STEM Outside

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

This is a fun inquiry challenge for students who understand that more dense objects will sink in water. In this challenge, students get some background information on density, then create a test plan (procedure) to see if they can cut a dense object small enough to float in order to learn more about surface tension in water. Many students have experience with surface tension and intuitively know that if an object is small enough, it won't sink. This inquiry investigation will help them explore

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