Join CINSAM virtually for FREE, fun, hands-on STEM activities that you can do in the classroom or right at home! We are excited to join your learning space and guide you and your student(s) through these exciting, educational lessons. STEM2U lessons are targeted to elementary and middle school grades.
Winter/Spring 2022 sessions are complete, but STEM2U will be back with more live lessons on new and exciting topics in fall 2022. Until then, check out past lessons and access the recorded sessions below!
Description:
Students will design and build a hand-pollinator using selected materials. The pollinators will compete to see which one can carry the most “pollen” to a flower.
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Students will observe first-hand what happens to energy when objects collide on their pinball prototypes. We will use evidence from our observations to answer questions regarding the relationship of the speed of an object and its energy.
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Students will learn about the importance and cause of the autumnal equinox. They will then build their own sundial and explore how it works.
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Students will work to demonstrate their skills on the greatest cup stacking challenge while adhering to the criteria and constraints given to them. They will also dive into beginner-level unplugged coding!
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Students will explore balanced and unbalanced forces while they create balloon-powered cars. Students will get to experience Newton’s third law firsthand as they work to get their car to move.
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Dive into Biochemistry with this chromatography challenge! Students will learn to use chromatography to separate colors.
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Who doesn’t love pumpkin chunking? Students will design, build, and test their own pumpkin catapults using basic materials and little candy corn pumpkins.
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Unsure of what to do with all that extra candy? Donate it to science while learning about physical and chemical changes.
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How do computers talk to one another? They transmit information through a code of 0s and 1s called binary. Students will learn about binary code and will create a bracelet of their initials in binary made out of beads.
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Ready for an Escape Room challenge? Students will use logic and reasoning to find clues to unlock the State of Matter digital breakout puzzle.
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Students will take their tower building skills to new heights with this challenge. Not only will they construct towers with limited materials, but they will have the added challenge of supporting a load-bearing bucket!
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Aerodynamics will help you take flight in this lesson when you apply the concepts of drag, thrust, lift, and gravity to your paper airplane designs. Can you build an airplane that will fly the farthest?
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Why do we wear coats in the winter? If you put a coat on a snowman, will it melt faster? Students will conduct a scientific experiment to test the impact of insulators on cold objects.
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Students will make observations as ice changes states of matter. Students will manipulate the changes in states of matter with varying substances to determine which causes ice to change states faster.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.B Chemical Reactions
SEP:
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Planning and Carry Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
CCC: Energy and Matter
Description:
Designing a device to land on the moon is a tough challenge, but can your students also account for the thrust a design needs to have a safe lunar landing?
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS2.A Forces and Motion
PS2.B Types and Interactions
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
CCC: System and System Models
Description:
The Winter X Games have teamed up with our STEM students to design the fastest and farthest traveling ski jumpers.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS3.A Definitions of Energy
PS3.B Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Energy and Matter
Description:
What better way to learn about powerful magnetic forces than by using them to compete in a Magnetic Maze Showdown!
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS2.A Forces and Motion
PS2.B Types of Interactions
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
CCC: Energy and Matter
Description:
Combine your magnificent engineering skills with your inner artist and watch as the magic unfolds! Students create a bot that will design art!
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS3.A Definitions of Energy
PS3.B Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
CCC: Energy and Matter
Description:
Let’s get rockin’ with hands-on learning about types of rocks, and weathering and erosion!
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
ESS2.A Earth Materials and Systems
ESS2.C The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Patterns
Description:
Students will learn about momentum, forces, gravitational pull and other amazing STEM concepts as they compete in various Minute to Win It STEM challenges.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS2.A Forces and Motion
PS3.A Definitions of Energy
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Energy and Matter
Description:
Feeling lucky enough to catch a leprechaun? Join us as we put engineering to the ultimate test when we design traps to catch the sneaky little leprechauns.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS2.A Forces and Motion
PS2.B Types of Interactions
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Scale, Proportion and Quantity
Description:
Learn about the importance of the Earth’s most precious resource - water! Students will see first-hand how little fresh water there is on Earth and how to create their own filtration system to help clean it.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
ESS3.A Natural Resources
ESS3.C Human Impacts on Earth Systems
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Systems and System Models
Description:
Students will learn about alternative energy sources as they design and build working wind turbines. Students will test various structures within their turbines to create the most effective design.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS3.B Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
ESS3.A Natural Resources
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Cause and Effect
Description:
Students will discover how animals change the land over time and the impact it causes as they design, build and test beaver dams.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
LS2.C Ecosystem dynamics, functioning and resilience
LS2.A Interdependence relationships in ecosystems
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
CCC: Cause and Effect
Description:
While space travel is growing, humans must find a way to live safely on other planets without risking harmful exposure to UV rays. Students will explore designs to keep space travelers safe from direct UV rays.
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Standards Connection:
DCI:
PS4.A Wave Properties
PS4.B Electromagnetic Radiation
SEP:
Asking questions and Defining Problems
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
CCC: Patterns
