inerde Camp
We’ve Become Civil Engineers!
iNERDE’s Colonie de Vacances STEM Week Two Recap & Preview of Week Three
Time seems to be flying by here at iNERDE’s Colonie de Vacances STEM as we just finished up our second week in Mali! This week the students focused on physics, anatomy, natural science, and engineering. They built marshmallow catapults, studied the circulatory system, and constructed spaghetti drawbridges.
“The most rewarding part of my week was watching Mohamadou struggle with uncooperative pasta and hands caked with glue, and then turn to me in a moment of pride and exclaim ‘We have become Civil Engineers!’ That proclamation captured the essence of our vision; to show our 4th and 5th graders that they are the leaders of tomorrow who will transform their surroundings for the better.”
– Rebecca Brosseau, iNERDE Empowerment Agent
Thanks again to all of our week two activity sponsors!
Nerd Spotlight
Diaou
Age 11 years old
Favorite Subject Math
What I Want to be When I Grow Up Pilot, because then I could travel around the whole world
If I had a Robot… It would do my homework and cook for me when I got hungry
Favorite Food Burgers and burritos
Physics Lab
Sponsored by Barry D. McGinnis
Kouta showing off the marshmallow catapult that she and Bada built. In this activity, our nerds learned about levers, fulcrums, forces by constructing catapults and launching marshmallows.
Mohamed and Diaou demonstrating the string telephone while everyone learns about sound waves.
The Human Body
Sponsored by Roy Miller
Our nerds learned the circulatory system by playing red blood cell musical chairs.
iNERDE Empowerment Agents Nadia Famularo & Rebecca Brosseau teach the parts of the body in English by using the age-old classic “head, shoulders, knees, and toes”.
Natural Science Lab
Sponsored by Kalyani Guntur, Douglas Mizutani, & Michael Giuggio
iNERDE Empowerment Agent Rebecca Brosseau explains chemistry and pH to several of the nerds.
Kouta shows that it’s fashionable to wear safety goggles in the lab!
Technology & Engineering Lab
Sponsored by Gretchen Reed, Katryn Keita, & Serge Brosseau
The students have been keeping their own scientific notebooks, taking notes, drawing diagrams, and jotting down their ideas.
Mohamadou checks the stability of his spaghetti bridge.
What’s in Store for Week Three?
Wendy Lai Kowloon
Musical Instruments and Tools
Eri Kajita
Electrical Systems & Field Trip to Energie du Mali
Vivek Vishnudas – Electrical Systems Activity
Kenneth Barrett – Field Trip to Energie du Mali
Construction Lab
Jennie Leigh
This is the Week 2 Newsletter. Click here to go to the Week 3 Newsletter.