STEM Workshop at Moody Middle School

On December 8th, 2024, Stemsphere brought a full 90-minute STEM workshop to Moody Middle School. We worked with 70 students in grades 6–8, all part of the school's Water Pod program. Our youth-led team — Diwen, Zoe, Tristan, Eden, Hao, and Drishya — guided students through two interactive sessions: a Python Turtle coding lesson and an Earthquake Tower Engineering Challenge.

This workshop is part of Stemsphere's mission to make STEM education more accessible, approachable, and fun for students across Metro Vancouver.

Python Programming with Turtle Graphics

Students were introduced to programming through Stemsf Playground, our beginner-friendly Python environment designed for classrooms. Using the Turtle module, they learned how simple commands can create complex and artistic designs.

We covered the fundamentals:

• Movement commands: forward(), left(), right()
• Drawing shapes: squares, triangles, circles
• Loops: using for loops to repeat instructions
• Creativity in code: experimenting with color, line thickness, and patterns
• Problem-solving: debugging when drawings didn't turn out as expected

By the end, students were confidently writing code to draw geometric patterns and submitting their creations for an end-of-session showcase.

Earthquake Tower Engineering Challenge

The second half of the workshop focused on engineering and design. Student teams were given the same materials — marshmallows, toothpicks, and a cardboard base — and asked to build the tallest freestanding tower.

But there was a twist: the tower had to survive an earthquake.

How the challenge worked:

1. Teams brainstormed and sketched ideas
2. They built their towers within a time limit
3. Each tower was placed on a cardboard platform
4. Our team simulated an earthquake by shaking the base
5. The tallest surviving structure was declared the winner

Students explored key engineering ideas:

• Stability and center of mass
• The strength of triangles vs. squares
• Why wide bases handle shaking better
• Iterative design and rapid prototyping
• How real engineers design earthquake-resistant buildings

Most teams quickly learned that structural strength > height.

Looking Ahead

Throughout the day, we also talked about careers in STEM, the value of creativity in engineering, and how coding + design thinking connect to real-world problems. Students asked thoughtful questions, and many expressed interest in exploring more STEM pathways.

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Bring a Workshop to Your School

Stemsphere runs free, youth-led STEM workshops across Metro Vancouver.
Want to host a session for your class or community program? Visit our
Get Involved page to learn more or request a workshop.