Day 1 activities

Welcome and Orientation:

The students arrived at the USU campus, checked in and then receivend a welcome and orientation session where multiple speakers talked about the activities the students will be engaged in during the week.

Egg Drop Activity:

Groups of students worked together to design a device from paper cups and plates, tape, bubble wrap, straws, string and foam. The purpose of the device is to protect a raw egg from a fall from 3 stories high. The students had to cooperate to design and build the device and then test it from one floor then two and then three floors high. Students competed for the best design. Multiple groups achieved a design that protected the egg from that highest drop of 3 stories high. Some of the students commented on this activity saying "We learned how to drop an egg from a 3 story building without it breaking." Another student said "The egg drop activity made me think about how there can be lot's of ways people can use engineering."

Friction Bridge Activity:

Groups of students built bridges accross walkways on the USU campus using only wooden boards, but no nails or glue or any other fasteners in order to apply the concepts of friction bridges. The students had to do more than one design and then to prove that it worked, the entire group had to cross the bridge to see if it holds. Some of the students commented on this activity saying "Today I learned how to use friction to build bridges." Another student said "Building things can be hard, but if we all work together, hard things can be accomplished". Another student said "The bridge, it made me realize how willing you have to be to change and make your ideas better."

At the end of the day, students wrote their reflections for the day, and some of their comments included "The egg drop + bridge building were so different so that means that STEM isn't just the same thing". Another student said "This is something I would recommend for all middle schoolers".