28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom

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Ever wonder what STEM challenges to serve up to your students? Here is an amazing list of clever, unique and simple set up STEM lesson plans from other teachers. You’re going to love what your students come up with and the number of standards you can meet with these.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - These are easy to setp up

There is a range of grade level ideas K-5 in this list.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Water Puddle Evaporation - Teach Junkie
source: allabout3rdgrade.com

Think you could solve this Water Puddle Evaporation puzzle? You’ll love that there are 4 more easy stem activities for the end of the year including this outdoor one.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - How Hot is Hot Chocolate Experiment - Teach Junkie
source: creativefamilyfun.net

Drink up your experiment after you figure out How Hot is Hot? Chocolate with this temperature-based exploration activity.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Create an Umbrella - Teach Junkie
source: homeschoolcreations.net

What tools would work best to Create an Umbrella?

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Stack the Cats Hat - Teach Junkie
source: littlebinsforlittlehands.com

This Dr. Seuss themed Stack the Cat’s Hat uses cups – how easy is that!

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Plastic Egg Tower - Teach Junkie
source: theeducatorsspinonit.com

I love this Plastic Egg Tower that uses leftover easter eggs and playdough. Engineering and oddball materials – just what the mind ordered.

Clever STEM Activities for Kids

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Real World Stem Activities - Teach Junkie
source: scienceafterschool.blogspot.com

Upper grade level students solve Real World Problems with Stem Activities like oil spills.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Pristine Trampoline - Teach Junkie
source: stemactivitiesforkids.com

Can you make a Pristine Trampoline with a strainer and simple materials to bounce a ping pong ball?

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Simple Machines - Teach Junkie
source: leftbraincraftbrain.com

This more involved building of Simple Machines will surely capture their attention as they try to make a snack machine!

Build a Computer Coding Game without a computer – perfect for helping superheros get to their destination.

What types of leftover Christmas supplies will make a quiet Christmas Jingle Bell?

Quick STEM Challenges

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Paper Plate Pinball Game - Teach Junkie
source: buggyandbuddy.com

Making a Paper Plate Pinball Game looks like so much fun and an easy way to engage kids in STEM challenges.

Figure out the best way to drive a Magnet Powered Car if you explore concepts of magnetism with your students.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Index Card Science - Teach Junkie
source: messforless.net

Index Card Science is part magic trick and part challenge – how can you fit through an index card. Be sure to have tons of index cards on hand!

Turn Christmas excitement and turn it into learning with these 4 Christmas Steam Task cards that use easy materials.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Easter Egg Towers - Teach Junkie
source: theresourcefulmama.com

Easter Egg Towers are a no-set up STEM challenge for young students.

Super Simple Materials for STEM Lessons

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Bungee Barbie - Teach Junkie
source: imaginationsoup.net

If you’ve got rubber bands stored away, then keep Bungee Barbie from dying with this unique stem science challenge. Just pick a flight of stairs in your building to use.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Penny Drops - Teach Junkie
source: ourwhimsicaldays.com

Figure out how many drops of water can fit on a penny with Penny Drops – so quick and easy.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Make it move - Teach Junkie
source: steampoweredfamily.com

Beef up the magnet powered car activity listed above with this Make it Move challenge to race a car across one end of the table to the other.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Paper Bag Mystery - Teach Junkie
source: littlebinsforlittlehands.com

Getting kids to complete a Paper Bag Mystery each day in a week sounds like the perfect set of sub plans if you ask me!

Unique STEM Lesson Plans

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Parachute Man - Teach Junkie
source: morethanaworksheet.com

This fairy tale based Parachute Man challenge encourages students to find a way to help Jack escape the beanstalk by making a parachute for a Lego man.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Paper Fliers - Teach Junkie
source: sciencekiddo.com

Bring in your box fan from home to see what type of Paper Fliers can fly high, in circles or fit a requirement challenge of your choosing.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Stem Shapes - Teach Junkie
source: creeksidelearning.com

Determine how strong a single piece of paper is with Stem Shape columns to hold a stack of books.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Lego Brain Puzzles - Teach Junkie
source: frugalfun4boys.com

Students create their own Lego Brain Puzzles to make a 10×10 square. Make sure they document the solution to their own puzzle before handing it over to someone else to solve!

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Basketball Challenge - Teach Junkie
source: corkboardconnections.blogspot.com

Find out the value in STEM challenges with this Basketball Tower challenge using newspapers for third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade.

Free STEM Challenges Printables for the Classroom

Get students thinking on the challenge and preparing their experiment with free Lab Sheets to download.

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - Stem Notebook Printables - Teach Junkie
source: homegrownheartsacademy.com

Get lined paper, graph paper and more with these Stem Notebook Printables so you can make your own!

Get Role Cards along with lots of other free resources to get started making your stem lesson plans.

Make a Mini Journal to plan and execute stem construction projects with these free printables.

Now you’ve got tons of ideas to plug into your lesson plans – and most don’t require complicated materials. How great is that? You’re set to serve up creative, unique and simple STEM lesson plans in a snap.

More Science for Kids

28 Awesome STEM Challenges for the Elementary Classroom - I love these STEM challenges for my class. So perfect

Leslie {aka the original Teach Junkie} loves learning new things to make teaching easier and more effective. She enjoys featuring creative classroom fun when she's not designing teacher shirts, making kindergarten lesson plans or planning her family's next trip to Disney World.

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