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| Charlie Simpkins and his Code and Go Robot Mouse for the 2020 MS Science Fest |
A subtle change in weather has arrived, and that means one thing. I do not mean football season is here. (Football fact: The magic yellow first down line you see on TV is not actually on the field. It is computer generated for the television viewer. Check out How Does the Magic Yellow First-Down Line Work? and How the First-Down Line Works? to learn how it works.) The change in weather means the Mississippi Science Fest is near! Since 2017, the LeFleur Museum District (LMD) in Jackson, MS has organized a unique, interactive event each year that celebrates STEM and how it relates to Mississippi’s future. The event features a family-friendly environment across LMD with innovative exhibits, special guests, and hands-on activities showcasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 2020 brings a new challenge to participate in festivals, so the Mississippi Science Fest is going virtual. Videos from the LMD and this year’s guest presenters will be released on LMD’s Facebook page.
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| Charlie Simpkins and his littleBits kits at the 2019 MS Science Fest |
This marks the second year that I have presented at the Mississippi Science Fest. In 2019, I brought a littleBits Workshop kit so that participants could explore simple circuits using small magnetic components that included a LED light, a fan, and a buzzer. Families and groups enjoyed coming by and experimenting with closed circuits using buttons and light sensors. Most of the children seemed to enjoy activities that make a lot noise, because I heard the buzzer bit consistently. For 2020, I wanted to cover a different concept, so I decided to try something that could be duplicated at home with common items. I created a video introducing coding concepts using a Code and Go Robot Mouse Activity Kit from MLC’s Special Collections and designed an activity to practice the concepts at home using common supplies but without a computer. The activity involves creating a maze on a grid with obstacles, then creating a list of steps to make it through the maze.
The Mississippi Science Fest 2020 is on September 18th and 19th. Check out the MS Science Fest 2020 online video release schedule here and watch the videos on LeFleur Museum District's Facebook page. I hope you enjoy the activities that will be uploaded and that you learn something new.
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