As the K2 children learned more about the importance of doing their part for the environment, they were motivated to create for Mother Earth. They engaged in various activities that equipped them with a deeper understanding of environmental issues such as the endangerment of turtles and water conservation. Inspired and driven to help in their own way, the children participated in the STEMIE program, where they created “Helptur: Helper for Turtles” and “Soapbot.” These simple machines were the result of the children’s creativity, as they adapted existing technology and put it to new uses.
Helptur is a modified water tunnel that, according to the children, allows “Turtles to go in and swim to the beach, and also the beach will not be very dry so the eggs can hatch.” They designed this to address the problem of decreasing numbers of hatching turtles due to poaching and global warming. Soapbot is an alarm system designed to remind children to use soap every time they wash their hands and to ensure water conservation. As the children explained, “When the teacher turns on the alarm, there will be a sound, and the sound means you have to use soap. The sensor under the soap dispenser will remind you to use soap when you put your hand under it.”
It is amazing to see how, together, the children can create solutions that can be used in the future. Through the encouragement of invention, the children are able to contribute their small part to helping our environment and others.
