Sauk Trail Elementary recently hosted an exciting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Night filled with engaging, hands-on activities for students and families. The evening kicked off with a captivating presentation from the UW Wonders of Physics group, who wowed the audience with demonstrations using liquid nitrogen.
Over 20 interactive stations were available throughout the school, each offering a unique STEAM learning experience. The activities were designed to be truly hands-on, avoiding the traditional science fair model of pre-prepared exhibits.
Some of the highlights included:
Creating mini catapults to learn about simple machines
Encoding secret messages using special "magical" mixtures
Building 3D structures with geometric shapes and tools
Programming Sphero robots through coding challenges
Making lava lamps, tie-dye art, and musical straw flutes
Students got to experience science and engineering concepts first-hand by building marble runs, towers, roller coasters, and more. The art components let children's creativity shine as they made colorful bookmarks, buttons, and kindness flowers.
The goal was to provide an interactive, equitable experience that allowed families to fully participate and enjoy the wonders of STEAM together. Rather than exhibits to simply observe, the engaging stations encouraged curiosity, problem-solving, and hands-on learning.
As the evening wrapped up, students were treated to exciting air pressure demonstrations that levitated objects and launched them through the air - one final engaging experience to inspire their interest in science.
Sauk Trail's STEAM Night was a fantastic celebration of inquiry-based learning, providing a fun and accessible way for children to explore the magic of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.