Students Experience Hands-on STEM Objects

Submitted by david.thacker on Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:32

SPANISH FORK, Utah — Students at Spanish Fork Junior High had a chance to experience hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education during their career and college course. Tiffany Myers, Career, Technology, Education (CTE) instructor, demonstrated different healthcare concepts and careers in her class.

Using a STEM education kit donated by Central Utah Clinic and the Utah STEM Action Center, Myers gave her students a hands-on experience. The kit included materials considered to be luxury items or costly for teachers and schools to purchase.

“The STEM kits from Central Utah Clinic were filled with items perfect for the CTE introduction course, a nice mix of both consumable supplies such as plastic pipettes as well as an anatomy model and other objects teachers can use over and over again,” said Lana Hiskey, communications specialist at Nebo School District. “Teachers in all of our junior highs were excited about receiving the kits.”

Myers demonstrated DNA extraction of a strawberry with vials and pipettes, showed an anatomy model, used glo-germ to explain how viruses and bacteria spread and answered trivia questions with the clever-catch ball.

“The students seem to be very responsive and engaged when using the items,” Myers said.  “It is also my opinion that students learn best when using hands-on examples.”

Students in Myer’s classroom had a chance to participate in the experiments, ask questions and try out each of the new tools in the kit.

“My favorite part was playing with the ball; asking all the questions and figuring out the answers,” said Caitlyn Erwin, seventh grader.

The STEM kits were provided to middle school teachers in Utah, Weber and Washington Counties. In total, Central Utah Clinic and the STEM Action Center distributed 100 kits.