2023-2024 Summer STEM Projects
Kindergarten Summer STEM Project
Gum Drop Tower
Materials needed:
-Approximately 50 toothpicks
-Approximately 30 gum drops (a bag or box of DOTS works great)
-1 Meter stick to check progress
Introduction:
Start the activity by asking what some of the tallest buildings or towers are that your child has seen or visited. Then tell them that they are going to be building a tower. Using toothpicks and gumdrops they will build the tallest tower possible in their own way.
First Grade Summer STEM Project
Make a Tornado in a Jar
To whip up your mini tornado, grab a clean mason jar and the ingredients:
- 3 cups of tap water
- 1 teaspoon of dish soap
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Glitter or other small objects {optional}
Fill the mason jar with water – making sure to leave about an inch of space at the top. Then pour in the dish soap and vinegar and close the lid. {Give the cap a double check just to make sure that your tornado won’t get free and make a big mess.}
Holding one hand on top and one below, swirl the jar for about 5 seconds and then set it down on the table to watch the tornado do its thing. So simple and easy.
To add some extra wow, try adding glitter or mini Legos to the jar.
Take pictures and videos of your tornado and bring it back to school when we return!
The Science Behind It
When you spin the water in the jar, it creates a vortex in the center. As the water spins, centripetal force causes the water to spin around that vortex making a mini tornado. {Hurricanes have a vortex too.}
Second Grade Summer STEM Project
Summer recess begins on 6/27, but that doesn’t
mean learning stops for two long months! In fact, it is vital
that it doesn’t. When you let your brain take a break over
the summer, you can lose the equivalence of two months of
your grade-level math and reading skills. To prevent summer
slide/learning loss, you can keep those STEM skills fresh
over the summer.
Calling All Musical Creators!
Get Ready to Bring Music to Life...
Your task is to design and create a musical instrument using
any recycled materials found at home.
See the below questions to help you brainstorm your ideas!
Answer the following questions:
What is the name of your musical instrument?
What recycled materials did you use to make your
musicalinstrument?
What are the features of your unique musical
instrument?How did you make this musical instrument?
What kind of music does it make?
Will your musical instrument sound differently if you
usedother materials?
You can find out how musical instruments work,
learnhow to build your own (DIY musical instruments),
play games and find recycling tips that can help create a
BETTER WORLD. Click on the below links to begin your
STEM Adventure!
https://www.bashthetrash.com/kidscorner
https://feltmagnet.com/crafts/Music-Instruments-for-
Kids-to-Make
Challenge: You can design and create more than one musical
instrument to perform a “concert” with your family members.
Record a video of an individual or family musical
performance and send it to your teacher in September.
Your teacher will let you know where to send the video.
In the video, make sure you introduce yourself (also family
membersin group performance), describe the musical
instrument(s) by answering the questions, and have fun
performing. This STEM project will be counted as part of
your first marking period grade.
Third Grade Summer STEM Project
Please choose at least one of the following activities to hand in to your 3rd grade teacher at the beginning of the school year. Your project will be included and averaged as part of your 1st report card grade. Please try your best and be as creative as possible! Make sure to include a description of your project and be prepared in present to your new class.
Choices:
- Build a marble run. Collect lots of cardboard tubes. Use painters tape to attach them to a piece of cardboard in a zigzag pattern. Attach a marble to the bottom of the run. Release a marble at the top of the tubing. Can your marble make it to the bucket? Look online for lots of fun ideas for marble runs!
- Design a new musical instrument. Use recycled materials to design and make your own musical instrument. Can you make an instrument that can play at least 3 notes? Can you create a new percussion instrument?
- Engineer a new water park ride. Create a new fun water park attraction. Make a miniature model with recycled materials. Be as creative as possible!
- Create a sculpture using only recycled materials. Can you create a work of art only using one type of material? Taller than you? Waterproof?
