STEM Challenge #12: Floating boats

Hello!

3rd Grade pupils have a new STEM Challenge to show you:

"Design and build 2 different floating boats for capacity".

These were the materials provided:

Students, in small groups, had 30 minutes to build 2 different floating boats.

Once they had built the boats, they had to test their capacity, measured with cents.

It was incredible how they managed to build boats designed to hold as much capacity as possible:

STEM Challenge #10: Hibernating bears (4th Grade)

Hello!

STEM Challenge #10 was also carried out by pupils from 4th A Grade. Have a look at their nests ;)

STEM Challenge #10: Hibernating bears

Hello!

These short, cold days of winter many animals experience a process called hibernation. For example: squirrels, groundhogs, bats, turtles, snakes or bears.

Previously, they prepare a nest where they "sleep" for a long period of time. Some animals wake during hibernation to eat and relieve themselves, while others sleep through the entire winter.

STEM Challenge #10 engages pupils to:

"Design and build a nest for a hibernating bear".

Materials:

Building time: 40 minutes.

Pupils should consider some criteria and restrictions. For example: nests must have an entrance/exit or bears must be protected from the rain, snow and wind.

STEM Challenge #8: Bridges!

Hello, how are you?

3rd Graders are ready to present you their new STEM Challenge:

"Build a strong bridge that crosses a river and allows boats to sail below it".

Materials: straws, popsicle sticks and 50cm of masking tape.

Building time: 30 minutes.

First iteration pictures:

On the second iteration, we are going to study bridges in depth so that we can build stronger bridges.

(Halloween) STEM Challenge #7: Bones bridge!

Hello!!!

Here there is another (Halloween) STEM Challenge:

"Build the longest and strongest possible BONES BRIDGE."

Pupils were given 25 minutes and the following material:

At first, they found the challenge pretty hard. It was difficult to build a stable bridge and capable of supporting weight.

Pupils needed some extra advice. So, they watched the following video and we talked about it in class:

The next day, all the groups improved their bridges. Look:

6th A Bridges

6th B Bridges

(Halloween) STEM Challenge #6: Spider-catcher!

Hello, everyone!

He-heeeee, it's Halloweeeen!!!!!

STEM Challenges are always great. They help develop our students' building skills, group-work abilities or design thinking, among other capacities.

This week, taking advantage of Halloween, we decided to challenge our pupils the following way:

"Design and build a SPIDER CATCHER".

We can assure that it is more difficult than it seems!

Pupils were given the following material:

In small groups, they had 20 minutes to build a spider catcher with a surface of 25x25cm. 

Once they got the Catcher (or after 20 minutes), a member of another group should throw spiders all over the device. Then, pupils should raise it carefully and see how many spiders remained caught:

STEM Challenge #3: Food towers!

Hi, everyone!

We are very happy to show you our STEM Challenge number 3: Food Towers, solved by 3rd Grade pupils. Again, we got the idea out of Feel Good Teaching, by Kerry Tracy.

Students were challenged to build a tower using school supplies, following some criteria. For example: at the top of the tower, there had to be a piece of food; or, towers should be as tall as possible.

Materials provided:

Building time: 30 minutes.

The next week, pupils tried to solve the same challenge again. Clearly, all of the groups improved their towers!

STEM Challenge #1: Fruit race!

Hello children!

This year we're going to learn with STEM Challenges!

The idea for the first STEM Challenge for 6th Grade has been taken from the great Kerry Tracy, from Feel Good Teaching (thanks for sharing ;)), and is called FRUIT RACE.

Materials:

Students were challenged to build a fruit-balanced device, in teams of 4. This device had to be put on their heads in order to participate in a teams race. Pupils could not touch the fruit while racing.

First-iteration devices

It has been a great opportunity to introduce engineering activities in the primary class.

It is good to do a second iteration, so that student can reflect and improve their initial machines:

Second-iteration devices

And they were our winners in the race:

Congratulations!!!

Inclined Planes - Marble Run Game (6th Grade)

Good morning!

A great engineering challenge for our students has been the following:

Turn a SHOE BOX into a MARBLE RUN, using INCLINED PLANES.

Choose between building:

- The longest circuit as possible.

- The slowest circuit as possible.

All we needed were:

• craft sticks
• a shoe box / a carboard box
• glue
• scissors
• marbles or small balls

And here you can see some of our games. Great job, kids!

Balloon powered car (6th Grade)

Hello girls and boys!

6th Grade pupils had the following challenge:

"Build a balloon powered LEGO car. It must have 4 wheels and 2 axles."

These are some of the cars they built:

And now, watch them move:

Racing the cars was really fun!