STEM Outside

Get your elementary and middle school students outside, collaborating and creating with this STEM challenge exploring engineering design and density! Students get a brief introduction to the importance of testing engineering designs before they are challenged to design and build a boat with the competing goals to both (1) hold 15 pennies and (2) use the least amount of materials. Students complete a brainstorm, make observations while testing their prototype and explain their final solution to t

Starting a science weather unit collecting weather data? Have your students design and build a rain gauge first and use their instrument to take their daily measurements! In this activity, students are challenged to design and build a rain gauge from household materials. To make it as accurate as possible, they have to make their container cylinder-shaped, stable and reduce evaporation. Students can work individually or in small groups to do their design. Students will draw and describe their d

Get your elementary students making careful observations with this STEM inquiry lab exploring the biological structure and function in seed burs versus the hook and loop structure of Velcro fasteners! Students first get a brief introduction to the design and creation of Velcro hook and loop fasteners. Students then make careful observations, compare the structure and function of seed burs versus Velcro hook and loop fasteners and explain their reasoning to answer the question "How do seed burs s