imagination, and scaling up to robotics, CAD, and competitions. TECHNOLOGY AND AI: TOOLS, NOT REPLACEMENTS If technology is going to be essential to students’ futures, District 27 wants it to be purposeful, not just present. Students use Chromebooks beginning in kindergarten classroom. Dr. Olson points out that kindergarten students explore the concepts behind a pinball machine, designing, testing, and refining a model, while first graders work on set design for a puppet show, thinking through lighting, structure, and function as part of a hands-on engineering experience. These age-appropriate projects are early building blocks, preparing students for deeper STEAM opportunities as they move up. By seventh grade, students can choose from a rotation of STEAM-focused electives, including Robotics I and II (tied to VEX competitions), a 3D printing class, CAD, and a hands-on Makerspace course.At the same time, all students in grades six through eight experience applied technology courses, where 3D printing and design are introduced in sixth grade as part of a broader technology toolkit. It’s a continuum—starting with cardboard, tape, and 301 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 NORTHBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT 27
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