STEAM Programs

Welcome to the Annette S. Boggs STEAM Education Center, a 6,000-square-foot facility that focuses on hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, art and math. The Center features two classrooms and a technology room with 3-D printers and other specialty equipment. The Boggs Education Center is open year-round for group visits from schools and youth serving organizations.

Our STEM specialist will lead your class in dynamic STEAM activities which, depending on your topic, incorporate problem solving skills, computer science fundamentals, science concepts and growth mindset.

Customized learning for K-12 students

Visits can be customized for grades K-12. Choose a STEAM theme and take a dive into hands-on learning.

Current options include:

Computer science
Engineering design
Physical science

Our steam team is here for you

We want to support your learning outcome objectives.

Annette S. Boggs STEAM Education Center Tour

STEM Specialist Dr. Jen Robertson-Honecker discusses the Annette S. Boggs STEAM Education Center and what it can do for education in the Mountain State.

Steam Lessons

Curriculum standards support class learning requirements. Classes are offered to students K-12 and activities range from approximately 30 to 120 minutes depending on the chosen topic.

Engineering Design
Class Name	K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Here's the Scoop: Trash Collectors	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth become environmental engineers as they work to save a fictional duck from a polluted pond. The activity explores animal habitats and ecosystems, recycling and environmental stewardship. Time: 45-90 minutes
Sky's The Limit	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth become aeronautical engineers as they design models of flying technologies that help NASA collect aerial photographs. Time: 45-90 minutes
Straw Rockets	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth become aerospace engineers as they design a model rocket out of a straw. Youth will determine the best launch angle for greatest distance. Time: 45-90 minutes
Living with Earthquakes	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth become architects and civil engineers to design model skyscrapers capable of resisting earthquake forces in this workshop. Time: 45-120 minutes
Stomp Rockets	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth become aerospace engineers as they use engineer design process to build and test model stomp rockets. Time: 45-90 minutes

Physical Science
Class Name	K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Beak Tools	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth explore animal adaptations through testing objects in relation to bird beaks. Time: 45-90 minutes
Pill Bug Adaptations	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will become animal behavior scientists (or ethologists) and examine and explore the behavior of pill bugs. Time: 45-75 minutes
Circuits	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will explore the difference between simple, series and parallel circuits. Time: 45-75 minutes
Ocean Robot Test Tank (Ballast Density)	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will explore concepts of density as they work to ballast a model of the real-life ocean exploration robots. Time: 45-90 minutes
Strawberry DNA Extraction	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will use the same procedure used by genetics and forensics labs to extract DNA from a strawberry. Time: 45-90 minutes
Photosynthesis Chlorophyll Fluorescence Lab	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will examine the phenomenon of chlorophyll fluorescence and compare it to the real-life application used by scientists to measure ecosystem plant health. Time: 30-75 minutes
Mini PCR: COVID-19 Test Lab	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will become lab scientists and use real-world techniques to test a fictional family for COVID-19. Time: 60-120 minutes
Mini PCR: Sickle Cell Genetics Lab	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will become lab scientists and perform genetic testing on members of a fictional family to diagnose sickle cell anemia. Time: 60-120 minutes
Wetlands Hike	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will explore the dominion trail located at WVU Jackson’s Mill and observe a wetland ecosystem. Youth will have the opportunity to identify species of plants, animals and insects. Time: 30-90 minutes

Computer Science
Class Name	K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Scratch Jr Coding	Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will become computer scientists and code their own computer program using scratch junior, a pre-reader friendly version of Scratch coding developed my MIT. Time: 45-90 minutes
Scratch Coding	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will become computer scientists and code their own computer program using scratch, a computer coding language developed by MIT. Time: 45-90 minutes
Lego WeDo	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will build and code a Lego WeDo set to do a simple action. Time: 45-90 minutes
Makey Makey Piano	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will use the makey makey invention kit to build and test digital musical instruments, starting with the piano and moving on to more complex instruments. Time: 45-90 minutes
Makey Makey Game Controllers	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Youth will use the makey makey invention kit to build and test game controllers for video games in scratch. This will allow youth to become hardware computer engineers. Time: 45-90 minutes
Micro:bit Rock Paper Scissors	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will use the Micro:bit microcontroller to code and create a rock paper scissors game. Time: 45-90 minutes
Micro:Bit Prosthetic Hand Design	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Available	Available	Available	Available
Youth will become robotic engineers to develop a model prosthetic hand combining skills from mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. Time: 90-120 minutes

Active Campus Alert

Customized learning for K-12 students

Suzanne McDonald

Our steam team is here for you

Annette S. Boggs STEAM Education Center Tour

Steam Lessons

Meet Emma, the expert who will lead STEAM programming on field trips