Science in Afterschool
Garrett Lund examines the contents of an owl pellet. Photo courtesy Sublette County 4-H Afterschool program.
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Science in Afterschool
by Sublette County 4-H Afterschool program
April 30, 2013
Thanks to a grant from the Wyoming Women’s Foundation (WyWF), Sublette County 4-H Afterschool programs have made a commitment to providing elementary age students hands on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities. The primary objective of the afterschool program is to provide supplemental/recreational enrichment activities for Big Piney and Pinedale Elementary students through an afterschool program that provides education in life-skills (including specific education in the areas of STEM), leadership, civics and healthy lifestyles. Program Coordinator, Jennifer Anderson, says "exposure to and proficiency in these disciplines will enable students to develop competency with skills and qualities necessary to become productive members of society".
With that in mind, staff members in Pinedale and Big Piney made a commitment to providing hands on experiences in science. Recently Big Piney youth completed a unit on earth sciences, including building volcanoes, a model of the earth’s structure and atmosphere. Donivan Morison a first grader in the Big Piney Program said, "The volcano was my favorite (experiment) because it looked so cool. Then my brother helped me make it look real when we put rocks around it and we said it was the coolest experiment ever."
Youth in Pinedale have worked with current and past teachers to study rocks, matter and environment. They have also completed science experiments such as the Great Gummy Bear Experiment, and the Floating S’s Experiment. They are currently completing a session on chicken eggs and are anxiously waiting for them to hatch.
Anderson states, "We have been proud to partner with WyWF for the past 3 years providing science opportunities for our youth and encouraging girls to explore the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)". The Wyoming Women's Foundation is the leading funder of change for women and girls in our state. WyWF, an endowed fund of the Wyoming Community Foundation, is a charitable organization that supports economic self-sufficiency and access to opportunities for women and girls in Wyoming by raising funds, making grants, and providing leadership. For information call 307-721-7007 or visit the Wyoming Women’s Foundation website at www.wywf.org.
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