This fall, I had the pleasure of being the STEM facilitator for Frederick Funston Elementary Sisters4Science after school program. During program, the girls explored topics in chemistry and some ecology. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Myrani and Janellie both had an interest in chemistry that they didn’t know they had before. One of the experiments that we kept going back to was the color changing experiment. The girls really enjoyed seeing how their calculated measurements of water changed the original color of the water in their test tubes. Myrani especially was proud of how consistently accurate her measurements were. During program we talked about proper lab techniques and why it’s important to follow procedure and try to be as accurate and precise as possible when recreating experiments. I would have really liked to have done more chemistry and physics experiments with the girls because they really seemed to enjoy hands on experiments where they could see the fruits of their labor right away. For the upcoming spring session, I plan on expanding the topics to engineering and biology, maybe even some forensic science as well. I am really optimistic for the new year and seeing many new faces in program. The girls are always so eager to participate and learn during program.
Written By: Sandra Munoz