We explore how to use slope, the ratio of height to horizontal distance, to better understand how stairs are designed based on international building codes to keep us safe. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guides/ We invite all interested groups to reach out and find more informat... CONTINUE READING
Scouts love visiting Camp Whispering Cedars for its amazing ropes course – great for bonding and pushing new boundaries! The course features a zip line, ropes bridge, climbing wall, and a towering three-person swing. The swing made us wonder – exactly how high is someone pulled to start the swing? In order to figure this out, we use shadows and similar triangles. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING
We visited the Staubach Sports Field to determine if other teams could use the field for a regulation sports game. We use non-standard units of measurement, like arm span, to estimate the length of the field. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guides/ We invite all interested groups... CONTINUE READING
At the Crystal Charity Ball Exploration Center at Camp Whispering Cedars, where Girl Scouts can marvel at plants growing on the building, you might notice from the video that the roof is sloped. Gravity pulls rainwater toward the front of the building, where the water falls into the gutters. From the gutters, the water is moved to plastic rain barrels, at the corners of the building. What an amazing example of sustainability and conservation efforts at work! We consider exactly how many toilet f... CONTINUE READING
Ever look into a pool and think, “Wow – that’s a lot of water!” This thought prompted us to consider exactly how many showers one could take using water in the pool at Camp Whispering Cedars. We started by measuring the surface area and perimeter of the pool before determining volume, using the formula, Volume=(Area)(Height). You’ll be amazed at what we discovered! Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING
We love playing the xylophone at the outdoor Soundscape. It's both fun and also a great opportunity to really understand what we mean by frequency or pitch. Also, we wondered if there is a mathematical relationship between length of bars and pitch. Finally we got to explore what happens to pitch when we played xylophones made of different materials! Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkst... CONTINUE READING
A Sound Walk is a great way to really observe the beautiful environment of the campgrounds using our sense of hearing. We invite everyone to go on a soundwalk here at Camp Whispering Cedars or wherever they may be! Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guides/ We invite all interested... CONTINUE READING
The Texas Lodge makes an ideal place to hold large meetings. Sometimes, it makes more sense to gather everyone outside. We ask visitors and viewers to imagine the sun rising and consider – where exactly would you want to sit outside to prevent the sun from shining directly on your face? How can we use our understanding of the sun and the building’s orientation to determine this? Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available... CONTINUE READING
At the Crystal Charity Ball Exploration Center, we notice interesting things and brainstorm a variety of questions grounded in our observations. This is an opportunity to practice the fascinating, easy-to-do, and important skill of noticing what’s around you and brainstorming STEM-related questions grounded in your observations. This represents the most important aspect of what our community is all about! Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade le... CONTINUE READING
At the Texas Lodge, we studied the pavers around the flagpole. If you look closely, you may wonder – do these pavers actually make a circle? How can we determine this? Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guides/... CONTINUE READING