Last week, we concluded our fourth round of Community Nights at our partner schools in Chicago. This session’s theme was about STEAM, which we explored in a previous blog post. Each night started with dinner and abbreviated parent and student workshops, followed by a science fair for the whole family.
Parent Workshops
Parents discussed STEAM basics, starting with the acronym’s definition – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Parents learned how they can be more confident in talking about these often complex subjects in really simple ways. We also experimented with science projects that can be easily recreated with household items. For example, parents made a DIY lavalamp using water, oil, food coloring, and alka seltzer tablets.
Parents also read the children’s book version of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The book is based on the true story of William Kamkwamba and how he used windmills to bring water to his village in Malawi. The book illustrated how curiosity and ingenuity can lead to creative problem solving.
Science Fair
Our STEAM nights are certainly the most interactive of the workshops we host throughout the year. During these Community Nights, families have the chance to explore scientific concepts through fun games and activities. Some of the activities and experiments for parents and students included:
- Catapults – Made from tongue depressors, plastic bottle caps and rubber bands to teach engineering principles
- Math Jenga – Students answered math questions before being able to place the brick on top of the tower
- Can Water Walk? – Paper towels absorb water from one cup and moves it to another, “walking” between the two cups
- DIY Kaleidoscopes – Made using cut-up paper towel rolls and colored cellophane plastic wrap
- Paper Weights – By folding paper into circles, squares, and triangles, students discover which roll can hold the most weight
- Lego Puzzles – A pattern is drawn on a sheet of paper and students have to use Lego pieces to recreate the pattern
These nights could not have happened without the help of volunteers from our wonderful partner organizations. We previously highlighted our partners at the University of Chicago and UIC who were each a great help. Additionally, Tech Gyrls showed students how to program a toy car using bar codes.
STEAM nights undoubtedly get a bit messy, but students were constantly having to ask themselves “what do you think is going to happen next and why?” That is what science is all about, asking the questions that help you solve life’s problems.
Check out this slideshow of pics of families enjoying the night’s activities!
Check out even more pictures on our Flickr page!
Is introducing the concepts of STEAM to families an important topic for you? Consider a donation to Turning the Page to help programs like STEAM nights and more.