Valentine's Day STEM Activity - Cards in the Clouds Paperless Version
Kerry Tracy Feel-Good TeachingKerry Tracy Feel-Good TeachingAlso included in
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Description
Looking for Valentine’s Day activities that your students will love but are more than just a craft or activity to pass the time? This Valentine’s STEM Challenge (or STEAM Challenge) will keep your students engaged in brain-busting work disguised as fun!
The basic premise:
Working against a criteria/constraints list individually or in partners/groups, students will design and build the tallest “tower of love” possible using Valentine’s Day cards they were probably just going to throw away anyway! (Note: for older students or those who don’t exchange cards, see materials list below and thumbnail above; alternative love-notes handout is included.)
Modifications included for grades 2-8.
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Note: This version is for use with Google Slides in 1:1/paperless classrooms. If you prefer to print and have students complete work with paper/pencil, you'll want to look at the PRINTABLE VERSION instead.
If you have questions about which version is right for you, please feel free to leave me a question using the product Q&A below.
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This is one of five Valentine’s Day STEM Challenges. They can be purchased in a bundle at a 40% discount:
Valentine’s Day STEM Challenge DIGITAL/PAPERLESS Bundle
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Resource includes:
NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8
Teacher Tips
- Links to STEM Challenge “How-to”/PD videos
- Materials and timing
- Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
- Measuring results
- Post-design extension activities list
- Love Letter printable templates (for students who don’t exchange Valentine’s cards)
- Universal STEM Challenge Notes & How to Use Student Slides Post-design extension activities list
- Link to a video walk-through of the challenge
Student Slides
- Criteria & Constraints List (editable version provided)
- Design Analysis
- Discussion Questions
Extension slides
- Process flow map
- Create & solve math problems based on designs
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CLICK THE GREEN PREVIEW BUTTON UNDER THE COVER & THUMBNAILS TO SEE THE SLIDES INCLUDED IN THIS RESOURCE!
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Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:
(Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. )
– Choose primary material(s) from the following:
• 20+ Valentine’s Day cards
• 20+ index cards
• 4-5 Valentine’s Day card boxes
• Copies of “love letters” on paper or card stock
– Tape (12 in.)
– Scissors
– Ruler or measuring tape
– Copies of data recording & analyzing handouts
– Optional: craft stick, pipe cleaner
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Benefits of this STEM Design Challenge:
- Focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and application of learning
- Helps students develop growth mindset traits like persistence and resilience
- High levels of student engagement
- The potential to hit upon all NGSS ETS standards depending on the depth and number of iterations you choose to implement in your classroom (modifications included)
- Highly flexible and differentiated for materials, timing, grade levels, and rigor.
Each design iteration should be planned for ~60-90 min. if you are including data gathering and analysis rather than just building for fun. If you add extension activities, you will need to adjust timing accordingly.
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What do teachers have to say about this resource?
Note: Comments taken from the print version.
“Kids loved the challenge. I loved that we could find a use for our valentines that would have ended up in the trash right away :)”
“Very fun STEM challenge! My students loved it!”
“Great teaching tool, used as an observation lesson and my principal loved it!”
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You might also like these resources:
STEM CHALLENGE YEAR-ROUND MEGA-BUNDLE
Getting Started with STEM Challenges FREEBIE
Analyze and Interpret Data Unit
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Please check out the preview to see the challenge, and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions!
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