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Building Ideas: Paper Tower STEM Challenge

(9/8): This week, our middle school students put their critical thinking and engineering skills to the test with the Paper Tower Challenge—a hands-on STEM activity focused on teamwork, design, and creative problem-solving.
Given a limited amount of paper and tape, students were challenged to build the tallest freestanding tower possible. Sounds simple? Not quite! Each team had to plan carefully, test structural stability, and adjust their designs on the fly as their towers grew taller—and wobblier.
This challenge encouraged students to think like engineers: experimenting with shapes, testing for balance, and learning from each attempt. It also reinforced the importance of communication and collaboration under time constraints.
In the end, some towers stood tall, others toppled dramatically—but every group walked away with a deeper understanding of the design process and the value of persistence.
STEM is all about learning through doing—and in this case, doing with just a few sheets of paper and a whole lot of brainpower.
AR kickoff

AR Kickoff at PMS was a Blast!

(9/8): Pontotoc Middle School launched this year’s Accelerated Reading (AR) program with an exciting Kickoff Event! Students and teachers joined together to play fast-paced “Minute to Win It” games that had everyone laughing and cheering. The energy was contagious as students showed off their skills and competed for prizes.
The best part? Winners got to select a brand-new AR book to jump-start their reading journey for the year! What a fun way to celebrate reading, teamwork, and school spirit. Way to go, Warriors—let’s make this an amazing year of reading growth!
properties of matter

Float Your Boat: Science Success in Mrs. Brumley’s Class

(9/4): Mrs. Brumley’s science classes just completed their unit of study on the properties of matter. Understanding the property of density, students were challenged with the task of taking a ball of clay (which sinks because it is more dense than water) and creating a vessel that will not only float but also carry as many pennies as possible (which are also more dense than water). Mrs. Brumley’s students really rose to the challenge; the top 2 team’s designs held 48 pennies. Way to Float!!!

Eggscellent Car Engineering: Science in Motion

(9/2): This month, our middle school science students put their engineering skills to the test with the Eggscellent Car Engineering Project—a hands-on activity that combined creativity, physics, and problem-solving.
The challenge: design and build a small vehicle capable of protecting a raw egg as it rolls down a ramp and crashes into a barrier. Students worked in teams to brainstorm, sketch, and construct their prototypes using a variety of classroom materials. They were tasked with minimizing the force of impact and keeping the egg intact—a practical (and sometimes messy) lesson in momentum, energy transfer, and design optimization.
Throughout the project, students learned the value of trial and error, how to analyze design flaws, and the importance of collaboration. While not every egg made it to the finish line uncracked, every student walked away with a better understanding of real-world engineering principles and a sense of pride in their innovation.
We're proud of all our young engineers for their hard work and creativity in this exciting STEM project!
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