STEM Lesson Plans

This multi-day activity is designed for an introductory 5th grade STEM after school club. On Day 1, each student will build and test a simple mousetrap car following the teacher’s instructions

In this lesson, students will be learning about solar energy and how it may be used to solve problems. After reading and comparing two texts about solar energy, students will use simple materials to

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the phenomenon of paper/air pressure rocketry. Students will make a memorable and hands-on connection with the transfer of energy when they create and

This design challenge is broken up into four parts, this is part four. This lesson will focus on sharing each group’s design and discussing their iterations (Share). In order to successfully execute

This design challenge is broken up into four parts, this is part three. This lesson will focus on completing the build and evaluating/revising the device that groups began building in the previous

Students will apply physics and engineering principles to design and construct a functional mini-golf course using homemade materials.

Students spend time learning about Newton's 3 Laws of Motion, but can they correctly identify which one is being used when they see it? This lesson focuses on identifying each Law of Motion as a

This plan was created by me and used in my afterschool STEM club in January. It tests building a soda can heater. The plan begins with the story, Snowy Day, and brings into focus the need for heat and

In this set of lesson plans for "A Song for a Whale" by Lynne Kelly, students will investigate compasses and whale migration. The final project for the novel is a choice board of activities that

The challenge is for students to send a secret Morse Code message. This lesson has three parts: learning about Morse Code, understanding how radios work, and programming a Micro:Bit to send Morse Code

This is a continuation of lessons 1, 2 and 3. Students will test their cars for distance and speed. Students will add weight to the car and test for distance and speed again to determine if their car

This is a continuation of lesson 1 and 2. Students will learn about kinetic vs. potential energy and apply that knowledge to their car designs.

This lesson is a continuation of lesson 1. Students will learn about Newton's Laws of motion and apply those concepts to their car designs.

Students will use a kid friendly online CAD modeling program to create a car design. Students will then carve their car using floral wet foam, wheels and axels to race in the derby.

Review of Newton’s Laws of Motion Review of potential and kinetic energy. Review of transformational energy. How does mass impact kinetic energy? What is a chain reaction? What is a Rube Goldberg

Potential and kinetic energy. Newton’s Second Law of Motion Transformational energy The history, types, and functions of water wheels Renewable energy? Calculating rate of revolution Sketch and design

Students will discover: I put rotted food into a container with earthworms, where did the food go?

Engineers often create small-size models of a new product to test its design. This is especially true with airplanes. Model testing tells engineers how a design responds to different air conditions

Designed for three hour-long STEAM Club meetings for scholars from kindergarten - fourth grade. This lesson plan can also be used for fifth-seventh grade scholars. Scholars will learn about

Students design and build air powered gliders in this engaging lesson. This is a fun way to teach and apply principles of force as they apply to flight including lift, gravity, thrust, and drag

This is the second lesson plan that goes with the series of four lesson plans for the book Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. This lesson focuses on vibrations, sounds, and music. The final project is

This lesson includes activities to help build equitable background knowledge before reading the book A Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. These activities include setting up science notebooks, building

Engineering of the traditional and contemporary Navajo/Diné Hogan using the sun's light to produce electricity. Students create a model of the Navajo/Diné hogan and incorporate solar energy concepts.