While some may have thought wizardry was involved in the making of Harry Potter’s wand, it was actually a simple circuit that created the magic juice – so learned families who attended Hamden Hall’s premier STEM Family Night.
The event was coordinated by Lower School science teacher Claire Rich and attended by students and families in PreSchool through Grade 3. A host of activities related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were explored by more than 40 students and their families.
“Our STEM night was an opportunity to generate excitement by allowing students and their families to explore STEM together in a fun way,” said Mrs. Rich. “Everything was hands-on and interactive for families to work on together.”
Stations of activities were set up in Lender Refectory, and students moved freely throughout the various offerings. Kid-friendly tools and materials were provided at each station, and Mrs. Rich made the rounds among all of the activities to offer imaginative tips and insight.
One of the stations included creating some sort of protection or shield around a raw egg so that once dropped from various heights it would stay intact. Participants were given 10 straws that they could cut and manipulate and the all-important duct tape.
“It was so creative in terms of the way students took on the challenge,” said Lower School Director Lorri Carroll. “The parents were helping and there was a lot of cutting going on. The whole event was really family-oriented.”
Other activities included a toothpick/marshmallow challenge, a marble maze, an endeavor that launched decorative pom poms across the room via balloons, and the Harry Potter wands – one of the most popular stations of the event.
Coordinated by math teacher Bruce Rich, the Harry Potter station utilized conducting tape and batteries to light up the wands.
The STEM Family Night was funded by the Deborah Beitch Jenness 1982 Memorial Fund, which was established by former faculty member Dr. Barbara Beitch in honor of her late daughter, Debbie.