Logan County AAUW

Camp GEMS

By: Ashley Wilson

On April 19, 2008, I was fortunate enough to attend a “Girls in Archaeology” workshop at the Center Of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. This program was designed by Dr. Melinda A. Zeder, the director of Archaeobiology at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Dr. Zeder told us that in order to succeed at science, technology, engineering and math (STEM subjects she called them), we need to think like artists – to think of a solution to a problem or design from a creative side, not just a black and white technical side. The program that was set up for us talked about the science, technology, engineering and math that goes into the study of archaeology and we learned that there are all sorts of different areas to archaeology that have specialties in different areas (like archaeobiology or archaeobotany or archaeoengineering). We did hands-on activities for subjects like “Bog Bodies” and diseases that may have killed people. After the program classes, we walked around COSI and investigated other areas of science that were on display – it was a lot of fun to see the different things like the science behind fear. (I want to go back and do the Adventure Activity again where you search for clues in an “Ancient Civilization”).

In everything I do every day involves science, technology, engineering or math. In 5th grade when I started home schooling, I had to take geometry and I didn’t like it very much. In 6th grade, I took algebra and I liked it very much (even though it is still not my favorite subject)! Because I home school, I am able to do more hands-on activities which make the lessons more interesting, and easier to learn for math, science and even engineering. I think because I am home schooled, I also get to experience technology more because I can go out and see it and work on it right away rather than reading about it and maybe doing it later. I was able to participate in science fair this year with a group of other home schoolers from Logan County. I did my project on acid rain. I completed five experiments about what acid rain is, how acids occur naturally, the effect of acid rain on plants, the effect of acid rain on rocks, and the effect of acid rain on bird eggs. I also did a research report to go with my experiments. For judging, I even set up a hands-on activity for the judges and the people there to watch. I took second place in the science fair and won a Wal-mart gift card.

In January, I was able to finish the 6th grade and start on 7th grade. Because I have to take the Ohio math and reading tests, my mom did not want me to get too far ahead in 7th grade so I have been working on science, literature, history and art until after I finish the tests (to avoid confusion). In the meantime, I have been working on other things that interest me and to my surprise, all of these have led me back to science, technology, engineering and math! I am very interested in all kinds of history and mummies, (especially bog bodies and Egyptian), and I have been able to watch many shows on the Science Channel, the International History Channel, the Discovery Channel, etc. that talk about the science behind the preservation of the mummies, the math and engineering skills used by these people and the technology that they had to develop to help their civilization be great. (Next to the science history shows, I love to watch shows like “How Its Made” and “Build It Bigger” which shows how technology is used to make simple things and big complex things like telescopes that see deep into outer space.)

I think I started to like science a long time ago when I went to a daycare and we went to a park. We did an experiment where we took bottles of diet coke and some Mentos candy. When you drop the Mentos in the Coke, it causes a chemical reaction and the Coke shoots straight up into the sky till gravity brings it back down. We didn’t know it was science then – we just thought it was cool to see the pop fly out of the bottle. Now that I am older, I want to know why things do what they do and now I have the time to investigate! I am doing a cooking project for 4H and it is neat to see how math can help you figure out cost, portions, and how science can help you figure out what ingredients can go together and either blend flavors or cause a chemical reaction to make something happen like the coke bottles.

For my other hobbies, I do a lot of sewing, quilting, crocheting and knitting. I am also doing these for 4H projects for the fair. These may not seem like they use math or science or engineering but they do! You have to be able to use math to figure out how much fabric you will need; sometimes you can use science to dye the fabric (like I am trying to do with different fibers to see which takes the dye better and which dyes work best); and of course, sometimes you have to know engineering ideas to even make the project work! (This is a “Quilt Clock” I saw at a quilt show in Columbus! I would like to figure out how to make one.)

I also love to play the piano. I have even written some piano music and even though it is nothing like what Beethoven, Beyer or Newton wrote, they are short and simple and I like them. It takes math and some engineering (understanding the piano) that works to make writing music fun and I really do enjoy playing and writing music.(This is me playing a baby grand piano at my favorite antique store.)

I also like to work outside with science, math and engineering. This summer I am going to help my sister design a garden where our barn used to be. I am hoping to take a lawn care project for 4H. Right now, I help my dad with his lawn care business and with farming. I can’t do as much of the mental math as he does (or my sister can) but I can use math, science and engineering to help figure out what should go where, why, how close, how to design it and how to put it together. We have used math in our cemetery restoration projects at the Dague Cemetery in Franklin County, Goshen Cemetery in Logan County and Bodey Cemetery in Champaign County to help figure out where rows of tombstones should be and then used technology like ground penetrating radar and archaeology to help find them. (This is me and some of the Girl Scouts at Goshen putting flags on veterans’ graves.)

This ALL also helps when I work with wood. I am trying to design a short table like a coffee table and I couldn’t believe the science behind picking the right wood, (I knew there would be math in measuring), science in picking a good stain or paint and the engineering behind even trying to build it right. I am not taking a woodworking 4H project this year but my sister is so I am going to help her.

I am taking a 4H project called “Art as an Expression”. I agree with Dr. Zeder that being artistic does help you figure out the other things much easier. I take art classes from Gary Stuart in West Liberty and he helps me figure out how projects can come together. (The picture of a wolf I drew last fall with a pencil but now I use all sorts of things to create pictures.) When you look at a picture or a sculpture or pottery, you may not see the math or science or engineering behind it but believe me – it is there! (My sister watched a show once called “Hot Rocks” that talked about how chemistry and the use of everyday stuff made possible the dyes and paints used for painting through history. She told me about it because I couldn’t see it.) When I took the class at COSI, I was able to go with 4 of my friends who are in my Cadet Girl Scout Troop and only one of them really wanted to go to the archaeology classes. I think once they got there and saw that it wasn’t just numbers and lectures about archaeology but actually messing with stuff (being artistic), they had a great time because it was being creative to get the solution. There is a “Girls in Engineering” class at COSI this fall and I am going to try and talk the other girl scouts into going as well because I think it will show them that engineering can be creative too – not just messing with a bunch of numbers!

My mom has a quote on her desk from a Dove candy bar that says “To accomplish great things one must not only act, but dream”. I think that is what Dr. Zeder was talking about. I want to dream enough to know how to act to accomplish great things - That is why I want to go to Camp GEMS!