STEM Spotlight: Where in the world did Brown Dog Gadgets go with USAGSO this year?
December 10, 2024
Girl Scouts living overseas had a busy summer, and STEM was front and center! With three USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) weeklong camps in three different countries in the books, let’s take some time to reflect on all of the amazing STEM experiences at camps in 2024!
USAGSO’s STEMinist Erin Twamley (STEM program partner) joined campers in Taiwan, Switzerland and Germany to spark STEM curiosity with hand-sized robots! She facilitated over 200 Girl Scouts building and programming their robots. Girl Scouts got to take their robots home as a result of the partnership with Brown Dog Gadgets. Keep reading to learn more about these projects!
SOLAR BUGS: Our Girl Scouts learned how to harness the sun's energy to power Solar Bugs, little robots that run on solar power! Campers decorated ladybug or stag beetles made from paper, assembled solar circuits and put it all together to create a dancing bug powered by the sun! When put in the sunlight, the solar bugs couldn’t be stopped - much to the delight of our future STEMinists!
BRISTLE BOTS: Campers made not one, but TWO mini robots at camp this summer! Bristlebots are a fun way to learn about basic engineering, motor, circuits and principles of balance. Campers built a basic circuit system that was used to power the motor of the robot. Once everything was assembled, these Bristle Bots and Girl Scouts slid all over.
SOLAR ART PRINT PAPER: Our Girl Scouts got to combine art and STEM by making solar paper prints! Campers picked out things that they found in nature (leaves, twigs, rocks, flowers and more) that they wanted to create a print with. These items were placed on cyanotype paper and left to sit in the sun, then the items were removed and the papers were rinsed with water to activate the chemicals! After leaving the activated papers to dry, campers were left with prints of the items that they chose on beautiful blue papers!
ENGINEERING & CHEMISTRY: The STEM exploration did not stop with Brown Dog Gadgets! Campers in Germany got a chance to practice their engineering skills by making cardboard box cranes and balloon cars. Campers in Switzerland were chemists in training and made crystals on pipe cleaners. And in Taiwan, campers got to be field scientists by exploring river ecology.
The STEM fun does not stop with the end of USAGSO summer programming. Join STEMinist at the monthly virtual programs where Girl Scouts will get the chance to learn from real STEM superheroes - women working in STEM fields worldwide to experience STEM!
Check out the STEMinist line up for in-person and virtual programs in 2024-2025. Learn more and register at this link!
Girl Scout Juniors in Germany with their crane.
Girl Scout Juniors in Germany waiting on their Solar Art prints.
Girl Scout Juniors in Germany waiting for their Solar Art prints.
Girl Scout Brownies in Switzerland make a crystal forming solution during a STEMinist program.
Girl Scout Cadettes in Germany make Bristle Bots.
The campers in Switzerland test out their Solar Bugs.
STEMinist program with Girl Scout Cadettes in Swizerland.
STEMinist program with Girl Scout Juniors in Germany.
