#STEMontheCheap

Key Question How can we use math to entertain our family and friends with card tricks they think are magic? Learning Objectives Children will be curious about… learn the steps for performing two different self-working ...

There are card tricks which are slight of hand and card tricks which rely on the discrete mathematics inherent to a regular deck of cards. These card tricks fall into the latter category and are ...

Join STEMAZing Teacher Leader, Lisa Nielsen, as she notices and wonders about one of nature’s wonders in southern Arizona’s. There are so many amazing phenomena right outside your door. In this video you will learn ...

Our favorite #STEMontheCheap collections filled with loads of great ideas using inexpensive materials ...

Learn how to take apart a $1 keychain laser pointer from Family Dollar and turn it into a macro lens for either a cell phone or tablet. It basically turns your device into a low-powered ...

Hack this $1 Solar Garden Light to get a solar panel, high-intensity LEDs, a rechargeable battery, battery holder, and sometimes a switch ...

Celebrate the 100th Day of school with this growing list of STEM activities related to the number 100! ...

This journal will help you engage students with the nature of data collection and making claims based on evidence. Below you will find the teacher slide deck for A Frog Swamp Mystery along with two ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • demonstrate the motion of the Moon’s rotation. • demonstrate that the Moon keeps the same face toward Earth. Key Question Does the Moon rotate or turn on its axis? Materials ...

Teacher/Learning Coach Guide with Best Practices and Strategies for Engaging Students [Coming Soon!] Notice Phenomenon and Wonder Question Journal If you want to use this resource in Google Classroom, you can find a Google Slides ...

Ant Wrangling makes for a great way to introduce students to the PQRST Sciencing Journal. Find the Ant Wrangling PQRST Journal by clicking on the hyperlink or on the image above. You will need to ...

These #STEMontheCheap balloon powered cars are another engineering design challenge that allows for iteration through the engineering design process ...

Beginner Coding Game Young learners can begin to learn coding concepts using this simple game. NOTE: Arrows and functions set up to match the colors used to code Cubetto robot. Once your students have mastered ...

Student Video Teacher Talk Video Teacher/Learning Coach Guide with Best Practices and Strategies for Engaging Students Notice Phenomenon and Wonder Question Journal If you want to use this resource in Google Classroom, you can find ...

This series of lessons is designed to take students' understanding of the binary number system way beyond the well known fact that it uses zeroes and ones. While each lesson can be used on its ...

This lesson will demonstrate to students how to make the binary #MicDropMath cards. A common question when engaging students with the Binary #MicDropMath is: “Why are those numbers on the cards?” In this lesson, they ...

There are five versions of the Binary #MicDropMath Cards below. To perform the Binary #MicDropMath, print out page one of the binary number cards. (NOTE: You only need to print these double-sided to include page ...

The following lesson engages students to explore exceptionally old algorithms used by Russian and Egyptian people to multiply two numbers together. It turns out these two algorithms are connected to the binary number system, which ...

The Binary #MicDropMath Patterns lesson can be used to help students recognize patterns, understand how to make multiple hypotheses in science and math, and understand the importance of basing claims on more data rather than ...

Google Slide Deck for all the #MicDropMath Lessons - patterns, cards, parity, error detection, and human computers ...

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Buzz Off, when whirled around, makes a sound like an insect. A fantastic project for engineering the way it performs by making modifications to the original design ...

Use arrows with Velcro dots and code to insects or small animals. Checkerboard games from Dollar Tree make this a great #STEMontheCheap game ...

Materials $1 Checkboard Game 2-4 Ping-Pong Balls $1 Plastic Animals Googly Eyes (optional but highly recommended) Glue Dots or tape Copies of Command Cards and Robot Base Key Question Can you use simple commands to ...

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Key Question What is the number? Learning Objectives Children will … • pair each number card with the equal number of clothespins. • say the number aloud and touch each object as they count aloud ...

Use this worksheet with the RGB Light Show to simply focus on the primary and secondary colors of light. If you are looking for more advanced demonstration of understanding, look at RGB Light Show Worksheet ...

Roll a die. Starting at 1, color in that many squares. Switch colors, roll die again, and color in that many squares. Continue until you reach 100! How many rolls did it take you to ...

These #STEMontheCheap models can be used to teach perspective and vantage point. Challenge students to model actual constellations ...

Print the templates below on card stock. There are two templates of the puzzle on each page. Cut out one of the large squares and then cut out the pieces as shown above. At first, ...

Using an empty 2-liter bottle, condiment packets (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, etc), water, salt, and a bowl, children will explore how to make the condiment back rise and fall at their command as they make a ...

Using an orange, a large clear bowl, and water, children will explore whether or not an unpeeled orange will sink or float in water. They will then take the peel off the orange and test ...

Using a fresh raw egg, water, a tall glass, salt, sugar, 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, and 1 c measuring cup, children will explore whether or not a raw eggs sinks or floats in water. They ...

Using honey, light corn syrup, dish soap, vegetable oil, water, rubbing alcohol, a tall glass or clear plastic vase, small drinking glass, food baster, glass marble, a grape, paper clip, food coloring (optional), 1/4 c ...

Using a couple tea light candles, clay, water, a ruler, pencil, and a clear plastic container, children will explore with things that sink and things that float. They will start to understand that weight doesn't ...

Design Inspirations is taken from an Idea Sheet from RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching). The following STEMAZing Teacher Guide for Design Inspirations Virtual describes how to use this lesson virtually and provides links to prepared ...

Using supplies found at your local Dollar Tree (#STEMontheCheap), you can engage students with an awesome scientific experiment to guide students through how to use the Die Cast Car Loop-the-Loop PQRST Sciencing Journal to design ...

Teacher/Learning Coach Guide with Best Practices and Strategies for Engaging Students [Coming Soon!] Notice Phenomenon and Wonder Question Journal If you want to use this resource in Google Classroom, you can find a Google Slides ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • observe how Earth orbits the Sun. • learn the Sun is at the center of the Earth’s orbit. • understand one revolution of the Earth around the Sun is a ...

This classic physics demonstration shows how a magnet falling through a copper pipe will slow down as it transfers some of its energy to move electrons in the conductive copper pipe. Those moving electrons create ...

Print these out, laminate them to make them dry erasable, and then let students do some tangible coding. A great way to get them to slow down and think about what they will code before ...

Combining tinkering activities with books invites playful engagement with STEAM concepts and processes while also reinforcing language development, collaboration, communication, and literacy skills ...

You can either print these out in color or just look at them on a screen to see an afterimage based on how your red, green, and blue color receptors work in your eye. Scroll ...

Materials Butterfly Templates (found below) Tape (transparent or masking) Double Stick Tape or Glue Bakers Twine or similar string Large Craft Sticks (also known as tongue depressors) Plastic Drinking Straws Markers or Crayons or Colored ...

STEMAZing games develop spatial reasoning, strategy, problem solving, collaboration, communication skills and more ...

Using fossils, plaster of Paris, and sand, create geological columns for your students to explore and discover. A great nature of science lesson! Digging Through the Columns Worksheet Rock Column Lab Revised ...

The Exploratorium's Geometry Playground Activities will help spark students' interest in geometry. They are designed for classroom use but can also be done by families or other groups. This collection also includes Outdoor Activities for ...

A great lesson from If/Then that allows game designers (3rd-8th grade) to create a game in 90 minutes. Site includes student handouts and teacher guide ...

From noticing problems to brainstorming solutions to testing prototypes, making modifications, and marketing a final product, this journal will walk students step-by-step through the engineering design process as it relates to solving a problem for ...

Gravity Visualized is a video of physics teacher Dan Burns explaining his space-time warping demo. A 2-kg mass in the middle with rolling marbles show orbits. A large marble rolling with a smaller one next ...

Mesmerizing marbles orbit around a gravity well just as Einstein imagined! From a small bowl gravity well to one that fits into a bucket, prepare to spend time rapt in orbital therapy. #STEMAZingVideo below shows ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • observe the size differences between the Earth, Moon, and Sun. • discuss the location of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. Key Question Of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, which is ...

Believe it or not, there is a five-letter word encoded in the cards shown in the image. Start with lessons on the binary number system. Then, learn how computers use parity bits for error detection ...

Hypothesis cubes is the BEST nature of science lesson of all time. Engage students to use evidence to support their claims and then demonstrate the way science works by leaving the "answer" unsettled in the ...

Hypothesis cubes is the BEST nature of science lesson of all time. Engage students to use evidence to support their claims and then demonstrate the way science works by leaving the "answer" unsettled in the ...

The IDEAS Engineering Journal is designed to be used to engage students to iterate through then engineering design process using a starting model of something they have built. Two looper airplanes, pool noodle rockets, and ...

Kinder Ant Wrangling Teacher Guide ...

Materials (for four testing stations) 4 Name Brand Die Cast Cars (Hot Wheels™ or Matchbox™) 4 Generic Die Cast Cars 16 Hot Wheels™ Track Sections and Connectors 4 Hot Wheels™ Loop Accessory and Track Section ...

Teacher/Learning Coach Guide with Best Practices and Strategies for Engaging Students [Coming Soon!] Notice Phenomenon and Wonder Question Journal If you want to use this resource in Google Classroom, you can find a Google Slides ...

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Learning Objectives Children will… • make a fishing game. • quantify the strength of magnets by how many big fish and little fish they capture. • use their imaginations to tell stories about their fishing ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • have an opportunity to test their creativity in this open-ended activity in which children will use magnets and other materials to build systems that defy gravity. Key Question How can ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • compare the magnetic strength of two separate magnets with the magnetic strength of two magnets together. Key Question How many paper clips will a magnet hold? Which would hold more ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • sort small objects manually. • experience the increased efficiency of sorting the objects using a magnet. • learn that not all metals are magnetic, a common misconception. Key Question Which ...

Upload your creation - Share your stuff - Inspire other makers ...

This powerful lesson will not only teach students how to identify variables, design a scientific experiment, collect data, make a CER (claim, evidence, and reasoning) based on their experiment, and continue thinking in questions, it ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • define measurement. • explore measurement with paper towel or toilet paper tubes. Key Question What can we measure with tubes? Materials Paper towel tubes (1 per person) Toilet paper tubes ...

This virtualized version of the Stanford SCALE Science Unit 0 - Orientation to Groupwork  for 6th grade. was co-designed by Melissa Wilburn (6th grade STEMAZing Teacher Leader with the Marana Unified School District), Sherrie Dennis ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • use a magnet to obtain magnetic bits from sand and then from soil. • they will compare these two quantities to see which is a better source of magnetic bits ...

Great model for showing the phases of the moon. For older students, you might consider adding a way to rotate the moon so you can also demonstrate tidal locking - same face of moon visible ...

#NAUSTEMchallenge The NAU STEM Challenge is a series of STEM challenges designed for 5th grade students though may be used with students from 4th grade to high school. Each STEM Challenge has a teacher Google ...

Roll newspaper pages into dowels to create all kinds of structures ...

Notice Phenomenon and Wonder Question Journals come in formats that are printer friendly and in Google classroom versions for both Slides and Docs. Great tools for helping students notice and wonder how the world works! ...

These templates allow for initial exploration of paper circuits, series and parallel circuits, and circuit diagrams. Supplies are not too expensive and links to necessary supplies are included in the document below (final page). Check ...

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Learning Objective Children will… • build and fly a kite using a piece of paper and other inexpensive materials. Key Question Can you make a kite from a single sheet of paper? (Lección disponible en ...

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An Instructable that combines cardboard making, robotics, and Arduino Nano ...

A simple game using dice to help young mathematicians practice counting ...

Key Question Can you discover items that match the color of the paint samples? Learning Objectives Children will… identify items that match the paint samples (red, orange, green, blue, purple, yellow). graph the total amount ...

Materials Paper Helicopter Templates (large and small – printed on regular paper) Paper clips Clothespins (plastic or wood) Scissors Key Question What affects how long paper helicopters stay in the air? Learning Objectives Children will… ...

Turn your cell phone or tablet into a 3D hologram-like projector using plastic you would normally recycle. Reuse flat clear plastic to give this old physics trick a high tech twist. Less ecologically friendly, but ...

Let your students explore the nature of science and use the science practices when they build this paper circuit and explore the rules that govern which LEDs will light at the same time and which ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • become part of a model to demonstrate the phases of the moon. • match the phase of the moon they see using the model to phase of the moon cards ...

NOT MAGIC! Can you master the physics ring and chain trick? Check out the document below the video for directions and info about where to get your own rings and chains by the 100. Don't ...

Our favorite Pi Day lessons and stories! Two Circles to Square Selfie Frame from NumbersAlive! Find Pi: the King of Circles! video and more resources on NumbersAlive! Article: Indiana's State Legislature Once Tried to Legislated ...

Founded at the Exploratorium by Prince of Pi, physicist Larry Shaw, Pi Day has become an international holiday, celebrated live and online all around the world ...

Build this Pool Noodle Rocket using, you guessed it, a pool noodle, duct tape, rubber bands, scissors, cardboard from a cereal box, a sharpened pencil, plastic knife, rocket fin template, ruler, sharpie, string, and a ...

The PQRST Sciencing Journal - Virtual Edition is the interactive student notebook Google Slides version of our printable PQRST Sciencing Journal (click here for printable versions). Make a copy of the Google Slides and use ...

The PQRST Sciencing Journal is the A-Z (or at least P-T) template for helping your students process a phenomenon, play to learn, identify variables, design an experiment, conduct experiment to collect data, make a claim ...

Build this Projectile Popper using an empty 32 oz Gatorade bottle, a string, rubber bands, drill (other options), scissors, goggles, bead, ping pong balls, and a box cutter (or knife). (NOTE: Adults should prep the ...

Use pool noodles to create your own set of quiet blocks. #STEMontheCheap ...

Resource Area for Teaching has loads of Idea Sheets which you can search through for exceptional, #STEMontheCheap ideas like Design Inspirations ...

Build this Rattle Writer using just a pool noodle, electric toothbrush (found for $1 at dollar stores), a plastic knife, washable markers, rubber bands, googly eyes (optional but fun), paper, duct tape, and a ruler ...

Turn a $1 electric toothbrush into a self-powered robot ...

#RaytheonSTEMChallenge developed with support from The Raytheon STEM Challenge is a series of STEM challenges designed for 4th-8th grade students though may be used with students below and above that grade range. Each STEM Challenge ...

What are the primary colors? If you ask a physicist, they will have to ask you a question back. Are you talking about the primary colors of light, used for color addition, or the primary ...

How does your eye see a red apple? Explore this question using a phenomenon driven storyline to engage students in exploring how the eye works and how we create color using light and using pigments ...

Do you know the REAL primary colors? With just a few supplies from your local hardware store, you can recreate this STEMAZing demonstration of the REAL primary colors of light and color addition in your ...

Do you know the REAL primary colors of light? Use this worksheet along with red, green, and blue flood lights to demonstrate the REAL primary colors of light and the principle of color addition. Find ...

Let students build this paper circuit to explore the REAL primary colors, which are NOT blue, yellow, and red! For detailed step-by-step instructions, check out our Instructable for this paper circuit: #STEMontheCheap RGB Light Show ...

Use this journal along with plastic frogs and the slide deck below to introduce your students to the engineering design process. Two versions of the journals are provided. The only difference is one is more ...

A Civil Engineering Flood Protection Project #SciencingAndEngineering Project Resources Teacher Talk with 2nd grade teacher Ms. Maddie Schepper and Robot General Sherrie Dennis Project Plan (detailed lesson description with links to all resources) STEMAZing Kit ...

Engage young children with sound explorations using balloons with various things put inside them which you then roll around the inside of the balloon. The ECE Notice and Wonder Journal is a great resource to ...

Race or collaboratively find a SET of three cards where each attribute (color, shape, number, and shading) is either all the same value or all different values on each card. SET builds cognitive, logical, and ...

Video with tips about how to set up the RGB Light Show if you have your own set of red, green, and blue flood lights. Click on the title here, Set Up RGB Color Light ...

Seven String Kumihimo uses #STEMontheCheap materials to engage systems thinkers with a Japanese braiding technique called kumihimo, while at the same time challenging them to think about how a system's structure generates its behavior ...

Once your students master the beginning coding game, this is the next level. Use fun shapes and cube to engage young learners with mid-level and more advanced coding ideas. Shape Coding Game Directions Shape Coding ...

Key Question How can we create patterns using the dye (coloring) off Skittles and M&Ms? Learning Objectives Children will… identify and create patterns. change different independent variables of the experiment to see what effect it ...

Skype a Scientist matches scientists with classrooms around the world! Scientists will skype into the classroom for 30-60 minute Q and A sessions that can cover the scientist’s expertise or what it’s like to be ...

You can make your own or borrow one from The STEMAZing Project if you attended this workshop. The spacetime simulator demonstrates how Einstein described gravity - masses warping spacetime and drawing other masses into the ...

Key Question Can you create a top that spins? What happens when you make changes to the top? Learning Objectives Children will… construct a simple spinning top. learn to use and experiment further with the ...

Stanford's Development and Research in Early Mathematics Education has eight pages of ideas for young mathematicians! Find them here! ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • describe patterns in the stars. • learn what a constellation is, some names of constellations, and their mythology. Key Questions Do stars have patterns? When are the stars visible? Materials ...

Adding a Styrofoam cup as a sounding board to a metal Slinky turns it into a Star Wars sound machine! ...

Fun and Easy STEM Projects for Kids Original DIY designs from truss bridges to rubber band race cars, helicopters and rockets. Explore 30 cools projects using craft sticks, masking tape, and more. For wheels and ...

Looking for ways to engage families for STEM or Math Nights? We recommend using these stations but with students facilitating the learning experiences! In preparation for STEM night, have students master the art of facilitating ...

Make graph paper STEMAZing journals that require no staples or tape using an old bookbinding trick ...

Using two different diameter straws, create an oboe with just a simple cut to create a reed and a little bit of practice ...

Light it up! Sugar skull template. Great to use with paper circuits ...

A simple (not to scale) model of the sun, earth, moon system. Great for reinforcing the idea that a day is one earth rotation, a year is one revolution of the earth around the sun, ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • learn what a sundial is and how it works. • observe and record the pattern of shadows the sun creates on their sundial. Key Question How can we use simple ...

Key Question What is the repeating pattern? Learning Objectives Children will… recognize and name colors. construct patterns. utilize tweezers to pick up pom-poms for fine motor practice. Materials Test tubes (baby soda bottles recommended) Printout ...

Explore the microscopic world around you with this $1 3D printed microscope. Looking at insects, plants, and even dirt close up can be fascinating! ...

Students are taken on an imaginary fossil hunt. Following a script read by the teacher, students "find" (remove from envelope) paper "fossils" of some unknown creature, only a few at a time. Each time, they ...

From Walkalong Gliders, like the new Jagwing, to making your own helicopter propellers out of 2-liter soda bottles, this is a makers dream site! ...

Use the classic Three Little Pigs story to let young learners engage with coding and computational thinking skills. Utilice la historia clásica de Los tres cerditos para que los jóvenes estudiantes se involucren con la ...

A modified version of the Tik Tiki from Arvind Gupta's Toys from Trash - we replaced the button with a wooden bead. The crown cap can be replaced with a plastic lid or metal cap ...

Learning Objectives Children will… • create a model of Earth rotating on its axis. • use the model to demonstrate a day and a week by making the model Earth rotate. • use the model ...

Create these #STEMontheCheap harmonicas using large craft sticks, rubber bands, index cards, tape, and straws. Then, let young engineers decide which design is better. Encourage them to support their claim with evidence! Continue the engineering ...

Turn a water bottle into a ball launcher with some simple supplies ...

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Our core belief is that children learn by doing - by touching, feeling, cutting, sticking -- pulling things apart, putting things together. We believe that this hands-on science helps them relate to curriculum and get ...

Key Question How many of the final colored (orange, in the example) pieces can you collect? Learning Objectives Children will… practice counting. use conversions to trade up Unifix cubes for those with higher values. subitize ...

Adapted from Arvind Gupta’s Toys from Trash Beautiful Butterfly ...

Don't want to keep track of all those marbles and parts? Try out this Turing Tumble virtual marble powered computer. Complete with challenges in the menu that get increasingly more difficult ...

The two looper airplane is a great model for having students engineer other designs. Fantastic to iterate through the engineering design process multiple times because it only takes straws, tape, and index cards to let ...

Key Questions What is the pattern? What is the number? What do the numbers add up to? Learning Objectives Children will… create patterns. apply one-to-one correspondence counting. demonstrate adding numbers with cards and cubes. break ...

Our favorite phenomenon - Wack-a-Packs from Dollar Tree! These can generally be found for every holiday and also in the birthday section. Use this phenomenon to drive questions for lots of different avenues of exploration ...

Roll the die and move as directed, like the weather! Tira el dado y muévete según las indicaciones, ¡como el meteorológico! The English/Spanish version is shown below. Find the English only version HERE. La versión ...

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These wireless electricity modules are loads of pHun and are great for teaching about the transfer of energy when object's are not touching, electricity, electromagnetism, and so much more. Engineering Design Challenge: Night Light Check ...

Folk toy turned engineering and STEAM project! Start with noticing and wondering using the first 12 seconds of the video below and then let students explore this pHun phenomenon. Templates for small, medium (original scale), ...

A Life Science Project for Wormologists The Worm World unit was designed for 2nd grade, but usable at many levels. #SciencingAndEngineering Project Resources Teacher Talk with 2nd grade teacher Ms. Maddie Schepper and Robot General ...

This template uses the storytelling frame (Rule 4) from Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling. Rule 4: "Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of ...

You Be The Chemist Activity Guides use common, inexpensive items so educators can provide hands-on learning for K-8 students to explore foundational science concepts. Hands-on learning engages young children in exploring science. These activities make real-world ...