When my middle school offered a virtual summer camp last summer , they asked me to teach a summer version of Roman Technology , a course I teach during the regular school year . In this class we reproduce the products and processes of the Roman world through experimental archaeology and hands-on STEM projects .
With the demand for STEM programs on the rise , it has become the school ’ s most-requested elective course . Because the class does not have a language component , any student can enroll . For the 2020-21 school year I have
66 students registered for the class .
They come from diverse cultural backgrounds , and include traditional students , gifted and talented students , and students with learning differences . Most take either French or Spanish even though Latin is offered . The fact that the class does not require a language is a big selling point .
While I was excited to offer the class for the summer program , I was worried about how to present hands-on projects in a virtual format . For help I looked to my favorite experts on the issue - Girl Scouts . Despite the pandemic shutdowns of summer camps and programs , Girl Scouting was still taking place in my home state . When girls signed up for online activities , a kit was mailed to them with all the supplies they would need . I was inspired by this , and immediately began to brainstorm how to do the same with my Roman Technology summer program .
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