The LigerBots, Newton’s high school robotics team, will host the FIRST LEGO League Massachusetts-East Championship and a STEAM expo with activities for youth at Newton North High School on December 14 from 10AM-3PM. The competition will feature 48 FIRST LEGO League (FLL) robotics teams, with competitors in grades 4-8. In addition to building and programming robots to perform complex tasks in a competitive game, students have completed engineering projects, which will be displayed at the Expo, addressing real-world problems facing the arts.

This free Expo will feature hands-on activities from various organizations, a fire truck for children to play with and learn about, and interactive STEAM activities led by the LigerBots. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to observe and interact with robots created by the LigerBots and other robotics teams. Admission is free for both the tournament and the Expo.

Brandeis Fall Splash is taking place on Sunday, November 3 from 10AM-3PM at the Olin Sang American Civilization Center on the Brandeis campus (map). Middle and high school students can take fascinating classes taught by Brandeis undergraduate and graduate students in topics ranging from cosmetics techniques to the Greek-Persian War. The program is free and comes with lunch. Register here. 

Clark University Splash offers classes for students in grades 5-12 taught by Clark University student including lectures, discussions, hands-on experiments, and lessons in the arts. It will take place on Sunday, November 17 from 9:30AM-2PM at Clark University’s Tilton and Jonas Clark Buildings. Register here.

Registration is now open for Northeastern University Splash, a daylong event offering workshops for students in grades 8-12 run by undergraduate students. Class topics include robotics, film, medicine, comedy, and philosophy. The event will take place on Saturday, November 9 in Ryder Hall on Northeastern’s campus and is free, with lunch and merchandise included. Students can register here. 

Boston College Splash is a daylong event offering courses for students in grades 6-12 taught by undergraduate and graduate students. Students can choose from courses covering a vast array of topics, including forensic science, global public health issues, and the history of ice cream. The program will take place on Saturday, November 23 in Stokes South Hall on Boston College’s main campus. Students can register here.

Massachusetts STEM Week — an annual statewide celebration of STEM consisting of free community events and design challenges — takes place October 21-25. This year’s events include planetarium shows, a STEM fair, career panels, kids-friendly activities, and more. The week’s design challenges are:

• Extreme Zoo Makeover: A STEM Approach to Habitat Design (Grades 5-8)
• STEM Goes Green: The STEM Challenge (Elementary and Middle School Students)
• “I Am STEM” Lesson Library: Problem-Solving in Books (Grades PK-7)
• Engineering Plastic Filters (Ages 8-12)
• Carbon Busters: Redesigning Schools to be Energy-Efficient (Grades K-12)