On March 7th the Fair Grove 4th graders took a field trip to WonderWorks in Branson. This trip gave the students an opportunity to learn about STEM through fun activities.
The 4th grade students partook in a field trip in WonderWorks. WonderWorks is a discovery center mainly focusing on teaching kids the work of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), through entertainment.
During the trip the students got to do activities that included hands-on options, simulations, and gallery viewing opportunities. For example, they were able to experience the feel of a 74 mph hurricane–force winds in the Hurricane Shack, and make huge, life–sized bubbles in the Bubble Lab.
The WonderWorks field trip gave great examples that benefited the students’ learning experiences. Students were able to learn subjects that were moderately easy to follow along with and excelled their ability to understand those subjects through hands-on activities.
“The Titanic exhibit was very informative and interesting. Through this exhibit, we could feel the actual temperature of the water in the Atlantic Ocean at the time of the sinking,” described a 4th grade teacher, Kelly Elgin.
Elgin added, “I was able to learn about the specific challenges such as the angle from which the ship was positioned while it was sinking. This exhibit was a fan favorite for students and teachers.”
Despite the basic STEM learning that WonderWorks has to offer to the students, they also provide insight on a study called Meteorology, the study of weather.
“This is one of my favorite field trips I’ve been on. The students love it and are able to explore at their own pace. It’s a perfect field trip for 4th grade,” said Christina Snitker. “We were unable to stop at the park for lunch on the way due to rain and had to eat on the bus. Even with that hiccup the kids still said it was one of the best field trips they’ve been on,” she added.
As a result, the students had fun and were able to learn new things throughout the field trip. It gave them hands-on experience for their main core subjects while also giving them a fun day of entertainment.
“The students and I always enjoy this field trip,” Marshall Groves, a 4th grade teacher, said. Groves added, “I do think the students were able to learn concepts and history about space travel as Wonderworks has a lot of really cool information and props students can interact with.”
