By Rosalinda Cardoso
At NSTEM, we know how important it is to teach students through example to pique and keep their interests, so we have gathered three unique activities designed for students aged 5-8 (or grades K-2). These engaging activities focus on STEM learning objectives and will teach students independently and collaboratively on the subjects of Space, Math, Engineering, and Geology. These activities can be a great way to start introducing students to STEM careers, from astronauts to zoo archaeologists. The possibilities for your future scientists are endless!
1. International Toys in Space
This resource activity will allow your students to investigate the behavior of 15 classic toys on Earth while comparing the behavior to different stages of microgravity filmed by crewmembers on the Expedition 5 International Space Station in 2002. Activities include a yoyo, a jump rope, astrojax, a helicopter flipping bear, pecking hens, kendama, a climbing bear, marbles, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, a density wand, a boomerang, or an origami flipper! This lesson plan can also be modified for relevancy and grade level and will introduce students to STEM principles of space and mathematical equations. The video will take a little over half an hour to watch, but I recommend adding time between each video for students to interact with their toys and talk about their observations.
International Toys in Space Video Resource Guide: https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/151730main_International.Toys_.In_.Space_.pdf?emrc=500373
“International Toys in Space” Educational Video (The video link to YouTube is also edited by experiment, so feel free to customize your lesson plan or do all 15 of them!):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiuUQ9asub3Ru9GIOTbZFRa4f2R_kM0tx
2. Math is All Around Us
This lesson from Arizona State University’s STEM Acceleration Project is inspired by Miguel Tanco’s children’s book, “Count on Me.” This series of activities is geared toward Kindergarten students and will demonstrate STEM learning principles of engineering, math, and collaborative design processes by creating a 3D model for a new playground toy. Students will begin this week-long activity by observing the shapes and curves in their own playground or environment, drawing their own unique observations with homemade binoculars, and collaboratively creating a hands-on model in groups before presenting their final ideas to classmates. Although the suggested time for this activity is over five days, you can adapt this activity to take a little over an hour or so alongside the reading “Count on Me.”
Let’s Share a Story: “Count on Me” Readalong with Miguel Tanco:
https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ll58-count-on-me-video/lets-learn/
Math is All Around Us Resource Guide:
3. Exploring Meteor Craters
In this lesson from the Pacific Science Center, students will create their lunar craters and study the effects of those impacts in under an hour! To begin, you will prepare a baking pan or box that will be filled with flour (recommended at a two-inch depth) and topped with a thin layer of cocoa powder (to make the craters’ unique shapes more visible to students). I recommend using a box instead of a pan, which may provide easier cleanup and a larger surface area. Each student can take turns trying a different impactor and observe those effects alongside aerial photos of our Moon’s lunar craters. This lesson will develop your students’s skills in curiosity and collaboration on real-world applications. Try using Google Earth to show your students’ impacts on Earth, too. Aerial photos of the Meteor Crater in Arizona or Vredefort in South Africa can be a great way to bring your lesson back to Earth!
Lunar Crater Activity Guide:
https://pacificsciencecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cah-crater-creators-K-2.pdf
At NSTEM, we encourage you to customize these lessons to fit the needs of your students, your schedule, and your curriculum. Although these projects require minimal costs for supplies, we encourage you to recycle or reuse materials when possible. If “Count On Me” isn’t available at your local library, donating a copy to your school’s library can give you and future generations of explorers access to the same STEM outcomes!
Do you want more resources on the topic of STEM games? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of searchable STEM resources by category, school level, and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships, and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.
K-2 is where it all starts with STEM education. The National STEM Honor Society focuses on “From Pre-K to Career, NSTEM from the Start!” To start your K-2 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.
