Madison Reporter

Sauk Trail Elementary recently hosted a vibrant STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Night, filled with interactive activities for students and families. The event commenced with an enthralling presentation by the UW Wonders of Physics group, which fascinated the audience with demonstrations using liquid nitrogen.

The school housed over 20 interactive stations, each offering a unique STEAM learning experience. These activities were designed to be hands-on, deviating from the conventional science fair model of pre-prepared exhibits.

Some of the notable activities included creating mini catapults to understand simple machines, encoding secret messages using special "magical" mixtures, building 3D structures with geometric shapes and tools, programming Sphero robots through coding challenges, and crafting lava lamps, tie-dye art and musical straw flutes.

Students had the opportunity to grasp science and engineering concepts first-hand by constructing marble runs, towers, roller coasters among others. The art components allowed children's creativity to flourish as they crafted colorful bookmarks, buttons and kindness flowers.

The objective was to offer an interactive and equitable experience that enabled families to fully participate in and appreciate the wonders of STEAM together. Instead of mere exhibits for observation, these engaging stations fostered curiosity, problem-solving skills and hands-on learning.

As the evening concluded, students witnessed exciting air pressure demonstrations that levitated objects and launched them into the air - one final engaging experience aimed at inspiring their interest in science.

In conclusion, Sauk Trail's STEAM Night was a remarkable celebration of inquiry-based learning. It provided a fun and accessible platform for children to explore the magic of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.