Friday, February 26, 2016

Fourth Grade Builds Solar Car Kits

Students are assembling Solar Car Kits donated by Fidelity Investments and Impact4Good.







Fourth Grade says "THANK YOU!"

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

4th Grade Participates in a VEEP Workshop.

Testing the angle of the solar panel

Fourth Grade students studied wind, solar and water power with the Vermont Energy Education Program. 

reading the volts produced at 90 degrees to light source


testing the electric output when you change the angle of the wind blades

making predicitons

60 degrees

discussing results

energy in motion

Thursday, February 11, 2016

First Grade Conducts Light Studies

Given various materials, a flashlight, and some "walls," first grade had to determine if light was bounced back, blocked, or passed through.








Backyard Bird Count

The STEM program, in conjunction with Four Winds Environmental Educators, is participating in the Backyard Bird Count. Here is Four Winds co-director Rob Anderegg speaking to the third grade about the importance of citizen science.


Second Grade Begins Their Habitat Studies By Doing A Sorting Activity

Trying to identify if various natural elements are sources of food, water or shelter for their animal's habitat.


Friday, February 5, 2016

3rd Grade Uses Pendulums to Study Force and Motion


Students counted the number of swings in 1 minute... 

 Measuring time with an egg timer - for pendulums with four different lengths of string - 20cm, 30, cm, 50cm, and 60 cm.  They used this data to predict the number of swings that a 40 cm string would have.





3D Printing - a Six Week Afterschool Club





using a free 3D Model program called Tinkercad







Ian's Exacto holder - when creativity, engineering and 3D Printing work together perfectly.




This is the first iteration, in black filament.  It was a little tippy on the post end, so Ian added additional post supports, and we reprinted it in white.  The second iteration is much more stable device.



Handy Dandy Elmer's Glue Stand.
It's hard to see, but this is built with an open channel so the tray catches the glue.  Can be used with a Qtip.



Ian discovered that again, he needed more stability, so he has redesigned it in the half dome shape of his Exacto stand.

re-designed glue stand

In action...