Mobile STEM Labs are coming to an area near you. Colorado’s state 4-H Office is rolling out four mobile STEM labs available for local 4-H agents to use throughout the year. These labs, housed in customized cargo trailers converted to educational units, offer students hands-on educational experiences in science, technology, engineering and math, all the STEM categories.
Colorado’s electric cooperatives sponsor several youth programs, including the 4-H Mobile Energy Lab through their member services group. This lab focuses on energy production and conservation, energy conversions and energy use. It includes several hands-on activities to help students understand electricity, how it is generated and how it can be used.
The other three mobile labs include a STEM career pathway lab, a STEM maker lab focused on activities such as woodcraft and an environmental sciences lab.
The labs were featured at the summer 4-H conference, and the Mobile Energy Lab was displayed at the recent Colorado State Fair. Designs for the interactive elements of each lab are being finalized. The trailers will be distributed to four regions of the state in September and begin a rotation through each region in October. The Energy Lab will begin on the western side of the state.