Classroom resources
Find elementary STEM activities for designing, building, testing and improving solutions with everyday materials.
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In groups of 3-4, read an in-character letter posing the design problem, record the problem and requirements, follow the Design Loop (choose a problem, brainstorm solutions, collect information, produce a solution, present, evaluate/improve) to plan, build, and test a shelter from provided recycled/craft materials that protects a…
Students research current shark-diving safety devices and their limitations, then brainstorm, design, and build a model diving-safety device from provided craft materials, test it in water with a diver figure and toy sharks, record data, and redesign as needed. A second blank 'Maker Design Brief' template is included for creating…
Participate in a mini-lesson on grams, then design, build, and test a flotation device to hold a specified weight, including a competition/betting element and a culminating assessment, following the GANAG lesson structure (Goals, Access prior knowledge, New information, Apply, Generalize), each stage with formative-assessment feedback.
In small groups, follow each activity's Challenge/Supplies/Requirements/Testing-and-Scoring/Teacher-Notes structure to design and build a device within a class period, test it against scoring criteria, then reflect using the provided Group Processing Questions.
Read an in-character letter from the protagonist Leigh Botts describing the design challenge; work in groups of 3-4 to define the problem, brainstorm and sketch solutions, select and build a device from approved recycled/craft materials within time limits, test it, and evaluate/reflect on the results using a design-loop lab form.
Research amusement park rides and the roller-coaster-engineer job, brainstorm favorite ride features, design a new ride that meets given specifications and constraints, and build a physical model using craft/upcycled materials, then test it with a marble.
Students ask and answer questions while listening to the book 'Oil Spill' by Melvin Berger, research wind energy, design and build a wind-powered car prototype from craft materials, test and retest it using a fan, and write a 'how-to' piece explaining how they built it.
Students state the design problem in their own words, brainstorm and draw/label a boat design, construct the boat using at least three different provided materials, test it and record the distance traveled, propose a revised design after testing, and complete a scoring rubric.
Read an in-character letter from 'Little Willy' introducing the design brief; discuss the driving question (why Willy's sled succeeded and Stone Fox's did not); plan and design a sled using only teacher-approved recycled/craft materials within given constraints; build and test the sled by moving it across a frozen pan of water without…
Students research existing backpacks, brainstorm and sketch a design showing all four sides (front, back, top, bottom), build a physical model within given size constraints, test it, record what worked or didn't, and redesign as needed.
In small groups, follow each activity's Challenge/Supplies/Requirements/Testing-and-Scoring/Teacher-Notes structure to design and build a vehicle within a class period, test it against scoring criteria, then reflect using the provided Group Processing Questions.
Wrap and glue construction paper around a used juice box, add a straw as an antenna, cut out and glue on radio 'buttons,' and write on volume/channel numbers to complete the model.
Follow guided kitchen science experiments (e.g., density demonstrations using items like a candy bar density worksheet, balloons, baking soda and vinegar, ice cream in a bag) using household materials from a supplied shopping list.
Students think of a real problem that is difficult, inconvenient, annoying, or boring; investigate and take notes on it; brainstorm possible solutions; choose one solution; design, build, and test a physical invention using upcycled materials and craft supplies; redesign and retest after modification; then share their invention with…
In small groups, follow each activity's Challenge/Supplies/Requirements/Testing-and-Scoring/Teacher-Notes structure to design and build a tower within a class period, test it against scoring criteria, then reflect using the provided Group Processing Questions.
Students label the following parts on a helicopter diagram, then write down the function of each: main rotor, tail rotor, engine transmission fuel, tail boom, drive shaft, landing skids, cockpit.
Trace and cut out a paper/cardstock hand, cut jointed 'finger' sections and glue them onto it, attach cut straw pieces as finger joints, thread yarn through the straws as 'tendons', and pull the strings to make the built hand's fingers bend and grip; then test what the hand can and cannot pick up and discuss the results.
Research environmentally friendly tiny homes, brainstorm features, design a tiny home showing all views, build a physical model within given size and material constraints, and record a video tour of the finished model.
In small groups, follow each activity's Challenge/Supplies/Requirements/Testing-and-Scoring/Teacher-Notes structure to design and build a launcher within a class period, test it against scoring criteria, then reflect using the provided Group Processing Questions.
Sketch a roller coaster design, decide how many loops or dips it would have, list what materials would be needed to build it, and reflect on what struggles they faced designing it.
Complete five hands-on WWII-themed projects: analyze and design British propaganda posters, solve evacuation-train math word problems, decode/encode messages with historical ciphers (Caesar, Pigpen, Enigma, transposition), analyze and plan wartime rationed meals/nutrition, and design and build a bomb shelter model.
Research recipes/tools/devices used for cooking, brainstorm favorite foods, design/build a prototype machine using provided materials that mixes at least two ingredients and uses at least two simple machines, test it, then redesign after noting what did/didn't work
In small groups, follow each activity's Challenge/Supplies/Requirements/Testing-and-Scoring/Teacher-Notes structure to design and build a hanging contraption within a class period, test it against scoring criteria, then reflect using the provided Group Processing Questions.
Write short responses on each of three cards/prompts about how train tracks work, referencing 'train's steering wheel', 'fail-safes and redundancies', and 'train transitions'.