Grade 3 Students Put French and STEM Learning Into Motion

Grade 3 French Immersion students at École Willow Point have been combining language learning with hands-on STEM through a creative robot design project.

During a recent classroom visit, teacher Rémy Mabeyt’s class was just beginning the project. Students were asked to design and build a robot using common, easy-to-find materials. Each robot needed a clear purpose and at least one moving part.

Students started in the design phase, sketching ideas and thinking through how their robots would work. They then moved into construction, testing materials, solving problems and adjusting their designs along the way.

The finished robots reflected a wide range of ideas. Some served practical purposes, such as a money bank, while others showed off students’ imaginations, including a robot designed to clean a bedroom. All the robots met the design challenge by including a moving part.

Students then shared their finished designs during a class showcase, presenting their robots in French and building confidence in their speaking skills.

The learning continued beyond the presentations with students labelling robot parts and geometric shapes in French and completing additional writing about their designs. The project supported language development while reinforcing concepts in science, math and design.

The robot project is a strong example of cross-curricular learning, giving students meaningful opportunities to apply their skills while exploring creativity and problem-solving.