Over the last few months, I've had the absolute privilege to meet some future innovators, engineers and coders at 5 Cornish schools as part of the STEMvironment challenge. In the first workshop I delivered, the children learnt about awesome eco-sensors which help us see the invisible in our environment such as temperature, light, air quality and water quality. The children practised their coding skills and created two eco-sensors using bbc micro:bits.
We had a lot of fun running around the playground trying to find the coldest temperature and inside the classroom to find the biggest variance in light level when the lights were switched on and off. Hopefully we inspired the children through hands-on learning and by explaining all the exciting Cornish jobs available in engineering, tech and creative-digital. But the best bit was supporting them with coming up with their own awesome eco-sensor invention and then returning to the school with their prototype.
“ TECgirls was awesome. We got to use microbits and learnt how to program them. The best part was designing how we could use them.”
Amazing Innovations (at a glance)
So what did each of the schools come up with? Here is a quick list, but check out the full report to read more about each school, the problem they are solving, and details on their invention.
Breage School, Year 5
Breage, Cornwall
Aim: Improving wellbeing at school by introducing healthy plants
Solution: A self Watering Plant Station
Marlborough School, Year 6
Falmouth, Cornwall
Aim: Monitoring the water quality at Swanpool Beach
Solution: Aquameter The original! A water quality monitor and data collector.
Nanstallon School, Year 5
Nanstallon, Cornwall
Aim: Ensuring the classroom air quality and flow is ideal for learning
Solution: Air, Intake, Researcher ...Or AIR for short! Air quality monitor for the classroom.
Probus School, Year 5
Probus, Cornwall
Aim: A weather station to check if the UV rays outside are strong
Solution: Pig shaped, kids friendly weather station for the classroom to help monitor the playground.
Treverbyn School, Year 4
St Austell, Cornwall
Aim: Keeping classroom plants healthy with a self-watering plant station
Solution: Self watering plant station that adjusts for different types of plants.
"I loved that I could learn about it because I think it could help me in a future job."
