STEM Outside

Get your 4-6 grade students analyzing patterns and identifying mathematical relationships with this STEM math inquiry challenge exploring trapezoid area with a scaffolded assignment based on the Stanford University Youcubed task: Trap the Zoid! Students get a brief introduction to mathematical relationships and area with rectangles before they are challenged to develop a mathematical relationship to describe the area of trapezoids. Students analyze example trapezoids and test their ideas against

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

In this mini-project, students will get practice calculating the volume of a rectangular prism, performing unit conversions and creating a bar graph to answer the question "How Much of Your Home Water Usage Could be Supplied by Rainfall?" I love that this question also gets students wondering and curious about water sustainability, water barrels and their own water usage. Over the course of this mini-project, students will read about the Cape Town water crisis of 2018, plan how they will collect

Get your 4-6 grade students analyzing patterns and identifying mathematical relationships with this STEM math inquiry challenge exploring trapezoid area with a scaffolded assignment based on the Stanford University Youcubed task: Trap the Zoid! Students get a brief introduction to mathematical relationships and area with rectangles before they are challenged to develop a mathematical relationship to describe the area of trapezoids. Students analyze example trapezoids and test their ideas against