Willis Elementary combines arts with science, engineering at STREAM Night

Olivia McGettigan, a third grader at Robert E. Willis Elementary School, followed the directions of music teacher Karl Sidman and gently hit the jars in front of her with a mallet. 

The jars were filled with different amounts of water, and each made its own sound when struck by the mallet. Sidman pointed out the order to McGettigan, who went from one to the next. As the sounds blended together, McGettigan realized she was playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

"I liked how it was basically a xylophone," McGettigan said.

The water xylophone was one of six stations at Willis Elementary School's first Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Music Night on Nov. 15.

Kelly Richards, the school's STEM teacher, said STREAM Night was an opportunity for the school to show the importance of collaboration between the sciences and arts.

First grader Giuliano Cappelluti had fun building a boat out of Legos to see if it could float. 

"My last one kind of floated, but it kind of sank," Cappelluti said.