LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Volunteers from Texas Tech and United Way visited fourth and fifth grade classrooms Tuesday to promote literacy and science skills through a reading program.
The Read Like a BOSS event uses books focused on STEM subjects. BOSS stands for Book of STEM Skills.
Volunteers read “If I Built a Car” to students, then led a hands-on activity tied to the story. Students designed their own cars with special features, acting as engineers and working through the engineering design process.
Allison Eubanks, outreach director of STEM SCORE at Texas Tech, said the program supports childhood education and student success across the South Plains.
“And in this particular book, it’s about designing a car, and so the activity we are paring with it is for the students to design their own car with special features and pretending to be engineers and going through the engineering design process all with the goal of increasing literacy skills as well as an enjoyment with stem skills,” Eubanks said.
The program is designed for families to participate together. Each child receives a copy of the book and a family reading and STEM activity guide.
Eubanks encouraged parents and children to read and complete the activities together over the summer to keep students engaged.
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