The Los Altos School District Showcases its STEM program
during the First Inaugural Science on the Green
On August 17, The Los Altos School District--along with several community agencies--led activities for little Los Altos scientists to immerse themselves in a variety of science 
concepts during an afternoon “Science on the Green” event in downtown Los Altos. The first annual event was well attended with participation from Los Altos residents, the Los Altos School District (LASD), the Los Altos Library and the Los Altos Police Department.
LASD’s STEM, Living Classroom and Art Docents led interactive activities that allowed students and parents to get a taste of the concepts and teaching methods that comprise the LASD science curriculum. Children programmed small robots called “Bee-bots,” which teach sequencing, estimation and problem-solving through basic algorithms as children create simple programs. The Little Scientists also designed flowers and planted seeds to learn about pollination through activities that integrate art, engineering and biology.
The Little Scientists also explored science topics with the community, presenting their topic and discussing it with other event participants. “I had a fun time talking about earthquakes and how they happen,” said Logan Mouli, a first grader at Covington Elementary.
“I and many members of the LASD team were thrilled to interact with the Los Altos Community in this fun afternoon on the Los Altos Downtown Green. We were excited to help our little scientists learn new concepts,” said Jeff Baier, Superintendent of Los Altos School District.
Other activities at the event included a Los Altos Police Department activity where children created their own DNA fingerprint to learn about DNA and fingerprint technology in law enforcement. The Los Altos Library rolled in with the Gogobiblio truck loaded with science books for kids to check out on site.
“It was really exciting to see many organizations within the community come together in the name of educating our youth in science on such a fantastic venue in the heart of our community,” said lead organizer, Sandesh Mouli. “I think the community really enjoyed the event and I would like to thank all those who participated and contributed to making this a successful community event.”
Los Altos’ first Science on the Green inspired many of our community youth to learn more about science and its impact. With the start of school just around the corner, it was a great “welcome back” from summer break. Mouli hopes to make “Science on the Green” an annual event for the community.