STEM Outside

By the end of this inquiry lab, students should have practice measuring multiple angles on different inclined planes that they construct, and students will build up evidence and reasoning to support their claim to answer the question "How does the ramp angle of an inclined plane affect the force needed to pull an object up?" by exploring the practical function of ramps. Students will use the investigation materials to sketch and describe their plan to test and answer the question. Helpful hints

Explore energy transfers and transformations! Students will plan an investigation to compare how different surfaces affect a ping pong ball's bounce. Some surfaces may really surprise you and your students, as you investigate how the kinetic/mechanical energy of the ball is transferred to the surface (causing the surface to move) or the energy is transformed to different levels of noise (sound energy)! The goal is for students to explain how the ball loses energy to the surface or as noise to ju

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

Give your students an opportunity to explore the world around them on a rainy day (or shortly after a rain!) Students can choose from doing a mild or spicy challenge scavenger hunt for items you may commonly find after a rain. All hunts include items like snails and puddles, and in the spicy version, students will also look for signs of natural processes (erosion, decomposition) and engineering designs for drainage (sewer drains, drainage ditches). After their scavenger hunt, students evaluate

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

Help your students tackle the misconception that air is not matter! Students are challenged to prove that air is matter by finding the mass and volume of air. In this download, students get background information, and some simple supplies (see below). Students create their own procedure and plan for determining the mass and volume of air to encourage ownership and engagement with their learning, but helpful questions are provided for students if they get stuck. You'll also find a data table and

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