Category: Engineering – STEM Activities

Electricity and Circuits Worksheets and Activities 0

Electricity and Circuits STEM Unit

Our study of electricity and circuits was electrifying!!  Seriously, we all learned SO much in this unit and did over a dozen hands-on projects!  If your kids love STEM projects, you may enjoy our 30-page Electricity and Circuits Packet. My kids are currently 8, 11 and 13 and they couldn’t wait to dive into science each day while we were doing this unit! Some of the topics and terms we...

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Summer Activities: Science, Engineering, and Math Fun!

Here are some fun summer activities you might enjoy doing with your kids this summer! Today’s post highlights some fun engineering, science and math activities you can do this summer! Summer Fun: Science, Engineering, and Math Ideas  Egg Drop Challenge: Give the kids various supplies (cups, paper bags, yarn, scissors, hole punch, tape, and some coins). Have them design a parachute that will safely let an egg drop to the...

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STEM: Make Your Own Marble Maze; Flashlight Project

You know how we often like to start back into homeschooling with some engaging, out-of-the-box  activities? Sometimes we’ve done engineering challenges, other times we’ve done some fun critical thinking activities. Last week, I challenged the kids to make their own marble maze. They each took a big piece of cardboard, sticks (or whatever) and a glue-gun and went to work! They had fun trying to complete each other’s maze courses! ...

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7 Fun STEM – Engineering Activities for Kids

My kids love hands-on projects and engineering activities are always a hit!  Here are some quick activities you could suggest to the kids with materials you probably have on hand. Last January we started our Earth Science Unit off with some engineering activities.  We talked a lot about building structure, stability, and things like that.  These activities were so fun, they really don’t need to be connected to a study...

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Engineering Activities for Kids

In this post, I’m going to talk first about some engineering activities my kids did over the break… and then in the second part of this post I’m going to share an amazing free engineering resource for kids. So, first the activities!  As many of you know, I found out that I would have to move our blog from our Parents.com location to this new website.  That was an enormous...

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Free Engineering Curriculum Available Right Now (Grades 3 to 8)

There is an amazing engineering curriculum that is put out by the Museum of Science, Boston. It’s called Engineering is Elementary.  My friend first told me about their hands-on curriculum units and we actually have two of their units lined up for the next month or two. Why study engineering? Their website explains it this way: Hands-on, project-based learning is the essence of engineering. As groups of students work together...

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Engineering Challenge: Week 5 Parachute Challenge

  The Parachute Challenge! I supplied the kids with cups, yarn, tape, plastic bags, scissors, and a hole puncher. Their challenge was build a parachute that could safely transport objects down from a 12 foot drop.   They got busy building and testing their parachutes out with coins. Then they were ready for the big test — a long drop with raw eggs. Our Results? I’m happy to report all...

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Engineering Challenge: Week 4 Marshmallow Construction

Challenge your kids to think creatively with this quick activity. This week we had to do our Think Challenge on Monday since I knew I’d be out of commission. The kids were thrilled; they really love these activities! Their challenge was to build as tall a tower as they could with marshmallows and straws. I let ED use wooden skewers because the straws were challenging to work with. Here are...

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Have Your Kids Join in on these Engineering Activities!

Engineering Challenge – Week 2  The kids did their second Engineering Challenge this week.  Each day I spend time reading a book aloud to the kids. Right now we’re reading a wonderful book about the Oregon Trail.   On Thursday I had them try this challenge while I read. The Goal: Build a tower with post-it notes. Make it as sturdy and high as you can. Here are some of the solutions...

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Human Body Eggsperiment: Protect That Brain!

Our last brain-related activity was to design a helmet that would protect our egg pilot in a fall. The shell, I told them, was his skull; the egg white and yolk was his brain. Then I left the kids to it! LD designed a balloon-encased egg protector.      DD designed a construction paper protective cloak: Mom designed a cotton ball-play dough helmet: I took the photo before covering it...