Second Grade STEM Activities for Kids (195 results)

Make a Milk Rainbow

STEM Activity

133 reviews

Have you ever seen a rainbow after a rainfall, or drawn a rainbow for fun? They can be fun to make using colorful markers or other craft supplies. But did you know you can actually make a simple rainbow using milk, liquid detergent (i.e., soap), and food coloring? How the rainbow is created by this mixture might surprise you! In this science activity, you will make your own milk rainbow and explore how detergent and surface tension are involved in its creation. Read more

Making Shadow Puppets

STEM Activity

85 reviews

Have you ever played with your own shadow? It is fascinating how it follows your every move. But why do you not see your shadow every day? Why is your shadow very long sometimes, and other times very short? In this activity, you will make your own shadow puppet and explore how you can change the shape or size of its shadow. If you like, you can even create your own shadow play! Read more

Model Your Blood Flow

STEM Activity

65 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

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

215 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

Suck It Up! How Water Moves Through Plants

STEM Activity

115 reviews

Have you ever heard someone say, "That plant is thirsty," or, "Give that plant a drink of water"? We know that all plants need water to survive, even bouquets of cut flowers and plants living in deserts. But have you ever thought about how the water moves within the plant? In this activity, you will put carnations in dyed water to figure out where the water goes. Where do you think the dyed water will travel, and what will this tell you about how the water moves in the cut flowers? Read more

Build a Bird Nest

STEM Activity

71 reviews

Different types of birds lay their eggs in different places. Some build tiny nests in bushes, some build enormous nests in tall trees. Some lay their eggs directly on the ground or on rocky ledges. Those that build nests use many different types of materials. In this project you will try to build your own bird nest using only natural materials that you can find outside. Can you do better than a bird? Read more

Build a Solar Updraft Tower

STEM Activity

204 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

How Tails Help a Kite to Fly

STEM Activity

56 reviews

Have you ever tried to build your own kite? Kites have been a source of entertainment for centuries for kids around the world. How do some features of a kite, such as its tail, affect how it flies? In this activity you will have a chance to build your very own kite, a simple sled kite, and use it to investigate how tails help kites fly. How well will your kite fly? Read more

Make a Rubber Band Guitar

STEM Activity

168 reviews

Did you know that the modern guitar is an instrument that dates back over 4,000 years? The first guitar music was published in 1546, during a time when guitars still had strings made from animal intestines! While guitars have a long history, they are still extremely popular in modern day music. Have you ever wondered how they make the music you listen to everyday? In this activity we're going to make our own guitars, and experiment with the different sounds we can create. Read more

Model the Distances between Planets in our Solar System

STEM Activity

100 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

Rainbow Candy

STEM Activity

11 reviews

Make your own rainbow candy in this fun STEM activity! You will do it without using any food coloring. Instead, you will use a light-bending phenomenon called diffraction. Read more

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