Students and teachers at SIS @ Ha Long conducted “STEM Week 2020” from 13-17 January, which included a series of events focused on highlighting the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Several components made up this special project. First, students in years 1-10 each participated in hands-on activities as a part of the CREST Awards program offered by the British Science Association. These activities included opportunities for scientific thinking, for example, testing and comparing three kinds of toothpaste, measuring the buoyancy of miniature rafts, and calculating the load-bearing capacity of different bridge designs. In the premier activity, students in years 7-10 built model roller coasters and then compared different design choices and their effect on velocity. With several of these activities conducted each day, students accumulated between eight and ten hours of STEM-related experience over the course of the week.
The second component was a guest speaker from the engineering community who discussed the scientific aspects of the roller coasters and other attractions at Sun World, a popular theme park in Ha Long. At the culmination of this event, the younger students joined their upperclassmen in sending marbles down the tracks of the model coasters, which generated great excitement and enthusiasm.
On the final day of STEM Week, students enjoyed an excursion to Sun World, where they were given a special engineering tour of the facility and a new appreciation of the recreational opportunities at the park, especially the Dragon Run roller coaster.
The week was a great opportunity for both teachers and students to entertain new ways of understanding the topics contained in the STEM disciplines.
