The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled will be hosting an 8-week STEM experience for teens 14 years and older this summer.  Have fun with physical science, engineering, math, coding, and earth science. Teens will discover how to work through the Engineering Design Process through different activities. We will be using hands-on STEM Activities based off of STEM Scale-Up Kits provided to the Library by the Iowa STEM Council. This program will also offer guest speakers focusing on STEM careers. 

Program Details

Dates: Thursdays; June 17th– August 5th
Time:  2:00pm – 4:00pm
Age: Teens 14 years and older
Location: Virtual via Zoom and/or in Person Experience at the Iowa Department for the Blind (524 Fourth Street, Des Moines, IA)
Register Here

Here is a glimpse of the different topics we will cover:

Physical Science

• Explore slopes and surfaces as you are challenged to build a ramp that allows a skateboarder to go far—but not too far. 
• Explore geometry, graphing, and the properties of materials as you are challenged to build a tent for Pam and her friends. 
• Explore sound waves and vibrations to develop a phone that helps friends talk over a distance.

Engineering and Coding

• Learn about fair tests to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different helicopter designs. You will use critical thinking, communication, and collaboration to build a helicopter.
• Explore the basic needs of animals as you design a code for a programmable mouse to demonstrate your knowledge of everything a mouse needs to survive by following, writing and debugging code.

Earth Science 

• Learn about water and erosion and gain an understanding of how forces change the shape of the land
• Teens will explore the power of ocean waves and come up with a model to protect the beach from erosion.