Imagine a water tower that doesn't just hold water — it senses when plants are thirsty, releases water automatically, controls soil saturation and alerts users when it’s running low. For every Grade 9 student at SMUS, this seemingly futuristic concept is a key part of the Science curriculum. This project combines creativity, engineering and physics to design and build fully automated water towers using Arduino components, circuitry and programming.
This multidisciplinary approach pushed students to think critically and work collaboratively.
This past week, students presented their end-of-term projects. These presentations were the culmination of weeks of hard work, offering a glimpse into the students’ solutions to real-world challenges.
Creativity Meets Functionality
Each team brought a unique vision to the challenge, resulting in water towers that were as innovative as they were functional. One team impressed with a sleek design, using zip ties for structural support. Another group incorporated heart-shaped cutouts for aesthetics and airflow, adding a buzzer and LED light to alert users when water levels were low. Meanwhile, a third team separated the water bottle and Arduino components into two distinct units, minimizing water damage risks while maintaining a modern, clean design.
The project was not without hurdles. Students faced broken wires, coding glitches and structural instability. However, they demonstrated resilience and teamwork, dividing tasks based on individual strengths — coding, circuitry or construction. Many teams iterated multiple prototypes, refining designs to improve stability and functionality. For example, one team added a second base circle for stability, while another introduced shoulder joints to strengthen their tower’s legs.
Beyond the classroom, students considered how their designs could address real-world problems. From considering earthquake-resistant structure design to user-friendly manual override keypads, each project reflected a clear understanding of engineering principles and user needs. These water towers were more than just a classroom assignment — they were prototypes for sustainable, automated systems that could one day be used in agriculture, urban planning or disaster relief.
Empowering Future Innovators
This project allowed students to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and to think like engineers.
Science and Engineering teacher, as well as the teacher behind this project, Wonjin Kim, emphasized the importance of problem-solving and iterative design.
“The premise was to build water towers, but students had to apply skills to automate the process,” Kim said. “They leveraged what they had learned and, through trial and error, built something functional and uniquely their own.”
The Grade 9 students at SMUS proved that with creativity and STEAM skills, the future is in capable hands. These projects were more than impressive engineering feats — they were a testament to the power of education to inspire the next generation of innovators. One thing was clear: they are not just preparing for the future — they are building it.
