Hopkins Middle School, with support from EngenuitySC, will host hands-on “ForenSTEMics Night” Nov. 29, 2016

Crime scene analysis, bloodwork, fingerprinting and instruction from forensics and toxicology professionals, all part of STEM/IB education initiative

Hopkins Middle School, a candidate for the IB Middle Years Program in Hopkins, S.C., will host a hands-on “ForenSTEMics Night” with the support of EngenuitySC, focused on STEM-based learning for students and parents who want to see how STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education can translate into real-world careers, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Led by science teachers; IB/STEM Coordinator, Dr. Sharon Newton; and student facilitators, ForenSTEMics Night will explore the elements of the forensics and toxicology fields through several workshops, held inside the science and computer labs of Hopkins Middle School (1601 Clarkson Road, Hopkins, S.C. 29061).

Students and parents will cluster into small groups and follow a schedule with activity guides and discussion points, prompted by a “What Happened Here?” forensic prop at each workshop site.

Groups will participate in four rotating workshops during ForenSTEMics Night:

• Digital Forensic Photography: Document all aspects of a “crime scene” and write a police report to submit as evidence to be used in court
• Detective’s Casebook: Study handwriting samples, blood types, and analyze fingerprints found at the “crime scene” to identify suspects
• Mystery Powders: Use scientific methods to test the physical and chemical properties of five unknown powder substances found at the “crime scene”
• Introduction to Water Pollution: Perform colorimetric chemical analyses on water samples near the “crime scene” to test for possible contaminants

Participants will take a brief survey after their last workshop, asking thought-provoking questions like, “What did you most enjoy about ForenSTEMics Night?” “Were you interested and excited about science?” and “What new things did you learn?”

Hopkins Middle School’s goal with ForenSTEMics Night, as well with past workshops like Crime Scene Night, is to delve deeper into the STEM acronym using real-world scenarios of problem-based learning activities that integrate collaborative approaches to build student capacity and reinforce artistic student engagement.

In affiliation with the medical detective class at Hopkins Middle School, initiatives like ForenSTEMics Night increase student-centered engagement and critical thinking, tying in directly with seventh grade college and career readiness standards as established by South Carolina, as well as with Project Lead the Way, the nation’s leading STEM curriculum program. Hopkins Middle School is engaged in a partnership with Lower Richland High School to become authorized as an international baccalaureate (IB) world school for the Middle Years Program (MYP).

EngenuitySC is proud to partner with three schools in Richland County School District One, including Hopkins Middle School, Southeast Middle School and Lower Richland High School. Since the partnership began in June 2013, EngenuitySC has focused on exposing students, teachers and parents to the opportunities associated with STEM careers. Thanks to collaboration with industry, higher education and community partners, EngenuitySC has helped bring hands-on STEM experiences, soft skills development and entrepreneurial activities into the halls of all three schools.