Spark Space

This school year, a small group of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at Oak Lawn - Hometown Middle School were asked to join a group called the Spark Space. This small group of students were given an unique opportunity to explore their interests with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEM).

The group’s most recent challenge was to partner with the Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn to present a science concept to a group of elementary students visiting the museum. For several weeks students researched different nanotechnologies utilizing resources from the museum. Students selected topics ranging from liquid crystals to scanning probe microscopes (SPMs).

While preparing for this experience students not only learned about different nanotechnologies, but how to present and communicate this knowledge to a younger group of students.

On Monday, April 13, the Spark Space students’ hard work was put to the test at the Oak Lawn Children’s Museum. The students from OLHMS were given the responsibility of setting up their stations and educating and engaging small groups of elementary school students.

The OLHMS students shared with the visiting students their knowledge of nanotechnology. Each station provided the elementary school students to experience and simulate the nanotechnologies with a hands-on activity.

A 6th grade Spark Space student stated, “It was fun to share our knowledge with younger kids and teach them new things”. All of the students involved in the process are hoping for another opportunity to modify their original presentations and present to a new group of students.

Contributed by: Sixth grade student, Grace Trout, and Instructional Technology Coach, Mr. Brian Jurinek