Summer STEM Challenge: Keep it Cool / Make it Melt

When it’s the end of the school year, your summer activities need to be on-point to keep kids engaged! This summer STEM / STEAM Challenge brings the joy back to your classroom with collaborative, hands-on, brain-busting work (disguised as fun)!

The basic premise: 
In partners or groups, students will design and build two devices: one to slow the melting process (Keep it Cool) and one to speed it up (Make it Melt).

 

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Note: If you are in a 1:1 classroom, you may prefer the digital format, compatible with Google Slides ™.

 

Take me to this resource on TpT.

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Resource includes:

• NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8

• Teacher Tips:
  • Links to my 5-part video series on getting started with STEM challenges
  • Materials and timing
  • Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
  • Measuring results
  • Universal STEM Challenge Notes & How to Use Student Handouts
  • Post-design extension activities list
  • Link to a video walk-through of the challenge

• Student Handouts:
  • Criteria & Constraints List (in color and B&W; editable version provided)
  • Results and Design Analysis (2-page regular spacing and 4-page expanded) spacing for primary students included in color and and B&W)
  • Observation Log Handouts (2 pages to record changes to chocolate in the control, Keep it Cool and Make it Melt designs)
  • Discussion Questions (color and B&W)

• Extension templates
  • Process Flow Map
  • Create Math Problems Based on Designs
  • States of Matter Research Log Template

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Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:

Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. You don’t need to provide all of the following materials. Select a subset and/or add in your own ideas.

• • Note: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links. Find out more on the disclosure page.

• • • Hershey bars (give each group three rectangles – ¼ of the bar – for testing)
      • Hershey bars are ideal because it is easy to observe changes as the chocolate becomes shiny, the lettering fades, and lines become wavy.
        • Ice cubes can be substituted, but try to ensure they are equal in size.
    • Small cups (1-2)
    • Foil (~12 sq. in.)
    • Plastic baggies or plastic wrap (1 – 2)
    • Pipe cleaners (4 – 6)
    • String/yarn (12 – 24 in.)
    • Cardboard scraps
    • Cotton balls (3 – 6)
    • Tissue, paper towels, or toilet paper can be substituted
    • Scissors
    • Tape (12 – 24 In.)
    • Design analysis handouts (included)
    • Observation handouts (included)
    • Optional
      • Thermometers
      • Markers & Construction paper
      • Rubber bands
      • Clothespins
      • Stopwatches
      • Cameras to capture changes over time

     

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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.

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This resource is available is also available in the Summer Bundle and the Mega Bundle. It will also soon be available in a in a digital 1:1 format, compatible with Google Slides (TM). (Coming before the end of April 2018.)

 

 

 

 

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Note: any coupon/promo codes for this site will only work on this site. TpT does not have the option for individual stores to offer promo codes.

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Preview Music Credit:

“Carefree” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/