Agriculture

Cultivating Curiosity: STEAM and Agricultural Coding Adventures at Westfall Elementary

Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator

This March Westfall Elementary School started spring by hosting Cultivating Curiosity: a STEAM and Agricultural Adventures for students and parents to explore STEAM in their school. The district partnered with OSU Extension, Pickaway County to bring an agricultural coding session for students and parents to learn to code with simulated ground drones working on a simulated agricultural landscape. Click to watch a short highlight video of the shared experience.

Students coded connected drones from Spheros, a robotics company, best known for its programmable robots and connected toys. Students coded both, Sphero RVRs and Sphero Bolt, customizable robots that can be programmed and controlled using various platforms like Scratch, Sphero Edu App, Raspberry Pi, or Arduino.

Our program used Sphero EDU free app available in both Google Play or the App Store. Sphero EDU allows users to program using block code or text.

Spheros are designed to be educational, allowing users to learn about robotics, coding, and electronics in a hands-on way. The Sphero RVR is equipped with various sensors, motors, and expansion ports, making it suitable for a wide range of projects and applications.

You can typically buy Sphero products, including Sphero RVRs, from various retailers both online and in physical stores. Some popular places to purchase Sphero robots include:

  1. Official Sphero website: The official Sphero website often offers a wide range of products directly from the manufacturer.
  2. Online retailers: Websites like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target often carry Sphero products in their inventory.
  3. Specialty robotics or educational stores: Some specialty stores focus on robotics, STEM education, or educational toys, and they may carry Sphero products.
  4. Electronics stores: Stores like Apple Stores, Fry’s Electronics, or Micro Center might have Sphero products available for purchase.

Be Creative, Keep Coding.

Braves Expo Day Career: Careers in Drone Technologies

Logan Elm students are taking the day to learn about career opportunities and personal career journeys from local professionals. Pickaway County professionals are helping students plan and prepare for their future careers!

OSU Extension will highlight local drone programs as well as igniting career paths such as becoming a drone pilot or technician and the transferable skill sets that apply to this growing market sector. Learn more by visiting the Federal Aviation Administration. Presentation link: go.osu.edu/dronecareers.

Remote Pilot Certification Program

Pickaway Pathways to Success has recently partnered with OSU Extension to develop a Remote Pilot Certification Program using the Unmanned Safety Institute curriculum modules which pair its course work with the OSU Center for Aviation Studies. The program prepares students to obtain their Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA (for commercial flight purposes.) This certificate demonstrates that the student understands the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones.

Drone Careers Impacting All Business and Industry Sectors

Drone growth will occur across five main segments of the enterprise industry: Agriculture, construction and mining, insurance, media and telecommunications, and law enforcement, but will be increasing their presents in all business and industry sectors. Drone applications are everywhere.

Related Drone Ohioline OSU Extension Fact Sheet

Tech Recipe: Starting a Scholastic Drone Racing Team fact sheet is available online.

Pickaway County’s 2020 COSI SciFest Events: Recaps & Recordings

The City of Circleville and OSU Extension, Pickaway County joined forces this spring to participate in the 2020 COSI SciFest, held virtually, to teach and engage communities in science through the COVID-19 pandemic. We were able to offer two unique programs appealing to both youth and adults. The first program, Meet a Polymer Scientist & Engineer Library Youth Program, has Peggy Scott, a polymer scientist, and Christy Yu, a quality engineer, from DuPont sharing their personal experiences and passion for STEM careers to youth and their families. This program teaches about polymer chemistry and exploring science careers. “Click here” to stream recording.

Program 1: Meet A Scientist, Polymer Science Library Youth Program, Webinar recorded by COSI and uploaded to YouTube https://youtu.be/UIYlldO-AnE.

The second program Science Bar Talk teaches the ins and outs of beer from field to glass! The program starts with barley farmer Scott Metzger and OSU Extension Educator Mike Estadt sharing insights and the history of barley in Ohio. To Whitney Thompson of Origin Malt on the science and process of taking barley and turning it into malt. Nick Zachrich of Zachrich Hop Yard Farm shares the science of hop growing and the role of hops here in Ohio. And Jason McKibben, Brewmaster of North High Brewing, concludes with the science behind brewing beer. “Click here” to stream recording.

Program 2: Science Bar Talk, Webinar recorded by COSI and uploaded to YouTube, https://youtu.be/Vz-WcAzedUo. 

Partnerships Matter. Science Matters.

These programs could not be made possible without partnerships. Our local businesses, industries, farmers, educators, and sponsors came together to share their passion and knowledge in their areas of expertise. Many weeks of planning and re-organizing went into switching gears from our face-to-face programs to virtual events in our efforts to adhere to social distancing. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to making science come alive (virtually!)

COSI Science Festival’s Virtual Science Bar Talk

FREE VIRTUAL EVENT, May 7, 2020 – grab an Ohio craft beer and join us for a virtual happy hour paired with a science talk about the ins and outs of beer, from field to glass! We will start in the field focusing on barley and hops grown right here in Ohio and then learn from the talented team at North High Brewing about the brewing process. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: go.osu.edu/sciencebartalk. #COSISciFest (Post-Science Bar Talk, Webinar recorded by COSI and uploaded to YouTube, https://youtu.be/Vz-WcAzedUo.)

We will kick it off with some trivia and prizes at 4:45 p.m. followed at 5:00 p.m. by live chats with industry experts. Starting with barley farmer Scott Metzger and OSU Extension Educator Mike Estadt sharing insights and the history of barley in Ohio. Followed by Whitney Thompson of Origin Malt on the science and process of taking barley and turning it into malt.
And of course, you can’t make beer without hops! Nick Zachrich of Zachrich Hop Yard Farm will share on the science of hop growing and the role of hops here in Ohio. Tie it all together with Jason McKibben, Brewmaster of North High Brewing. Jason will share the science behind brewing beer and share a virtual tour of the brewery!
Independent craft breweries have been severely impacted by COVID-19, as evidenced by a sharp drop in craft category sales, massive furloughs or layoffs, and the high likelihood of a large number of brewery closures while under social distancing mandates. PLEASE DONATE: we’re supporting two charitable campaigns: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/believe-in-beer-relief-fund and https://www.restaurantstrong.org/donations/ohio/
EVENT SPONSORS: COSI, OSU Extension, Metzger Family Farms, Inc., Origin Malt, Ohio Craft Brewers Association, Ohio Farm Bureau, Watt Street Tavern, North High Brewing Co., and Zachrich Hop Yard Farm.

Again, this free event is made possible by your local community’s educators and businesses, pre-registration required: go.osu.edu/sciencebartalk.

(Post-Science Bar Talk, Webinar recorded by COSI and uploaded to YouTube, https://youtu.be/Vz-WcAzedUo.)