Second Grade STEM Activities for Kids (195 results)

Mars Rover Obstacle Course

STEM Activity

27 reviews

How do scientists and engineers control robots that drive around other planets millions of miles away? It's nowhere near as easy as driving a toy remote-control car here on Earth. In this activity you will experience some of the challenges you face when driving a "robot" that you can't see! Read more

Puzzle Fun with a Perimeter Magic Triangle

STEM Activity

85 reviews

Do you ever use math as a tool to solve interesting problems? In the 1970s math was often taught with simple worksheets. One teacher developed an exciting way to learn math and logic; he developed what is now known as the perimeter magic triangle puzzles. Try them out—and have some fun as you start thinking about counting in a whole new way! Read more

Solubility Science: How Much is Too Much?

STEM Activity

50 reviews

Have you ever added a spoon of sugar to your tea and wondered why it disappeared? Where did it go? The sugar did not actually disappear—it changed from its solid form into a dissolved form in a process called chemical dissolution. The result is a tea-sugar mixture in which individual sugar molecules become uniformly distributed in the tea. But what happens if you increase the amount of sugar that you add to your tea? Does it still dissolve? In this science activity, you will find out how… Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

210 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

The First Cartoon: Make Your Own Thaumatrope!

STEM Activity

28 reviews

It's probably difficult to imagine a time with no television, no movies, and no cartoons. But believe it or not, those times weren't so long ago! What did those kids do when they couldn't watch movies? One of the most popular toys during that time was a great-grandfather of the modern cartoon. This toy was called a "thaumatrope," and in this activity you're going to make (and test) your own thaumatrope to learn about how vision works! Read more

Bake Your Ice Cream

STEM Activity

56 reviews

Did you ever bake your ice cream? An insulated bag or a cooler filled with ice can keep a treat like ice cream cool. Using the same principles, it is even possible to bake ice cream in a hot oven and have it come out frozen! This activity will teach you how. Read more

Color Taste Test—Do You Taste with Your Eyes?

STEM Activity

88 reviews

Have you ever tried adding green food coloring to your milk? Or blue coloring to the butter you spread on your bread? You may not have tried this, but for years, scientists have studied the effect of color and food appearance on how food tastes. Believe it or not, our eyes are an important part of how we taste and perceive food! In this activity, you will learn about how you can trick your taste buds—with just a little food coloring! Read more

Colorful Patterns in Melting Ice

STEM Activity

110 reviews

Have you ever wondered why ice cubes in your cold drink become gradually smaller, or why their surface becomes smoother as they melt? Does ice always melt this way? In this activity, you will use water balloons to create giant ice balls and observe how they melt. Can you predict the effect a bit of salt will have on your giant ice ball? Read more

Exploring Mummification with Hot Dogs

STEM Activity

75 reviews

Have you ever seen or heard of the movies "The Mummy" or "The Mummy Returns"? Mummies have often played a part in nightmares for Western cultures, but in ancient Egypt, mummification was a serious religious ritual thought to be necessary for a person to enjoy the afterlife. In this activity, you will learn about the science behind the process of mummification by mummifying a hot dog. Read more

Find Your Blind Spot!

STEM Activity

25 reviews

Did you know that you have a blind spot in your eye? In fact, every person has an unavoidable blind spot in each of their eyes. This doesn't mean that you see a constant black spot in your field of vision though. Normally you don't notice these blind spots at all, however there are some ways how you can make these blind spots visible. This activity will show you how to find them. Can you find them or not? Read more

How to Harvest Water from Fog

STEM Activity

42 reviews

How long do you think you could survive without drinking any water? Only three to four days! Your body needs water to function properly. We also rely on water for cooking, cleaning and many other activities. You might not think about getting enough water if you can get it easily by turning on your faucet. But what about areas that don't have a reliable water supply? In this activity you will learn about one creative way to collect water—from the air! Read more

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