STEM Camp
This past summer (2022), I organized a STEM camp through my church. STEM camp was held over three days and included many STEM-filled activities. On the first day, we made hand models and moon dough. On the second day, we made catapults, toothpick towers, and paper chains. We made boats, geometric patterns, and zipline harnesses on the third and final day.
On the first day of STEM camp, we did two activities. The first activity was a model hand. This hand was made by tracing one’s own on a piece of paper. Then straws are cut and taped on the hand to represent ligaments. Finally, strings are threaded through the straws to represent tendons. I was able to teach the kids about the anatomy of the hand. They were fascinated by it and excited to learn more.
For the next activity, we made moon dough. Moon dough is a dough-like substance that changes its density in response to different amounts of pressure. The more pressure applied, the denser and the less pressure applied, the less. We achieved this dough by mixing cornstarch and conditioner. The kids enjoyed this activity and had fun with the end product.
For day two I had three activities planned. First, we made popsicle stick catapults. This was achieved by stacking popsicle sticks, securing them with rubber bands, and attaching a bottle cap. We launched marshmallows from the catapult and were able to test their velocity by applying different amounts of pressure at different speeds. The kids loved trying out different ways of launching to see the diferences.
After the first activity, we made towers with play dough and toothpicks. The kids had to come up with their strategies and designs to make the tallest and most stable tower. They enjoyed testing what worked and what didn't. However, I helped guide the kids a bit so they had a successful time.
For the next activity, everyone got a single sheet of paper. From this piece of paper, they had to create the longest paper chain. The kids were able to play around with length and width to try and get the most links out of their paper.
I had three activities lined up for day three. The first was popsicle sticks and straw boats. Everyone was to design their ships that stay afloat when weight was added. We placed a cup on each boat as it floated in the water and slowly added more coins until the boat was no longer above water. Whoever had the most coins before their boat sunk was the most successful. The kids enjoyed the bit of competition.
The next activity consisted of making geometric patterns using translations. First, we made a stencil of our puzzle piece-like pattern. Then we connected them to a piece of paper to make a repeating pattern.
The final and last activity of the STEM camp was to make zipline harnesses to transport eggs. However, because the eggs brought the possibility of a mess, I substituted eggs for candy pieces. The kids were given pipe cleaners to wrap the candy in and safely transport them down a zipline. There was some friction on the zipline due to the material used, so the kids opted to do a spin test instead.
I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to hold my STEM camp. The knowledge I gained from learning about the activities myself, will prove to be handy in the future. STEM camp also provided the opportunity to test out some activities with kids. Therefore, I can get an idea of what they enjoy doing and what is easier for the age groups to do. There were difficulties during STEM camp, as expected, but I was able to overcome them. I now have new knowledge from these difficulties and I will be able to store it away for the future. This past summer, I was able to share my love of STEM with kids and leave an impact on them.