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PEORIA, Ill. Sunday was the first day of Engineering Week at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. But, due to COVID-19, this year’s event is being done virtually.
For the first time, Engineering Week is being done completely over Zoom with events scheduled through Thursday.
Young scientists will be able to learn how to construct robots, work with hovercrafts and learn about corrosion.
800 science kits have been donated Caterpillar, the Society of Women Engineers and local organizations.
“Caterpillar made a significant donation that allowed the museum to provide 500 free engineering kits with the materials to build a simple homopolar motor, in addition to the kits donated by other engineering groups,” said Nick Rae, Peoria Riverfront Museum science educator and Engineering Week coordinator.
An annual engineering event held by the Peoria Riverfront Museum is taking a new approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The normal “Engineering Day” special has been changed to a week-long virtual event featuring free at-home activity kits and daily Zoom workshops, beginning this Sunday. Museum science curator Renae Kerrigan said the plan emerged from a brainstorming session with past sponsors on how to hold the event without having people in the building.
“(We) came up with this idea of sort of extending the program so instead of it just being one day, having a whole week and calling that ‘Virtual Engineering Week,’” said Kerrigan. “Groups have put together these kits, so it’s free materials for families to pick up and then they do the activities at home.
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WCBU s On Deck has everything you need to know to start your day for Monday, December 21, 2020. Our top story is about how the Illinois eviction moratorium has been extended another month. But eventually, it will end. Tim Shelley spoke with Prairie State Legal Services attorney Katie Pinter about the onslaught of cases they re expecting when that happens. You ll also hear how tonight, Saturn and Jupiter will be close enough to each other that they can be perceived as one bright star. This is the first time in hundreds of years, that this has happened and won’t happen again for hundreds more. WCBU student reporter Olivia Streeter talked with Nick Rae, the Planetarium Educator at the Peoria Riverfront Museum about this unique astronomical occurrence.
Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Luray, Virginia. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction” on December 21. Bill Ingalls / NASA
Tonight, Saturn and Jupiter will appear close enough to each other that they may look like a single bright star in the sky. This is the first time in hundreds of years this has happened and it won’t happen again in many of our lifetimes.
Student Reporter Olivia Streeter talked with Nick Rae, the Planetarium Educator at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, about this unique astronomical occurrence.