STEAM Week | UWC CSC

Introduction

The STEAM WEEK event aims to promote interest and awareness in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) among students through engaging and interactive themed activities. By fostering an interdisciplinary approach to learning, we hope to inspire students to explore and appreciate the diverse opportunities available within the STEAM fields.

Objectives

• To enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of STEAM subjects.
• To encourage creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills among students.
• To provide hands-on learning experiences that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
• To showcase the real-world applications of STEAM concepts in daily life.
• To build a collaborative and inclusive learning environment that promotes teamwork and sharing of ideas.

Event Details

Name:	STEAM Week
Duration:	Two days
Target Audience:	All students and faculty
Proposed Dates:	Jan 21st -22nd 2025

Activity Plan

Date	21st Jan	22nd Jan
Lunchtime Activity (Sodexo)	/	l   Playing STEAM@12:00-13:00
Afternoon Workshop	l   How to play with GPTs? @15:30-17:00 l   Web Scraping@15:00-16:30 l   Cardboard Creations@15:00-16:30	l   Unlocking the Code of Life: DNA Extraction from Bacteria@16:10-17:25
Night Activity	l   Stage Space Design @19:00-20:30 l   Playing STEAM@18:00-20:00	l   Science Trivia Night@18:00-20:30

Activity Details

Workshop Name: How to play with GPTs? (Intro to prompt engineering of instruction tuned LLMs)	Zhixing in Charge: Computing Society	Time Slot: Jan 21 15:30-17:00
Workshop introduction and objectives: This workshop aims to introduce community members to the basics of interacting with AI models like ChatGPT. Participants will learn principles and strategies to improve their prompts and make AI responses more accurate, organized, and useful. The workshop will emphasize practical, hands-on learning, enabling participants to apply these skills in daily tasks, creative endeavors, or problem-solving scenarios. Objectives:** **To understand how instruction-tuned language models work. To learn basic principles for creating effective prompts. To explore practical applications of ChatGPT in summarization, content generation, and more.
Resources Needed: Location: any classroom with projector, whiteboard/markers Material: Others:
Workshop Process: Introduction (5 minutes): Brief overview of base LLMs and instruction-tuned LLMs. Explanation of the workshop structure and goals. Core Principles for Effective Prompts (20 minutes): Principle 1: Be Clear in What You Ask. Use symbols and clear phrasing to guide responses. Request specific formats or styles for outputs. Double-check conditions and add context for better alignment. Principle 2: Let the AI Think. Break tasks into steps for more structured responses. Allow the AI to explore multiple ideas before finalizing an answer. Hands-On Activity: Prompt Engineering Cycle (10 minutes): Introduce the iterative process of drafting, testing, and refining prompts. Facilitate group work to practice this cycle with guided tasks. Applications in Summarization (15 minutes): Differentiate between summarizing and extracting information. Demonstrate setting word limits or focusing on specific topics. Provide practice scenarios for creating effective prompts. Open Practice Session (10 minutes): Participants independently test their own prompts on ChatGPT. Share insights and suggestions for improvement. Wrap-Up and Discussion (5 minutes): Recap key concepts and learning outcomes. Discuss future opportunities for applying prompt engineering skills. Answer any remaining questions.
Additional Information: Target Audience: Community members interested in exploring AI tools, with no prior technical background required.

Workshop Name: Playing STEAM	Zhixing in Charge: Game Art and Literature	Time Slot: Jan.21 18:00 – 20:00 Jan.22 12:00 – 13:00
Workshop introduction and objectives: This workshop offers students an exciting opportunity to combine creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration by designing their own Monopoly-inspired board game with a focus on STEAM. Through this engaging activity, students will harness their imaginations to transform complex STEAM concepts into interactive gameplay mechanics, encouraging both individual ingenuity and group problem-solving. Participants will explore connections between real-world STEAM applications and the elements of strategic game design, gaining insights into how educational content can be communicated in fun and accessible ways. The workshop also emphasizes iterative development, teaching students how to refine ideas and adapt feedback into improved designs. By the end of the session, students will have a tangible creation that reflects both their understanding of STEAM principles and their creativity, providing a memorable and impactful learning experience. Objectives: Learn basic principles of board game design. Develop teamwork and communication skills while collaborating with peers. Enhance critical thinking by balancing educational and gameplay elements.
Resources Needed: Location: 1130; Canteen Material: Card Printing service Art materials
Workshop Process: Introduction (10 minutes) Welcome and overview of the workshop. Brief explanation of Monopoly game mechanics. Discussion of how STEAM themes can be integrated into a board game. Brainstorming and Theme Development (20 minutes) Students will work in groups to choose a STEAM-related theme (e.g., space exploration, environmental science, coding, or famous inventors). Groups will brainstorm how their chosen theme can influence the game’s mechanics, board design, and objectives. Game Design and Prototyping (1.5 hours) Groups will sketch a draft of their game board, design properties, create custom rules, and identify educational objectives. Teams will develop simple prototypes using templates cards, markers, and other materials provided. Playtesting and Feedback (1 hour) The games would be exhibit at Canteen for students to try. A QR Code for feedback form would be provided during the exhibition.

Workshop Name: Cardboard Creations	Zhixing in Charge: Robotics and Moonshots	Time Slot: Jan 22 15:00-17:00
Workshop introduction and objectives: This workshop aims to teach others the principles of collaboration by having teams create motorized machines. Through this workshop, we will encourage members to learn how to ideate quickly and in a way that prepares them to be more sustainable during their design thinking process, and will help teach basic design workshop skills, such as cutting, hot gluing, using motors, and presenting. This workshop will also serve as a lesson on how to create a product despite having scarce resources, allowing people to see that one can still be creative despite limitations in their environment. In this workshop, groups will be given a motor, and will be tasked with building a motorized structure or object of their imagination using cardboard, which will help show them the link between motorized machines (software) and aesthetics and design (hardware). Examples of motorized models that can be built are listed below (they are merely suggestions): ·         Vehicles ·         Airplanes ·         Creatures/animals Summary of objectives: ·         Basic design workshop skills (ideating, creating, presenting/pitching, brainstorming) ·         How robotics and design work together ·         Collaboration in an active setting ·         How to expand one’s limitations despite having scarce resources
Resources Needed: Location: Innovation center Material: Seven 1m by 1m cardboard sheets, 5 motor sets
Workshop Process: 1.     Introduce workshop objectives and provide examples of things to model, get into groups of 4 (5mins) ·         Groups will be randomly assigned and given one 1m by 1m cardboard sheet, 2 box cutters, 2 cutting mats, and 2 hot glue sticks. 2.     Brainstorm ideas for scale models and possible ways to build it (15mins) ·         Research proper measurements of similar structures, and convert those measurements into a proper model scale (1:50, 1:75, etc) ·         Draw a rough sketch of the scale model, including dimensions and features ·         List how much material they will need, and how they can cut the cardboard in a way that uses the least amount 3.     Go through box cutter safety procedures and other safety notices, including a short cutting practice if needed (10mins) 4.     Constructing (1hr) 5.     Wrap up presentations and clean up (15mins) ·         Each group takes 1-2 minutes to explain what their structure is and reflect on the process
Additional Information: The number of participants for this workshop should be limited to 15 people.

Workshop Name: Web Scraping Workshop	Zhixing in Charge: Web Developers	Time Slot: Jan 22, 15:00-1630
Workshop introduction and objectives: Web scraping is a technique that can improve the productivity of people by retrieving data in bulk from a website. With enough practice, you can apply it to all sorts of websites, which can make researching and organizing data much easier. For instance, if you were to extract thousands of datapoints from a website for analysis, it would take lots of manual labor, and prone to human error. There are a ton of ways to achieve web scraping, but considering this course to be introductory, we’ll keep it simple, and use list/string comprehension in Python to scrape data from websites, along with some help from the Requests module. By the end of the sessions, members can: ·         Understand some preliminary Python (extent specified in Workshop Process) ·         Able to use the Requests Module in Python to extract data from multiple requests to the same website
Resources Needed: Location: 2144 (David’s Classroom) Material: Computer
Workshop Process: Introduction to Web Scraping (5 min) Set-up (15 min) ·         Download Python, set up pip, install requests Basic Python (15 min) ·         Print ·         Text indexing ·         Finding ·         Slicing ·         Len Requests Module (5 min) ·         Introduction to it ·         How to use it to extract requested text Implementation (15 min) ·         Test knowledge on Requests Module and Basic Python by extracting data from an actual website. Basic Python (15 min) ·         for loops ·         Text appendage Implementation (15 min) ·         Return to the website in implementation 1 ·         Try to make multiple queries Wrap-up (5-min) Precautions of Web Scraping (Ethical Concerns, and Methods to Resolve)
Additional Information: Members will be alerted about the ethical concerns of Web Scraping in the first phase (Introduction to Web Scraping)

Workshop Name: Unlocking the Code of Life: DNA Extraction from Bacteria	Zhixing in Charge: Bio&chem institution	Time Slot: Jan 22 16:10-17:25
Workshop introduction and objectives: This workshop aims to teach participants the fundamental principles of molecular biology through the hands-on activity of DNA extraction from bacteria. Participants will gain a basic understanding of bacterial cells, DNA’s role in cellular function, and how laboratory techniques can isolate DNA for further study. Through this workshop, participants will: 1. Learn the science behind DNA extraction, including the chemical and physical steps involved. 2. Develop foundational lab skills, such as pipetting, centrifugation, and using common reagents. 3. Explore how molecular biology techniques can be applied to real-world challenges, such as biotechnology and medicine. 4. Work collaboratively to complete the extraction process, encouraging teamwork and problem-solving. This workshop demonstrates how scientific processes can make the invisible (DNA) visible, inspiring participants to connect abstract concepts with tangible results. Summary of Objectives - Introduce participants to molecular biology techniques. - Teach step-by-step DNA extraction using accessible equipment. - Foster collaborative problem-solving in a laboratory setting. - Provide insights into the applications of DNA studies in research and technology.
Resources Needed: Location: 2315 Material:   Bacterial culture (e.g., E. coli or a safe, non-pathogenic strain).   Lysis buffer (containing detergent and salt).   Proteinase K or a similar protease enzyme.   Isopropanol or ethanol (chilled).   TE buffer (Tris-EDTA).   Sterile distilled water.   Microcentrifuge tubes (1.5 mL).   Micropipettes and tips.   Centrifuge.   Beakers, gloves, and safety goggles.   Instruction sheets or a protocol guide.
Workshop Process: introduce Workshop Objectives (5 minutes) - Explain the purpose of DNA extraction and its applications (e.g., genetics, biotechnology). - Provide a brief overview of the procedure and expected outcomes. 2. Prepare and Learn Safety Protocols (10 minutes) - Discuss the importance of aseptic techniques and lab safety. - Show how to handle micropipettes, centrifuge tubes, and reagents correctly. 3. DNA Extraction Activity (40 minutes) - Step 1: Cell Lysis (10 minutes) - Mix the bacterial culture with lysis buffer to break open cells and release DNA. - Step 2: Enzyme Treatment (10 minutes) - Add Proteinase K to degrade proteins, improving DNA purity. - Step 3: DNA Precipitation (10 minutes) - Slowly mix in chilled alcohol to precipitate DNA. - Step 4: DNA Collection (10 minutes) - Centrifuge the mixture to isolate the DNA pellet, then resuspend in TE buffer. 4. Reflection and Discussion (15 minutes) - Groups compare their results, observing the DNA’s appearance. - Discuss what might affect DNA yield and purity. - Connect the activity to broader scientific topics like genetic engineering or diagnostics. 5. Clean-Up and Wrap-Up (5 minutes) - Ensure all materials are disposed of safely and the lab is cleaned. - Thank participants and provide follow-up resources for further learning.
Additional Information: There will be detailed instructions from zhixing members, so there is no need for a biology background. However, 5-7 available seats are recommended.

Workshop Name: Science Trivia Night	Zhixing in Charge:  ULAB	Time Slot: Jan 22 18:00-20:30
Workshop introduction and objectives:  Introduction Science trivia night aims to engage students in the CSC community through different interactive activities and science brain teasers. Participants will rotate through 5 different stations, all designed to stimulate curiosity, discussion and test their understanding across different science disciplines. Objectives: 1. Provide an engaging platform to explore diverse scientific fields through activities, questions 2. Inspire participants to think analytically and approach problems creatively 3. Create a fun and approachable atmosphere for people of all knowledge levels to enjoy science
Resources Needed: Location: Glasshouse
Workshop Process: Station 1: In this activity students get to arrange different organisms into small group based on their looks **Objective: **Students will understand the concept of cladistics by arranging pictures of animals into groups based on shared derived characteristics, illustrating evolutionary relationships. Materials: ●    Pictures of various animals (e.g., fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, insects, etc.) ●    Chart paper ●    Glue/double sided tape ●    General cladistic tree (pre-drawn or printed) showing common evolutionary branches for reference. Station 2: Science Brain teasers There would be different interesting science puns, teasers and puzzles, where in small groups of 4, participants would compete together. Station 3: Making fluffy blood cells : Prep/materials: fluffy, colored balls with cotton inside Fluffy twisting sticks Glue buttons/plastic eyes Steps: show them what blood cells/ coronavirus looks like. Stick the twisting sticks and glue the eyes. Show and tell with partners about what you made and what it functions in the human body.

Workshop Name: Stage Art	Zhixing in Charge: Theaomai Theater Zhixing	Time Slot: Jan. 21, 19:00-20:30
Workshop introduction and objectives: This workshop provides an engaging overview of scenic design, focusing on its artistic and practical aspects. Participants will explore the principles and history of stage design and how technology can support their creative expressions through a hands-on project.
Resources Needed: Location: 6130 Material: / Others: /
Workshop Process: 0-10min Brief Introduction of what is scenic with a YouTube Video 10-30min Lecture with a PowerPoint: History, the goal and principle of stage design, stage design examples for different types of theaters 30-40min Introduction of the stage design APP 40-80min (5min) Introduce the project: each group will select a location at school, a drama type, and a theme. (10min) They go take pictures of the location and (15min) design a scene on the APP (10min) presentation 80-90min Conclusion and Q&A

Outcomes

• Students gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of STEAM subjects.
• Students developed critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
• Increased enthusiasm and participation in STEAM-related extracurricular activities.
• Strengthened collaboration between students and teachers in interdisciplinary projects.
• Positive feedback and suggestions for future STEAM-related initiatives.