TCC offers STEM Gym field trip visits

Tallahassee Community College invites elementary and middle school students to visit the TCC STEM Gym (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in Fall 2014 for a spectacular field trip opportunity.

 

Visitors will work like real scientists to create fun experiments, develop questions and solve problems through hands-on science, math, and engineering activities.

 

Field trip opportunities are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays and must be booked at least one week in advance. In addition, special groups such as Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops may request visits on Saturdays. All visits are by appointment only.

 

The entry fee is $4 per student and free for chaperones. The hours of operation are from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. The lab is located in Room 105 of the TCC Science and Mathematics building.  

 

The STEM Gym features educational activities such as:

 

·         Bee Hummer – recreate the sound of a swarm of bees with a homemade toy

·         Black Magic – discover the secret colors hidden in a black marker

·         Bottle Blast – create a simple rocket and demonstrate how the finished model will fly

·         Cuica Laughing Cup – make a “cuica,” a musical instrument from Brazil

·         Cup Speaker – make your own speaker to demonstrate electromagnetism and vibration

·         Jitterbugs – interact with the jitterbug, a simple motorized toy made of a recycled CD and a DC motor.

·         Paper Helicopters – assemble a simple paper toy that functions like a mini-helicopter

·         Sound Sandwich – adjust the pitch of the crowd-pleasing noisemaker to play with sounds

·         Stripped Down Motor – explore this easy-to-make version of an electric motor

·         Water Bottle Membrane – use a water bottle and a paper tube to make an instrument like a saxophone, and gain an understanding of how the wind instrument works

·         Whirling Watcher – create your own cartoon with a stroboscope

 

This is an excellent opportunity for schools and teachers who wish to present science and technology to their students in a fun, engaging way. This hands-on field trip will create a memorable, rewarding experience that could spark a lifelong love or future career plans in the sciences.

 

For information or to schedule a field trip, contact Melissa Spear at (850) 201-6180 or spearm@tcc.fl.edu. To view TCC22’s report on the STEM Gym, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_0Fcq64EMg&feature=youtu.be.