Elementary School STEM Activities for Kids (244 results)

Build a Gumdrop Geodesic Dome

STEM Activity

93 reviews

Have you ever seen a geodesic dome? Geodesic domes are approximately sphere-like structures made up of interconnected triangles. A famous geodesic dome is Spaceship Earth at EPCOT in Walt Disney World, Florida, but geodesic domes are also commonly found as climbing domes at playgrounds. In this science activity, you will get to build a simple geodesic dome using gumdrops and toothpicks. Once it is built, you may be surprised by how strong it is! Get ready to do some tasty engineering! Read more

Build a Solar Updraft Tower

STEM Activity

205 reviews

Have you ever had a sunburn? If so, you know how powerful the Sun's heat can be! Did you know that this heat can also be turned into electrical energy? You may have heard about solar cells, but what about a solar updraft tower? This very simple structure uses the sun to heat up air, which then powers a turbine within a large tower. In this activity, you will build one of these towers yourself. Do you think you can make a propeller spin with just hot air? Read more

Build a Two-Stage Balloon Rocket

STEM Activity

70 reviews

If you have ever watched a rocket launch on TV, you might have noticed that rockets have multiple stages. Some parts of the rocket fall off and burn up in the atmosphere whereas the rest of the rocket keeps going. Why does this happen? Try this activity to find out and build your own two-stage rocket using balloons! Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

227 reviews

Did you know that the seaweed you've seen in the ocean or even eaten as a snack is inspiring innovators to imagine new materials? Large brown algae, like kelp, contains polymers—long chains of molecules—that are more environmentally friendly than the ones in most plastics. These natural polymers (alginates) could eventually be used to create sustainable everyday objects. Try your hand at using a bit of chemistry to turn biodegradable polymers from algae into your own custom… Read more

Build a Water Strider

STEM Activity

58 reviews

Have you ever seen a water strider (also called water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers etc.)? They are bugs that effortlessly hop around on the surface of ponds, lakes, and rivers. How do they do it without sinking? Try this project to find out! Read more

Measure the Pressure

STEM Activity

107 reviews

Have you ever seen a weather forecast on TV? If so, you might have noticed the letters "H" and "L" moving around on the weather map. They are often referred to as zones of "high pressure" (H) and "low pressure" (L). The pressure they are talking about is the atmospheric pressure. Changes in air pressure can forecast short-term changes in the weather. But how do you know if the air pressure changes, or if it is high or low? Scientists have developed an instrument called a barometer that can… Read more

Model the Distances between Planets in our Solar System

STEM Activity

103 reviews

Did you know that the Voyager 2 spacecraft took 12 years to travel from Earth to Neptune, the furthest planet in the solar system? This sounds like a really long time! Maybe not that long if you consider what distance the spacecraft had to travel to get from Earth to Neptune. In this activity, you will make a model of the planets in the solar system and specifically model their distances to scale. Will it explain why the Voyager 2 took so long? Try it and see! Read more

Model Your Blood Flow

STEM Activity

67 reviews

Why is it important to eat healthy and exercise? If you don't, you might end up with a cardiovascular disease. These diseases are conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. The job of your cardiovascular system is to transport blood through your heart, veins, and arteries, to provide oxygen and nutrients to your body. If this blood flow doesn't work properly anymore, it can have serious consequences. In this activity, you will find out what happens to the blood flow of people that… Read more

Are You Left or Right Brained?

STEM Activity

165 reviews

If you write with your right hand, you may also prefer to draw, throw a ball, or eat food with your right hand, but have you ever wondered if your right foot is also more dominant than your left foot? What about your right eye and ear — do you prefer to use them more than your left ones? In this activity, you will get to find out whether people have a sidedness — that is, whether they generally prefer to do activities with one side of their body — and what that might say… Read more

Blowing the Best Bubbles

STEM Activity

47 reviews

If you have ever tried to make bubbles using plain water, you may have seen that it does not work. This is because the surface tension of water is too high. When detergent is added to water, it lowers the surface tension so that bubbles can form. Other things can be added to this mixture, such as corn syrup or glycerin, to make a solution that is even better for creating bubbles. In this science activity, you will find out which solution creates the best bubbles! Read more

Creating Craters

STEM Activity

68 reviews

How did the Moon get its craters? What about the craters on Earth? Why do they look the way they do? Find out in this fun science activity, as you make your own craters by dropping balls into a tray of flour. Read more

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