Summer campers STEM - Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower

As one engage in conversation with educators most will share there’s a need to embed more STEM (science, technology, engineer and mathematics) into intentional planned study theme topics but allowing students the opportunities to explore materials in conjunction with posing critical thinking skills.  The Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Association (CGMBA) Outreach Ministry planned summer enrichment program under the leadership of Mrs. Alice Robinson who was my first grade teacher.  She asked if I could do some enriching activities so they would not lose their academic knowledge gained during 2015-16 school year.  From the teachers I evaluated two (2) incorporated STEM activities the whole school year with pre-k children; therefore, I was led to expose the summer campers to STEM.

The summer campers were rising pre-k to fifth graders (ages 4 – 10).  I met once a week with two (2) group sessions (younger pre-k thru 2^nd and 3^rd thru 5^th) for the planned STEM activities.  Week one the STEM activity was “Spaghetti and marshmallow tower”.  The campers were given terms for this STEM activity during the orientation week before.

The sessions started with STEM affirmation that initially the campers recited after me but by Week 3 they recited statements in unison (see picture).  An outlined agenda (see picture) was reviewed an altered as needed for age/grade groupings.  It should be noted for the global awareness components there were items “made in” was not located so the campers looked for the “distribution”.  After this information was secured the campers wrote name/drew picture and state/country as part of global awareness.  The post-it notes were placed on the US map (see picture).  We engaged in conversation on the theme topic then the campers filled in the first two columns of KWL chart.

During the team’s critical thinking process they created their tallest spaghetti and marshmallow tower where open-ended questions were posed encouraging higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.  Once completed, each teach selected a photographer and reporter focusing on end product (see pictures).  To conclude the STEM activity the campers recorded the “L” column of KWL then summarized their experiences in their composition notebook.  It should be noted for the younger campers, they drew pictures and dictation was recorded for them.

If you have done this activity please share comments on your experiences.  Thanks.  

STEM summer camp enrichment program in Caswel County

The Cedar Grove Memorial Baptist Association (CGMBA) County Outreach Ministry will host a summer enrichment program from June 29^th to August 5^th for students in kindergarten to third grade in Yanceyville, NC.  There will be an array of specials presented during the 6-weeks summer enrichment program such as conversational Spanish, character building skills and so forth.  The program will be held at N 3^rd Street (formerly Alice’s in Wonderland Day Care Center).  

From the special offerings ensuring the students will continue to build upon the academic knowledge gained the 2015-2016 school year one of them is STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) that will focus on the 21^st century components.  The 21^st century focal components will be global awareness, financial literacy, civil literacy and health literacy.  

The students will be engaged in STEM activities per week such as (a) spaghetti and marshmallow tower, (b) rocket on a string and others.  In addition, the students will maintain weekly journal entries, record data information on STEM activities, KWL chart (what they know, what they want to learn and what was learned attend of STEM activities), global awareness where the students will plot locations of various materials used.

In conjunction, the students will select members of their teams to be reporters and photographers.  They will create short video clips sharing what was done with end results.  Also take pictures to create power point presentations and other means to showcase skills and talents completed during the STEM special activities.

If you have a child who’s in kindergarten through third grade (6-8 years old) contact Mrs. Robinson at (336) 694-4224 for more information to register your child STEM is empowering during summer enrichment programs at CGMBA. The cost is FREE!