SciGirls II 2016 Day 1: MagLab, Water Moves, and WeatherSTEM Water Cycle

Today was a wonderful first day of camp! What a wonderful time we had meeting and getting to know these girls! Our girls got to know each other, learned how to get around the lab (or at least where they are supposed to know about,) they met with female scientists, did some team building, and learned a whole lot about Earth's water. The day began with some safety talk at the lab, the girls now know why they need to wear closed-toed shoes and their IDs each morning. They completed surveys about their interests and backgrounds in science. Once this "business" was taken care of, it was time for some fun!! First, we all walked to WFSU to participate in a water moves activity. We definitely got in some steps! Some water and mist was welcome after the walk over. Not only was this activity loads of fun, but the girls got to cool off and work together to accomplish a goal. It was a great team building, getting-to-know-you exercise known as systematic thinking. The girls worked in teams of six and had to devise a way to get water from an above ground pool to their bucket, while watching where they walked. They were not to come close to their buckets or the pool at all! They had to complete water cycle activities and try to get ducks out of the pool to get points. These points then let them buy tools to use to fill their buckets. Shout out to the blue team for being the first to fill their bucket! Afterwards, everyone was a winner with popsicles provided by the staff at WFSU! After the trek back, we enjoyed a luncheon with five female scientists as panelists, for our girls to learn more about different areas of science. The panelists first discussed what they do, and how they got interested in their field of science. The panel included a multitude of fields from astronomy to chemistry all the way to Disney Imagineering. Then for lunch, each scientist ate with a group of girls. Another big shout out to Toyka Holden for organizing this luncheon. The girls thoroughly enjoyed some one-on-one time to ask burning questions. After lunch the girls got to participate in a trip around the water cycle with meteorologist Melissa Griffin with WeatherSTEM. Check out the weather each morning before heading out of the house. For the station closest to you go to http://leon.weatherstem.com, or the closest station to the lab is Sable Palm Elementary at http://leon.weatherstem.com/sabalpalm. The girls then participated in a water cycle activity, in which the followed a water droplet through its journey. From aquifers and groundwater all the way to the atmosphere and clouds, they found out how water can get "stuck," and stay in the ocean or the atmosphere for a pretty long time! Needless to say, the girls had a great day! It's obvious that they the girls were on "cloud 9!" Tomorrow, we spend more time with a Disney Imagineer! We'll also investigate the science behind air bag deployment and how to tell information form skid marks!