Learning STEM with Kids while Camping: How to build a power pack #TransformingInnovation
This past weekend we spend Father’s Day weekend at a local Ontario Provincial Park. We invited friends and family to join us for a new annual event. We had a blast watching the kids play at the beach, riding their bikes and roasting marshmallows over the open flame. My in-laws joined us camping but my parents couldn’t stay for the weekend but they did come for a visit at the park. It was a great way to spend time celebrating the fathers in our life.
We were asked by Energizer to get hands learning STEM with the kids. The team at Energizer sent over a kit filled with items we already have around the house that we could learn a little Science with. We knew my father would love to tinker with this project and our weekend away would be a perfect opportunity to get the kids involved with Grandpa. As a Mechanic he went to school and learnt all about STEM, so this little project was his element.
How to build a power pack.
In order to complete our STEM projects we needed to first build a power pack. It was simple to make using two Energizer D batteries, electrical tape, insulated number 22 copper wire and two metal paper clips.
Did you know?
Energizer, a leader in the battery industry, recently launched the new Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ battery – Energizer’s longest lasting AA high-performance alkaline battery, high-performance AA battery, and the world’s first battery made with 4% recycled batteries!
This battery is a first step in a journey towards a goal of developing batteries made with entirely recycled materials – hoping to reach 40% by 2025.
All of these projects should only be made with adult supervision.
- Place two Energizer D batteries side by side with the positive terminal right-side up on one battery and the negative terminal right-side up on the other. Use electrical tape around the middle of the batteries to secure them together.
- Standing the batteries upright, place a paper clip between the positive and negative contacts. Use a piece of electrical tape to secure the paper clip in place.
- Turn the battery pack over, exposing the two unused battery contacts. Place the stripped portion of one of the wires on the battery contact and secure it in place with a three-inch piece of electrical tape. Make sure you use plenty of tape to make sure the wire is secure. Repeat this procedure with the other battery and wire.
Your power pack is now ready for you to power some simple STEM experiments.
**It is important that the bare wires do not touch each other and cause a short circuit. We covered the ends with electrical tape when not in use.
Next up we made a simple circuit to test the conductivity of our power pack. Grandpa made it look easy. Learn how to make your own simple circuit on Energizer.com.
That wasn’t it, we also used our power pack and simple circuit play a game to measure chance.
This STEM game to measure chance was where I really could see and understand how it all came together.
Learn how to make your own STEM game to measure chance on Energizer.com.
Recently, Energizer launched the Join Our Journey Campaign where they invited young Canadians to Join “Our Journey” by entering drawings of their dream creature to energizerjourney.ca. The top five young Canadian’s have been chosen and they need your votes for a chance to work with experts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to see their creature brought to life with the Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ battery, and win $10,000 towards an RESP!
The Join Our Journey campaign celebrates the world’s first innovation, and encourages and inspires the next generation of thinkers and innovators to begin a STEM journey of their own, so innovations like this can happen in the future.
Energizer invites you proud Canadians to:
Help choose the next child innovator by voting for their favourite dream creature by June 26th @11:59pm EST.
Vote here!
Get involved with STEM at home, through fun experiments that can be created using simple materials you may already have on hand.
Energizer is Generous!
One In R Dream reader will win National Geographic’s Elements of Science kit, along with some EcoAdvanced batteries and some other goodies.
Canada only {excluding Quebec} ends July 13th EST.
I love the idea of the Magnetic Compass and I think it would be fun, I hope my grandchildren do too. 🙂
the st3eady hands game sounds great
My daughters and I would love to make a flashlight or electromagnet this summer
I love that by the pictures you can tell that the kids were really into this activity!
we would make the “Make a Flashlight”!
I think that probably the Magnetic Compass would be the most fun, I hope my grandchildren do too. 🙂
steady hands game
I’d complete the Magnetic Compass with my niece!
Hmm, I think the Magnetic Compass would be fun I hope my grandchildren do too. 🙂
I would love to make a magnetic compass this summer.
we would make the “Make a Flashlight”
Oh well, I think the Magnetic Compass would be fun for my grandchildren, I’d hope they do too. 🙂
We would complete the Magnetic Compass!
the steady hands game for sure
I’d definitely like to make the magnetic compass and I’m sure it would be fun for my grandchildren.
Flashlight would be something my nephew would love to do.
We would do the magnetic compass project
stady hands game
We would do the magnetic compass project first!
I think the Magnetic Compass would be fun for my grandchildren.
Love that you can see from the pictures that the kids where really interested – love that when it comes to learning.
We would definitely make the Magnetic Compass first!
I’d love to make the Magnetic Compass and I’m sure my grandchildren would love to help me 🙂
We would make the Magnetic Compass, sounds super neat
Making a compass would be another fun project
Making a compass would be another great project to do.
The steady hands game sounds fun!
We would make the Magnetic Compass together!
For us it’s the Magnetic Compass that would be our first try 🙂
We would make the Magnetic Compass
Building a flashlight would be an activity we would like to do.
The telegraph set looks like fun!
I would love to complete the Magnetic Compass
Magnetic compass would be fun to do
The telegraph set looks like fun!
would love to make the a Magnetic Compass
A Magnetic Compass would be my choice but what my grandchildren would choose is a different matter entirely 🙂
I think it would be fun to make an Electromagnet
Love your pictures and story! Everyone had fun and learned alot!
I think it would be fun to make a flashlight with my son.
The steady hands game sounds really fun!
Would love to build the flashlight with my niece & nephew.
My grandchildren and I would be building a Magnetic Compass 🙂
A Magnetic Compass would be fun to make
We would enjoy making a Magnetic Compass.
Love your pictures of this activity and seeing the family work together!
A Magnetic Compass would be fun to make with my niece!
the steady hands game sounds coooll.,
Make an Electromagnet would be fun and educational!
I’d make a magnetic compass – I’ve always wanted to see how they work!
the steady hand game
The Steady Hands Game looks like it would be a fun activity to do.
A Magnetic Compass would be fun for my niece to make!
I’d complete the Make an Electromagnet project!
My grandchildren would be interested in a Magnetic Compass which would impress me and I think they would enjoy making one.
I’d love to make a magnetic compass
The steady hands game
A Magnetic Compass
Love your photos showing everyone working together on these activities, so nice to see 🙂
We would enjoy making a Magnetic Compass together
The steady hands game sounds super fun!
so a while ago I voted and that worked, next time it said voting was over, today I voted and after voting it said voting over – weird!
A Magnetic Compass would impress me and I think my grandchildren would enjoy making one.
How to Make a Magnetic Compass
Love to try the Flashlight
Building a flashlight would be perfect since we spend a lot of the summer camping.
We would enjoy making a Magnetic Compass.
I know my grandchildren would enjoy making a Magnetic Compass.
making a flashlight
Making a compass would be loads of fun to do
The Steady Hand Game also sounds like it would be fun to complete.
The steady hands game!
Your pictures remind me of making a bug in electronics class when i was young.
We’d complete the Game to Measure Chance!!!
It would be fun to make a flashlight.
We would make flashlights
A Magnetic Compass is what I think my grandchildren would enjoy making 🙂
I think a Simple Telegraph would be interesting to make
Making a flashlight would be fun
From the pictures it looks like the kids were really interested in this activity!
I love how hands on your project was
The steady hands game looks fun! I always have shaky hands so this would be quite the challenge! lOL
We’d complete the Game to Measure Chance! Fun!
Making a flashlight would be useful.
The make a flashlight would be so fun.
The steady hand game seems like it would be alot of fun!!!
I think we would do the Game to Measure Chance.
Making a compass would be fun to do
Making a flashlight would have ‘wow’ factor for even the younger ‘I-dont-know/care-how-electricity-works’ crowd. making a flashlight will have a tangible aspect 🙂
Making a compass would be another fun project to do.
We’d complete the Game to Measure Chance!
We’d love to do the Game to Measure Chance.
We’d do the Game to Measure Chance.
I think we would do the Game to Measure Chance.
The steady hand game lookslike it could be fun!
We’d complete the steady hand game.
How To Make a Flashlight would thrill my kids!
We’d complete the Game to Measure Chance.
i think the Make a Compass would be fun and interesting!
I would love to try making a compass with my grandkids
We’d do the Game to Measure Chance.
the steady hand game sounds fun!
I would like to try making a compass with my kids since I have no sense of direction.
I think my grandchildren would enjoy making a Magnetic Compass.
I think Sophie would love to do the How to Make a Flashlight activity.
The steady hand game would be a great project for my elder grandsons
I would do the flashlight project with my niece
We would do the flashlight project with my son.
we would do the steady hand game for sure
First – I love these! GReat experiments and learning opportunities. Love it! I’ve shared with my homeschool community. 🙂
Second – I’d totally do that quiz game because it reminds me of one that I made with my dad back in like Gr. 4.
Yes I knew you would appreciate them Lisa Marie!
I would love to make a flashlight with the kids!
My son would love the make a flashlight!
How to Make a Flashlight
How to Make a Flashlight with my son great for when were camping
Love to try How to Make a Flashlight with the grandkids.
Make a Flashlight would be a good one to do when we are camping.
Going to make – How to Make a Flashlight with the grandkids.
I think we would love to try and make a circuit!
I would like to try and make a flash light this summer with my kids.
We would do the Make a Flashlight project
i too like the compass project. i think it would be fun to use while hiking
We would try the Make a Compass project.
I’d love to make a magnetic compass with my kids, http://www.energizer.com/science-center/how-to-make-a-magnetic-compass
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo