23 Nov STEAM AT HOME RESOURCES
STEAM AT HOME
SUPPLIES: 20 NOTECARDS, 16 PAPERCLIPS, SCISSORS, RULER, A BOO
SUPPLIES: COFFEE FILTERS, MARKERS, PIPE CLEANERS, SMALL CONTAINER WITH WATER
MARSHMALLOW ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
Supplies: Marshmallows, Toothpicks, Ruler
EXPLORING COLORS AND CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Supplies: Baking Soda, Vinegar, Food coloring or washable paint, pan or container, pipettes (or use a straw, eyedropper, or even a spoon)
Give your flash cards a rest and practice facts with math card games instead. Simply lay down two cards from the deck (remove the face cards first) and add, subtract, or multiply them. Kids can work on this alone, or you can make it a contest to see who can call out the correct answer first.
Get a peek at the International Space Station where astronauts record themselves reading actual children’s books. Explore this website for additional curriculum and science instruction videos.
CHALK YOUR WALK
Spread some joy and positivity by writing or drawing encouraging messages on your sidewalk or driveway. Or maybe walk down to the house of your elderly neighbor and leave some sidewalk art for them to enjoy out the
The Rube Goldberg Organization has just launched a family challenge. Here is the link with more details: https://www.rubegoldberg.com/
The basic purpose is to design a machine that performs a simple task in an intentionally indirect or overly complicated way.
Supplies: Anything you have. Be creative! The bigger the movements, the more amazing it looks on video.
CHEMISTRY OF SUGAR CRYSTALLIZATION
Make your own rock candy by heating a sugar and water solution and following the simple instructions in this video.
Supplies: sugar, water, tall glass/jar, popsicle stick/skewer/string, pan to cook the mixture, patience (it takes multiple days for your experiment to complete), Optional: food coloring or flavor
There’s more rain in the forecast. Follow these simple directions to make your own rain gauge. You could compare your findings to those reported by the National Weather Service or make a chart of your findings.
Supplies: plastic soda bottle, scissors, ruler, duct tape, pebbles (for weight)
Supplies: Balloon, String, Straw, Tape
“We love But Why because they use questions from real kids. We usually listen to it in the car, but right now it’s a good way to take a break and help kids think about something new. My kids love it and I enjoy listening and learning new things, too.”
Consider using that old slime sitting on the shelf and turning it into a creative art project. What kind of sculpture can you make? Can you design an experiment to see how the slime reacts to different environmental conditions? Give your old slime a new life!
Learn about the science of Sourdough bread, conduct experiments, or bake your own bread! A sourdough “starter” can be created by simply mixing flour and water.
Supplies: Short Pencil, 2 thin rubber bands, 2 toilet paper tubes, duct tape, scissors, hole punch, cotton balls
SUPPLIES: pencil with an eraser, cardstock, double sided craft paper (or even 2 sheets of paper), scissors, straight sewing pin, needle nose pliers
Supplies: an oreo cookie for each phase of the moon, a popsicle stick or table knife to remove the filling (try refrigerating the cookies first before slowly twisting them apart to keep the icing solid)
Explore geometry by creating tensile bubbles or 3D bubble wands in multiple shapes and sizes using this simple tutorial. This is a great activity to do outside in your yard.
Supplies: plastic straws, pipe cleaners, bubble solution (homemade or store bought), tall container like a bowl, tupperware or pitcher
Design your own experiment to see which household ingredients will shine a penny the best. Make your predictions and then test your hypothesis.
Supplies: pennies, glass or paper cups/bowls, vinegar, ketchup, dish soap, salt and any other random condiments or safe-for-kids cleaning products you have such as lime juice, hot sauce, soy sauce, mustard.
Use your recyclables to create unique face sculptures.
Supplies: egg cartons, scissors, glue, paint (optional)
Go outside and observe the clouds. Can you identify the type of clouds in the sky? Check back later in the day, after the rain, or tomorrow to see how the clouds have changed.
You could create a cloud journal to track the changes in the clouds or use cotton balls glued to paper and some markers to depict each type of cloud.
There are so many ways to re-use your leftover Easter eggs to make creative and useful STEAM items. Follow the link for directions on how to make a surprise egg picnic, egg maracas, fizzy bath bombs and more.
Check out the Chrome Music Lab for web-based experiments exploring how the science, math and art of music. You can make your own music, visualize sound with a spectogram, explore sound waves and lots more.Intro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdwmtU-FkrA
Use dice as a fun way to practice math skills or get creative and develop your own game.
Create this art project that feels like a magic trick. The link below describes 2 ways you can do it: 1. You can use paper towel to reveal the colors on an image or 2: You can use a dropper/spray bottle to see hidden colors come out from the rainbow.
Supplies: paper towel, permanent marker (like a black sharpie), washable markers, water, droppers or a spray bottle, table covering (could use a cookie sheet), large shallow dish like a glass baking pan if you want to immerse your magic art
WATER CYCLE IN A BAG!
Supplies: Ziploc bag, sharpie, water, food coloring
Grab a Ziploc sandwich bag. Use a black Sharpie to draw a sun, cloud and water. (see picture) Then measure 1/4 cup of water and add blue food coloring (4 drops). Carefully pour the colored water into your Ziploc bag. Once you are sure it will not leak, tape the bag to a window, and watch it work!
The Science Behind It: Since Earth has a limited amount of water, it has to change around and around through the water cycle. While you are watching, you will see the warm water in the sunlight evaporate into vapor. When that vapor cools, it will change back into liquid (condensed) just like a cloud. And when enough has condensed, the air can’t hold it anymore and water falls down in the form of precipitation.
What better way to reduce your waste by turning it into new food?! You can re-grow many common herbs and vegetables such as carrots, basil, lettuce, celery, or onions.
Starting with simply saving the ends you normally throw away and soaking them in water, these plants will begin to sprout and can be cultivated into an indoor or outdoor garden.
Happy Arbor Day! Go for a walk in a wooded area and see if you can identify trees just by their bark.
Looking for some inspiration or new ideas? Here is a playlist of TED Talks designed to inspire hands-on STEAM projects with kids
Use some simple household ingredients to create a fun art project and explore scientific understanding. When you’re done, use your project to write an encouraging note to mail to a friend!
Supplies: Two large plates, Shaving cream (not gel), Liquid food coloring (at least two different colors), White printer paper or cardstock paper, Spoon, Toothpick, Jumbo craft stick or ruler or any straight edged object, Paper towels, Spray bottle, Water
Simple instructions: spread a layer of shaving cream on a plate, dot with food coloring, use the toothpick to swirl the colors, place the front of your card on top of the color mixture, lift up and scrape off the excess shaving cream.
This is a great paper craft for origami beginners and you can use your frog to create your own fun games and activities.
Supplies: paper (origami paper is recommended, but you can use regular printer paper or wrapping paper cut into a square)
Design and build your own Lego cars and use balloons to see which one goes the farthest. Apply physics concepts in your design to help you win!
Supplies: Lego bricks, Lego wheels, balloons