50 New STEM Labs - Peertopia New...50#STEM#LABS#+#SECOND#EDITION (C) 2017 Andrew Frinkle & 50STEMLabs.com You and your team have been selected to make a rocket that can fly as high

50#STEM#LABS#+#SECOND#EDITION

(C) 2017 Andrew Frinkle & 50STEMLabs.com

Science Experiments for Kids50 new stem labs

Created & Designed by Andrew Frinkle

50 hands-on project ideas for kidssupports engineering & design processpromotes critical thinking & problem-solving skills

Science * Technology * Engineering * Mathematics



Table of Contents.......................................................................................................2

How to Use this Book.................................................................................................3

Mission Listings.......................................................................................................4-8

50 New STEM Labs...............................................................................................9-59

Resource Pages...................................................................................................60-70

About the Author......................................................................................................71

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

All materials and designs contained within this volume are protected by copyright laws and are the property of Andrew Frinkle & MediaStream Press (C) 2015-2018, with the exception of the graphics, which are from public domain sites, primarily openclipart.org and vectoropenstock.com

The materials within may only be reproduced for your classroom or at home for educational use. These materials may not be resold for any reason. They may not be hosted on public databases or websites for any reason either. For questions & comments, please contact me at www.MediaStreamPress.com

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. All of the labs within this volume promote learning within these four fields. You might also find the acronym STEAM being used. STEAM is the addition of Art to the other four STEM fields.

Learn more about STEM & STEAM and this book series at www.50STEMLabs.com.

WHAT are STEM AND STEAM?

COPYRIGHT:

in this volume



This book contains 50 different STEM lab activities. You will find a strong emphasis on designing a project, testing it, measuring the results, and reflecting upon what worked and did not work, which might lead to a redesign and retesting process. Technology can easily be incorporated by recording and documenting the process and creating reports and projects about the topic(s) afterward. Presentation and sharing of results is key to cooperative learning. Journals and log books should be kept as a record of the learning process.

There are some general suggestions and guidelines for each project, but it has deliberately been left without too much detail to allow the projects to be adapted to your classroom’s individual needs. These are not recipes to follow to make a project or activity. These projects require critical thinking and problem solving skills.

There is no intended order to these projects, nor is it expected that you will do each project. It is highly recommended that you pick the ones you find to be most interesting or appropriate for each learning group, which might have to be slightly modified, depending on the learning and experience levels you are working with.

You will find some similar projects within this volume and in the additional volumes of the 50 STEM Labs Series. Attempting similar projects helps students build on previous learning experiences while making them adjust to new expectations and rules or materials in the new project. Many instructors have great success with thematic units or quarterly units on bridges, towers, or other sets of related projects.

Another key part of this series is the idea that learning science should not break the bank. Most projects are done with common and inexpensive school supplies, office supplies, or household objects. Students can even scavenge and recycle supplies for some projects.

Since this is an educational volume, graded assignment suggestions are provided, although your exact scoring will vary too much to provide an easy grading rubric.

general suggestions:

how to use this book



You and your team have been selected to make a rocket that can fly as high as possible on a single breath of air.

a breathe of fresh air01You and your team have been selected to make a wooden block and tackle.

block and tackle02

You and your team have been selected to make a projectile that can be shot as far as possible with a plastic straw.

blowguns03You and your team have been selected to make a device that flies as far as possible by squeezing an empty plastic bottle.

bottle blasters04

You and your team have been selected to make a device that shoots an arrow as far as possible.

crossbows05You and your team have been selected to make a device to protect an egg in a fall. The device must only cover the egg like a jacket, and may not be more than 1 inch thick.

egg survivor 6 - jackets06

You and your team have been selected to make a device that allows a ping pong ball in a cup to land on the floor safely without the ball falling out of the cup.

eggs in a basket07You and your team have been selected to make a device that can flip things over.

flippers08

You and your team have been selected to make a working toilet.

flushers09You and your team have been selected to make the strongest possible structure out of glue and string or yarn.

glue-ten free10

mission listings



You and your team have been selected to design a coin arch that is as tall and wide as possible.

golden arches 6 - coins11You and your team have been selected to make a working fishing pole.

gone fishin’12

You and your team have been selected to make as long of a bridge as possible using only gumdrops and toothpicks.

gummy bridges13You and your team have been selected to make as tall of a tower as possible using only gumdrops and toothpicks.

gummy towers14

You and your team have been selected to make a working hand mixer.

hand mixer15You and your team have been selected to make a custom percussion instrument from scavenged materials.

homemade orchestra 116

You and your team have been selected to make a custom string instrument from scavenged materials.

homemade orchestra 217You and your team have been selected to make a custom wind instrument from scavenged materials.

homemade orchestra 318

You and your team have been selected to make at least 3 instruments of different families and compose a tune together.

homemade orchestra 419You and your team have been selected to make as strong of a bridge as possible from pasta and marshmallows!

jet-puff bridges20

mission listings



You and your team have been selected to make a the tallest tower possible from only plastic cups!

king of cups21You and your team have been selected to make a solar oven.

let’s get cooking22

You and your team have been selected to make a cannon to shoot a marshmallow through a tube as far as possible.

marshmallow blasters23You and your team have been selected to make the strongest monster trucks possible to crash and smash your opposition.

monster truck rally24

You and your team have been selected to make as tall of a tower as possible using only foam packing peanuts and toothpicks.

peanut tower25You and your team have been selected to make a pinball machine for a marble, which will take as long as possible for the marble to return to the launch.

pinball fever26

You and your team have been selected to make a device that will move water from one cup up to another higher cup.

running uphill27You and your team have been selected to make the longest bridge as possible from pretzel sticks and glue.

salty bridges28

You and your team have been selected to make a working miniature version of a bicycle from scavenged materials.

scavenger bikes29You and your team have been selected to make a ramp to jump marbles, golf balls, and/or ping pong balls as far as possible.

ski jump30

mission listings



You and your team have been selected to make as strong of a bridge as possible from pasta and glue!

spaghetti bridges31You and your team have been selected to make the tallest tower possible from only glue and string!

starchy goodness32

You and your team have been selected to make as paper airplanes that stick to a wall.

sticky planes33You and your team have been selected to design a raft from plastic straws that can hold the most weight without sinking.

straw rafts34

You and your team have been selected to make as strong of a bridge as possible from string or yarn and glue!

stringy situation35You and your team have been selected to make as strong of a suspension bridge as possible!

suspension bridges36

You and your team have been selected to make a device that shoots an arrow as accurately as possible.

target practice37You and your team have been selected to make a device that throws a coin as far as possible using a clothespin.

throwing money away38

You and your team have been selected to make a device that throws a marble as far as possible using a lever and a counterweight.

trebuchets39One team must design a tower. The other team must knock it down with their device.

versus 1 - the takedown40

mission listings



One team must design a boat. The other team must destroy or sink it with their device.

versus 2 - the splashdown41One team must design a catching device. The other team must throw design a throwing device to throw golf ball through it or knock it down.

versus 3 - the crashdown42

One team must design a catching device. The other team must design a car that can roll through it or knock it down.

versus 4 - the rundown43You and your team have been selected to the largest possible structure possible with only popsicle sticks and rubber bands.

volume up44

You and your team have been selected to make a device that will squeeze as much water as possible out of a wet sponge.

washboard45You and your team have been selected to make a device that will move water from one cup to another.

water delivery46

You and your team have been selected to make a web device that can hold as much weight as possible without breaking.

webbed up47You and your team have been selected to make a device that sorts different shapes and sizes of breakfast cereal into different containers.

what’s for breakfast48

You and your team have been selected to make a rubber-band driven wooden car.

wooden cars49You and your team have been selected to make a train out of wood and glue!

wooden railway50

mission listings



Mission Title with topic tags

Mission goals

Mission guidelines & expectations

Suggested materials

Grading suggestions & follow-up assignments

Each of the 50 projects contains:

Science Experiments for Kids

50 New stem labs



* air * Flight * Height * plastic straws * scavengers *

You and your team have been selected to make a rocket that can fly as high as possible on a single breath of air.

• Scoring based on results compared to other teams

• Blueprints & design diagrams for your project

• A reflection on your experiences with this project

• A follow-up project about propulsion, jets, and rocket engines

MISSION BRIEFING:

REQUIRED MATERIALS:• Plastic straws

• Measuring tape

Scavenged supplies might include things such as:• Tape

• Glue• String

• Foil

• Notecards

MISSION SUPPLIES:1. You will design a rocket of any dimensions you wish.

2. You will work with one to two partners. Teams may not be of more than 3 people.

3. You may use whatever allowed materials you can find at school or home in your project.

4. Your device must be have a plastic straw tube inside of it. A second, smaller straw will be inserted into the first, and a breath of air will be blown into it to give it lift.

• TEACHER’S OPTIONS: It is suggested that you use two different sizes of straws. The larger one should be in the rocket. The smaller one should be put inside the first, and the students will blow into the end of it to give the device lift. Additionally, it might help if students were to all sit or lie down, so that each test was launched from a specific height. Graduated marks along a wall or measuring tapes along the wall can also help gauge heights.

MISSION Guidelines:

MISSION debriefing:

a breath of fresh air01



* glue * Paperclips * popsicle sticks * Simple machines * String * Wood *

You and your team have been selected to make a wooden block and tackle.




• A follow-up project about pulleys, block and tackles, and types of knots

MISSION BRIEFING:

• Dowel rods• Thread spools

• Popsicle sticks• Glue and tape

• Paperclips

• Eyelets or hooks• String or fishing line

MISSION SUPPLIES:1. You will design a block and tackle using just the provided

materials.

2. The spools must be able to spin and turn with the movement of the string or line.

3. You will work with one or two partners. Teams may be of no more than 3 people.

4. Your device must have paperclips to anchor the top and to hook weights and strings to.

5. Weight will be gradually added to the system, until it breaks or is near breaking. Holding more weight means a better score.

• TEACHER’S OPTIONS: Wax paper is suggested as a non-sticky surface for glued pieces to dry upon.

MISSION Guidelines:

MISSION debriefing:

block and tackle02



* air * distance * plastic straws * throwers *

You and your team have been selected to make a projectile that can be shot as far as possible with a plastic straw.




• A follow-up project about blow guns, dart guns, or other projectiles

MISSION BRIEFING:

• Paper• Glue

• Tape• Plastic straws (large

diameter ones are better)

• Card stock

• Feathers

MISSION SUPPLIES:1. You will design a set of harmless projectiles that shoot as

far as possible by blowing into a plastic straw.

2. Your projectiles/devices may be of any dimensions, but they must have a receiver that allows it to fit in or around the end of the straw.

3. You may build your device from any approved materials found at school or at home.


5. Up to three tests will be made. Distance will be measured at the first contact with the ground.

• TEACHER’S OPTIONS: After 3 tests, honors can be given for the best average, longest shot, or combined distance of all tests.

• SAFETY WARNING: Take precautions not to inhale any projects or to hit anyone in the eyes.

MISSION Guidelines:

MISSION debriefing:

blowguns03



* air * bottles * distance * scavengers * throwers *

You and your team have been selected to make a device that flies as far as possible by squeezing an empty plastic bottle.




• A follow-up project about air-powered toys and rockets or pneumatic power

MISSION BRIEFING:

REQUIRED MATERIALS:• Plastic bottles

• Measuring tapes

Optional supplies might include things such as:• Paper

• Glue• Tape

• Plastic straws (large diameter ones are better)

• Card stock• Feathers

MISSION SUPPLIES:1. You will design a harmless flying device that is propelled

by squeezing (or stomping on) an empty plastic bottle.

2. Your devices may be of any dimensions, but they must have a receiver that allows it to fit in or around the cap end of the plastic bottle.




• TEACHER’S OPTIONS: After 3 tests, honors can be given for the best average, longest shot, or combined distance of all tests.

• SAFETY WARNING: Take precautions like wearing goggles to protect the eyes.

MISSION Guidelines:

MISSION debriefing:

bottle blasters04



* distance * rubber bands * scavengers * throwers *

You and your team have been selected to make a device that shoots an arrow as far as possible.




• A follow-up project about crossbows and windlasses

MISSION BRIEFING:

REQUIRED MATERIALS:• Rubber bands

• Measuring tapes

Optional supplies might include things such as:• Paper

• Paper clips• Glue

• Tape

• Plastic straws• Toothpicks

• Card stock• Feathers

• Foam, clay, or erasers for safety tips

• Targets

MISSION SUPPLIES:1. You will design a device that shoots a blunt or harmless

arrow as far as possible using rubber bands as your major method of propulsion.

2. Your device may be of any dimensions under 9 inches in any one direction.


4. The device must be freestanding and not attached to any surface.



• TEACHER’S OPTIONS: After 3 tests, honors can be given for the best average and/or the highest single shot. You can also test for accuracy.

• SAFETY WARNING: Take precautions like wearing goggles to protect the eyes.

MISSION Guidelines:

MISSION debriefing:

crossbows05



blueprints

data collection

graphing

reflection

science journals

reusable forms and pages:

GRAPHS, PLANNING PAGES, & REPORT PAGES

resource pages



WRITING AREA

NAME:

journaling sheet



PLANNING AREA

NAME:

planning sheet



design area

NAME:

blueprint sheet



design area

NAME:

blueprint sheet



data record area

NAME:

data sheet



data record area

NAME:

data sheet



drawing & writing area

NAME:

observations sheet



DATA GRAPH

single trial data sheet

graphing sheet

LEGEND



test 1

multiple trial data sheet

graphing sheet

test 2

test 3



test 1

multiple trial data sheet

graphing sheet

test 2

test 3



about the author

MediaStream Press currently operates and maintains the following sites:www.MediaStreamPress.com

• www.50STEMLabs.com• www.AndrewFrinkle.com• www.common-core-assessments.com• www.littlelearninglabs.com• www.underspace.org

Purchase his books and educational materials from one of the following sites:www.amazon.com/author/andrewfrinkle/www.amazon.com/author/veleriondamarke/www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Velerion-Damarke

Andrew frinkleAndrew Frinkle is an award-nominated teacher and writer with experience in America and overseas, as well as years of developing educational materials for big name educational sites like Have Fun Teaching. He has taught PreK all the way up to adult classes, and has focused on ESOL/EFL techniques and STEM Education.

With two young children at home now, he's been developing more and more teaching strategies and books aimed at helping young learners, as well as games and activity books for primary grades.

Andrew Frinkle is the founder & owner of MediaStream Press LLC. He also writes fantasy and science fiction novels under the pen name Velerion Damarke and writes/illustrates children's fiction as Andrew Frinkle. Additionally, he is working on educational music albums.

about the author:

contact information:



also on:

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Velerion-Damarke

www.mediastreampress.com

books, games, & Media

mediastream press



Science Experiments for Kids50 new stem labs

Get those same 50 great labs, with updates like:• suggested Materials Lists for each project!• improved wording and directions!• More teachers’ options suggestions!• graded Assignments Suggestions instead of simple rubrics!• reproducible journaling and data collection pages!• New artwork and graphics!• New layouts and designs throughout!• NOW IN full Color!

WHAT’S NEW?

50 New STEM Labs - Peertopia New...50#STEM#LABS#+#SECOND#EDITION (C) 2017 Andrew Frinkle & 50STEMLabs.com You and your team have been selected to make a rocket that can fly as high

Documents