Creating Future STEM Geniusus, One Bike at a Time
JAMSQUAD's Summer Program is off to a rousing start at the Epicenter at Edgewood's day camp! Our kids are learning all about bike mechanics and safety -- in fact, they'll probably know more than us at the end of this! In the process, they're boning up on their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.
In the first week, we learned what friction is and how it impacts motion and speed. To apply these concepts to the real world, we talked about tire pressure and what happens when you ride your bike and there's too much or not enough of it. We tried rolling rubber balls on different surfaces to figure out where there was the most friction, and looked at different types of bike tires to figure out where they would work the best.
Each week we build on the things we've learned the previous week, and bring in some new hands-on tools for the kids so they can move around and put the ideas into action for themselves. Some of the other concepts we've worked on include how friction applies to brakes and how different brake systems function; how rotating the pedals impacts speed; and how we take measurements to decide whether a bike fits properly.
At the end of our program, the goal is to have a whole class of campers that understand how a bike works, how to make sure it's ready to ride, and how STEM thinking applies to their everyday activities! We think we're well on our way.
There are still camp sessions coming up and we encourage you to sign up as a volunteer. Sessions take place on Thursday afternoons and JAMSQUAD provides all the materials and knowledge you need keep the campers happy. If you want to learn more, contact Jill Weigelt, who has coordinated this whole effort!
To sign up, please go here and select a time slot.
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What a productive summer it's been! We've been trying our hand at hosting some extra Monday-night workshops, because with the camp program we have an immediate need for a ton of extra bikes. And thanks to our volunteers, this has been a HUGE success. We've seen a big jump in the number of completed refurbishments just over the month of July, and are proud to say that each of our campers will be able to take home a bike of their own.
