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Halloween STEM Challenge Events

by Filed Under: Fall, Halloween, Holidays

You’ve done it. You’ve survived the first several weeks of school! Your procedures are in place. The students know your high expectations. Once October rolls around, a little fun is in order, don’t you think? But not just any kind of fun — fun with substance! Fun you can feel good about in your classroom because it’s collaborative, hands-on, brain-busting work (disguised as fun)!

So let’s bring on the Halloween STEM Challenges — the perfect activities to keep your students engaged throughout all the holiday excitement!
Delight and engage students in these 5 Halloween STEM Challenges. The activities are designed to evoke collaboration and hands-on learning, disguised as fun. Modifications and extensions are included to reach a wide range of students, Grades 2-8.

I can freely admit it: I have become a STEM Design Challenge junkie.  I can be found at the Dollar Tree at odd hours trolling the aisles for inspiration.  And there is much budget-friendly inspiration to be found!

My most recent trip was specifically geared toward creating engaging and productive STEM challenges for the month of October. What resulted was a set of five Halloween-themed challenges, which I have dubbed: Halloween STEM Challenge 5-in-1 Bundle.  Materials for all challenges were procured at the
Dollar Tree except a large box of craft sticks, which was cheaper elsewhere. Of course, I know many schools are prohibited from doing Halloween-themed activities and projects in their rooms. The good news is, each of these can be tweaked to be anytime challenges, as I explain on each challenge’s individual blog post.
Example of a Criteria/Constraints list
One of the best things about STEM challenges is how easy it is to increase or decrease difficulty by tweaking the criteria/constraints list, materials, and/or time given.  In fact, I have used the same challenges with 1st grade up through 7th; while the premise is almost always the same, applying just a few minor modifications makes the challenge engaging and beneficial for any age group — even adults!

I recommend one challenge per day or week leading up to Halloween, or even all challenges in one day-long 5-event pentathlon!  STEM challenges are always most beneficial when done in multiple iterations, but they can always be treated as one-off activities as well.

Note: The titles of each challenge below is clickable and will lead you to more information along with a video walk-through where you’ll get additional details, tips, and tricks. Tricks — get it? See what I did there? 🙂

Delight and engage students in these 5 Halloween STEM Challenges. The activities are designed to evoke collaboration and hands-on learning, disguised as fun. Modifications and extensions are included to reach a wide range of students, Grades 2-8.

Halloween Challenge 1: Wings Wanted

Premise:

Essentially a paper airplane challenge, students cut, fold, and tape (tape optional) the handout to fashion new wings for the bat body.

Materials for Wings Wanted

Halloween Challenge 2: Creature Catcher

Premise:

In partners or groups, students design a device to catch as many “creatures” as they can over a given area.

 

Materials needed for Creature Catcher

 

Halloween Challenge 3: Bone Bridge

Premise:

In partners or groups, students build a bridge of “bones” (q-tips).

Materials needed for Bone Bridge



Halloween Challenge 4: Treat Toss

Materials needed for Treat TossPremise:

Students will build a low-energy machine to toss treats.  The teacher chooses from one of two challenge goals: launch candy the maximum distance or target-accuracy.
 

 

 

Halloween Challenge 5: Ghosts in the Graveyard

 Premise:

Students work in partners or groups to create a ghost transporter that lifts “ghosts” (cotton balls or marshmallows) from the ground to the top of a simple pulley.

Materials needed for Ghosts in the Graveyard

 

  


For more details or to purchase the activity set with modifications, handouts, and more, click on the bundle.

Click here for my digital 5-in-1 Halloween STEM Challenge Bundle. Combine science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for hands-on, engaging student learning (disguised as fun)! Modifications and extensions included for students in Grades 2-8.Click here for my 5-in-1 Halloween STEM Challenge Bundle. Combine science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for hands-on, engaging student learning (disguised as fun)! Modifications and extensions included for students in Grades 2-8.

Sample student slides.

Sample student handouts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wondering if printable or paperless is the way to go? Check out this post.

 

Save yourself time and energy (and use it to head over to your dollar store!) by picking up the prepared challenge lessons (linked above), which include teacher notes/guide, modifications, student handouts, NGSS Standards, extensions and more.

Need just one more reason? Check out this teacher’s feedback on the resource:

 

 

 

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