Design a UV Shelter STEM Challenge

This STEM activity is designed to be used with an animal habitat lesson. Students will create a UV animal using color changing UV beads and design a shelter to protect the animal from harmful UV light.

Material needed: The book "Rosie Revere, Engineer" by Andrea Beaty, (or any other STEM related growth mindset book. Articles or books about nocturnal creatures or how animals are helped or harmed by ultraviolet light. Color changing UV beads, pipe cleaners, black construction paper, index cards, foil, straws, scissors, tape, paper and pencil.

Agenda: Introduce, or review, the Engineering and Design Process with students before beginning the lesson. (If you don't have it in your classroom, it is easily found online.) Read: "Rosie Revere, Engineer" (Discuss as you read) Introduce or review relevant vocabulary. Students will work individually or collaborate with a partner to create a UV animal and design a shelter to protect it. Share shelter design with the class and discuss challenges and re-designs to make the shelter successful.