Winter STEM Challenge: Winter Waiter PAPERLESS
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Winter STEM Challenges (or STEAM Challenges) engage your students in brain-busting work disguised as fun! There are five challenges: 3 purely winter, 1 Black History Month/ Women’s History Month, and 1 Groundhog Day challenge!The basic premise: Students work in partners or groups against criteria &aPrice $8.98Original Price $17.50Save $8.52
Super-charge your STEM class with 52 high-engagement, critical thinking, problem-solving, NGSS-aligned challenges to take you through the entire year! Modifications are included to make these activities engaging and challenging for students in grades 2 - 8. (Note: Two of the 52 challenges are includPrice $95.00Original Price $177.92Save $82.92
Winter STEM Challenges are the perfect activities to engage your students in brain-busting work disguised as fun when they've got the winter crazies! The basic premise:Working against a criteria/constraints list in groups, students will build waiters’ trays designed to hold “snowy” 3D solids in an iPrice $5.98Original Price $9.96Save $3.98
Description
Looking for a fun Christmas or winter activity that incorporates science, technology, engineering, and/or math? Christmas-Winter STEM / STEAM Challenges are the perfect activities because they engage your students in brain-busting work disguised as fun!
The basic premise:
Working against a criteria/constraints list in groups, students will build waiters’ trays designed to hold “snowy” 3D solids in an indoor relay race.
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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 challenges available in the Late Winter STEM Challenge bundle at a ~40% discount!
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Resource includes:
NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8
Teacher Tips
- Links to STEM Challenge how-to videos
- Materials and timing
- 20 3D solid nets (this is the only paper you’ll need for the challenge; if you wish to keep it paperless, you can use “found” 3D solids)
- Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
- Measuring results
- 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-
- 3 Score Card Options (editable)
Extension slides
- Snowman character writing activity
- Writing templates
- Process flow map
- Create & solve math problems based on designs
- Video/website linked slides
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Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:
(Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. )
– 3D solids or nets & glue
– Narrow cardboard strips (4 – 10)
• Cereal & tissue boxes work well. To save yourself time, give groups a box and add direct students to cut strips of a certain size (e.g. no wider than 1 inch)
– Coffee filters
– Craft sticks (4-8)
– Straws (4-8)
– Pipe cleaners (5-10)
– Masking tape (12 – 24 in.)
– 3x5 in. index cards (5-10)
– Paperclips and/or brass brads (4-8)
– Scissors
– Optional
• Rubber bands
• Single hole punch
• Ping Pong or playground balls (if you want spheres in the challenge)
• Garbage or shopping bags (for shape storage when not in use)
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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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You might also like these resources:
STEM CHALLENGE YEAR-ROUND MEGA-BUNDLE
Christmas/Winter STEM Design Challenge: 5-in-1 Bundle
Thanksgiving STEM Challenge 5-in-1 Bundle
Valentine’s Day STEM Challenge 5-in-1 Bundle
Analyze and Interpret Data Unit
Getting Started with STEM Challenges FREEBIE
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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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