STEM Engineering Challenges for Online Learning

Online learning STEM Engineering Challenges: Are you looking for a way for your students to do hands-on STEM engineering at home during distance learning? This resource gives students the chance to do STEM engineering challenges using materials they have at home. Students will love these 13 STEM engineering activities! Students will get background information in videos and text in Google Slides and will be given the challenge to design and build something with materials they have at home. Students will record ideas right on the google slides and take photos or videos of their STEM engineering projects and add them to the Google Slide to turn in. This unit is designed in Google Slides. Students will need to have access to Google in order to use it. 

Each of the 13 STEM engineering challenges can be completed at home with the support of the information in the Google Slides.  Great for STEM teaching or STEAM programs that are in a distance learning situation. Could also be used for homeschool or in-person learning. 

Materials for activities can be substituted with other materials that students have on hand. 

Here is a suggested list of materials that the students might need for each STEM Engineering Challenge.

1. Launcher: duct tape or masking tape, paint stick or ruler, rubber bands, balloons, paper cups, craft sticks, wooden spools, plastic spoons, something to launch like a marshmallow or cotton ball 
2. Bridge: Toothpicks, mini marshmallows, glue, paper, counters
3. Boat: foil, pennies, tub, water, timer
4. Sound Machine: plastic cup, rubber band
5. Sound Sandwich: craft sticks, drinking straw, rubber band large, rubber bands small
6. Whirly Bird: paper cutout, scissors, paperclip
7. Tower: Toothpicks, mini marshmallows, a small toy
8. Stack and Graph: Four objects to stack (pennies, rocks, marshmallows, blocks)
9. Inclined Plane: board or large book, book or bricks for propping, block, toy car or ball
10. Pulley System: Pulley and mount from the hardware store, rope
11. Airplane: paper and measuring tape
12. Counter Weight Challenge: small weights (rocks or marbles), rope, paper cup, board to make a ramp out of
13. Model of a Lung: plastic bottle, balloons, straw, modeling clay

Students will use Science and Engineering Practices to engage in these 13 STEM challenges. 

This is a great supplement to NGSS and Utah SEEd resources. 

This unit is made in Google Slides and Tpt will ask to put a copy of this resource in your drive. You can choose a personal or School Drive. Some districts do not allow google products and it is your responsibility to make sure you can use this resource before purchase.  It is perfect for use in Google Classroom. Created by Lynda R. Williams

This resource is designed to meet the NGSS standards for 3rd-5th grade.

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

3-5-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.

Visit my blog to learn more about using the Science and Engineering Practices

Science and Engineering Practices

See other resources I have for distance learning:

Science and Engineering Practices for Distance Learning

Waves Distance Learning Unit

Weather Distance Learning Third Grade

Fossil Fuels Distance Learning

See other resources I have for STEM Engineering:

Copper Tape STEM Challenges

STEM Engineering Challenges

Winter STEM Challenges

I would love to see photos of what your students have done with this unit.  You can contact me at lywilliams1@gmail.com