DuBois – Pennsylvania State DuBois recently hosted 30 students from the DuBois Area Middle School for a full day of STEAM Day activities.
After being introduced to the Penn State DuBois and North Central PA LaunchBox, students were divided into three groups and participated in various activities.
Each group had the opportunity to visit the Idea Lab on campus to learn about 3D printing, sculpting, augmented reality, and virtual reality capabilities.
Students also had the opportunity to fully experience virtual reality. Each student can use the headset and controls to navigate through clouds, play games, or participate in other experiences such as roller coaster rides.
Students also had the opportunity to participate in an interactive presentation on entrepreneurship by Brad Lashinski, Program Director of North Central PA LaunchBox, operated by Pennsylvania State DuBois. Information was shared on what entrepreneurship is, the risks and benefits associated with entrepreneurship, and the characteristics of a good entrepreneur.
Students were also tasked with developing ideas for something they were passionate about that they believed would be good entrepreneurial ideas for the community.
The event was held during the holiday season and allowed each student to create a Nittany Lion ornament using 3D printed parts made in the Idea Lab on campus.
After a campus tour and a noon break for lunch, students were divided into teams to participate in long-distance races in which they would compete in the vehicles they built.
Each group had the opportunity to choose different sizes and shapes of plastic bottles to use as bodies and wheels, all made in the Idea Lab, but with different materials and different designs. Using engineering skills, the students were tasked with creating a vehicle that could travel the farthest using only the force of the air from the balloon.
In addition to choosing vehicle components, students also chose the placement of the accelerator to allow the vehicle to travel the farthest. Each group was also allowed to personalize their designs with stickers, ribbons, and other crafts. increase.
Once each group had completed their designs, everyone headed to the PAW Center and gym floor to race their cars. Each group, using only aerodynamics, he was given two chances to send the car as far as possible down the gym floor. Students and teachers discussed why certain vehicles traveled longer distances than others, and each of the top three groups received his 3D-printed trophy from the Idea Lab.
STEAM education is an approach to learning that uses science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics as points to guide student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. If your school is interested in participating in his STEAM activities at Penn State DuBois, please email him at bwl128@psu.edu, program his director of the North Central PA LaunchBox provided by Penn State DuBois. please contact Brad Lashinsky.