For the second summer in a row, Devin and I helped with the UNH Keepers Camp. Students ranging from second to fifth grade spend half a day with us exploring electrical engineering. To start off the day, we helped them experiment with different metals and liquids to see which made better batteries. They were really quick to figure this out. Following that they made parallel and series circuits to light bulbs. They asked a lot of questions on this task, but the older students stepped up quickly to help the younger ones. In between activities, the kids took tours of Project54 to see the cruisers and simulators. The exciting part of the day came when each child created their own circuit to power up a gadget of their choosing: a spinning fan, bug with lit up eyes, car, or signs with the letters lit up. A few are shown in the gallery below. Last year, as discussed in my previous blog, the students used their new wiring knowledge to create the game Operation. I liked this years activity better because the children had such a good time building their own unique circuits. It was really fun assisting the children with wiring and helping them see the interesting side of electrical engineering. They left the camp with a basic understanding of electrical engineering and may just come back for some more fun.
Carol Perkins