On Friday January 11th, the Center for STEM Education hosted its first STEM Field Trip of the New Year. 55 seventh grade students from Avon Middle High School participated in a full day of activities on the Northeastern campus.
We started the day with a lesson on renewable energy, highlighted with the Snap Circuits and Solar Panel activities. Students were able to build electrical circuits and measure the electricity produced by light. Then, students broke in to groups for a College 101 session during lunch where they were able to sit down with our Undergraduate Volunteers and ask questions about what college life, classes, and community is like at Northeastern.
After lunch students participated in a design activity. They were tasked with building catapults from limited supplies of Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and tape. The goal, rather than precision or accuracy, was to launch a small object (a candy Skittle) the longest distance. Students still enjoyed the indoor testing since due to windy weather conditions, students were not able to test their devices outside. They were able to take their device home in the end as well.
To finish off their activity-filled day with the Center for STEM Education, the 7th graders were given a short campus tour. The students were able to see some of Northeastern University’s highlight landmarks such as the Lucky Husky that students touch for good luck before exams, as well as the tunnels below campus and our own earthquake seismograph.
