Life’s lessons
Students receive hands-on experience during Truro Maker Tech event
Grade 8 students recently learned about the value of foreign aid in a hands-on way during a Maker Tech program, designed to teach them about technology and sustainability.
Grade 8 students recently learned about the value of foreign aid in a hands-on way during a Maker Tech program in Truro.
Young people from 20 schools took part in the event, which was designed to teach youth about technology and sustainability, and included water filtration experiment. Each group of students was assigned the role of a particular country, and given an amount of money to buy materials.
Megumi Ozawa, Noah Pollard and Lucas Bolling, from Pugwash District High School, opened their envelope to discover they were taking the role of Ethiopia, which meant they had very little money to buy water filtration materials. They were struggling until Canada, at the next table, donated money.
“Everything they take part in here is challenge based,” said Kilah Hayden, a youth pathways consultant in the Chignecto-central region. “This year one of our partners is Engineers Nova Scotia, and the students are doing things around sustainability.
“This gives than an opportunity to experience things connected with careers in engineering and skilled trades.”
At another station, students were able to use materials to insulate a bottle, which they then filled with water. Using a probe, they checked the temperature of the water at several intervals to discover which material was the most efficient at insulating.
Colby Burnham, from Central Colchester Junior High, was surprised when he took part in an experiment on human-generated power. He was able to pedal a stationary bicycle, and see how much power he was able to create.
“I didn’t realize how much energy it takes,” he said.
Kristopher Jones, who works in learning resources and technology services with the Province of Nova Scotia, said students often have trouble pacing themselves when they get on the bike.
“They jump on and go hard, and then they don’t last long. Their legs get heavy and their heart is pumping; it lets them see what human-generated power feels like.”
Students also had the chance to design a reusable bag, code a robot to travel through a maze, create a coded message, program traffic lights, do some 3D printing, make soap, and travel, with help from virtual reality goggles.