MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Kids got their hands and minds into STEM education in Marquette on Saturday. The Northern Michigan University Seaborg Center held its last “College for Kids” day of the semester. About 100 students from kindergarten to fifth grade could participate in five different class lessons about technology and science.
NMU early education program students ran the classrooms for the day. It was NMU student Madelyn Tatham’s first time teaching a College for Kids classroom. She says interactive lessons help teach difficult topics.
“A lot of kids have short attention spans to where making it fun keeps them engaged and hands-on learning,” Tatham says. “I was always the kid, too, who needed hands-on learning, but I also liked fun activities that still helps with learning the science or engineering part of it.”
Her students controlled a robot and its light volume to explore the transparency of different materials like aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
Other students studied leaves or built robots out of LEGOS. Program Coordinator Renee Jewett says this semester focused more on computer science. She says this generation is surrounded by technology all the time and take it for granted. However, kids also might feel intimidated when it comes to learning how technology actually functions.
“Versus, like in the classroom, they’re like, oh, I can see how I can use this,” Jewett said. “In the classroom, it’s fun. I can engage with the [robots] in kindergarten and maybe that’s their introduction to computer science later in life. So, I think it’s important for them to see that they can do it.”
It’s not just the grade schoolers learning from the STEM lessons. Jewett says the program offers NMU students real classroom experience to practice for the future.
“To really learn that time management, classroom management, things in the moment, you have to be in front of students doing it,” Jewett said. “So, for them it’s like their experience to, you know, they don’t have to worry about getting tests or anything like that. They’re not grading.”
Tatham says part of that practice is modifying lesson plans to keep students engaged and motivated. She says she couldn’t sleep because of how excited she was to share her lesson with the students.
“It’s always been a passion of mine, especially because I am a substitute teacher at a local elementary up here, and I’ve enjoyed it very much, too,” Tatham said. “So, being able to do this on campus has been a great opportunity, and it’s not even done with yet, and I’m excited to see what the day brings.”
They say STEM learning is for everyone.
Jewett says although College for Kids is done for the semester, the program will return next semester with enrollment opening sometime in January.
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