3M-Designed Science Kits Allowing 3rd-Graders To Get Hands-On Learning At Home
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Like many kids these days, Maya Consti isn't where she'd like to be.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oakdale third-grader is doing full-time distance learning and feels like she's missing out.
"It's different, because I don't really get to hang out with friends that often," she said.
Maya says she misses her teachers too and hands-on learning. That's where a 3M engineer is stepping in.
Kelsey Hei's interest in science started long ago.
"My grandpa was a science teacher and I always loved conversations with him, learning about science, that's always what kind of drove me," she said.
So now she's making sure students can do science experiments from home. It's part of a 3M program giving experiment kits to 1,000 third-graders.
Hei says it allows them to do hands-on learning at home.
"You can still do some of these fun activities and you can still experiment at home," she said.
With the help of her own kids, she helped come up with experiments on the pertinent subject of air quality.
"My kids will say, Mom, what does airborne mean? So it's also nice to teach them something that's very relevant right now in using a lot of the same terminologies," she said.
It's a concept Maya, who got a kit, now understands more fully.
"I found a lot of dust and my dog's hair," she said. "It was surprising to see how dirty the air is."
And she know understands how her home filtration works.
Like most students, Maya is making things work until COVID leaves the air for good.
"I am looking forward to seeing all my friends without wearing a mask," she said.
The Filtrete Brand has a resource on their website, "Clear the Air: Kids Activities." It offers some tips, fun facts, and educational information on indoor air quality parents can share with their kids at home.