Zoey Blackshire and Anna Fermin build cup towers in the engineering section during STEM Night.

 

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Shrieks of delight filled the Wilson Elementary School cafeteria as students and families gathered around something not so appetizing.

Oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid, sat in trays for students to touch and explore. The substance exists as a liquid but shifts to a solid state when pressure is applied. The Oobleck display was part of the science sector during Wilson Elementary School’s K-5 STEM Night.

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. Wilson’s STEM Night featured age-appropriate activities designed for elementary students and their families. Science was one of four focus areas offered throughout the evening.

The event marked the fourth annual STEM Night at Wilson Elementary School, organized by Dennis Jackson, a rotation teacher at the school.

In the science are students got to watch exciting experiments like elephant toothpaste, which foams and expands exponentially. 

“It’s a night where we try to get the kids to do as many different STEM activities as possible and they can and have a lot of laughs. That’s what the whole night is about,” said Jackson.

STEM activity stations were spread across the campus. In the engineering area, students built plastic cup structures and made rice stress balls. The technology section featured Bee Bots, while the math area offered interactive games. In the science section, participants created elephant toothpaste and explored other hands-on experiments.

New activities were introduced this year, including smart coding trains and mystery sound bottles. 

“We have a goal to continue expanding activities in future years,” said Jackson.

Despite some early concerns, the event exceeded Jacksons expectations.

“It’s even better than I thought,” he said, noting he had been unsure how the evening would go.

Thiago explores the liquid properties of Oobleck during a hands-on science activity at STEM Night.

Jackson credited fellow teachers, volunteers and student helpers for the event’s success and thanked the community for its continued support.

“I couldn’t have done this night without them,” he said.

The event drew a strong turnout, with families moving through the self-guided stations throughout the evening. Visitors of all ages were actively engaged in the hands-on activities.

“Having fun, getting interactive with STEM is what really brings the joy to my heart,” said Jackson.