3-6 STEM Challenges

 

 

Paper Bridge Challenge

Objective: Build a bridge that can hold the most weight using only paper.
Equipment: Newspaper, tape, scissors, coins or small weights.
Instructions:

1. Divide students into groups and provide each group with several sheets of newspaper and tape.

2. Ask them to cut or fold the newspaper into shapes (e.g., rolls, strips, folds) that can be used to construct a bridge.

3. The bridge must span a gap between two surfaces (approximately 20 cm apart).

4. Once constructed, test the bridge's strength by adding weights (coins, books, etc.) incrementally until the bridge collapses.

5. Allow time for students to redesign and reinforce their bridges, aiming to hold more weight.

6. The team whose bridge holds the most weight before collapsing wins.

 

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Water Filtration System

Objective: Create a simple water filtration system using household materials.
Equipment: Plastic bottles, sand, gravel, cotton balls, coffee filters, dirty water.
Instructions:

1. Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle and turn it upside down to create a funnel.

2. Place a layer of cotton balls at the neck of the bottle.

3. Add alternating layers of sand and gravel on top of the cotton.

4. Place a coffee filter at the top of the gravel.

5. Set the bottle over a container to catch the filtered water.

6. Pour dirty water into the filter and observe how the water passes through each layer.

7. Compare the clarity of the filtered water and discuss how effective each material is in cleaning the water.

 

 

Balloon Rocket Race

Objective: Explore propulsion by creating a balloon-powered rocket.
Equipment: Balloons, straws, string, tape.
Instructions:

1. Stretch a long piece of string between two stationary objects (e.g., chairs or tables) and secure it tightly.

2. Thread a straw onto the string.

3. Blow up a balloon, pinch the end to keep the air in, and tape the balloon to the straw.

4. Release the balloon and watch as it propels the straw along the string.

5. Test how different factors, such as the size of the balloon or the tension in the string, affect the distance and speed of the rocket.

6. Have students experiment with different setups and predict which changes will make the rocket travel further or faster.

 

 

Recycled Racers

Objective: Design a car powered by air using recyclable materials.
Equipment: Plastic bottles, straws, cardboard, bottle caps, tape, balloons.
Instructions:

1. Use a plastic bottle or piece of cardboard as the car's body.

2. Attach four bottle caps as wheels by inserting straws through the caps and taping them to the body as axles.

3. Inflate a balloon and attach it to the rear end of the car using tape or a straw, ensuring the air is directed backward.

4. Release the balloon and watch as the air pushes the car forward.

5. Modify the design to improve speed, distance, or stability by changing the size or shape of the car body, wheels, or balloon.

 

 

Egg Drop Challenge

Objective: Create a structure that protects an egg from breaking when dropped.
Equipment: Cardboard, straws, newspaper, tape, cotton balls, eggs.
Instructions:

1. Provide students with materials to build a protective capsule around an egg.

2. The goal is to prevent the egg from cracking or breaking when dropped from a height of 2 meters.

3. Use cushioning materials such as cotton balls, newspaper, or straws to absorb the impact.

4. Test the designs by dropping the eggs from a pre-determined height.

5. After each test, evaluate how well the egg survived. If the egg breaks, allow students to modify and improve their design for a second test.

6. Discuss what designs were most successful and why.

 

 

Wind-Powered Boat

Objective: Design a boat that moves across water using wind power.
Equipment: Milk bottles, straws, paper, plastic bottles, tape, basin of water.
Instructions:

1. Cut a plastic bottle or milk bottle to form the boat’s hull.

2. Create a sail by attaching paper to a straw and securing it to the boat with tape.

3. Place the boat in a basin of water and blow air on the sail to move it.

4. Experiment with different sail shapes and sizes to see which moves fastest or furthest.

5. Discuss how wind power works and how sailors use sails to harness the wind.

 

 

Solar Oven

Objective: Use solar energy to cook a simple meal.
Equipment: Cardboard box, aluminium foil, plastic wrap, black paper, marshmallows or simple food.
Instructions:

1. Line the inside of a cardboard box with aluminum foil to reflect sunlight.

2. Place black paper at the bottom of the box to absorb heat.

3. Cover the top of the box with plastic wrap to trap heat inside.

4. Place food (like marshmallows) inside the box and leave it in direct sunlight for 1-2 hours.

5. Afterward, observe how well the food is cooked and discuss how the solar oven works.

 

 

Marble Roller Coaster

Objective: Design a marble roller coaster using recyclable materials.
Equipment: Paper towel rolls, cardboard, tape, scissors, marbles.
Instructions:

1. Use paper towel rolls and cardboard to create ramps, tunnels, and loops for a marble to roll through.

2. Tape the pieces together securely to ensure the marble can travel continuously from the top to the bottom.

3. Test the roller coaster by placing the marble at the starting point and watching it travel through the course.

4. Modify the design to include steeper drops, tighter loops, or additional ramps to increase the difficulty or speed.

 

 

Paddle Boat

Objective: Build a boat that moves through water using a paddle system.
Equipment: Milk bottles, rubber bands, cardboard, tape, basin of water.
Instructions:

1. Cut a milk carton to form the boat’s hull.

2. Design a paddle wheel using cardboard and attach it to the back of the boat with rubber bands.

3. Wind the rubber bands to store potential energy in the paddle.

4. Place the boat in water and release the paddle, allowing the boat to move forward as the rubber bands unwind.

5. Modify the design to improve speed or movement distance by adjusting the size of the paddle or tension of the rubber bands.

 

 

Catapult Launch

Objective: Design a catapult that launches a small object.
Equipment: Paddlepop sticks, rubber bands, spoons, tape, paper balls.
Instructions:

1. Build a base by stacking and taping together several paddlepop sticks.

2. Use a spoon as the launching arm and attach it to the base using rubber bands to create a pivot point.

3. Place a paper ball or small object in the spoon.

4. Press down on the spoon and release to launch the object.

5. Experiment with different designs by changing the length of the arm or the tension in the rubber bands to improve distance.

 

 

Parachute Drop

Objective: Design a parachute to slow down the descent of an object.
Equipment: Plastic bags, string, tape, small weights (e.g., coins or toys).
Instructions:

1. Cut a large plastic bag into a square or circle.

2. Attach four pieces of string to the corners or edges of the plastic.

3. Tie the strings to a small weight, such as a coin or toy.

4. Drop the parachute from a height and observe how slowly it descends.

5. Adjust the parachute’s size or string length to improve the descent time.

 

 

Recycled Tower Challenge

Objective: Build the tallest tower using only recyclable materials.
Equipment: Paper, newspaper, tape, cardboard.
Instructions:

1. Divide students into groups and give them paper, newspaper, and tape.

2. The goal is to build the tallest free-standing tower within a set time limit.

3. Encourage students to roll the paper into tubes and use cardboard for added stability.

4. Test the tower’s stability by adding small weights at the top to see how much weight it can hold without collapsing.

5. After building, discuss what design features made the strongest, tallest towers.

 

 

Water Wheel

Objective: Create a water wheel that spins using the force of water.
Equipment: Cardboard, plastic spoons, skewers, tape, basin of water.
Instructions:

1. Cut a circular shape from cardboard to form the base of the water wheel.

2. Attach plastic spoons around the edge of the circle to act as paddles.

3. Insert a skewer through the center of the wheel to serve as an axle.

4. Hold the wheel over a stream of water or pour water onto the spoons to make it turn.

5. Experiment with different paddle sizes and wheel diameters to improve efficiency.

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Paper Helicopter

Objective: Design a paper helicopter that stays in the air the longest.
Equipment: Paper, scissors, tape, paper clips.
Instructions:

1. Fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise and cut slits at the top to create the blades.

2. Fold the blades in opposite directions to form a helicopter shape.

3. Attach a paper clip to the bottom of the helicopter for weight.

4. Drop the helicopter from a height and observe how it spins as it falls.

5. Test different blade lengths, paper sizes, or weights to see which combination results in the longest flight.

 

 

Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

Objective: Build a mini greenhouse to grow plants.
Equipment: Plastic bottles, soil, seeds, water.
Instructions:

1. Cut the bottom off a large plastic bottle.

2. Place soil and seeds inside the bottle.

3. Water the seeds and cover them with the top half of the plastic bottle to trap heat and moisture.

4. Place the greenhouse in a sunny spot and observe the plant growth over time.

5. Experiment with different bottle sizes or plant types to see which grows best.

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Sound Amplifier

Objective: Build a simple amplifier using recyclable materials.
Equipment: Paper towel roll, plastic cups, scissors.
Instructions:

1. Cut a slit into a paper towel roll wide enough to fit a smartphone or speaker.

2. Attach plastic cups to either end of the roll to act as amplifiers.

3. Place the phone or speaker into the slit and play music.

4. Observe how the sound is amplified through the cups.

5. Experiment with different cup sizes or materials to see which provides the best amplification.

 

 

Paper Helicopters

Objective: Explore how objects can slow down their fall due to air resistance.
Equipment: Paper, scissors, paper clips.
Instructions:

1. Provide students with a template to cut out paper helicopters.

2. Have them fold the wings of the helicopter in opposite directions.

3. Attach a paper clip to the bottom to give the helicopter weight.

4. Drop the helicopter from a height and watch how it spins down slowly.

5. Discuss how the shape of the helicopter creates air resistance, which slows its descent.

6. Test different sizes of paper and wings to see how it affects the spin.

 

 

Recycled Robot

Objective: Practice creative thinking and problem-solving by designing a robot from recyclables.
Equipment: Cardboard boxes, bottle caps, straws, tape, markers.
Instructions:

1. Give students a selection of cardboard boxes and bottle caps to create a robot body.

2. Let them design their robot by attaching bottle caps as wheels, straws as arms, and adding other details with recyclable materials.

3. Encourage students to give their robot a name and describe its function.

4. Ask students to explain what their robot can do (e.g., clean up toys, fly, or deliver mail).

5. Allow students to present their robot to the class.

 

 

Wind-Powered Pinwheels

Objective: Learn about wind energy and movement.
Equipment: Paper, pencils with erasers, push pins, straws.
Instructions:

1. Cut a square piece of paper and fold it diagonally from corner to corner.

2. Cut along the diagonal folds halfway to the center.

3. Fold every other corner to the center and secure it with a push pin.

4. Push the pin through the eraser end of the pencil.

5. Blow on the pinwheel or take it outside on a windy day to see it spin.

6. Discuss how wind can create movement and how the shape of the pinwheel affects its spinning.

 

 

Cardboard Marble Maze

Objective: Explore design and engineering principles by creating a maze.
Equipment: Cardboard, straws, tape, marbles.
Instructions:

1. Provide students with a flat piece of cardboard to use as the maze base.

2. Cut straws into smaller sections and tape them to the cardboard to create maze walls.

3. Design a maze with a start and finish for the marble to navigate.

4. Once the maze is complete, use a marble to test it out by tilting the cardboard.

5. Encourage students to adjust their design if the marble gets stuck or the maze is too easy.

6. Let students try each other’s mazes to see whose design is the most challenging.