Corinth Hosts Spooktacular STEM Saturday

On October 21, the Corinth School District hosted a Halloween-themed, “Spooktacular STEM Saturday.” Over 140 students registered to attend this Saturday camp that helps students discover how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) connects to the world around us through fun, hands-on experiments and experiences.

Students in Pre-K designed “monster puppets,” practicing gross and fine motor skills, while discussing colors, shapes, and following directions. Kindergarten students learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin, exploring how seeds become vines, which turn into flowers and eventually pumpkins. 

First grade students learned about parts of the skeleton, constructing their own models using Q-tips. These students also designed fall-themed door hangers, discussing seasons and weather conditions typically associated with the different seasons. Students in second grade designed and crafted their own cobs of corn, discussing how corn is used as food, fuel, and fiber. Students also created and solved various corn mazes, demonstrating engineering and logic skills. 

Students in third grade investigated chemical properties and states of matter through creating “Halloween slime” and an erupting “ghost pumpkin.” Students read “The Runaway Pumpkin” and created their own path and obstacles for their pumpkins to follow. Fourth grade students learned about the process of mummification and how different cultures utilized different methods of mummification. Students created their own miniature mummies to demonstrate one of the methods discussed. Fifth and sixth grade worked in teams to design a lever-based device capable of grabbing small prizes from a distance. Students then used these devices to compete to see which design could pick up the most items within a set time. 

The Corinth High School Culinary Arts program facilitated a fun cupcake activity for all students in grades Pre-K through six. Students discussed how different colors are mixed to create different icing shades and how to use knowledge of shapes to create decorative structures. The high school students were on hand to assist STEM Saturday participants with assembling and decorating the cupcakes. 

All STEM Saturday students participated in a Robotics and Engineering center led by Wilson Jones, Corinth Middle School STEM and Cyber Foundations teacher. Mr. Jones stated, “During our October STEM Saturday session, our students delved into the realms of physics and engineering, emerging as triumphant Pumpkin Chunkin' champions. They got the opportunity to craft miniature catapults, a hands-on adventure that brought the worlds of physics and engineering to life for our new generation of scientists. STEM Saturday ignites curiosity in the minds of our students, transforming weekends into journeys of discovery.”

All STEM Saturday students also participated in Halloween-themed Makerspace activities, with a specialized focus on spiders. Students in grades Pre-K through second grade created “spider parachutes,” structures that were small enough to support a plastic spider. These students discovered what types of designs created the most optimal deceleration. Students in third through sixth grade created realistic spider webs using dental floss. The webs had to meet three criteria: strength, stickiness, and durability. Students were able to select supporting materials to meet these criteria. 

Join us for our next “Holly Jolly STEM Saturday” on December 9, featuring holiday-themed activities.