Learning STEM with Kids while Camping: How to build a power pack #TransformingInnovation

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. 

Making STEM with kids

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. 

Making a Simple Circuit

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. 

Making a Simple Circuit

All of these projects should only be made with adult supervision.

Making a Simple Circuit

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Making a Simple Circuit Making a Simple Circuit 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.

09-DSC_0758 Making a Simple Circuit and Conductivity Test That wasn’t it, we also used our power pack and simple circuit play a game to measure chance.

Game to Measure Chance This STEM game to measure chance was where I really could see and understand how it all came together.

Game to Measure Chance Learn how to make your own STEM game to measure chance on Energizer.com.

STEM Game to Measure Chance 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.

Thank you for reading In R Dream!


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