Proposed Class: STEAM Saturdays at Savage

Ages 7-9 with adult; 45-60 min. Weekly series. Ticket required. Join us for family friendly
STEAM activities. Work with your child to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math
concepts through hands-on fun.
Session #1:
Session #2:
Session #3:
Session #4:

The Forces of Flight

Gravity Painting
Marshmallow Tower Challenge
Air Powered Car Races

Proposed Class Description:

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. -- Benjamin Franklin
STEAM Saturdays at Savage will be a series of hands-on science and art classes for school-age
children and their parents/caregivers. Families will explore, create, build, troubleshoot, test, and
learn together in a series of classes led by the children's staff from the Savage Branch. Activities
include:
The Forces of Flight Participants will explore forces such as drag and lift. Children and their
adult partners will design and build four paper airplane models and explore modifications to these
models. Finally, children will test their creations during a flight contest to see which models
perform well and discuss the pros and cons of the airplane models.
Gravity Painting In this art lab, children will explore the concept of gravity through gravity
painting. Participants will use the Earths gravitational pull to direct the paint on their paper and
add other medium to create a collage or scene.
Marshmallow Tower Challenge Children and their adult partners will be divided into teams of
four and will be given 20 sticks of spaghetti, one large marshmallow, a yard of masking tape, and a
yard of yarn. Each team will be asked to build the tallest tower possible in 30 minutes that will
support the marshmallow. Towers will be measured and designs explained to the group. This
challenge will encourage the children to explore basic engineering and design principles.
Air Powered Car Races In this session, children and their parents/caregivers will engage in the
design process that includes critical thinking, planning, and construction. Participants will design
and build air powered cars using styrofoam pieces, Legos, a balloon, a straw, duct tape, and
wheels/axles. In this challenge, participants will consider design (e.g., how to keep the balloon
from getting tangled in the tires) and vehicle stability. Participants can then test their designs in car
races.
Library Mission:
A vital component of Howard Countys renowned education system, we deliver excellence in
education for everyone, advancing the economy and quality of life. --Howard County Library
System

Howard County Library Systems (HCLS) mission is to provide high-quality education for all ages.
By giving children and their families the instruction, materials, and space needed to explore
STEAM concepts and activities, HCLS can facilitate discovery for these families and provide
experiences to support lifelong learning.
Program Need:
The arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity. --Mae C. Jemison, M.D. and NASA
Astronaut
Research shows that when families, schools, and communities work together to support learning,
children perform better academically. For young children, parents are their childrens first teacher.
It is important for families to continue to share learning as children grow and progress through
elementary school. This series of classes provides children and parents/caregivers an opportunity
to experience STEAM activities together. Children have an opportunity to create something
themselves, which can be a powerful motivator to further explore and pursue STEAM-related
opportunities.
These classes also provide an opportunity for adults to share their problem-solving and life skills
with their children. Parents can engage in STEAM activities with their children, learn about
science resources at HCLS, discover STEAM enrichment activities to try at home, and feel
comfortable exploring STEAM projects with their children.
Potential Community Partners:
HCLS seeks partnerships with community members and organizations to fulfill our mission. Johns
Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is located in Howard County. APLs
STEM program is focused on helping students, parents, and educators explore STEM-related fields
and careers. This potential partnership could bring additional resources and support to HCLS staff
in developing and implementing these classes.
Preparation:
Savage staff will need to research science, engineering, and art concepts covered in these classes to
explain and provide background information needed to complete each project. Staff will also need
to gather materials for the projects and ensure that all participants have the space and tools needed
to complete them.
Evaluation:
HCLS has evaluations that customers may complete to provide feedback about classes offered.
Verbal feedback from customers may also serve to evaluate this series of classes.

Media Release for immediate release

Date: TBDS
Contact: Christie Lassen (410.313.7786 or 443.474.0740-cell), Anne Finn (410.313.0776)

Howard County Library System

STEAM SATURDAYS AT SAVAGE

Join us for family friendly STEAM activities at the Savage Branch of the Howard County Library
System. Work with your child to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math concepts
through hands-on fun.
For ages 7-9 with adult; 45-60 min. Weekly series. Ticket required.
Families can explore, create, build, troubleshoot, test, and learn together in a series of classes led by
the children's staff from the Savage Branch:
Session #1: The Forces of Flight
Session #2: Gravity Painting
Session #3: Marshmallow Tower Challenge
Session #4: Air Powered Car Races
For further information, please contact:

Anne Finn, Children's Instructor

Howard County Library System, Savage Branch
phone: 410.313.0776
email: anne.finn@hclibrary.org
###

(This class is proposed. If scheduled and implemented, information will be posted in Source, the
HCLS classes and events guide, and on the HCLS website.)