Sixth Grade STEM Activities for Kids (209 results)

Imagine Ways that Artificial Intelligence Could Change the World

STEM Activity

99 reviews

AI is all around us and changing our world—often for the better, but sometimes with unintended consequences. In this activity, you will imagine and explore the potential benefits and dangers of an artificial intelligence solution you imagine. Let your imagination flow and see where it takes you. Read more

Make a Candle Flame Jump

STEM Activity

30 reviews

There are many occasions to light candles. When you did, have you ever looked closely at the flame? Which part of the candle is actually burning? Can you tell? Is it the wick, the solid wax, the liquid wax or something else? In this activity you will light some candles to find out—no special occasion required! Read more

Make a Homemade Fly Trap

STEM Activity

60 reviews

Have some pesky flies in your kitchen that you cannot seem to get rid of? In this project you will build your own simple fly trap from a plastic bottle. Get ready to get rid of those flies! Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

213 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

Make a Sunprint Using Objects from Nature!

STEM Activity

10 reviews

Have you ever wondered how artists are able to replicate intricate details in nature on paper or canvas? In this activity, you will depict these details in a different way! Using Sunprint® paper and sunlight, you too can make breathtaking representations of objects found in nature. Read more

Model How Herd Immunity Works

STEM Activity

22 reviews

Have you ever wondered why you need to get a flu shot regularly? The vaccine protects you from getting sick with the flu, which is an infectious disease. Such diseases, like the flu or COVID-19, can easily spread through a population and cause a pandemic by making many people sick. Measures such as social distancing can reduce the risk of catching the disease, but real protection only comes from gaining immunity against the disease. This is the reason for vaccinations—to make someone… Read more

Seeing in the Dark

STEM Activity

8 reviews

Have you ever considered taking a nighttime nature walk? Would you wait until there is a full moon, so you could profit from sunlight reflected on the moon, or would you rather take a flashlight? Do you think trees would look black, green, or grey in the dark? Do this activity to examine your night vision and prepare for your next nighttime adventure! Read more

Small, Tiny, Invisible: How Big Is a Virus?

STEM Activity

30 reviews

Have you ever seen a real virus? Probably not—they are so tiny that it is impossible to see them with your naked eyes. But how big or small are viruses really? The coronavirus Sars-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19, is about 120 nanometers in size. One nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter! How many of these tiny coronaviruses do you think can you line up inside a pencil dot? In this activity, you will find out by creating a scale model that allows you to compare the size of many… Read more

Teach a Computer to Recognize Road Signs

STEM Activity

25 reviews

How do driverless cars know how to recognize different road signs? They use something called machine learning. In this activity you will teach a computer to recognize different road signs using photos that you take yourself and a tool called Teachable Machine by Google®. The better the training data, the more accurately the program will be able to recognize different types of signs. Read more

The Aerodynamics of Flying a Frisbee

STEM Activity

16 reviews

Are you good at tossing a Frisbee? Have you ever wondered how a Frisbee is able to fly through the air so well? If you can throw a perfect, arcing curve, right on target, you have already trained your arm on the aerodynamics of Frisbee flight! In this science activity, you will investigate how the angle at which you throw the Frisbee affects its flight's direction and distance. Next time you are out tossing a Frisbee, this little lesson in aerodynamics may help make your throws be even… Read more

The Ambiguous Cylinder Illusion

STEM Activity

21 reviews