John Street School’s third and fourth grade students took part in a weeklong immersive learning experience led by Submerge Storytelling, a local enrichment company founded by Cory Levine, from April 13-17. The program invited students into the world of Emmy Sagan, a fictional middle school science prodigy recruited by NASA to help address Earth’s energy predicament by locating lithium minerals within Saturn’s rings.
To set the scene, the school’s backstage was transformed into Emmy’s bedroom, filled with items such as mineral samples, Star Wars collectibles and a surfboard. Students explored the space in search of clues and hidden details that would help them make predictions and solve problems tied to Emmy’s mission. They applied elements of the scientific method to analyze their findings and contribute to the unfolding storyline.
During the final session on April 17, students conducted a detailed investigation of several minerals, including pyrite, calcite, malachite and lepidolite, to identify which could serve as a source of lithium. They evaluated each specimen based on key properties such as color, magnetism, streak, luster, hardness and fluorescence.
The Submerge Storytelling experiences enhances students’ professionalism, perseverance, organization problem-solving skills.
