By: DeLayla Thom
Dickinson High School Student
On the morning of December 8th, Gavin, Nevaeh, and I walked into school like usual. The only difference was the school itself - instead of attending our High School, we were at Lincoln Elementary for their STEM day.
Here, we were tasked with helping the students engage in enriching STEM activities, such as charting paths for miniature cars, building towers with magnetic blocks, and controlling robots, to name a few.
I helped primarily with the robot station. Here, the students were able to control the robots with smart devices. They could draw paths around the gymnasium for the robots to travel, take them on “quests”, and even change the colors of the lights on them. Besides enhancing STEM skills, the students also practiced social skills like sharing and patiently waiting to take turns.
Neveah and Gavin helped each other with the ‘squishy circuits’ and circuit board stations. At both of these, the kids worked on skills constructing circuit boards and executing tasks. At ‘squishy circuits’, the students were given task cards that would use play dough as a conductor to make animals, monsters, and other creations of the sort. Then, the students would insert battery packs and wires into the play dough, and would attempt making the creatures light up.
Overall, it was a great experience for everyone involved. Both the students and helpers were able to participate in interactive learning activities and have fun while doing so. We all look forward to the opportunity to participate in STEM Day in the future.