Our thanks to the area 4th-6th graders and their parents/guardians who participated in Martin County KnowHow!’s 3D printing workshop on Dec. 28, 2021, hosted by Fairmont Community Education & Recreation. And special thanks to the Fairmont Early Risers Kiwanis for providing and serving treats!
Youth robotics returns to Martin County!
Dozens of elementary students from across Martin County, Minn., teamed up for an energetic robotics competition at Truman High School the morning of Saturday, Dec. 4th.
This collaborative event required students to navigate their robots around the game field to push small beanbags into a lower goal, or launch them skyward into a higher goal. Teams were encouraged to work together during each 90-second match, finding ways to make the most of their robots varied specialties. Points were scored for each beanbag swept away from the game field’s edges and into the goal, with a bonus if their robot was able to lift itself off the field before time ran out.
This Martin County KnowHow! VEX IQ Robotics Competition saw 5th & 6th graders from the Truman, Fairmont, Martin County West, and Granada-Huntley-East Chain school districts — 37 students across 13 teams — working together to face a friendly collaborative challenge. These students spent several weeks building and learning how to operate their VEX IQ robots, and were excited to put their hard work to the test.
The 13 teams were:
Cards (Fairmont)
S.S.R’s (Fairmont)
Red Riots (Fairmont)
La-manbird (Granada-Huntley-East Chain)
Thunder (Granada-Huntley-East Chain)
Tasmania (Granada-Huntley-East Chain)
Memers (Granada-Huntley-East Chain)
Tacocats (Truman)
Fierce Jags (Truman)
Bots (Martin County West)
Power Dragons (Martin County West)
Crushers (Martin County West)
Great Baboons (Martin County West)
Thanks to all of the students who participated, their fans who came to cheer them on, all of our adult & youth volunteers who helped put on this event, and Truman Pride for providing concessions! You’re all an important part of this fun application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in our community.
Robotics meet for 5th/6th graders set for Dec. 4
Truman to host student robotics competition
Watch highlights from our 2019 VEX IQ competition!
Public invited to cheer Martin County youth as they tackle fun STEM challenge
Elementary students from across Martin County, Minn., will be teaming up for an energetic robotics competition at Truman High School the morning of Saturday, Dec. 4th -- and spectators of all ages are welcome to witness this fun application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in our community.
This Martin County KnowHow! VEX IQ Robotics Competition will see dozens of 5th & 6th graders from the Truman, Fairmont, Martin County West, and Granada-Huntley-East Chain school districts working together to face a friendly collaborative challenge. These students will have spent several weeks building and learning how to operate their VEX IQ robots, and are ready to put their hard work to the test at this exciting STEM event.
Light concessions (a fundraiser for Truman Pride) will be available for sale at the free event, scheduled to take place in the high school gymnasium.
FAST FACTS:
WHAT: Martin County KnowHow! VEX IQ Robotics Competition for 5th & 6th graders
WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 noon
WHERE: Truman High School gym, 401 East 1st Street, Truman, MN 56088
WHO: Family, friends, and general public invited to attend as spectators (free)
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About Martin County KnowHow! -- Martin County KnowHow! exists to encourage the exploration and application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by students of all ages across Martin County, Minnesota. The group is a subcommittee of Project 1590, a local organization dedicated to creating a unique, healthy, and vibrant community. Visit www.McKnow.How for more information.
Robots + plants + pollinators... Oh my!
Three-day camp features STEM fun for area students
FAIRMONT, MN — More than 40 area elementary students explored the world of plants, pollinators, and robotics at Martin County KnowHow!’s summer STEM camp, held Aug. 3-5 at the Southern Minnesota Educational Campus in Fairmont.
Students entering grades 2 through 6 this fall enjoyed a variety of projects over the three-day camp, including “Field Trip in a Box” activities from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, as well as teaming up to assemble VEX robots — which the older students demonstrated in a tournament at camp’s end.
The camp began with the “Plants as Partners” activity, in which students learned how different plants can play a role in removing carbon from the atmosphere, reduce the heat island effect in urban areas, and serve as cover crops to reduce erosion in farm fields. Students also got to plant three different kinds of seeds.
The next morning students learned about pollinators such as bees, flies, bats, hummingbirds, and butterflies, and the types of flowers each prefers, planting seeds of some pollinator favorites. The “sweet” fun continued as students learned how honey is made and got to see real honeycomb and taste it, too.
In the afternoons, students were introduced to VEX Robotics kits, building small technological marvels. With the GO kits for younger students, they were able to create a bunny, supercar, adaptation claw, and inclined plane with car, plus several original projects.
The older students worked in groups to build a remote controlled robot to compete in a game of engineering challenges between the groups. Students first worked together to follow detailed technical instructions to construct a base robot, and then were given time to innovate on the base design to better complete the challenges. Students then brought their unique robot to a competition where their designs’ strengths and weaknesses could be compared.
Through these robotics projects and challenges, students learned basic engineering principles, on-the-fly problem solving, creativity, and teamwork. All of their collaboration, persistence in the face of challenges, and ability to make adjustments as they gained experience paid off with the excitement of putting their finished robots to the test in competition. Their pride in their work was also evident as they welcomed parents & guardians on the final day of STEM camp to see what they’d been up to… and even let some younger kids and siblings drive their robots for a little bit.
Over the course of the camp, students also painted camp t-shirts using their own arm- and hand-prints, and sponge painted to resemble a tree — a learning tree, of course!
Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!
Our STEM camp would not have been possible without these generous community organizations and individuals:
Fairmont Community Education & Recreation for publicity, registration, facilities, and equipment… and so much more
Char Kahler, Deb Mosloski, and Ida Rohman for assisting the camp teachers
Kendra Dumitrache and the crew at Chartwell’s Food Service for lunches each day
Fairmont Early Risers Kiwanis for snacks
Martin County Youth Foundation for a grant that paid for part of the camp
Martin County Area Foundation for a 2019 grant for the robotics kits
Camp teachers Cindy Viesselman, Leah Rode-Mulder, Sam Viesselman, and Sarah Jagodzinske Rohman
And last but not least, our thanks to all of the students and their parents, grandparents, guardians, and mentors for their interest in and support of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in our community!
Some quotes from students & parents about
Martin County KnowHow!’s 2021 Summer STEM Camp!
“I love solving problems!”
“I want to do more of this at home!”
“Thank you! They enjoyed STEM!”
“Can I skip lunch to work on my robot?”
“This is like super Legos, so fun!”
“Thank you! (He) had so much fun!”
“I love when opportunities like this are available to our communities — it’s a much bigger world. Fun to see so many kids involved. I appreciate the opportunity for my kids!”
“Thank you, (he) had a ton of fun!”
“I can’t wait to do more STEM when I get older!”
STEM Camp registration deadline is Friday, July 23rd!
Time is running out to register for Martin County KnowHow!’s 2021 Summer STEM Camp — Friday, July 23rd!
The STEM Camp takes place August 3-5 at the Southern Minnesota Educational Campus in Fairmont, and has a dual focus this year — Plants & Pollinators, and Vex Robotics!
Check out our calendar event for details, and register on the Fairmont CER website at https://bit.ly/2021STEMCAMP
Check out this free virtual activity event!
Martin County KnowHow! is excited to be part of the Family Fun Fair & Youth Activities Expo World Tour — a FREE virtual event!
When you stop by the Fairmont Community Education & Recreation office on March 30 to pick up your "Grab-n-Go World Tour kit", it'll include this stuff from us: a make-your-own-fossil kit, four STEM activities that use common household items, and a cool bookmark!
Visit the Fairmont CER Facebook page for more information.
Come celebrate Engineers Week with us!
To celebrate Engineers Week 2021, Martin County KnowHow! will be exploring different kinds of engineering throughout the week of February 21-27 on social media!
If you’re an engineer yourself, we’d love to hear about who or what inspired you and the coolest thing about being an engineer!
Hello Martin County! :)
We’re back… sort of!
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