January 26, 2015
Legos help convey concepts
A small group of area first-graders spent their Saturday afternoon in the Beard Building on Main Street, attending a hands-on interactive science class teaching them about light and color.
The first class of the year put on by the Cortland Makerspace, a nonprofit group that hosts a variety of classes locally, centered around colors. The children spent the afternoon learning about light, pigment and the differences between the two. They used Legos and watercolor paints as tools in the interactive lesson.
After viewing some video clips of television show “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” and getting a quick lesson by Cortland Makerspace founder Amanda Sharpsteen, the children seemed to be picking up on the idea that the colors they see are nothing more than light reflected off different objects and being absorbed by the eye.
A couple of the children were able to put what they learned into practice using watercolor paints. Serenity Wolf, 6, painted a rainbow and bright flowers while her sister Gracie, 10, blended different pigments together, creating her own abstract artwork.
While it was Sharpsteen’s idea to hold the class, it was her daughter Kairi Scudo, 7, who came up with the idea of the Lego Club, where she and her friends could play with her favorite toys.
Generally speaking, there is not much of a connection between light and Legos, but Sharpsteen said that was the point of the Makerspace, also known as the “Cortland STEAM House” — STEAM being an acronym for science, technology, engineering, art and math. This is a new nationwide educational initiative aimed at preparing students to excel in these five areas of academic studies.
“Really, all five of those things are interconnected,” Sharpsteen said. “What you’re really doing when you’re playing with Legos is you’re engineering in its simplest form. Of course, the art with Legos goes without saying.”
The goal, Sharpsteen said, is to introduce children to those connections early so they will hopefully develop an interest as they get older.
“With a better understanding of the science ... they can do better art. Once they have an appreciation for the art, they’ll have an appreciation for the science,” Sharpsteen said.
Summerhill resident Mary Faith Miller said she brought her son Jesse, 7, to the class to support Sharpsteen and the Makerspace’s efforts to get more children interested in STEAM.
“She’s always up to interesting things,” Miller said. “We want to get more involved with the STEAM philosophy. I think kids should be ... learning these things really young.”
Out of the four children who attended the class, Jesse was the only boy, which is notable given the recent push to see more women enter the science, engineering and technology fields.
Also, in response to a 7-year-old girl’s letter last year, the Lego company launched its “Research Institute” product line featuring women in professional settings studying sciences like chemistry and archaeology.
Sharpsteen said while she wants all children to become more interested in STEAM-related studies, she hopes Lego Club contributes to that movement.
“My daughter ... has ‘Hello Kitty’ Legos, but she also has a NASA space shuttle, she has the Millennium Falcon (from the ‘Star Wars’ movies),” Sharpsteen said, “and similarly, being able to show boys that girls are into this, too; it goes both ways.”
But she added as it continues to grow, the goal is to have the Makerspace attract people of all ages.
“We just want to make sure everyone has access to the tools and space and community of people to help support them in their hobbies and interests,” Sharpsteen said.
To read this article and more, pick up today's Cortland Standard
Click here to subscribe