for each feature 

“They’ve had to apply math skills by using shapes, area, perimeter, and scale to design their park layout. They’ve also used writing skills to explain the significance of each attraction and how it fits within their chosen region. Social studies skills such as map reading and regional knowledge were essential to making informed design choices,” McBride explained.  

“We made a Gateway Arch roller coaster. We made a tractor ride because there are a lot of farms and one of our games is corn hole, because there’s a lot of corn,” said Brett B. ’34, who is building a Midwest-themed amusement park with his group. “We also have a game called ‘Tiger Speed Throw,’ where you throw a baseball into a hole and it measures how fast you do it, because the Tigers are in Detroit. One of our food stands is a deep-dish pizza stand that we built out of Legos.” 

Students used all kinds of materials from the design thinking lab to build their parks. They could also request one 3D-printed item, which STEM Teacher Sean Nolan helped them design. 

“We used a bucket of clay to make caves. It was really fun how we got to use our hands to make a bunch of cool things,” Bo M. ’34 said. 

Lindley and McBride said their goals for the boys were clear: for them to apply their knowledge in a creative and meaningful way, to demonstrate their understanding of regional characteristics, to integrate skills from other subjects like math and writing, and to practice collaboration, critical thinking, and presentation skills.  

“We have talked about planning for each day of work and going into it with a strategy as well as collaborating with partners and using time efficiently,” Lindley said. “My hope is that the boys walk away understanding what it feels like to cooperate with a partner to reach a common goal, resolve disagreements respectfully, and problem solve to overcome challenges together.” 

The teachers also hope the boys leave this experience with a deeper appreciation for the diversity of the United States and how geography and culture shape each region. 

“It’s been incredible to watch their pride and investment in their work, and it’s clear that every group values what they’re creating.” McBride said.