STEM For Others at Columbia ES's STEAM Night

Hey everyone! We were honored to be part of STEAM Night, Columbia ES's yearly science fair for children. We, seniors, have just studied magnetism in Physics, so we wanted to apply experiments we learned in class but with a more artistic twist. For demonstration, we prepared a tray poured with iron filings and placed magnets around, so children could tinker with these magnets. When a magnet was dropped into the tray, the iron filings instantly formed along the magnetic field lines. The kids brightened in excitement as they sandwiched irons between two circular magnets, forming an Oreo cookie. We were also impressed when a 2nd grader was able to explain how magnets work. After the fair, we used a big magnet to suck up any spilled iron filings. Our two hours of interaction with different families and school staff was a wonderful experience learning about STEM education in our area. Above all, we were satisfied for not only providing science experiments to children but also reassuring our understanding in magnetism. We hope to see you soon in spring!