• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Feel Good Teaching

Reconnect with your calling

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Freebies
  • PD
  • Bone Bridge® STEM Challenges
  • Disclosure
  • My account
You are here: Home / Products / Fall STEM Challenge: Apples Afar

Fall STEM Challenge: Apples Afar

August 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment

$3.98

Individually or in partners/groups, students will design and build a cantilever to suspend an apple as far away from a desk’s edge as possible. This challenge is great for any time of year, but especially in the fall when learning about apples, Johnny Appleseed, or Sir Isaac Newton! Modifications for grades 2-8 included.

Categories: Back to School, Fall STEM Challenges, Printable, STEM Challenges Tags: apples, Fall, Newton's Laws of Motion
  • Description

Description

This back-to-school STEM / STEAM Challenge brings the joy back to your classroom with collaborative, hands-on, brain-busting work (disguised as fun)!

Of course, this challenge is also great for any time of year, but especially in the fall when learning about apples, Johnny Appleseed, or Sir Isaac Newton!

The basic premise:
Individually or in partners/groups, students will design and build a cantilever to suspend an apple as far away from a desk’s edge as possible.

Note: This is the printable version. If you are in a 1:1 / paperless classroom, you will want to check out the digital option for use with Google Slides instead.

If you have questions about which version is right for you, please feel free to leave me a question using the product Q&A below.


Resource includes:


NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8

Teacher Tips
– Links to STEM Challenge How-To videos
– Materials and timing
– Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
– Measuring results
– Post-design extension activities list
– Link to a video walk-through of the challenge

Student Handouts
– Criteria & Constraints List (color and black & white; editable version provided)
– Design Analysis Handouts (2-page regular spacing and 4-page expanded spacing for primary students included) (color and black & white)
– Discussion Questions (in color and B&W)

Extension templates
– Process Flow Map
– Create Math Problems Based on Designs
– Worksheet: Measure the cantilever span distance in standard and non-standard units (editable version provided)
– Worksheet: Convert span distance from customary (in.) to metric (cm) and then from cm to other metric units of measurement (editable version provided)


This is one of five challenges available at a 40% discount in the Back-to-School STEM Challenge Bundle

This resource is also available in the STEM CHALLENGE YEAR-ROUND MEGA-BUNDLE at an even greater discount!

 


Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:

Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. Amazon Affiliate links are included below. See disclosure.

  • Small apple (1)
    • Use very small apples. For younger students, you may prefer to not use the apple at all
  • Unsharpened pencils (5 – 10)
  • Rubber bands (5 – 10)
  • Pocket folder with prongs (1)
    • File folder or pocket folder without prongs may be substituted
  • Tape (one roll of masking tape)
  • String or yarn (36 – 48 in.)
  • Medium and/or large binders clips (2 – 4)
  • Paper lunch bag (1)
  • Ruler or measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Desk or table
    • Devices can also be built from counters, but a desk or table offers more options to create tie-downs and ways to secure the devices.
  • Design analysis handouts (included in resource)

Optional

  • Craft sticks
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Paperclips
  • Single hole punch
  • An extra ruler with which to build

Benefits of this STEM Design Challenge:

– Focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and application of learning
– Helps students develop growth mindset traits like persistence and resilience
– High levels of student engagement
– The potential to hit upon all NGSS ETS standards depending on the depth and number of iterations you choose to implement in your classroom (modifications included)
– Highly flexible and differentiated for materials, timing, grade levels, and rigor.

Each design iteration should be planned for ~60 min. if you are including data gathering and analysis rather than just building for fun. If you add extension activities, you will need to adjust timing accordingly.

 

You may also like…

  • Fall STEM Challenge: Apples Afar 1:1 Paperless

    $3.98
    Add to cart
  • Fall STEM Challenge Bundle

    $9.98
    Add to cart
  • STEM Challenge Mega Bundle

    $104.98
    Add to cart
  • View Entire Catalog

    Read more

Related products

  • Fall STEM Challenge: Apples Aloft

    $3.98
    Add to cart
  • Fall STEM Challenge: Apple Annihilator 1:1 Paperless

    $3.98
    Add to cart
  • Fall STEM Challenge: Apple Ally

    $3.98
    Add to cart
  • ST. Patrick's Day Activity

    St. Patrick’s Day STEM Challenge: Get the Gold Paperless Version

    $3.98
    Add to cart

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

After being a classroom teacher for ten years (grades 2-8), I’m fortunate to now follow my passion to design lessons & share ideas that help teachers everywhere find more feel-good teaching moments in their own classrooms!

Visit the Shop

Visit the Shop

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 // Design by Laugh Eat Learn // Theme by PDCD