DISCLAIMER

This material is purely a research

work to further the course of
educational development in the
world. We do not claim that the
views, thoughts, and opinions
expressed in this material are
ours. You can visit the blog sites
that are referenced in this
material for more STEAM learning
LEARNING activities.

ACTIVITIES FOR Compiled and Edited by ChangeGear

Edu. Team. © 2019

GRADE 1-6
 Preface

STEAM is the abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.
STEAM is integrated approach to learning that encourages students to think more
broadly about real-world problems. This interdisciplinary approach has helped
create innovations like the iPhone, PC etc.. While it is technology, the art of
designing will come to play in manufacturing the product. STEAM education is
has made the developed countries to be creative and innovative and so thee
developing countries should brace up and integrate STEAM in their.

STEAM helps students ask questions, connect the dots, problem solve, think
creatively, and be innovative. And not only can STEAM save the world, it can save
our kids too by making their future bright.

According to research, STEM jobs are expected to grow by 16% in the US

between 2014 and 2024 compared to only 11% for other sectors*. And right now,
science & engineering careers earn more than double the income of the median job
in the United States. That could be a good news, but the better news is that it can
make the students to be independent; becoming creators of jobs and not just
becoming employees.

So let’s get more science, technology, engineering, art, and math into our kids’
lives with these collections of STEAM learning activities. Ready for the fun?!
Let’s go there!

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ACTIVITY PAGES

Buoyancy and surface tension 3-5

Building a bridge using straws 6-12
Recycled suspension bridge (primary) 13-15
How to make the balancing robot 16-20
Chromatography art project for kids 20-25
Exploring the science of chromatography 25-29
Creating chromatography artwork 30-32
Paper circuit cards | technology for kids 32-40
How to make a coin battery 40-44
Candy math 45-47
Communication games 48-49
Extension: verbal communication 50-51
Construct-i-can 51-52
Edible car contest for kids 53-57
Love boat construction 58-62
Frozen treat in a bag 62-64
The love boat steam(grade 3-5) 65-69
Water balloon science experiment 69-74
Skyscraper day building activity 75-80
Geometry: polygons and polyhedra 81-82
The shape of things participant activity sheet 82-83
Geometry: surround, enclose, cover, and fill 84-85
Geometry: surround, enclose, cover, and fill
Participant activity sheet 86-88
Paper rockets – building and launching 88-93
Team building exercise 93-94
Assessment examples 95-99

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Category – SCIENCE ACTIVITIES - PRIMARY

Topic: Buoyancy and Surface Tension

Overview Participants will explore and discuss buoyancy and surface
tension.
Category: Science, Engineering

Learning Goals
Experiment using the scientific method
Discuss and use buoyancy and surface tension terminology
Participate in the engineering design cycle

Participants
The activity can be conducted with almost any number of participants and
one session leader.
Materials

Water Pennies (Dependent upon

Bins or Tubs (to hold water)
Objects to test (e.g. ping
pong ball, penny, cork, ice
cube, paper clip, lead weight,
non-dissolving packing
peanut, raisin, apple, etc.)
Straws
Foil
the amount of foil and straws
participants are allowed to
use)
Pencil/ Pen
Activity Sheet, one per
participant
Towels for clean-up and
drying objects after use

Activity Time: 90 minutes

Setup
Set up station(s) with bin(s) of water to test various objects

Sink or Float?
Have each participant record the object(s) to be tested on their activity
sheet.
Also, have them hypothesize (predict) whether each object will sink or float.
Allow the participants to test their objects and record the results.
Discuss why they think that some objects floated, while others sank. Also,
introduce the appropriate terminology:

3
Density – a measure of the “heaviness” of an object for a given volume. For
example, a small dish of popcorn is less dense (“heavy”) than the same dish filled
with raisins.

Buoyancy – the tendency of an object to float or rise when placed in a

liquid. The liquid exerts an upward force on the object. If the object‟s
density is low enough, it will float.
Continue with a demonstration and discussion of surface tension.
Demonstrate that a paper clip will sink if just dropped into the water.
However, it can be made to float if it is placed very carefully onto the
surface of the water. Why does this happen?
Surface Tension – the molecules of a liquid are pulled together at the
surface of the liquid, thus allowing the liquid to resist external forces.
Ask participants about other things that may “float” due to surface tension?
(e.g. canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, water striders, etc.)

Introduce the Raft Competition.

Raft Competition
Task participants with an engineering task: design, construct, and test a raft
that will hold the most number of pennies.

It is up to the session leader to determine whether participants can use as

much foil and straws as they would like, or if there are restrictions. The task
is more realistic if all participants are restricted to the same number of
straws and the same amount of foil. After all, in engineering design and
construction there are typically cost and resource limits to building things.

To encourage participants to model the engineering design process and

use the scientific method, have them complete their design and hypothesis
prior to beginning construction on the raft. Suggestion: Release materials to
participants only after review by the session leader of the design and
hypothesis.
Upon completion of the construction and testing, discuss the results.
What raft shapes were used? Which worked better? How does surface
tension factor into the results? (e.g. spreading the weight of the pennies
across the surface of the water through use of the foil)
What different folding methods were used to connect the straws to the foil?
What

4
kind of boat(s) use structures similar to the straws in our rafts? (e.g.
pontoon boats, catamarans)
What was the most number of pennies that a raft held?

Buoyancy and Surface Tension

Participant Activity Sheet
Sink or Float?

Why do you think that some objects floated, while others sank?

Raft
Describe and sketch your raft design:

Hypothesis:
The designed raft will hold __________________ pennies.
Experimental Result:
The raft held __________________ pennies.
How could you modify the design of the raft so it would hold be stronger
(i.e. hold more pennies)?
Credits

5
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins.

CATEGORY – ENGINEERING

TOPIC: BUILDING A BRIDGE USING STRAWS

Then, I placed students into teams of three or four and gave each group a
tray of
supplies:
Tape
Yarn
Scissors
Paper clips
Straws

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They could cut the straws to any length but their bridges had to sit at least
one inch off
the table.
Some teams succeeded and some failed but, either way, it was impressive
to watch their
problem solving and teamwork. They loved observing what worked for
other groups and
then incorporating it into their own designs.

7
8
Sample Engineering Challenges

TOPIC - Marshmallow Challenge

http://marshmallowchallenge.com
“The Marshmallow Challenge is a remarkably fun and instructive design exercise
that encourages teams to experience simple but profound lessons in
collaboration, innovation and creativity. The task is simple: in eighteen minutes,
teams must build the tallest free‐standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti,
one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow
needs to be on top.”

TOPIC - Marble Runs

“Gather some toilet paper and paper towel rolls, painter’s tape, and marbles. Find
an open wall or sliding glad door that you can tape the cardboard tubes to. Tilt the
tubes to create ramps and tape them in place. Test and experiment until you find
a flow that works. Challenge your child to create a super tall marble run or a long
and winding marble run. This experience is filled with lots of trial and error that
teaches iteration and how to overcome small failures.” (Boyarshinov
& Hand, 2014)

TOPIC -Gutters and Balls

“This is a fun one to take outdoors. Offer your child a few pool noodles that have
been sliced in half (vertically) or storm
gutters and invite him to prop them against various surface to create ramps. How
fast can he get marbles, balls, or toy
cars to scoot down the ramps?” (Boyarshinov & Hand, 2014)

TOPIC - Designing and Building Bridges

http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/04/designing‐and‐building‐bridges‐activity.h
tml
Challenge: Can you design and build a bridge using every day and recycled
materials? Your bridge needs to hold a 1kg
(approximately 2 lb.) weight. Supplies: Many drinking straws, tape, 2 building
blocks for bridge support, and a 1 kg bag
of sugar as a weight to test.

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TOPIC - Balancing Bottle Boat
The challenge is for students to build a bottle boat that will float across a pool.
Gather recycled materials such as empty water bottles, containers, lids, and
painters tape. Try to choose materials that will be water resistant. When the boat
is ready, test it out and talk about what happened. Did the boat stay balanced?
What worked well? How could you change the design so the boat would be better
balanced? Try out new ideas. Build‐Test‐Play! (Boyarshinov & Hand,
2014)

TOPIC - Portable Water Wall

Gather upcycled materials such as funnels, hoses, tubes, and plastic bottles. You
will also need tape and a long shallow Tupperware container with a lid. Students
will tape the upcycled materials to the lid for water to go through. You may need
to help them get started by taping a funnel or funnel‐like object for the start of the
water run. Show how you can reinforce the tape by crossing the tape and making
a +. Let the students assemble the hoses, bottles, and containers where they want.
Set the bottom on the container underneath your water wall to collect water and
try to water wall out. Dry it off and re‐tape and move pieces around as needed.
Possible extension: Create as many zig‐zags as you can.
(Boyarshinov & Hand, 2014)

TOPIC - Build a Rain Shelter

Layout different building materials. The students are challenged to create a
shelter to keep a toy dry. Once the shelter is complete, test it out by squirting with
water simulating rain. Check to see if the shelter kept the toy dry. If not, redesign
and rebuild. Extensions: Use a fan to see if your shelter can withstand wind. Test
your shelter in real rain.
(Boyarshinov & Hand, 2014)

10
11
12
TOPIC - RECYCLED SUSPENSION BRIDGE (PRIMARY)

Supplies needed:
Cereal box
4 empty toilet paper tubes
Blue and green painter’s tape {affiliate}
Baker’s twine {affiliate}
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Small rubber bands (rainbow loom bands work perfectly)
Hole punch
Scissors

1. Cut a strip of cardboard out of a flattened cereal box to make your

bridge. You
can tape on extra sections if you want to make a really long bridge.
2. Punch holes along the sides of the cardboard leaving a few inches on
each
end without holes. The un-holed section serves as the ramp to the
“ground”.
Try to approximately line up the holes across the cardboard to help
increase
stability in the bridge.
3. Thread a rubber band through each hole and loop back through itself to
hold in place
4. Create bridge towers by cutting two 1/2″ slits in one end of the each
tube. The
slits should be slightly off the center and across from each other. See the
blue
lines in the picture above for guidance.
5. Start taping your race track and river. Your river should be a bit narrower
than
the length of your bridge so the bridge ends can touch the “ground.”
6. Tape down your towers. This was the trickiest part because these towers
support all the weight on the bridge just like a real suspension bridge. Also
be
sure that the slits line up with the direction of the bridge. All I have to say is
thank you for repositionable tape!
7. Cut your cables out of a length of baker’s twine. Cut them about twice as
long
as your bridge because you can always cut the extra off later.
8. Feed each piece first through the slits in the towers and then through
each of the rubber bands. Then pull the twine taught until the rubber bands
stretch
some and the bridge feels secure. Tape the ends of the twine to the floor.
9. Tape your road connectors over the bridge. Since I often seem to be
stuck in traffic at bridges in the San Francisco area, I made a toll plaza
where cars can line up.

14
Now… PLAY! We had fun testing to see how strong the bridge was. We
had to buy more cars, it was so strong!!
By the way, I don’t recommend leaving the tape on the floor for extended
periods of time. Tape breaks down over time and with continued pressure
as you walk on
it, so it might become difficult to remove cleanly.

A suspension bridge is a bridge in which the deck (the part that you drive
across)
is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspender cables. Typically,
suspension bridges are built with two tall towers and a cable that travels
from one
shore, through the two towers and to the other shore. Vertical suspender
cables
hang from the main horizontal cable and hold the weight of the deck.
How can one cable hold the weight of the deck?

The weight of the deck is supported by carefully balanced forces on the two
towers. The force pulling inwards on the towers is equal to the force pulling
outwards on the towers towards land. Because the forces are balanced, the
weight pulls straight down into the towers and into the ground.
What are the cables made of?
Each cable is made up of thousands of individual steel wires that are bound
together. Steel’s tensile strength improves as it is stretched into wires, so
these
flexible cables are stronger than a solid piece of steel of the same size.
Why are suspension bridges used instead of other kinds of bridges?

Suspension style design allows for longer spans, reduced construction

costs
because of reduced materials, and improved flexibility and structural
integrity
during earthquakes

Now it’s time to make your own suspension bridge! I’ve seen a lot of these
masking tape Hot Wheel race tracks out there. We’ve even done a basic
one at
home ourselves, too. This time, I wanted to do something a little more
special….

15
References - https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/engineering-201-diy-recycled-
suspension-bridge/

Topic - How to Make the Balancing Robot

Print out the free printable on a sheet of white card stock, and color the
robots if you’d like. Cut out the
robots.
To make the robot balance you’ll want to stick two pennies onto the hands
of the robot. (You can use
tape to do this, but removable poster putty gives kids a chance to explore
balance by moving the pennies
to various locations on the robot.)

Here’s how we did it:

Flip your robot over to the back. Place a small piece of poster putty on the
hands of the robot.

16
Stick some more poster putty on the pennies.

17
Press the second robot onto the back. (To keep the top part of the robot
from opening up, you can also
place a small piece of putty between the two robot bodies to hold them
together.)

18
Now you’ve got your balancing robot!
Exploring Balance and Center of Gravity
Here’s the fun part! Show the students a balancing robot in action on your
_nger, but don’t let them know
how to make it just yet.
Now, give each student one of their cut out robots (they can attach the
second robot to the back once
they’ve _gured out how to make it balance), 2 pennies, and some
removable poster putty.

19
Give them time to try out sticking the pennies to di�erent parts of the robot
to try to get the robot to balance on their hangers. I love watching them
explore and discuss with their friends all the various ideas
they come up with! Many will figure it out on their own. For those that don’t,
you can show them the
correct placement of the pennies or invite other students to help them.
Once all the students have their balancing robots built correctly, let them
explore balancing the robot in different places. We tried ours out on our
nature table.

https://buggyandbuddy.com/science-kids-balancing-robot-free-
printable/#_a5y_p=1929032 7/20
Lucy’s favorite place was her nose!

Topic - Chromatography Art Project for Kids

Materials for Chromatography Art Project
 Chromatography paper strips
 Small binder clips
 Plastic cups (I like cups like these that are a bit shorter and wider,
making it less likely to tip over and spill. We got ours at our local
household store.)
 Water
 Markers (We’ve had the best success with Mr. Sketch markers.)
 Newspaper or paper grocery bag
 Scissors
 Glue
 Black cardstock or construction paper

What is chromatography? It’s the separation of a mixture by passing a

solution through a medium. In this case, we’ll be separating the colored
ink in markers with water using chromatography strips.

And the project doesn’t end there! Once the kids have finished their
science exploration, they’ll turn their final product into a

20
chromatography art project. Older kids can create a woven art project,
while younger kids can create a colorful collage.

Exploring the Science of Chromatography

Here’s how to use chromatography to see what colors are mixed
together to make various colors of marker ink!

1. Take a chromatography strip and draw a marker line across the strip
about a 3/4 inch from the bottom.

21
2. Do this with each color marker you’d like to try out. (You can also use
a pencil to lightly write the name of the color marker you used on the
strip so, when you’re finished, you’ll know which strip started out as
each color.)

3. Fill a small cup about a 1/2 inch high with water. (We liked
using clear cups so we could see what was happening.)

4. Carefully place the bottom of your chromatography strip along the

inside of the cup until it just goes into the water. (You do not want the
marker line to touch the water.) Clip it into place with your binder clip.
Do this with each of your strips.

22
5. Observe the water slowly work its way up the chromatography strip,
separating the colors of ink used in the marker.

6. Once the water has reached the top of the strip, remove it from the
cup and place it on newspaper or a brown grocery bag to dry.

23
 Chromatography Art Project for Kids
Materials for Chromatography Art Project
 Chromatography paper strips
24
  Small binder clips
 Plastic cups (I like cups like these that are a bit shorter and wider, making it
less likely to tip over and spill. We got ours at our local household store.)
 Water
 Markers (We’ve had the best success with Mr. Sketch markers.)
 Newspaper or paper grocery bag
 Scissors
 Glue
 Black cardstock or construction paper

Exploring the Science of Chromatography

Here’s how to use chromatography to see what colors are mixed together to make
various colors of marker ink!

1. Take a chromatography strip and draw a marker line across the strip about a 3/4
inch from the bottom.

25
2. Do this with each color marker you’d like to try out. (You can also use a pencil
to lightly write the name of the color marker you used on the strip so, when you’re
finished, you’ll know which strip started out as each color.)

3. Fill a small cup about a 1/2 inch high with water. (We liked using clear cups so
we could see what was happening.)

26
4. Carefully place the bottom of your chromatography strip along the inside of the
cup until it just goes into the water. (You do not want the marker line to touch the
water.) Clip it into place with your binder clip. Do this with each of your strips.

5. Observe the water slowly work its way up the chromatography strip, separating
the colors of ink used in the marker.

27
6. Once the water has reached the top of the strip, remove it from the cup and place
it on newspaper or a brown grocery bag to dry.

28
7. Look closely at each strip. Which colors of ink made up the each marker color?

29
Creating Chromatography Artwork
Once you’re done with your chromatography science activity, you can use the
colored strips to create artwork! Older kids can create a woven piece of art, while
younger children might enjoy creating a collage with the strips.

Directions for the W oven Artwork

 Cut a piece of black construction paper or cardstock to 7 inches x 7 inches.
 Line up 7 strips of paper onto your black square and lightly tape into place.
 Use 7 additional strips to weave your pattern.
 Once you’ve finished weaving, gently remove the tape.
 Turn your woven piece over and place glue on the back. Glue it onto your
black square.

Display your woven chromatography art project! They really pop when displayed
as a whole set of multiple woven pieces!

30
Directions for Collage Artwork
 Cut your strips into smaller pieces. (This is great scissor skill
practice for children.)

31
  Give each child a 5 inch x 5 inch piece of black construction paper
or cardstock.
 Invite your child to glue their cut pieces onto the black square of
paper. Children might choose to do rows or just create a collage of
mixed shapes overlapping.
 Display your artwork!

Topic - Paper Circuit Cards | Technology for Kids

Making paper circuit cards is the perfect union of science, technology, art,
and design. For that reason, this activity fits perfectly into any STEAM or
STEM curriculum at school, for library events, or just for fun at home. Let
kids unleash their creativity as they experiment with paper circuit art and
create a unique card that really lights up!
Getting Ready

Before inviting the kids over to make their paper circuit cards I gathered the
following supplies:

32
  Card stock paper
 Copper tape, ¼ inch wide and double-sided conductive (available
online for about $6 or in hardware stores as “slug tape”)
 Scissors
 3V lithium button battery
 5mm LEDs of assorted colors

How to Make a Closed Circuit

There’s nothing too complicated about making a circuit that actually works.
All you have to remember is that there must be a direct path from the
negative end of the battery, through the light, and back to the positive end
of the battery.

On a 3V button battery, the negative side is usually the bottom of the

battery while the positive side is the top. It will be labeled on the battery.

If you look at the 5mm LED you will notice that it has two pins. One pin is
slightly longer than the other one. The longer pin is the positive end and the
shorter pin is the negative end. This matters

33
Electrons must flow from the negative end of the battery to the negative
end of the LED. If the LED is oriented incorrectly it will not light up.

34
Before committing to a circuit with tape I like to test the LED to make sure it
works. Place the negative LED pin on the bottom of the battery and the
positive end on the top of the battery. It should light right up!

35
That’s all you really need to know to construct a circuit that works! Easy,
right?

Constructing Paper Circuit Cards

First, I showed the kids how to make a simple circuit. I placed copper tape
on some card stock in the shape of a rectangle, leaving one small gap
along one of the sides. Three of the corners of the tape were connected
while I left a gap between the ends of the tape in the fourth corner.

36
I used copper tape to attach each pin of the LED to either side of the gap.
It’s really important that the two pins don’t touch each other and that there
is a gap in the tape so that the light doesn’t get short circuited.

I placed a coin cell battery in the open corner so that it touched only one
end of the copper tape. Using another piece of copper tape, I connected
the top of the coin cell battery to the other end of the tape in the corner.

The LED lit right up!

If the LED doesn’t light up when you try this, simply flip the battery over and
try again. Check all the connections to make sure there is a continuous
path from the negative end of the battery, through the negative pin of the
LED, out the positive pin of the LED, and back to the positive end of the
battery.

Once I showed the kids the basics of how to construct a simple paper
circuit I let them loose to create their own.

37
They used markers, scissors, tape, and stickers to design a cute card. At
the end they each added a light-up feature using a circuit. My six-year-old
created a cupcake with a cherry on top that lit up while my eight-year-old
made a pop-up moon card with a blue LED in the center of the blue moon

38
Making Paper Circuit Cards with Two LEDs

There are a couple of different ways to create a circuit with two LEDs. This
took some experimenting on our part, but isn’t what this activity is all
about??

One option is to arrange the lights in series. This means that the electrons
flow from the battery to one light, through copper tape to another light, and
then back to the battery.

My husband made a star paper circuit card using two lights in series. To
get both of them to light up we actually had to stack two batteries on top of
each other to provide enough current!

A second option is to construct a circuit with the lights in parallel. This

basically means that each light has its own unique path to and from the
battery, independent of the other light.

39
A Few Questions to Ask

One of the things I love most about activities like this is I feel like I learn just
as much as the kids do! Long after they were done making their paper
circuit cards, I was still at the table experimenting to see how many lights
one battery could turn on in parallel, if it mattered what color the lights
were, if they had to all be the same color, and so on.

Sometimes constructing circuits can be frustrating. Instead of letting kids

give up, ask them questions about what is happening. See if they can solve
the problem.

What is the importance of leaving a gap in the copper tape for the LED to
bridge? Why does it matter which direction the LED is attached? Why do
lights arranged in series need more batteries to work? How are the
electrons flowing through the circuit? What else can you try?

STEM FOR KIDS: HOW TO MAKE A COIN BATTERY

Did you know that you can make a battery with coins? This coin battery
will actually produce a voltage similar to a small battery! This coin
battery makes about 1 volt of power

40
Supplies you will need

6-8 Pennies (or more)

6-8 Nickels (or more)
Paper Towels or Coffee Filters
1/4 c. White Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Salt

41
Multimeter (voltage testing meter)
Small LED Pin Light

Cut the paper towel (or coffee filters) into small squares. You will want
them smaller than the coins so they are not overlapping.

Dip the squares into the vinegar and salt mixture and layer the coins in
a pattern: penny, paper, nickel. You will want to finish with a penny on
one end and a nickel on the other end.

Once you have a large stack, you can test it out with your multimeter.
You will want to turn it to a low voltage setting and test it out. To light up
an LED light, you will need to reach about a 2 V reading on the
multimeter. Ours didn’t quite make it that high. Ours read just under 1
V.

42
SUPPLIES FOR THE CONDUCTIVITY EXPERIMENT:
Alligator Clips (at least 3)
LED Lights
AA Battery Holder & batteries
Random household objects- some metallic and some non-metallic-
penny, paper clip, nail, pencil, plastic toys, etc.

HOW TO SET UP THE CONDUCTIVITY EXPERIMENT:

Add batteries to your battery holder. Connect an alligator clip to each
side. Red is positive and black is negative. On one side attach a pin
light with a third alligator clip to the other side. You will need to match
the positive side of the pin light with the positive side of the battery
pack. The longer pin is the positive side of the light

Then between the other two openings you can test the conductivity of
the different objects. You can clip them on or even just touch them to
the object. The alligator clips tend to be hard for k ids to squeeze open

43
If it is conductive, the light will light up. If it is not, the light will not light
up. It is as easy as that! Fun, right?

44
Topic - Candy Math
Participant Activity Sheet
Individual Activity
Create a frequency distribution: Record the candy colors. Then, count the number
of each colored candy and record it in the table.

Group Activity
Record the candy colors.
Tally: Record the number of each colored candy from several people (or
packages).
Total: Add the tally for each color and record the sum.
Total Candies: Add up the Total column and record the sum.
Mean Column: Calculate the mean for each color. Take the total for the
color and divide by the total number of people (or packages). Round to the
nearest whole number.

45
Percent Column: Calculate the percent for each color. Take the Total for each
color and divide by the Total Candies. Multiply by 100. Round to the nearest
percent.

Mean Number of Candies in Each Package (or Scoop) - Divide the Total Candies by
the total number of people (or packages); round to the nearest whole number.

Topic - Histogram
Create a histogram using the Mean column in the group table. The colors
go along the horizontal axis. The number of each color of candy goes along
the vertical axis.
Assign each of your candy colors to a column. Write the color name at the
bottom of the rectangle.
Shade rectangles in each column to correspond to the number of candies
for each color.
Give the histogram a title.

46
Candy Colors Pie Chart
Create a pie chart using the Percent column in the table for the Group.
Each sector (slice) of the pie chart corresponds to 1%. Include a key that
lists the candy color and the color or pattern that is shaded in the chart.
Give the pie chart a title.
Title: Key

47
Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins.

Topic - Communication Games

You Want Me To Do WHAT?
Overview There are many aspects of communication and this session
touches only briefly on a few. In this session participants will practice
communicating in writing. And, verbal communication is included, as time
permits.
Category: Communication and Engineering
Level: Explore
Learning Goals
Practice communicating in written forms
Discuss other means of communication
Practice other means of communication, as time allows

Materials
Packets of building supplies; contents include things such as pipe cleaners,
mini craft sticks, straws, yarn, etc. Other inexpensive materials can also be
used: Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, etc.
Paper bags
Stopwatch or Clock
“You Want Me To Do What?” participant worksheet
Pencil/Pen

Activity
Suggested time: 20 minutes
Explain, “It takes various teams to move projects through design,
development, testing, and production. The teams may be located in
different buildings, different states, or even different countries. It is also
possible that members of a single team may be separated. So, it is
important when communicating, to be clear and concise.”
Divide the group into teams consisting of about 3 members per team.
Explain, “Each team will have 3 minutes to construct a prototype object out
of the materials in the packets. Then, each team will take 5 minutes to write
a description of the object and how to make it. Finally, the teams will trade
descriptions and attempt to build a „production‟ recreation of the prototype
object in 5 minutes.” 11

48
Give one team a packet of A building supplies and the other team a packet
of B building supplies.
Explain, “Each team should gather, separate from the other team(s), to
construct a prototype object out of the packet of building supplies. You
have 3 minutes. I‟ll provide a one-minute warning. Begin.”
Call time and get the group‟s attention.
Give each team an activity sheet, a writing instrument, and a paper bag.
Explain, “Each team will now write a description of the prototype object and
how to make it. Only words and numerals may be used. Symbols and
diagrams are not allowed. All abbreviations must be defined either at the
beginning or when the abbreviation is first used. You have 5 minutes. I‟ll
provide a one-minute warning, at which time you‟ll need to finish your
description and conceal your prototype in the paper bag. Begin.”
Call time and get the group‟s attention.
Explain, “Okay, be sure your prototype object is hidden in the paper bag
provided.”
Give the A team a fresh packet of B building supplies and give the B team
a fresh packet of A building supplies.
Explain, “All right, trade descriptions and attempt to „produce‟ the other
team‟s prototype object. You have 5 minutes. I‟ll provide a one-minute
warning.
Begin.”
After the 5 minute limit, the teams may look at each other‟s work,
comparing the original prototype object from the bag and the „production‟
recreation.
Lead the group in discussion:
What was difficult for each team during the activity?
What was easy?
What communication, besides only written words and numerals, would
have been helpful? (e.g. diagram, verbal discussion)
How might you have done this differently if you had been able to plan
ahead?

49
TOPIC - Extension: Verbal Communication
Select two participants. Have one participant construct a small prototype;
this person is the designer and should not let the builder see the prototype.
Then, provide the same materials to the builder; the builder should not see
the prototype just constructed by the designer. Have the designer and
builder sit back to back in front of the rest of the group.
Communication options that can be explored (supplemental sheet can be
printed, cut up, and used for random selection by participants):
Builder asks questions of the designer that can only be answered with Yes
or No.
Builder is free to ask open-ended questions of the designer.
Designer verbally describes to the builder how to construct the model. The
builder is not allowed to ask questions.
Designer verbally describes to the builder how to construct the model. The
builder is allowed to ask questions.

Provide a time limit for the activity.

Have the designer and builder compare the resultant prototypes.
Discussion topics:
How close were the resultant prototypes?
What other communication may have been helpful?
Explore as many of the communication options as time, and attention, permits

You Want Me To Do WHAT?

Participant Worksheet
Materials Packet (circle one) A or B
Directions Write a description of the prototype object and how to make it.
ONLY words and numerals may be used. Symbols and diagrams are NOT
allowed. All abbreviations must be defined either at the beginning or when
the abbreviation is first used.
Description of Prototype and Building Instructions

Communication Exploration
Supplemental Builder asks Builder is free to ask open-
questions of the designer that ended questions of the designer.
can only be answered with Yes
or No.

50
Designer verbally describes to Designer verbally describes to
the builder how to construct the the builder how to construct the
model. The builder is not model. The builder is allowed to
allowed to ask questions. ask questions.

Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins

TOPIC - Construct-I-Can
Guidelines for Organizing
Construct-I-Can is an engineering design exercise in which teams build
structures from food cans and boxes. The exercise provides students with
a hands-on exercise in engineering technology, the teamwork typical of the
field, and the creativity necessary for good design and effective problem
solving.
Category: Engineering
Learning Goals
Discuss and employ the engineering design cycle
Practice communication and teamwork skills
Practice problem-solving skills
Demonstrate an understanding of principles underlying the design of
structures

Supplies for Construct-I-Can

Non-perishable food items, both canned goods of various sizes and boxed
goods of various shapes and sizes. (Can be limited to certain types of food
items.)
Sketching or graphing paper for participants to draw designs.
Pens/pencils
Copies of participant instructions
Prizes, possibly computer generated certificates.

To make the activity as cost –effective as possible, combine it with a food drive
for a local food pantry and donate the food items after the event. Ask participants
to assist with the drive. Approach grocery stories and civic organizations for
donations.
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Organizing the Activity
Find a location for storing the food before the activity. Solicit volunteer help
to move the food to the activity location.
Capitalize on the promotional possibilities, especially if the activity is
combined with a food drive for a pantry.
Determine number of teams before the activity begins, and if possible,
assign participants to teams ahead.
Divide the food items before the activity begins, providing each team with a
variety of sizes and shapes.

Activity Schedule: Half a day for sketching and building, explaining

designs, judging and announcing winners.
Credit: Activity packet developed by Dorene Perez.

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TOPIC - Edible Car Contest for Kids
Overview Participants will have fun employing the engineering design
cycle to build an edible car. They will work in small groups and have the
opportunity to hone their communication and teamwork skills. After
constructing their edible car, they will race the cars down a ramp and
calculate the average velocity. In conclusion, they will reflect upon the
iterative nature of the design process and propose ways to improve the car
design through best practices.
Category: Math, Engineering
Learning Goals
Discuss and employ the engineering design cycle
Practice communication and teamwork skills
Practice problem-solving skills
Demonstrate an understanding of scientific principles underlying the design
Calculate average velocity

Location The activity can be conducted indoors or outdoors.

Participants
The activity can be conducted with almost any number of participants and
one session leader.
Materials
Car Materials:
Body Materials (e.g. rice crispy bars, cucumbers, bananas, loaves of hard
bread, hot dogs, ice cream cones, celery, Twinkies)
Wheels (e.g. mini chocolate donuts, cookies, fruit loops, gummy rings,
pinwheel pasta, life savers)
Axles (pretzel rods, pretzel sticks)
Adhesives and Adornments (gum drops, mini marshmallows,
marshmallows, thin licorice rope, cake icing, sprinkles)

Construction Tools and Other Supplementals

Plastic knives
Paper towels or wipes for clean-up

Additional Materials
Ramp, ~3ft in length (e.g. board, inclined table)
Masking tape
Plastic garbage bags

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Spatula

Measuring device (e.g. ruler, yard stick, tape measure)

Timing device
Calculator
Optional
Camera for documentary purposes

Prizes for various categories (e.g. speed, design, creativity, detail,

nutritional value, etc.). Can utilize computer generated certificates.
Activity
Suggested time: minimum of 60 minutes.
Setup
Incline a board or table about 3ft in length to form a ramp.
Use masking tape to mark the start and stop points along the table.
Place garbage bags at the bottom of the ramp to collect any mess that may
result from racing the cars.

Introductory Discussion
What do we need to think about when designing an edible car? (e.g.
constraints, materials availability, etc.)
One possible engineering design process includes the following iterative
steps:
State the problem, including any constraints
Brainstorm ideas for a solution, based upon constraints
Select a solution
Identify and collect materials
Construct a prototype
Evaluate the prototype
Present the results
Redesign the solution to improve the prototype

Inform participants whether they will provide their own food to construct
their vehicles or if the materials will be provided.
Other questions or comments.
Constraints for the Edible Cars
The cars must be built entirely from food items edible to humans.
Entries must look like cars.
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Entries must have at least two axles and at least three wheels, all edible to
humans.
To be eligible for a speed prize, the entry must roll down a ramp
approximately three feet long.

20 Planning: Design the Edible Cars

Arrange participants into small groups to for teams. Each team should
come up with a name for their team or their car.
Participants should brainstorm ideas for their edible car design, based upon
the constraints, and select a design.
After selecting a design, participants should identify and collect the needed
materials.
Construction: Build the Edible Cars
Once planning is complete, participants are ready to construct their
vehicles.
Have participants identify challenges encountered during the construction
of the prototype.
Evaluation: Race the Edible Cars
Discuss velocity:
Why are there speed limit signs along streets and roads?
How do you know if you are within the speed limit when driving or riding in
a car?
If the speed limit is 55 mph, what does “mph” stand for?

How do you calculate the average speed (or velocity)? r = d/t

So, if I could walk three miles in one hour, what is my speed? 3mph

To calculate the speed of the edible cars, the distance traveled is needed.
Measure and record the distance between the start and stop tape lines on
the ramp.
Race the cars:
Two people are needed to record race times: a racer and a timekeeper.
The racer should hold the car on the ramp at the start line using the
spatula.
When ready, the timekeeper shall announce “Go!”, at which time the racer
shall release the car. It is the timekeeper‟s responsibility to start the timing
device when the car is released and stop the timing device when the car
passes the stop line on the ramp.

55
Each team should record the amount of time it took their car to traverse the
ramp and then calculate the car‟s average velocity.
Optional: Award prizes.
Summary
Which car was the fastest?
What “best practices” would you recommend for building an edible car?
Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins.

Edible Car Contest for Kids

Participant Activity Sheet
Constraints for the Edible Cars
The cars must be built entirely from food items edible to humans.
Entries must look like cars.
Entries must have at least two axles and at least three wheels, all edible to
humans.
To be eligible for a speed prize, the entry must roll down a ramp
approximately three feet long.

Team/Car Name:
56
Edible Car Design: Materials List:

As you build the prototype for your car, identify any challenges that you
encounter and how you overcome them.
Calculate the average speed of your edible car:
Edible Car‟s Average Speed = (Distance Traveled)/(Time to Travel the
Distance)
=
What challenges did you encounter when building the prototype for your
car? And, how did you overcome them?
Did your car successfully make it down the ramp?
How fast did your car go?
How would you change the design of your car to make it better?

ENGINEERING CHALLENGE FOR KIDS!

STEAM Skills Presented:

Science: Kids will use skills within the scientific method as they plan and
construct their love boats and test the constructions to see if they can float and hold
the weight of the conversation hearts.

Technology: Kids will extend and/or document learning through use of technology
in the love boat engineering challenge.

Engineering: Students will plan and construct a boat that exhibits early attempts at
engineering from simple supplies.

the Arts: Kids will use individual artistic expression in the design and creation of
their own love boat.

Math: Kids will use lines, shapes, patterns, and explore mathematical relationships
as they plan, construct, test, and improve the engineered boats.

57
TOPIC - LOVE BOAT CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE LOVE BOAT CONSTRUCTION:

 Seasonal Colors of Wikki Stix – our kids love constructing with Wikki Stix. We
love that we can finish the challenge in one day with our school-aged kids
without waiting for glue to dry.
 10 Large Craft Sticks or Tongue Depressors
 Aluminum Foil
 Candy Conversation Hearts
 Seasonal Cupcake Picks (opt. for boat decoration) – kids can also use tooth
picks with construction paper hearts to decorate the love boats, if desired.
 Print the entire supply list here: The Love Boat STEAM Challenge Supplies List

58
DIRECTIONS:

 The challenge is to plan, design, and create a boat that can float in water and
hold weight using only the supplies below.
 Kids do not have to use all the supplies, but no additional supplies will be
given.
 The students should have access to scissors for the challenge. The boat must
float in the water and be able to withstand the additional weight of 5 candy
conversation hearts without taking on water.
 Parents and Teachers can download the challenge tips for students here: The
Love Boat STEAM Challenge

59
Note for parents and teachers:

The Love Boat STEAM Engineering Challenge is designed for kids in 3rd-5th
grades. The love boat engineering challenge can be completed individually, with
partners, or in teams.

The challenge can also be modified for use with older students by increasing the
weight limit for the constructed boats, allowing additional supplies, or by requiring
the boats to move through the water in some manner. The challenge can also be
completed with younger kids, although an adult will need to guide the kids through
the inquiry. The construction may be too difficult for younger kids to do
independently. After brainstorming suggestions from the group, an adult can help
construct the boat and allow the children to test the completed design. All kids will
ask questions about how to complete the construction of the boats. Guide the kids
with open-ended questions in order to allow them to formulate ideas and solutions
on their own.

60
The love boat above was a brilliant construction. The boat held the weight of all 5
candy conversation hearts well. We used a large plastic bin filled with water to
test our love boat designs

61
This group made another awwesome love boat design. The kids even tried heavier
weights (Valentine’s erasers) to test the strength of their design.

Using Technology to Document and Enhance Learning:

Students can use technology in a variety of ways to extend and/or document
learning in the lesson. Some suggestions might include:

 Invite the kids to take photos of their final constructions.

 Have kids print the photos and compile a class book to share with family and
friends.
 The kids might also video the testing phase of the challenge. By playing back
the video, kids can learn about successes and failures to improve the designs.

Challenge Wrap-Up:The Love Boat STEAM Challenge Response Questions

Print the challenge response questions (linked above) for each student or team.
Come together and invite the kids to share individual responses to the challenge.

FUN FACT: The real Love Boat (Pacific Princess) was scraped in 2013. Her sister
ship still sails. Kids can ask grandparents if they remember Cpt. Stubing played by
Gavin MacLeod in the TV series The Love Boat.

TOPIC - Frozen Treat in a Bag

Overview Create an ice cream or sorbet treat. While the treat is freezing,
discuss the properties of the ice cream, freezing, and freezing points.
Category: Scientific Exploration
Learning Goals
Practice measuring techniques to support future scientific experimentation
Practice following instructions
Practice critical thinking skills

Location This activity is best conducted at a table in, or near, a kitchen.

Participants
The activity can be conducted with almost any number of participants and
one session leader.
Materials

62
Provide the following materials
for each participant Treat
½ cup milk or half & half (ice
cream).
Optional: use fruit juice to make
a sorbet)
¼ t vanilla
1 T sugar
Supplemental Materials
1 resealable sandwich bag
1 resealable gallon bag
1 tray ice cubes
6 T salt (rock or table)
Towel, gloves, or potholders
1 spoon

Participant Activity Sheet

Activity
Suggested time: 30 minutes
Treat Preparation
Mix treat contents in the sandwich-sized resealable bag; then, seal the bag.
Add the treat bag, the ice, and the salt to the gallon-sized bag; then, seal
the bag.
Protect your hands from the cold bag using the towel, gloves, or
potholders.
Shake the bag back and forth until the liquid thickens; this should take 5 to 10
minutes.

Remove the sandwich bag from the gallon bag. Wipe the wet salt mixture
from the outside of the sandwich bag.
Use the spoon to eat the treat right from the sandwich bag.
Discussion
Complete while shaking the bag and eating the treat.
What contributes to the smooth texture that you feel in your mouth when
eating ice cream? (fat content)
At what temperature does water freeze? (32O F)
Why do we add salt to the ice? Why not just use ice? (As the ice melts, a
water-salt solution results: a saline solution. The freezing point of saline is
lower than the freezing point of plain water. This creates an environment
cold enough to freeze the ingredients to form the frozen treat.)
What is freezing point depression? (lowering the freezing point of a liquid
by adding something to it)
Why else might we want to lower the freezing point of water? (to melt ice
from roadways and sidewalks in the winter)
What other questions might we ask? What other experiments could we do?
(Check the temperature of the treat mixture over time with solutions containing

63
different concentrations of salt. Explore how other additives (e.g. sugar, epsom
salt, …) affect the freezing point.)

Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins

Frozen Treat in a Bag

Participant Activity Sheet
Materials Treat Supplemental Materials
½ cup milk or half & half (ice 1 resealable sandwich bag
cream). 1 resealable gallon bag
Optional: use fruit juice to make 1 tray ice cubes
a sorbet) 6 T salt (rock or table)
¼ t vanilla Towel, gloves, or potholders
1 T sugar 1 spoon

Treat Preparation
Mix treat contents in the sandwich-sized resealable bag; then, seal the bag.

Add the treat bag, the ice, and the salt to the gallon-sized bag; then, seal
the bag.

Protect your hands from the cold bag using the towel, gloves, or
potholders.

Shake the bag back and forth until the liquid thickens; this should take 5 to
10 minutes.

Remove the sandwich bag from the gallon bag. Wipe the wet salt mixture
from the outside of the sandwich bag.

Use the spoon to eat the treat right from the sandwich bag.

Discussion: Complete while shaking the bag and eating the treat.
What contributes to the smooth texture that you feel in your mouth when
eating ice cream?

At what temperature does water freeze?

Why do we add salt to the ice? Why not just use ice?
64
What is freezing point depression?

Why else might we want to lower the freezing point of water?

What other questions might we ask? What other experiments could we do?

CATEGORY – GRADE 3 -5

TOPIC - THE LOVE BOAT STEAM

Tissue Paper Sensory Art

Sensory Art Supplies

All you need is some tissue paper, a small paint brush and a Styrofoam
block (you can
buy them at craft stores or here {af_liate}). Break the styrofoam block into a
small
piece, approximately 4-5″ square and save the rest for another project.
Then, cut or
tear the tissue paper into 1-2″ squares.

65
The Sensory Experience
Then let the sensory experience begin… Place a piece of tissue paper on
the
styrofoam and push in with the plastic end of the paint brush. It gives a
satisfying
crunch sound and an interesting pop feel in the hand. And it’s very
relaxing… It
soothed The Babe and it soothed me, too. I picked up the styrofoam and
poked away
while she had her 80th tantrum of the day…

And before long, you have a beautifully lush piece of tissue paper art!

66
67
Kids love playing with water, which makes learning from water
experiments so interesting and exciting. How can we make it even more
fun? How about adding some water balloons to our science? Children in

68
preschool through grade 6 will enjoy this Water Balloon Science
Experiment.

My kids have been obsessed with experiments exploring the properties of

water lately. In a recent science fair my son did a presentation on “does it
float” and played with a variety of different concepts. Since we have already
done quite a lot of flotation experiments and water projects for kids, I
knew I was going to have to come up with something unique and different
to capture their imagination. When I came up with the idea to use water
balloons, I knew I had hit a home run! My kids absolutely loved this water
balloon science experiment and keep asking to do it again and again.

TOPIC - Water Balloon Science Experiment

The idea of this density science project is to explore what liquids float, and
which ones sink, by filling water balloons with different liquids.

What do I need for this water experiment?

 A large container filled with water. Look for something with a depth of at
least double the size of your water balloons when they are filled. Deeper
is even better!
 Water balloons
 60mL Syringe
 Different liquid solutions (some ideas: water, vegetable oil, corn syrup,
salt water, sugar water, juice, etc.)
 Permanent marker

Doing the experiment

I highly recommend you do this activity outside. Water balloons are very
easy to pop! I also recommend you fill multiple balloons with each type of
liquid. That way if one pops you have some back ups.

69
One note of caution: We found vegetable oil tended to weaken our water
balloons making them more prone to popping. We did not experience this
with any other liquid type, only vegetable oil.
Water balloons are meant to be filled under pressure. Using the syringe
you can easily fill the balloons. We found a 60mL syringe made perfect,
egg sized water balloons. Simply wash well after each type of liquid so you
don’t cross contaminate.

Here are some ideas for what to put in your balloons:

70
 lamp oil
 rubbing alcohol
 vegetable oil
 dish soap
 milk
 maple syrup
 corn syrup
 honey
 salted water
Filling the balloons with a syringe is a fantastic fine motor strengthening
activity, but prepare them outside or in an easy to clean up space, as it
can get messy.

As you fill each balloon make sure you label it so they don’t get mixed up.

71
Once your balloons are filled, head over to your container. This is the
perfect time to ask for some predictions. Will it sink or will it float? Then
place your balloons in the water and watch what happens.

The science behind this water balloon experiment

Different types of liquids have different densities. In this experiment we are
able to see which liquids have a greater density than water causing them to
sink, and which ones are less dense than water, which allows them to float.
Oil and Water Science Exploration

Supplies Needed:

 Baby oil or vegetable oil (depends on if you want it to be clear)

72
  Washable liquid watercolors or food coloring
 Pipettes or droppers

*If you decide to use baby oil and watercolors, make sure your kids won’t
put this in their mouths! As always, keep a close eye on your kids any time
that you are doing a science experiment.

1. Put water in several cups and add food coloring or liquid watercolors to
the water. Then stir to combine.
2. Place a pipette in each colored glass of water.
3. Fill a cup about half way with oil.

Now let the kids have fun exploring oil and water!

While enjoying this science exploration kids will explore how oil and water
do not mix together. For young children, there is no need to fully explain the
concept behind it, but it is a great start to simply explore the two liquids and
see how they behave when mixed together

73
For kids in early elementary you can explain that oil molecules are only
attracted to other oil molecules and water molecules are attracted to water
molecules. So they don’t mix together. The reason the oil floats on top is
because the oil is less dense than water.

74
TOPIC - SKYSCRAPER DAY BUILDING ACTIVITY

To kick off our skyscraper building, we spent some time reading books from
the library and Googling images and videos of skyscrapers. A few of the
major skyscrapers we looked at were The Sears Tower, The Empire State
Building, The Chrysler Building, The Transamerica Pyramid, and the
Shanghai Tower. These buildings are awe-inspiring in themselves, but
reading about how long it takes to build them and how much materials they
require had my son blown away. We also watched several great videos
using the search terms “skyscraper videos for kids.”• It allowed my son to
see all the different factors that engineers and architects must consider
when building these multi-floor wonders.

After all of our research, my son set out to construct his own skyscraper.
Here are the materials we used:

 Colored craft (popsicle) sticks

 Low heat glue gun and glue sticks

It was interesting to see the thought that went into creating this project. My
son led the project, and I served as an extra set of hands. (Yay for one-on-
one time!) We decided to construct multiple boxes that would serve as
floors to stack on top of one another

75
After the first box was constructed, it was apparent that it needed
something more. Even with the hardened hot glue, it was flimsy and
wobbly. My son deemed that we needed to add a brace to the side.
Referring to the V-style seismic bracing we had seen in an earthquake
retrofitting video; improvements were made.

After ten cubes were constructed with braces, we began assembling the
skyscraper. Because the cubes were not perfectly symmetrical, it took
some manipulating to get them to fit together without causing too much of a
lean. There were some places where we had spaces where the pieces
didn”™t meet, so this was remedied by breaking a stick in half and
inserting it to make up the difference.

76
Once all the cubes were stacked and glued, we then decided that the top of
our tower needed something else to top it off. He decided that a four-sided
apex complete with a red “light”• to ward off planes should be added and
the result is amazing.

The final product stands ten stories and 49”™ tall and takes about two
hours from start to finish! It was a great way to allow my son to take the
lead in a project, assert himself, and think outside the box. After this, he
deemed that he thought he wanted to be an architect.

To further this activity, here are some conversation questions to ask

your children:

-What was an important factor in building your structure?

-If you build it over, what will you do differently?

-If each cube represents x-amount of floors, how many total floors will your
structure have?

-What city will you build your structure in? Why?

-What name will you give your skyscraper? Why?

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-Why do you think it”™s important for kids to do activities like this?

The final product stands ten stories and 49”™ tall and takes about two
hours from start to finish! It was a great way to allow my son to take the
lead in a project, assert himself, and think outside the box. After this, he
deemed that he thought he wanted to be an architect.

To further this activity, here are some conversation questions to ask

your children:

-What was an important factor in building your structure?

-If you build it over, what will you do differently?

-If each cube represents x-amount of floors, how many total floors will your
structure have?

-What city will you build your structure in? Why?

-What name will you give your skyscraper? Why?

-Why do you think it”™s important for kids to do activities like this?

78
79
The final product stands ten stories and 49”™ tall and takes about two
hours from start to finish! It was a great way to allow my son to take the
lead in a project, assert himself, and think outside the box. After this, he
deemed that he thought he wanted to be an architect.

To further this activity, here are some conversation questions to ask

your children:

-What was an important factor in building your structure?

-If you build it over, what will you do differently?

-If each cube represents x-amount of floors, how many total floors will your
structure have?

-What city will you build your structure in? Why?

-What name will you give your skyscraper? Why?

-Why do you think it”™s important for kids to do activities like this?

80
TOPIC - Geometry: Polygons and Polyhedra
Overview Participants will explore and discuss polygons and polyhedra.
Category: Math, Science, Engineering
Learning Goals
Discuss and use polygon, polyhedral, and solids terminology
Experiment using the scientific method
Construct and test space figure models

Participants
The activity can be conducted with almost any number of participants and
one session leader.
Materials Construction Scissors
Materials Solids (e.g. die, rectangular
Pieces: Toothpicks, straws, or box, can of food, ball,
some other material for pyramid, etc.)
constructing Supplemental Shapes and
Connectors: Mini Solids
marshmallows, raisins, gum Sheet
drops, modeling clay, or some Pencil/ Pen
other connector material

Activity Sheet, one per

participant
Activity
Suggested time: 90 minutes
Setup
Have various solids and/or pictures of shapes and solids placed around the
tables or work areas for participants to see as they arrive.
Polygons
What is a polygon? (a 2-dimensional shape made up of straight lines)
Have each participant match the name of the shape with the picture of the
shape.
How many sides does a “googolgon” have? (10^100 sides)
What shapes are on the surface of a soccer ball? (black pentagon and
white hexagon)
Have participants make a square out of pieces and connectors. Stand it upright.

Is it sturdy? (no)
Have participants make a triangle out of pieces and connectors. Stand it
upright.
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Is it sturdy? (yes)
Polyhedra
What is a polyhedron? (a 3-dimensional space figure made up of flat faces;
there are no curved surfaces)
List some space figures (solids) that are polyhedra. (Polyhedra: Cube,
Rectangular Space Figur, Pyramid with Square or Triangular Base)
List some space figures (solids) that are not polyhedra. (Cylinder, Cone,
Sphere)
Have participants construct a tetrahedron (pyramid with a triangular base).
Have participants hypothesize about the number of tetrahedral it will take to
support a book. Then, put them in small groups to test their hypothesis.
Discuss the results of their experimentation with using tetrahedra to support
a book.
What shape is common to both the triangular pyramid and the square
pyramid?
Where else do you see this shape? Take a walking tour, if feasible. (The
triangle is a “strong” shape. It can be found in roof construction, supports
under tables, wheelchair ramps, etc.)
Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins

The Shape of Things Participant Activity Sheet

Polygon:
List the number of sides for each shape; then, match the name of the
shape with the shape.
Triangle

Quadrilateral

Pentagon

Hexagon

Heptagon

Octagon

How many sides does a “googolgon” have?

What shapes are on the surface of a soccer ball?

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Make a square out of pieces and connectors. Stand it upright. Is it sturdy?
Make a triangle out of pieces and connectors. Stand it upright. Is it sturdy?
Polyhedron:
List some space figures (solids), polyhedra or otherwise.
Construct a tetrahedron (pyramid with a triangular base).
Supporting a book with tetrahedra.
Hypothesis: A book can be supported with _____________ tetrahedra.
Form small groups and experiment to see how many tetrahedra it takes to
support a book.

It takes ______________ tetrahedra to support a book.

What shape is common to both the triangular pyramid and the square
pyramid?
Where else do you see this shape?
Supplemental Shapes and Solids

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Topic - Geometry: Surround, Enclose, Cover, and Fill
Overview Participants will explore distance, perimeter, circumference,
area, and volume. They will make calculations using analytic techniques
and experimental techniques.
Category: Math
Learning Goals
Use the terminology
Identify common shapes and solids
Calculate perimeter, circumference, area, and volume

Participants
The activity can be conducted with almost any number of participants and
one session leader.
Materials Objects Water
cubes (e.g. dice, sugar cubes, Liquid measuring device (e.g. a
etc.) measuring cup that measures in
rectangular solid (e.g. shoe box, ounces)
brick, etc,) Distance measuring device (e.g.
solid right circular cylinder (e.g. ruler, tape measure, etc. that
canned goods, pill bottle, etc.) measures in inches)
hollow right circular cylinder Calculators
(e.g. vase, drinking glass, water Participant Activity Sheet
bottle, etc.)
circular object (wheel, lid, etc.)
spherical object (ball, balloon,
etc.)

Activity
Suggested time: 75 minutes
Setup
Set out solids and other objects in advance to pique the interest of the
participants.

Surround: Distance, Perimeter, and Circumference

Begin with a discussion of distance and how far away things are. (e.g. How
far is it from here to your house? How long is the pencil/pen you‟re
holding? How far is it over to the door? etc.)
Discuss dimensions: 0D – point; 1D – line or path; 2D – plane; 3D – space

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Classify the items as 2D or 3D. (Use the items that you brought, such as:
ball, square, triangle, Egyptian pyramid, brick, circle, rectangle, drinking
glass, can, etc.)
What is perimeter? How do you calculate it? (It is the distance around the
outside of a 2D shape. Add the distance along each edge of the shape and
add them together.)
What is circumference? How do you calculate it? (It is the distance around
a circle. Measure the distance from the center of the circle to the outside,
the radius, and multiply by 2π: 2πr)
Measure and calculate.
Enclose: Area
Area is a measure of the size of the region that is enclosed by the shape.
Some common shapes are squares, rectangles, circles, and triangles.
Area of a rectangle: l x w or w x h
Measure and calculate.
Cover and Fill: Surface Area and Volume
Surface Area is a measure of the amount of area that it takes to cover a
solid. Some common solids are cubes, rectangular solids, spheres, right
circular cylinders, and pyramids.
Surface area of a rectangular solid: add the area of each face of the solid.
Volume is a measure of the amount of space that a solid takes up or can
hold.
Volume of a right circular cylinder: let r be the radius for the circle and h be
the height of the solid; then, the volume is 2πrh.
Measure and calculate.
Summary Comments and Discussion
Distance , Perimeter, and Circumference
1. What type of measurement is this? (1D)

2. How can you use this type of measurement?

Area and Surface Area
1. What type of measurement is this? (2D)
2. How can you use this type of measurement?

Volume
1. What type of measurement is this? (3D)
2. How can you use this type of measurement?

Credits
Activity packet developed by Dawn Wiggins
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TOPIC - Geometry: Surround, Enclose, Cover, and Fill
Participant Activity Sheet
Dimensions Classify the items as 2D or 3D. Write the name of the object in
one of the circles.

Surround – Measures of Perimeter and Circumference

Perimeter: Circumference:
1. How much fence would it take to go around a small plot for spring and
summer flowers that is 8 feet long and 4 feet wide?

Draw the plot:

Amount of Fence: __________________
2. How far would a bike move its tire made one rotation and the distance
from the center of the tire to the outside of the tire was 18 inches? (2
decimal places)

Draw the tire:

Distance Moved: __________________

3. Given a wheel, measure its radius; then, calculate its circumference. (2

decimal places)
Radius:
Wheel Circumference: __________________
Enclose – Measure of Area
1. What area would be enclosed by a small plot for spring and summer
flowers that is 8 feet long and 4 feet wide?

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Draw the plot:
Area of Plot: __________________
2. Given a can of ____________, respond to the following to find the
minimum amount of paper it took to make the label.

If you were to remove the label from the can and lay it flat, what shape
would it be? Draw it.
Height of label - Measure the height of the label on the can:
Width of label - Measure the radius of the can and calculate the
circumference of the can:
Calculate the minimum amount of paper needed to make the label, which is
the area of the label.
Area of Label: __________________

Cover and Fill – Measures of Surface Area and Volume

1. Given a box that contains a present for your friend‟s birthday, find the
minimum amount of paper it would take to wrap the box. Label the box with
its dimensions (width, height, depth) and calculate the surface area.

Top and Bottom:

Front and Back:
Right and Left:
Amt of Wrapping Paper: __________________

2. Volume of a Vase
Experimental: Use a measuring cup to find the amount of water the vase
holds; use fluid ounces.
Experimental Vase Volume: __________________
Analytic: Calculate the amount of water the vase holds. Make
measurements in inches.
Measure the radius of the vase:

Measure the height of the vase:

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Calculate the volume of the vase (2πrh):

Convert the volume of the vase from cubic inches to fluid ounces. Multiply
the volume in cubic inches by 0.5541.

Analytic Vase Volume: __________________

How close were the experimental and analytic values for the volume of the vase?

TOPIC - Paper Rockets – Building and Launching

Overview
Participants will explore aerodynamic design and math applications as they
build and launch paper rockets.
Category: Mathematics with the activity included below. Aerodynamic
design (engineering) in the design of the rockets.
Learning Goals
Practice mathematical calculations related to angles, distances
Discuss PSI
Explore aerodynamics

Materials and setup:

See instructions by NASA for constructing paper rockets at:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295789main_Rockets_High_Power_
Paper_Rocket.pdf
And for constructing an air compressor paper rocket launcher at:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295788main_Rockets_High_
Power_Launcher.pdf:
Mathematics activity:
After the launch, have students get their rocket and stand where it landed.
Readjust your baseline to approximately 90 degrees.

Measure the angle from the far end of the baseline to the person holding
the rocket and record.

To estimate distance, take the adjusted baseline (see above) and multiply
by the tangent of the angle estimate.

Additional suggestions:
Have students work in teams.
Use card stock paper for rockets for best construction and launching.

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A PSI of 20-40 is best for paper rockets. Higher PSIs will cause destruction
of the rockets.
Utilize this opportunity to discuss PSI.

Credits: Paper rocket and rocket launcher instructions developed by NASA. Math
activity and additional suggestions developed by Jim Gibson and Sue Caley Opsa

Paper Rockets – Building and Launching

Participant Activity Sheet
Names______________________________________________________
_____
Location____________________________________

Weather PSI Baseline Angle Distance Notes

condition distance traveled
sLaunch
#
1

Mathematical calculations:

Soda Geysers
Overview Drawing on the scientific method, participants will construct
hypotheses about the reactions of various sodas with various items. Then,
experiments will be conducted to test the hypotheses. Finally the results
will be analyzed to determine if the hypothesis is true, partially true, or
false.
Category: Scientific Experimentation
Learning Goals
Practice scientific method
Practice safety in experimental situations
Practice communication and team-building skills

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Location This activity is best conducted outdoors.
Participants
The activity can be conducted with four participants and one session
leader. But, it is recommended that there be at least five participants.
Materials
Two-liter bottles of soda for Reaction agents (twenty Mint
comparison of possible Mentos Candies, five mini
reaction agents; one bottle of boxes of Nerds, three rolls of
Diet Coke for each reaction Smarties, thirty Runts. Or,
agent (four agents for this any four reaction agents.)
activity). Or, four two-liter
bottles of any particular Goggles for the session
soda. leader and each participant

Two-liter bottles of soda for Pencil/ Pen

comparison of sodas; one
each of Canada Dry Ginger Activity Sheet, one per
Ale, Coke, Sprite Zero, Diet participant
Coke. Or, any four, different
two-liter bottles of soda.

Activity
Suggested time: 45 minutes
Compare Reaction Agents
Discuss the properties of soda: Flat or carbonated? What does it mean to be
carbonated? What does carbonation do for the soda? Do you want to open a
bottle of soda if it has been dropped? Why or why not? What happens when you
drop ice into soda? What do you think would happen if we dropped some of the
reaction agents into the soda?

Using the activity worksheet, each participant should hypothesize which

reaction agent will cause the most bubbling and which the least. Rank them
in order from 1 to 4, with 1 being the most bubbling and 4 being the least
bubbling.
Discuss safety: What do we need? Why?
Be sure the session leader and all participants have goggles on before
proceeding.
Select four participants to conduct the experiment; they are the scientists.

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The other participants will observe. They will be responsible for reporting
the experimental results for the bubble rankings.
Each scientist should select a different type of candy and take about the
same amount of each (e.g. four Mint Mentos Candies, half of a mini box of
Nerds, half of a roll of Smarties, six Runts).
Next, each scientist should select a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke.
Line the bottles up with sufficient space in between.
Have the scientists remove the caps from the bottles.
The observers will conduct a countdown, at which time the scientists will
drop their reaction agents into their bottle of soda. Upon release of the
reaction agents, the scientists should step away from the bottles. The
observers should pay close attention to identify the bubble rankings for the
experiment.
Using the activity worksheet, all participants should record the results.
Compare Sodas
Which reaction agent caused the most bubbling? It will be used to compare
different sodas for the best bubbling action.
Using the activity worksheet, each participant should hypothesize which
soda will cause the most bubbling and which the least. Rank them in order
from 1 to 4, with 1 being the most bubbling and 4 being the least bubbling.
Be sure the session leader and all participants have goggles on before
proceeding.
Select four participants to conduct the experiment; they are the scientists.
The other participants will observe. They will be responsible for reporting
the experimental results for the bubble rankings.
Each scientist should select a different a different two-liter bottle of soda.
Next, each scientist should select some of the candy that served as the
best reaction agent (e.g. four Mint Mentos Candies or half of a mini box of
Nerds or half of a roll of Smarties or six Runts).
Line the bottles up with sufficient space in between.

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Students test soda
and reaction agents.

Soda Geysers Participant Activity Sheet

Compare Hypothetical Experimental
Reaction Agents Result Result
When the specified (Most Bubbling, 1;
candy reaction Least Bubbling 4.)
agent is dropped
into the Diet Coke,
rank how its
bubbling reaction
will be in
comparison to the
other candy
reaction agents.
Rank the candy
reaction agents in
order from 1 to 4,
with 1 being the
most bubbling and
4 being the least
bubbling Candy
Reaction Agent
Circle the candy reaction agent that produced the most bubbling.
Compare Sodas Enter candy reaction agent that produced the most
bubbling in the blank below.
When the ______________________________ candy reaction agent is dropped
into each of the sodas, rank how its bubbling reaction will be in comparison to the
other sodas. Rank the sodas in order from 1 to 4, with 1 being the most bubbling
and 4 being the least bubbling
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Soda Hypothetical Experimental
Result Result
(Most Bubbling, 1;
Least Bubbling 4.)

Summary
Which candy and which soda produce the best soda geyser?
What other questions could we ask about soda geysers? Other
experiments?
Take Away – Can you find out WHY the identified candy reaction agent produced
the most impressive soda geyser?

TOPIC - Team Building Exercise:

Arm Wrestling for Candy
Overview: Participants will work in teams in an exercise illustrating
competition versus teamwork
Learning goal: Demonstrate the benefit(s) of teamwork
Participants: Almost any number of participants and one session leader.
Materials: A number of very small pieces of candy to use as rewards.
Procedure:
Have students pair up at tables and get into arm wrestling position.
Explain that they will earn points (don‟t use the word “win”) when their
“partner‟s” (don‟t say “opponent‟s”) arm touches the table.
Tell them they have one minute. Each team will keep their count.
Signal them to begin and time the exercise.

Typically, at least one team will figure out that not competing, but just
taking turns touching the table on each side is the best strategy for earning
the candy.
Distribute candy as earned

Discussion:
Discuss who “won.” Did some individuals “win” the arm wrestling but didn‟t
win much candy? And their partner earned none and lost the arm wrestling
(win/lose)

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Did some teams win/win by cooperating?

Discuss competition vs. cooperation. Is competition always good?

Credits: Activity designed by Dorene Perez

94
Assessment Examples
Pre-Activity Assessment Example – Participant Survey 1

95
21. I am ______female _____male

22. FOR ACTIVITIES FOCUSING ON GIRLS: How many women do you

know who are in science, technology, engineering and/or math careers?
______ None ______ 1 or 2 ______ 3 to 5 _____more than 5
22. Comments:

Pre-Activity Assessment Example – Participant Survey 2

1. Do you plan to go to college?

YES NO I CONSIDERED IT, BUT NOT SURE

2. Do you have a career in mind? If so, what is it?

3. Rate your confidence level in the following areas by circling the number
that most closely reflects your feelings.

a. Completing hands-on tasks individually

Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
b. Completing hands-on tasks with a team
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
c. Understanding science
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
d. Performing science experiments
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
e. Understanding mathematics
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
f. Performing mathematical computations
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
g. Understanding ____________________(topic or category of activity)
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345

h. Performing ________________________ (topic/category of activity)

96
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
4. Are you looking forward to _________________________(today‟s
activity)? Explain
5. Do you have concerns about _______________________(today‟s
activity)? Explain.
6. Are you _____male ______female.

Post-Activity Assessment Example – Participant Survey 1

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Comments:

Post-Activity Assessment Example – Participant Survey 2

Write your thoughts to the questions below.
One thing I learned today was….
____________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________
____
One question I have is….
____________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________
____
Today‟s activity is related to STEM because….
____________________________________________________________
____
____________________________________________________________
____
Before the start of (name the activity), I was _____ that I could (build /
complete/etc.)
A) Not confident
B) Somewhat confident
C) Very confident
D) Neutral

After today‟s activity (or name the activity), I felt _____ that I had done a
good job.
A) Not confident
B) Somewhat confident
C) Very confident
D) Neutral
I am _____ building things after today‟s activity.
A) Not interested in
B) Somewhat interested in
C) Very interested in

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D)Neutral about

Post-Activity Assessment Example – Participant Survey 3

(Adapt the following to reflect the focus of the activity)
Rate your confidence level in the following areas by circling the number
that most closely reflects your feelings.
a. Completing hands-on tasks individually
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
b. Completing hands-on tasks with a team
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
c. Understanding science
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
d. Performing science experiments
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
e. Understanding mathematics
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
f. Performing mathematical computations
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
g. Understanding ____________________(topic or category of activity)
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345
h. Performing ________________________ (topic/category of activity)
Not confident at all Extremely confident
12345

The best part of today‟s activity was:

The most difficult part of today‟s activity was:
Suggestions for future activities:
Comments:

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