Spotlight on You: STEM Week with Lemhi County 4-H
In November 2023 the small, rural towns of Salmon and Leadore, Idaho lit-up (literally!) with STEM education, thanks to Taylor Smith and Shannon Williams of University of Idaho Extension 4-H of Lemhi County. They reached almost every kid in the county with STEM lessons during STEM Week. They modeled the week of education after Ag Week, a 4-H tradition. Using their TMC Lab and community partners, they presented 1-hour STEM lessons at every public school in their county, did STEM activities with homeschool students at the local library, and distributed STEM kits to preschool children.
During STEM week, 4th-6th graders made paper circuit cards and learned about alternative energy sources with the 4-H curriculum “Power Protectors.” Fernwaters Charter School students worked on robotics at the Salmon Public Library. Parents also stopped by the library to pick up pinwheel kits for their preschool-aged children. K-3rd grade students made coper tape flashlights with folks from Idaho Power and the Idaho STEM Ecosystem. Middle and high school students learned about circuits using Makey Makeys with Steve Dahl of Computer Zen, a local technology company. They also learned about technology used in the medical field by using a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) unit. Students controlled the movement of Steve’s arm by entering code into a TENS unit hooked up to his body!
Taylor said that many of the students she worked with were excited to go home and share their STEM learning with their parents. Teachers appreciated the lessons and the supplies the TMC Lab provided. Best of all, Taylor has seen an increase in community interest in STEM learning since they put on STEM Week. She’s already scheduling more STEM events with local schools for next year!
~Amy Post, TMC Labs Project Coordinator, Idaho Out-of-School Network
