The Rubber Band Project has been invited to an increasing number of Professional development events for teachers, workshops for students.
Cantigny First Division Museum (8.2022)
In August of 2022 Rubber Band Project staff led a catapult workshop for students 8-10 years old in conjunction with Cantigny’s First Division Museum. We spent time talking about simple machines and different types of catapults. Then students built their own small-scale catapults. ( pictures below) Then students built a lever and pulley catapult similar to what we did in 2016 pictured below.
NIU STEAMing it up conference 2019
The Rubber Band Project participated in our 3rd STEAMing it up conference in 2019. We provided professional development for educators interested in our Arduino LED sculptures.
https://www.niu.edu/niusteam/_pdf/steamingitup-full-schedule.pdf
Student Excellence Foundation STEM Expo 10.19
“Paper Rocket Launch” is fast becoming our favorite activity to do with students at STEM day events. Students get to build their own rocket and launch it. See below for a video of the Paper Rocket Launch.
Fry Elementary School (Indian Prairie School District April 2019)
On 4.23.19 Rubber Band Project staff participated in a STEAM day at Fry Elementary School. We worked with K-5th grade on circuitry, specifically Squishy Circuits. Topics ranged from what was a circuit, to how we got electricity. Each student to got to build a successful parallel and series circuit. After getting down the basics students had time to bring their own sculptures to live. One student even combined the blue and red dough to make purple! Check out the purple butterfly.
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Student Excellence Foundation STEM Expo 10.29.18
Rubber band project staff unveiled a new project at the 2018 STEM expo, “Paper Rocket Launch” Students built paper rockets and launched them up to fifty feet into the air with a manually pumped air compressor.
Fry Elementary School (Indian Prairie School District spring 2018)/
Rubber band project staff returned for our third year to Fry Elementary School’s STEAM day. Scroll down to see pictures of what students have done in years past.
Ben Franklin School STEM night 1.17.18
Rubber band project staff worked with students at Ben Franklin School’s STEM night. Pictures are similar to what you will see below.
Student Excellence Foundation STEM Expo 11.3.17
Rubber band project staff worked with hundreds of students with Squishy Circuits and robot coding. We were too busy working with students to take pictures.
Fry Elementary School (Indian Prairie School District 3.21.17)
On 3.21.17 Rubber Band Project staff participated in a STEAM day at Fry Elementary School. We worked with K-5th grade on circuitry, specifically Squishy Circuits. Topics ranged from what was a circuit, to how we got electricity. Each student to got to build a successful parallel and series circuit. After getting down the basics students had time to bring their own sculptures to live. Notice the students who decided to include their battery as part of the sculpture. It was a smart idea to make their whole piece of art more finished.
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Cantigny First Division Museum (7.28.16)
On 7.28.16 Rubber Band Project staff led a catapult workshop for students 8-13 years old in conjunction with Cantigny’s First Division Museum. We spent time talking about simple machines and different types of catapults. Then students actually build lever and pulley catapults and “attacked” a “Cantigny Castle” placed 50 feet away. It was a fantastic morning!
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Fry Elementary School (Indian Prairie School District 3.22.16)
On 3.22.16 Rubber Band Project staff participated in a STEAM day at Fry Elementary School. We worked with K-5th grade on circuitry, specifically Squishy Circuits. Topics ranged from what was a circuit, to how we got electricity. Each student to got build a successful parallel and series circuit. After getting down the basics students had time to bring their own sculptures to live.
Squishy Circuits_kids
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Matea Valley Teacher Professional Development 3.4.16
On 3.4.16 Rubber Band Project staff ran a professional development for Matea Valley high school teachers. We explored circuity with both Squishy Circuits and greeting cards that lit up LED’s.
*Please contact steve@rubberbandproject if you our your school district are interested in learning more about this project.
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New 200 STEM Expo 1.28.16
On 1.28.16 Rubber Band Project Staff ran three booths at the NEW 200 Foundation STEM Expo! Our students and staff presented; Squishy Circuits, Student’s fall Makey Makey projects, and programming with Ozobots. Thanks to the wonderful club students and parents that helped us run our three booths. Students from around D200 came by, and even some teachers and district principals stopped bye. They are very interested in what we are doing..
*Please contact steve@rubberbandproject if you our your school district are interested in learning more about this project.
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NIU “STEAM” it up conference 8.3.15.
Rubber Band Project founders participated in a Pannel discussion of what it takes to run a STEAM program at Northern Illinois University. 
Emerson PTA STEM fair 4.21.2015
On 4.21.15 Rubber Band Project Staff ran a booth at the Emerson Elementary School PTA STEM fair. The booth focused on Squishy Circuits. Students from Emerson got to learn about circuitry and build their own sculpture with dough and LED’s.
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