Recently I was selected to be the Purdue Science Ambassador for Huntington County! The Science Ambassadors represent the Purdue College of Science (Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, Atmospheric Science, Earth Science and Planetary Science), and it is run in part through the Extension/4-H office. To be selected, the ambassadors must be "self-starters, have leadership capabilities, be creative and have a science background and interest".
As an Ambassador, my job is to encourage younger children, particularly those in 5th-7th grade, to explore the STEM fields. We do this through fun teaching activities and by giving demonstrations to students in our county.
During my first class, we had a fun CSI theme. The theme worked well with this particular group - all 6th and 7th graders with investigative spirits! The kids had to find the villain in the room, so they matched dental prints (taken from a marshmallow peanut), analyzed handwriting samples, and studied ear prints and fingerprints. Along the way, we talked about the science behind each activity, and the classes and career paths they could take, not just in CSI, but in related STEM careers.
The experience has been rewarding, and I expect it will become even more gratifying as we explore each new topic. The next class will be Weird Science, and we'll talk about the science behind weird chemical reactions and non-Newtonian fluids among other things. Fun!
As an Ambassador, my job is to encourage younger children, particularly those in 5th-7th grade, to explore the STEM fields. We do this through fun teaching activities and by giving demonstrations to students in our county.
During my first class, we had a fun CSI theme. The theme worked well with this particular group - all 6th and 7th graders with investigative spirits! The kids had to find the villain in the room, so they matched dental prints (taken from a marshmallow peanut), analyzed handwriting samples, and studied ear prints and fingerprints. Along the way, we talked about the science behind each activity, and the classes and career paths they could take, not just in CSI, but in related STEM careers.
The experience has been rewarding, and I expect it will become even more gratifying as we explore each new topic. The next class will be Weird Science, and we'll talk about the science behind weird chemical reactions and non-Newtonian fluids among other things. Fun!
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