STEM Challenge Straw Mazes Easy Prep Engaging Design Activity

What others say

"This was a great stem activity and my students really enjoyed it. I liked the constraint cards to print, and the group eval rubric at the end. Great product!"

Kate W.

"This is so easy to use and students love it. Very engaging and you have it at your fingertips. What an asset in your teaching arsenal."

Deanna W.

Description

This easy prep STEM activity is to design and build a maze using two simple supplies! This is a Quick STEM Challenge – one you can complete in 1 class session with materials you probably already have! The teacher's guide includes all the details you will need!

What is the challenge?

This challenge features the task of using given supplies to create a maze for a marble to travel through.
Specific criteria for the task are given to students along with a box of supplies.
Stand back and watch them construct!
Students love this one and really enjoyed trading mazes to solve those made by other groups.

What is a Quick Challenge?

Your students will love the freedom of a quick challenge as they get right to work and learn as they go! Quick also means easy prep for you!

What is your prep?

Supplies needed in addition to this package include boxes or sturdy cardboard for the maze base, marbles, clear tape, and a Container for each group’s supplies. Of course, substitutions can be made for any of these!

The package specifically contains:

Cover sheet
Teacher Background,
4-page Teachers' guide,
Set of Criteria cards for students (with and without background color)
Full-size Criteria page (with and without color)
Lab Sheet with sample answers
3 pages of Photos
Scoring rubric
Terms of Use
You will also have a file containing editable forms!

Check the preview to see it all.

➡️ Click here to save 20% on this STEM Challenge in the Quick Challenge Bundle!

*****************************************************************************

Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches:

Click here to follow my store. It’s that easy to receive email updates about Teachers Are Terrific!

Thank you so much,

Teachers Really are Terrific!

Report this resource to TPT

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STEM Challenge Straw Mazes Easy Prep Engaging Design Activity

Name: STEM Challenge Straw Mazes Easy Prep Engaging Design Activity
Brand: Teachers Are Terrific - STEM Activities
SKU: 1566629
Price: 3.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.85 (452 reviews)

Teachers Are Terrific - STEM Activities

22.8k Followers

$3.00

Highlights

Grades

3rd - 5th

Subjects

Engineering

Standards

NGSS3-PS2-1

NGSS4-PS3-4

NGSS3-5-ETS1-3

What others say

"This was a great stem activity and my students really enjoyed it. I liked the constraint cards to print, and the group eval rubric at the end. Great product!"

Kate W.

"This is so easy to use and students love it. Very engaging and you have it at your fingertips. What an asset in your teaching arsenal."

Deanna W.

Save even more with bundles

STEM Quick Challenges Easy Prep BUNDLE - 22 Problem-Solving Activities

Christmas projects included! Perfect for spur-of-the-moment, spontaneous STEM time! It's STEM Quick Challenges! Can you use a few supplies and build a structure? These challenges are quick, easy prep, easy materials, great fun, and can be used "quickly"! This is a money-saving bundle of twenty-two Q

Price $49.50Original Price $66.00Save $16.50

Description

What is the challenge?

This challenge features the task of using given supplies to create a maze for a marble to travel through.
Specific criteria for the task are given to students along with a box of supplies.
Stand back and watch them construct!
Students love this one and really enjoyed trading mazes to solve those made by other groups.

What is a Quick Challenge?

Your students will love the freedom of a quick challenge as they get right to work and learn as they go! Quick also means easy prep for you!

What is your prep?

The package specifically contains:

Cover sheet
Teacher Background,
4-page Teachers' guide,
Set of Criteria cards for students (with and without background color)
Full-size Criteria page (with and without color)
Lab Sheet with sample answers
3 pages of Photos
Scoring rubric
Terms of Use
You will also have a file containing editable forms!

Check the preview to see it all.

➡️ Click here to save 20% on this STEM Challenge in the Quick Challenge Bundle!

*****************************************************************************

Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches:

Click here to follow my store. It’s that easy to receive email updates about Teachers Are Terrific!

Thank you so much,

Teachers Really are Terrific!

Report this resource to TPT

Reported resources will be reviewed by our team. Report this resource to let us know if this resource violates TPT's content guidelines.

4.8

Rated 4.85 out of 5, based on 452 reviews

452
ratings

412

Grades used with

Reviews

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

All verified TPT purchases

Fun and engaging

Rated 5 out of 5

June 15, 2026

Met expectations

Great value

Standards-aligned

This was a fun and engaging activity that I used with my students during the last few days of school.

Kristin Watson

(TPT Seller)

815 reviews • Michigan

Grades taught: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

A Class Fav

Rated 5 out of 5

June 8, 2026

Met expectations

Great value

Standards-aligned

My students really enjoyed creating their mazes and it was a easy to organize, low prep activity,

Toni's Classroom Connections

(TPT Seller)

2,233 reviews • Oklahoma

Grades taught: K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Student populations: Emerging bilinguals

Mazes are so much fun

Rated 5 out of 5

May 29, 2026

My students absolutely loved this resource! Very engaging.

Kathryn A.

517 reviews • New Jersey

Grades taught: K, 1st, 2nd

Student populations: Autism, Emerging bilinguals, Learning difficulties, Mild to severe disabilities

An excellent beginning of the Year Resource

Rated 5 out of 5

April 21, 2026

Met expectations

Great value

I use this for our first stem club meeting. The activity is well based for group work to encourage to students to start problem solving without being over whelming.

tammy sila

(TPT Seller)

123 reviews • Iowa

Grades taught: PreK, 3rd, 4th, 5th

Student populations: Learning difficulties, Mild to severe disabilities

Helpful resource

Rated 4 out of 5

November 30, 2025

Very fun and engaging stem challenge. The children all had so much fun making things.

Catherine Federchuk

(TPT Seller)

205 reviews • Outside the United States

Grades taught: 2nd

Perfect for diverse learners—engaging and adaptable!

Rated 5 out of 5

October 14, 2025

Perfect for diverse learners—engaging and adaptable!

Megan E.

69 reviews • Texas

Grades taught: K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th

great resource

Rated 5 out of 5

October 13, 2025

Met expectations

Great value

Standards-aligned

I cannot wait to use this resource with my stem students. Thank you!

Lori V.

299 reviews • Florida

Grades taught: 2nd, 3rd, 4th

Great Resource

Rated 5 out of 5

September 18, 2025

Met expectations

Great value

Standards-aligned

This was a great resource for our classroom. The kids were engaged.

Leigh Ann M.

641 reviews • Texas

Grades taught: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Questions & Answers

Standards

to see state-specific standards (only available in the US).

NGSS3-PS2-1

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. Examples could include an unbalanced force on one side of a ball can make it start moving; and, balanced forces pushing on a box from both sides will not produce any motion at all. Assessment is limited to one variable at a time: number, size, or direction of forces. Assessment does not include quantitative force size, only qualitative and relative. Assessment is limited to gravity being addressed as a force that pulls objects down.

NGSS4-PS3-4

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another. Examples of devices could include electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar heater that converts light into heat. Examples of constraints could include the materials, cost, or time to design the device. Devices should be limited to those that convert motion energy to electric energy or use stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.

NGSS3-5-ETS1-3

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.