25

STEMulating
Activities
for Future Scientists,
Techies, Engineers &
Mathematicians
by Robert H. Roach, M.Ed.
25 STEMulating Activities Table of Contents

Clouds 2

A New Spin on Flight 4

Bridges Over Not So Troubled Waters 6

Mammals 7

Cleanup On Aisle Earth 8

Crickets: Nature’s Thermometer 10

Forces on Earth (Part 1) 12

Forces on Earth (Part 2) 14

Forces on Earth (Part 3) 16

It’s a Fishy World 18

Leaves of Color 20

Use Up All That Energy 22

The Working Plant Model 23

Let’s Link Up 24

Powerful Green Plants 26

The Artist Sun 27

Rock Collection Project 28

Shoo Fruit Fly 30

Sounds of Silence 32

The Earth is Made of Earth 34

What is the Matter with You 36

Toys are Us 38

Whether or not There is Weather 40

Ye Olde Dirt Farmer. 42

Your World is Tilted 44

25 STEMulating Activities 1
Experiment X

CLOUDS
Rationale: Supplies:
Clouds are masses of small water droplets or tiny ice crys-
tals that hang in the air. Clouds play an important role in • Three blue helium balloons on short,
the Earth’s weather. The water that they bring as rain, snow, medium, and long strings [graphic]
sleet or hail is necessary to all forms of life. However, clouds • Cotton balls
can also bring destructive forces as well in the form of hail, • White glue or tape
tornadoes and hurricanes.
• Blue construction paper
Most clouds change shape continually because they
• Scissors
are touched by warmer air as it rises, or shaped by wind to
form unique cloud formations. Various cloud formations • Markers
have different names and help in forecasting weather. Stratus
clouds are low and without definite shape, often covering the
whole sky. They are usually associated with moist weather
such as drizzle, snow or small ice crystals. They are light gray
in color and give winter skies a dull, gray color.
Cumulus clouds are formed at higher altitudes than
stratus and appear as white, fluffy masses with a flat base.
Cumulus clouds are often associated with fair weather. On
hot summer days, they can become extremely large, black
and ominous-looking clouds known as cumulonimbus
clouds, which cause heavy rainfall or hail storms.
Cirrus clouds are formed by ice crystals at very high
altitudes. These clouds have a thin, wispy or feathery appear-
ance due to winds higher in the atmosphere. Cirrus clouds
often indicate the location of a distant storm or an approach-
ing change in the weather.

Objective:
The student will create a model to illustrate where the basic
cloud types are found in Earth’s atmosphere, and how each
type affects the weather.

2 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities:

K-2

1. Tie the balloons to a chair in order from short-

est string to longest. [graphic] On three sheets
of blue construction paper, illustrate the three
basic cloud types (cirrus, cumulus and stratus)
using the cotton balls. Tape your cloud models
to the appropriate balloons (low, medium or
high).

2. Describe how you felt on days with cirrus

clouds, stratus clouds and cumulus clouds.
Why did you feel that way?

Grades 3-5

1. Explain what cumulonimbus clouds are and

why they can become extremely dangerous. Use
pictures or cotton balls to explain their forma-
tion.

2. Illustrate how rainbows are formed. Explain

the sequence of the colors in the rainbow by
using the letters ROY G. BIV.

Junior High

1. Draw a picture of how hailstones are formed.

Explain how large they can grow to be.

2. Describe the different cloud patterns and how

their formation signals weather changes.

High School

1. Interpret J. M. W. Turner’s painting Snow

Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth. Ex-
plain the type of clouds used in the painting.

2. Write a comical exposé which shows how a

typical cloud pattern caused a coverup.

3. Explain what forces like the Great Red Spot on

Jupiter would do to Earth.

25 STEMulating Activities 3
A NEW SPIN ON FLIGHT
Introduction to the Scientific Method

Rationale:
You are an aeronautical engineer. Your job is to design a gyrocopter which will meet the
guidelines of your company. You may decide on other guidelines later, but for today we
will be designing a gyrocopter which must stay aloft for long periods of time. Look for
patterns and designs. Are you ready? Then let’s get busy.
Here is the basic design for the gyrocopter. Remember you are to design one that
will stay aloft for the longest period, so modify the basic design given below to obtain the
longest flight.

Supplies:

• Paper
• Scissors
• Centimeter ruler
• Stopwatch D
• Pencil
• Data charts
E
A

B
D E
C
Cut on solid lines
A B Fold on letters A-E
C

4 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities: The best design will be your conclusion. Your conclu-
sion will either support your hypothesis or show it to be
Grades 3-12 false. A false hypothesis does not mean your project was
wrong. It just means you need to try something else.
1. Now you will need to look at patterns. Let’s measure the What are some other parts of the gyrocopter that could be
parts of the gyrocopter. Using your centimeter ruler, find changed or manipulated? Try these on your own. Set up a
the length of the wing from tip to tip. Record that mea- table and try them out either in class or at home.
surement to the nearest centimeter on your table (Table
1-1).

2. Next measure the body of the gyrocopter from bottom Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
of the wing to end of the body. Record this measurement
on the table (Table 1-1). Now, construct the gyrocopter. Pre-K-K
When you have finished, fly the copter. Use the timer to
find out how long it took each gyrocopter to reach the 1. With Pre-K and K, you can help them fold larger ver-
ground. Record this on your table (1-1). Think of and list sions of the basic design and allow them to drop them
some things you could change to give it more time in the while standing. Try dropping the designs while standing
air. on a chair, carefully of course. Allow your students to
time the gyrocopter’s descent. You can also drop them
3. Making a record of the changes that you could make will yourself from various heights as well.
help you build a gyrocopter which should stay in the air
the longest. Scientists always work with other scientists Grades 1-2
or read the past work of other scientists. Working with
others allows you to use everyone’s creativity to solve a 1. Discuss what changes mean. What does it mean to
problem. change clothes? They should understand that to make a
change is like to swap something or to replace. Introduce
4. You can probably see that the wing and body lengths the gyrocopter that you made. Drop it and tell them that
should be something you could change or manipulate. you have made the world’s slowest gyrocopter and no
You could make one longer, shorter or the same. Try other copter is slower. Invite them to challenge you. Give
these changes to the wing and the body. Record this on them the materials and give them the chance to create
number two of your table. Do you see a pattern? Keep one that is slower than yours by changing the design.
experimenting until you develop a copter which stays in Drop and time each copter. Allow them time to make
the air longer than your initial construction. What can more changes. Your goal is to help them see that this is
you change to improve your gyrocopter? the way scientists work. They make changes to achieve a
goal or to manipulate something.
Experimenting with these changes is what scientists call
making a hypothesis. From this hypothesis, you can discover
the best design for your gyrocopter. Once you make changes
to your design, the results will give you information to decide
on the best design to keep the gyrocopter aloft the longest.

Gyrocopter Wing Measurement (cm) Body Measurement (cm) (Seconds) Time Aloft
1

Table 1-1 Gyrocopter Measurements

25 STEMulating Activities 5
BRIDGES OVER NOT SO Supplies:

TROUBLED WATERS •
•
Craft sticks
Straight straws
Rationale:
• Modeling clay
• Paper clips
Doing constructions is a marvelous way to increase the • White glue
problem-solving ability of any student, from pre-kinder- • Scissors
garten children to high school seniors. There are several • Gumdrops
strategies in increasing the confidence of the learner and • Round toothpicks
their aptitude to press on in the constructions, stimulating • Other materials your students may request
their thinking skills.
The structure’s base holds up the structure and provides Activities:
sturdiness. The actual structure supports all the loads and
transmits them to the base of the structure. The learner may
Pre-K-12
want to add exterior walls which may be a part of the main
assembly. Then there are interior walls, which also may or
may not be part of the primary structure. 1. Take four sheets of paper and find a method to support
All together, this is a pleasant experience for the four books using only the paper.
students as the creativity can spring forth and students are 2. Use gumdrops and toothpicks to make a tall tower. How
afforded the willingness to try. Provide them a variety of high can you make the tower? What pattern do you no-
materials and let them take the initiative to design what tice?
they want. Whether the students are building bridges, tow- 3. Make an illustration or “blueprint” of a bridge you would
ers, derricks or a combination, you will be amazed at what like to build. Decide on what type of materials the teacher
has for you to get started. Decide how much weight your
they will create.
structure will need to withstand.
4. Before you start, what changes may be necessary to make
sure your structure is steady?
5. Develop your own strategies to make your structure
steady.
6 25 STEMulating Activities
MAMMALS
Rationale:

Mammals have hair or fur and are warm blooded, meaning

their bodies are designed to maintain the same temperature
all the time, allowing them to live in a variety of different
places. All mammals breathe with lungs. Mammals give
birth to live babies and nurse them with milk. Mammals are
the highest form of vertebrates. There are only about 5,000
species of mammals. That may seem like a lot, but compared
to 21,000 kinds of fish and 800,000 types of insects, mammals
are the minority in the animal kingdom.

Supplies:

• Pictures of mammals
• Thermometer
• Paper
• A bowl or small container

Activities:

Pre-K-1

1. Use pictures of mammals to discuss the characteristic of

mammals.
2. Discuss the mammals’ size, body parts, appearances, habi-
tats and food. Discuss the differences between live birth and
laying eggs.
3. Have the students check and compare each other’s tempera-
tures and explain that since we are mammals, our body tem-
peratures are constant unless we are sick.
4. Play mammal charades! Have one student imitate one mam-
mal while the others guess which animal it is.

25 STEMulating Activities 7
CLEANUP ON AISLE
EARTH

Rationale: Supplies:

In this age of super tankers ferrying crude oil across the • Water
seas, there is always a chance of an accidental oil spill. If • Twigs
this occurs, how can the spill be cleaned up? How can one • Thick string
protect the animal and plant life subjected to the oil spill?
• Liquid detergent
Several cleanup methods have been developed. These
• Sponge
include containing the spill, absorbing the oil, skimming oil
off the surface of the water, coagulating the oil, and causing • Soda straws
the oil to sink. The method used depends on the type of oil • Aquarium net
spilled and where the spill occurred. Sometimes several of • Commercial absorbent such as cat litter
those methods are used on the spill. This activity compares • Plastic trash bags
various methods used in cleaning up an oil spill. • Motor oil (used oil works best)
• Straw (not hay)
• Dirt or sand
• Styrofoam pieces
• Paper towels
• Kaolin (dichotomous earth)
• Computers

8 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities: 13. What method appeared to work the best? Why?

14. Would the same method work for every spill?

Grades 3-5
15. Does the same method have any bad effect on the envi-
You are a response team that works for the EPA and you ronment?
have been dispatched to an oil spill. You are assessing the
damage and about ready to clean it up. Your job is to choose 16. How could an oil spill be prevented from spreading?
the best possible method for the cleanup.
Fill a sink or large bowl with water and add oil to cre- 17. Who should be responsible for cleaning up a spill?
ate an oil spill. If necessary, after each method is tried, add
more oil as needed. Make waves in the water and observe if 18. How might an oil spill be prevented?
this changes the effectiveness of each oil cleanup method.
Once you have used your supplies to clean up the oil, throw Pre-K-2
them away.
1. Use olive oil or vegetable oil and pour some into a tub of
Here are some common cleanup methods to try: water. Have the students decide on a way to get the oil
out of the water. Instruct the learners that oil does not
1. Straw – place on oil and remove mix with water. They must find a way where very little
oil is left in the water
2. Paper towels – place on oil and remove
2. Put a rubber duck in the oil and have the students re-
3. Styrofoam pieces – place on oil and remove move it. What is left on the duck? Why are oil spills bad
for animals?
4. Twigs tied together to form a lasso – pull across oil, or
place around the spill to contain it
Junior High
5. Soda straw – blow bubbles under oil; a ring of bubbles
1. Design a ship that would be less likely to lose oil in an
will contain the spill
accident.
6. Detergent – add a drop to spill to disperse oil
2. List reasons why oil spills occur.
7. Sand - sprinkle on surface of oil
High School
8. Kaolin - sprinkle on surface of oil and water
1. Find the location of oil spills and see if there are pat-
9. Kitty litter - sprinkle on surface of oil and water terns.

10. Aquarium net - scoop the oil out 2. Research the wreck of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska and
examine how Exxon approached the spill cleanup.
11. Any additional methods you determine

12. Using the table above, fill in the data for each of the
methods you tried.

Type or Method Used Results Rating (1-5)

25 STEMulating Activities 9
CRICKETS: NATURE’S
THERMOMETER

Rationale chirping also indicates the temperature. The outside tem-

perature in Fahrenheit can be established by adding 37 to
Entomologists estimate that there are over 900 species of the number of chirps emitted in 15 seconds.
crickets around the world. Crickets live in various eco- Crickets will lay eggs in the autumn. Eggs stay incu-
systems such as caves, forests, mountainous regions and bated during the cold winter months and hatch at the start
forests. They are typically 1 to 2 inches long and come in a of spring. Crickets grow through three varying stages: egg,
variety of colors such as black, red, brown or green. Like all nymph (a smaller version of an adult) and adult insect. They
insects, crickets have three body parts: the head, the thorax molt as they grow and the cricket will not have a long life
and the abdomen. span, usually one year in the wild.
Crickets have 6 legs with two modified legs in the
back which are longer and assist in hopping. All the legs are
affixed to the thorax region. These insects are omnivores, Supplies:
which means they will eat plant material and other small
living things, including each other occasionally. • Crickets (Crickets can be bought from pet stores.
Crickets are nocturnal, meaning they are most active The larger ones work better for this project.)
during the night. Their compound eyes, comprised of many
• Zipper seal sandwich bags
large lenses, give them incredibly good vision in many dif-
ferent directions. They also have long antennae which adds
• Straws
to the effectiveness of their senses. Crickets have wings but • Hand lens
cannot fly, although they can move very quickly and are • Art paper or copy paper
difficult to catch. The main predators of crickets are frogs, • Pencils
lizards, turtles and large spiders. These cute insects are also • Crayons
consumed as delicacy in certain parts of Asia. • Refrigerator
The famous song crickets produce is made by rubbing • Computer
toothed surfaces on their legs against one another. This
allows them to create a chirp which the males will emit to
attract the female during mating season. The males also
make this sound as a warning to other males. The crickets’

10 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities: Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:

Grades Pre K-5 Junior High

Carefully place a cricket into a sandwich bag. Before sealing 1. Cool down the crickets by placing them inside the refrig-
it, use a straw to inflate the bag and then complete sealing erator (NOT THE FREEZER). Carefully take one out of
so that the bag looks like a pillow and the cricket is free to the container into your hand. Why is it moving slowly
roam. Hand this to your students. now?

2. Use a magnifying glass to examine the body parts closely

and describe each one’s function.
Pre K-5
3. Using the magnifying glass, examine and describe the
1. Observe your cricket for a few minutes. How does it function of the antenna, the eyes, and the mouth. Offer
move? Can it fly? Do you see wings? Can it hop? the cricket a piece of fruit such as a banana slice and
watch it eat.
2. Use a magnifying glass to observe the cricket top and
bottom. Can you see legs? How many? Where do the legs 4. Create an illustrated guide to the handling, identification
seem to be connected? and purpose of the body parts.
3. Try to locate the head, thorax and the abdomen. Identify 5. Explain the interactions of the cricket when you return it
the body part where the legs are attached. to the group of crickets.
4. Are all the legs the same? Why do you think they are
different?
High School
5. Draw the cricket and label each body segment.
1. Gather information on crickets to compose a children’s
6. Examine the cricket’s eyes with your magnifying glass. book about crickets.
How many eyes does it have? What other parts do you
see attached to the head? 2. Cool down the crickets by placing them inside the refrig-
erator (NOT THE FREEZER). Carefully take one out
7. When you have finished, return the crickets to their con- of the container into your hand. Explain how crickets’
tainer and observe them as they interact with the other cold-blooded nature causes them to slow down and what
crickets. the process does to the insect’s internal organs

8. Add a short description of cricket behavior to your 3. Identify the exoskeleton and explain its purpose.
labeled drawing.
4. Explain the circulatory and respiratory system of the
cricket. Are these systems like ours? Why or why not?

5. Explain the purpose of the spiracles.

6. Illustrate and describe the compound eyes of the cricket.

25 STEMulating Activities 11
 Cinder Cones
Cinder cones are made of bits of a kind of volcanic rock
called andesite, often mingled with bits of basalt. These bits
of rock are called cinders and range in size from very fine,
like ash, to the size of common gravel.
Cinders are formed when tiny pieces of lava are ejected
and harden in the air. When they land, they pile around the
crater to form a steep cone. Cinder cones are often smaller
than shield volcanoes, and because they are made of such
soft rock, they wear away easily.

Composite Volcanoes
Composite cones are made of layers of cinders between the
layers of hardened lava. The layers of cinders make the sides
steep, and the cooled lava keeps the cinders from wearing
away quickly. Many famous volcanoes, like Mt. St. Helens in
the state of Washington, are composite cones.

Earthquakes
FORCES ON EARTH Earthquakes can happen anywhere on earth, but, like vol-
Part 1: Shifting Plates canoes, most occur along plate borders. During an earth-
quake, the ground shakes violently for a few seconds or
Rationale: minutes before stopping. Large earthquakes can shake the
ground for several minutes, although most of the shaking is
Most of the changes on the earth’s crust are so slow that they usually felt for less than 30 seconds.
go unobserved. But a few are so violent that they rock the Earthquakes are caused by stresses in the crust that
planet and threaten life. Two of the most dramatic results of causes slippage on fault surfaces. Since plates cannot move
plate movement are earthquakes and volcanoes. The student smoothly, the stress builds up, much like a rubber band
should understand through this lesson that the Earth’s forces grows tenser when stretched. The plates get caught on one
create situations that sometimes enable positive changes in another and remain stuck until the forces pushing the two
the Earth’s features. An example that illustrates this is a volca- plates cause both to bend like bows. When they can no
no; during a volcanic eruption, new land masses are formed. longer resist the strain, the plates suddenly snap past each
Allow students to come up with scenarios where there are other, ending up in a less stressed position. As they do this,
some life-sustaining benefits of a volcanic eruption. shockwaves rapidly travel out from the focus, the place
where the rocks snap apart. Surface waves are most intense
Volcanos and damaging at the epicenter, the point on the Earth’s sur-
face directly above the focus.
Volcanoes usually form along plate boundaries. A volcano’s
appearance and the lava it ejects depend on where and how
Tsunamis
it forms.
Undersea earth-
Shield Volcanoes quakes don’t shake
down buildings, but
Shield volcanoes get their name from their shield-like
they can be just as
slopes. They are made of many layers of a kind of volcanic
dangerous as land
rock called basalt, which flows easily when melted. When
earthquakes. Ocean
molten basalt flows out of a crack in the Earth’s crust, it
earthquakes create
forms thin layers sloping away from the center, forming a
massive waves, which
shield volcano. Some shield volcanoes get to be very large.
can kill people and
For instance, the Hawaiian islands are simply overgrown
destroy cities thou-
shield volcanoes. sands of miles away upon reaching land. These waves don’t
look very big in the middle of the ocean, but as they come
12 25 STEMulating Activities
near the shallow water by the shore, the waves pile up and Faithful, with eruptions so consistent that park guides list
make breakers just as ordinary surf does. However, these exact eruption times for the geyser. Since its discovery in
massive waves are huge compared to normal waves, some- 1870, Old Faithful has continued to erupt at very consistent,
times as high as twelve-story buildings. predictable times.
These great waves are call tsunamis (soo-nah-mee), a
Japanese word meaning “storm wave”. Many of the world’s Supplies:
undersea earthquakes take place in the Ring of Fire around
the Pacific Ocean. Consequently, the multitude of islands in • One sheet of construction paper (for the cover)
the Pacific, especially Japan, have experienced many a tsuna-
• Sheets of paper
mi and lost many lives.
A tsunami can travel very fast. The deeper the water in
• Scissors
which it forms, the faster the tsunami will travel. Where the • Stapler
ocean is 10,000 m (32808.4 ft) deep, tsunamis travel about as • Crayons, markers, map pencils
fast as a jet plane. Where the ocean is only 25 m (82 ft) deep, • If available, a computer with
they travel about as fast as a racing cyclist. Scratch Jr. or Code.org
Seismologists, or Earth scientists, at the Honolulu
Observatory use charts showing how deep the ocean is in Activities:
different places. Their instruments can tell them when and
where a big earthquake happens underwater, allowing them Grades 3-5
to calculate when and where the tsunami will arrive and
send warnings out by radio or computer. People near the 1. Make your own picture book by following the lesson
earthquake may only have a few minutes to get out of the presented.
way. This advanced warning system has saved many lives
since its establishment. The high death toll after the 1946 2. Create a cover for the booklet illustrating the main idea
Aleutian Island tsunami prompted the founding of the Tsu- of your project.
nami Warning System to prevent Hawaii and other Pacific
countries from being caught off guard ever again, according 3. Illustrate various types of constructive forces in your
to the United States Geological Service. (http://www.civil- book. Include before and after illustrations for each of the
beat.org/2011/03/9558-a-history-of-tsunamis-in-hawaii/) constructive forces covered.

4. Number each page in their sequence

Geysers
It takes three major things to 5. Once your book is completed, explain each type of event
form a geyser: water, a series of to your teacher and the other students. Mention that in
irregularly-shaped underground the last few decades many geologists have learned a lot
rock passages, and a heat source about how and why these events occur. And, as we learn
hot enough to boil water. The more, we will be better able to minimize the damage to
water that is shot out of geysers is human life and property.
usually groundwater. Groundwa-
ter originates from rain or melted
snow that has trickled deep into Junior High
the ground through cracks and
pores in the rocks. As this water If you have access to computers, try using two programs to
circulates deep underground, it is heated by rocks which in create digital graphics for your book: Code.org (https://code.
turn have been heated by an underlying body of magma. org/) and Scratch Jr (https://scratch.mit.edu/). Each one is a
How often a geyser blows and how long its eruption powerful tool and easy to learn.
lasts vary geyser to geyser. Some geysers erupt every hour
or so, while others may have periods of several hours, days
or even weeks between eruptions. While some geysers may High School
stream for only a few minutes, others may have an eruption
that last for 45 minutes or more. Analyze the all the forces on the Earth and classify them as
Most of the world’s geysers are in New Zealand, Ice- destructive or constructive. Explain your choices.
land, or Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone
in particular features a very interesting geyser known as Old
25 STEMulating Activities 13
FORCES ON EARTH All rocks weather over time, but not in the same way
or at the same rate. It all depends on the mineral composi-
Part 2: Weathering tion of a rock, as well as where the rock is located.
When water seeps into cracks in rocks and freezes,
Rationale: it can force a rock to split. This happens because water
increases in volume as it freezes and pushes against the rock
Two forces, weathering and erosion, are constantly at work as it expands, eventually causing it to break apart. This is
wearing away the rocks that make up the Earth’s crust. called ice wedging. If this process occurs repeatedly, a solid
Weathering causes rocks to fragment, crumble or break rock can ultimately be reduced to rubble.
down chemically. Erosion loosens and transports rock de- Plants can also break up rocks. For example, plants can
bris caused by weathering. Over time, these two forces can grow in the small volumes of soil that collect cracked stone.
change the shape of the land. As the plants’ roots grow, they expand and apply pressure to
The process of weathering actually helps life on Earth. the rock, forcing the crack to widen and deepen. Eventually
As rocks are continually broken down into smaller and roots can split rocks apart. Even large boulders and pieces of
smaller pieces, they eventually get so small that the particles bedrock have been observed to break apart this way.
become fine sand or even smaller particles called silt, two Some minerals are changed into different minerals as
important ingredients of soil. Although soil is mostly made they react with chemicals, air and water. But not all min-
up of tiny rock fragments, it also contains decayed plant erals react the same way. For example, iron that has been ex-
and animal material called humus, such as rotten leaves and posed to oxygen and water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere
decomposed animal bodies. This rich material provides the changes chemically into iron oxide, or rust. Other minerals,
nutrients that plants need to grow. such as pyrite, form weak acids when dissolved in rain wa-
ter, and these acids further break down rocks.

14 25 STEMulating Activities
 4. Roughen the nail’s surface with sandpaper or steel wool
Supplies: pad to remove any rust-proof coating. Open a window to
get fresh air. (The teacher should put on rubber gloves to
• Water protect the hands for the next step.)
• Small stones or gravel
• Plastic cup 5. Mix white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and salt in a glass
• Freezer container or bowl. Immerse the nails in the solution for
• Dry beans such as lima or kidney beans up to one hour. The longer the nails are in the solution,
the more they will rust. Remove nails from the solution
• A small plastic container with a lid
and place them on a paper towel.
• Water
• A bowl or plate 6. Put the paper towel into direct sunlight for 1 to 2 hours.
• Glass jar or bowl The heat from the sun accelerates rust formation on the
• One nail nails.
• Steel wool
• Sandpaper 7. Repeat soaking. Observe and illustrate the results. For
complete instructions, go to: https://mountainmodern-
• Water
life.com/make-metal-rust/.
• White Vinegar
• Salt
Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Paper towel
Junior High
Activities: 1. Have the students write an explanation of their activities,
including a list of the materials they used and how they
Grades 3-5 set up the investigations.

2. Discuss the results of their investigations and what con-

1. In a clear plastic cup, add 1 or 2 handfuls of small stones clusions they drew from their results. They should also
or gravel. Add enough clear water to fill about half an explain how their explorations relates to weathering.
inch above the stones. Notice the spaces between the
small stones. Freeze the cup overnight. After the expo-
sure to freezing, observe the spacing of the stones. High School
2. Fill a plastic container [graphic] with either lima or kid- 1. Explain why some of the data that each person gathered
ney beans to the top. Fill the container of beans with wa- differed, even though each person performed the same
ter and cover it. After a few hours, check the container. demonstration.
Write down any observations. Repeat each hour. Record
your findings and relate them to what the roots of these 2. Describe another way to demonstrate the same concepts.
plants could do to rocks.
Some of these activities require more time than others. Al-
3. For a more dramatic illustration, add a few lima beans low several days for all the demonstrations to be completed
to cup full of gravel and water. Within a few hours as the before having the team share the results and conclusions.
beans begin to swell, the student should begin to see the
effects of plant wedging where the seeds begin to push
the gravel away. Record observations. Compose your
own explanation as to how this would break rocks apart.

25 STEMulating Activities 15
FORCES ON EARTH
Part 3: Erosion
The most significant force of erosion is water. Since water is
Rationale: found everywhere along the surface of the earth, it makes
an excellent instrument for erosion, causing more erosion
Erosion is the process by which earth materials are moved worldwide than all other eroding agents combined. Water
from place to place by either wind or water. A very signifi- is a weak acid, so it can slowly wear rock fragments away
cant example of erosion can be seen on the west coast of Af- and transport the tiny bits of rock material. Larger valleys
rica. When seen from a satellite, a huge amount of sand can are created by rushing streams and rivers as they wear away
be seen eroding off the African coast. Much of this material their banks.
ends up on American shores after drifting on ocean currents. Wind erosion is believed to be a critical problem in
On our planet, erosion moves the same amount of many parts of the world. As forests are cut down and fields
material that is formed. Unfortunately, that is not always the are grazed down, the wind can pick up soil and expose bare
case. Water, wind and ice are considered major causes of soil bedrock. When this goes unchecked, the land experiences a
loss, as are mankind’s foolish actions, such as overgrazing or reduction in fertile soil, reducing plant growth and endan-
inappropriate methods of agriculture. gering animal and human health.
Erosion can happen quickly or slowly, especially when Raindrops falling on a field in Iowa, a glacier scraping
caused by gravity. Water, wind and ice can cause erosions out a valley in the Alps, and the wind whipping across the
over a longer period of time. Plant roots can also force dirt face of the Great Sphinx in Egypt are all examples of erosion
and stone down a hillside as the plant grows. Swift mass at work. Erosion continues the work that weathering starts
movements such as landslides, rockfalls and lahars (volcanic by helping to loosen particles and transporting weathered
mudslides) all occur very quickly. rock material.

16 25 STEMulating Activities
 2. On one end of the box, make a smaller cut out about 8
in. by 8 in. These will be viewing windows. Cover each
window with a sheet of plastic wrap a little larger than
the shape. Secure these with clear tape (it is important to
seal well to prevent sand or soil from escaping).

3. On the other end of the box, make a small hole big

enough to place the straw into. (Allow about one inch
of the straw to protrude into the box.) Now you have an
“Erosion Box.”

4. Remove the top and fill the bottom with 2-3 inches of
sand. Ask the students what sand looks like in the desert.
Make miniature sand dunes at the middle of the box,
opposite the straw hole.

5. Ask the students what the straw represents (the wind)

and have one student gently blow through the straw.
Observe the results from the viewing windows and allow
the students to explain what they see. Repeat, only this
time blow a bit harder. Observe and explain. Have the
students illustrate what causes a sandstorm.

6. Replace the sand with potting soil and repeat step 5.

Have the students observe and explain what they have
Supplies: seen.

• Copy paper box or any box close to this size 7. Add mats of grass or small plants and repeat the exper-
with sides and a top iment. Observe through the windows and explain how
massively clearing land affects the environment.
• A quantity of sand and potting soil (enough to
fill 2-3 inches of the bottom of the box)
Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
• Small grass plugs from the yard or plants
• Small shovel Junior High
• Plastic wrap
After completing the above experiment, make a comic strip
• Straw about erosion based on your results. Once completed, share
your strip with the other students. If you have access to
• Clear tape Scratch Jr., this program makes a marvelous STEAM con-
• Scissors or box cutter (to be used by the adult) nection to the lesson.

Activities: High School

Grades 3-5 After completing the above experiment, complete a writing

project. It is the 1930s and you live in Oklahoma, where
1. Construct an erosion box. To do this, you will need a there was just a recent massive sandstorm. The president
lidded box about the same dimensions as a copy paper is on the radio describing mysterious red skies over Wash-
box. Cut a rectangle shape about 1.5 feet by 1 foot from ington. Write a letter to the president explaining why you
the long sides and the lid. believe he is seeing the red skies.

25 STEMulating Activities 17
 Supplies:

• Live fish in a bowl or tank

• Dead but uncooked fish from the supermarket
• Strong magnifying glass or a microscope
• Ice cubes
• Plastic zipper seal bag
• Computer
• Manila paper
• Black ink
• Baking sheet
• Illustration of a fish
IT’S A FISHY WORLD
Rationale: Activities:
The largest group of vertebrates is fish. Many fish have
1. Grades Pre-K-5
scales, which are small, smooth pieces of skin. Fish do not
have eyelids and can never close their eyes. A fish has gills 2. Fish Observation:
instead of lungs, and a tail and fins instead of legs and feet.
Fish are cold-blooded, so their body temperatures are about 3. The students should observe the fish swimming in the
the same as the temperature of the water around them. tank and answer the following questions.
There are three types of fish: jawless fish such as lam-
preys, cartilaginous fish such as sharks (with skeletons made 4. How does this fish move itself through the water? What
of cartilage rather than bones), and bony fishes such as tuna are its tail and fins doing?
(with skeletons made of bones). To get an idea of what a
shark’s skeleton feels like, feel your body’s natural cartilage 5. Why are the gill covers opening and closing?
in your nose or ears. This firm, flexible substance is what
makes up some fishes’ skeletons. 6. Where does the fish go to rest?

7. What shape is the fish’s body?

8. Does this fish eat its food near the surface or near the
bottom of the water?
18 25 STEMulating Activities
Fish Examination: 5. Lift the paper and lay flat on a counter to dry.

1. A whole dead fish should be available for the examina- Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
tion.

2. Let the students examine the dead fish, locating and Junior High
naming some familiar parts such as eyes, mouth, teeth,
1. Explain the function of each type of fin on a fish.
etc. Then help them locate more unique parts of the fish,
such as fins, gills and scales. 2. Create your own T-shirt using a fish from the supermar-
ket. You may want to label it or devise a witty saying.
3. Does this fish have any scales? Do the scales overlap on
the fish’s body? What purpose do scales serve?

4. Remove a scale from the fish and examine it closely High School
under the strong magnifying glass or a microscope. If
possible, count the growth rings to determine the age of 1. Illustrate and label a fish’s gills. Explain how a fish’s ex-
the fish. Notice how all the scales of the fish are arranged change of oxygen is different from ours.
in its body.
2. What changes in fishing would one have to make from
5. Examine the gills. Do the covers open and close? the summer to winter for catching fish? Explain.

6. How many fins does the fish have? How do they move?

7. Draw a picture of the fish and label the different parts

your students identified.

Fish Behavior:

1. Put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag. Hold

this bag on the surface of the water for a few
moments, and observe the behavior of the
fish. The fish should swim lower in the bowl
seeking warmer water. The fish may not move
as much in the cooler water.

2. Write down your observations after the above

experiment. Explain how cold-blooded crea-
tures behave and why fish have to migrate to
warmer water.

Fish printing:

1. Use a whole dead fish to make a fish print

on manila paper. The same can be done on a
white T-shirt, but use a permanent color such
as ink for the shirt.

2. Lay the dead fish on a baking sheet.

3. Brush a light to moderate amount of paint

onto the fish.

4. Place the manila paper on top of the fish and

rub your hand over the length of the fish.

25 STEMulating Activities 19
LEAVES OF COLOR
Rationale:

Why are green plants green? One reason is because of the Why does the color change? Why don’t all the leaves
green substance in the plants called chlorophyll, which pro- turn brown? The reason is that once the chlorophyll has
duces food for the plant. Without this material, all life as we broken down, chemical changes occur and additional colors
know it would cease to exist. manifest themselves through the development of red antho-
But what happens in autumn, when some plants’ leaves cyanin pigments. Some mixtures give growth to the reddish
begin to lose their green color and change to browns, reds and purplish fall colors of trees such as sumacs and dog-
and yellows? For the most part, you will see this change in woods, while others give the sugar maple its intense orange.
trees. As cooler temperatures begin to creep in, food pro- The autumn foliage of some trees display only yellow
duction in the leaves will cease and the food the plant has colors. Others, like many oaks, display mostly browns. All
been making will be stored in the roots. Once this occurs, the these colors are due to the mingling of changing amounts of
leaves are no longer needed, and the production of the green the chlorophyll deposit and other tints in the leaf during the
chlorophyll stops, allowing other vivid colors in the leaves fall season.
to become visible. No longer will the tree need the energy to
support the leaves and soon they will fall from the tree.

20 25 STEMulating Activities
 Activities:

Pre-K-3

1. Select variously colored leaves that have fallen to the

ground.

2. Place a few leaves on a paper plate

3. Use a paint brush to paint the back of a selected leaf. Use

fall colors.

4. Place the leaf, painted side down, onto the construction

paper or art paper, and gently press the leaf surface so
that all the parts of the leaf touch the paper.

5. Carefully pick up the leaf and observe the patterns made

by the paint.

6. Repeat the process again with another differently-colored

leaf.

Supplies: 7. Continue and use other leaves with other colors until the
art paper is covered with the painted leaves.
• White art paper or white construction paper
Adaptations of Other-Aged Learners:
• Red, blue, green and orange bottles of finger or
tempera paints Grades 4-5
• An old shirt (to turn backwards and be put on
by the learner to protect clothes) Continue with activities 1-7 and arrange into a format such
as a collage, using other colors to enhance your work. In-
• An old paint brush for each learner corporate the painted leaves into your own design. (For an
example of similar art, research the work of various collage
• Water artist such as Hannah Höch or Man Ray.)
• Leaves (various types)
• Cups (to rinse off brushes) Junior High-High School
• Cheap paper plates Develop a T-shirt design using the leaves. Once arranged,
• Permanent markers use ink and the painted leaves to impress the design on the
T-shirt. Come up with spring, summer or fall-themed quotes
• White T-shirt or your own sayings to complement the arrangement.

25 STEMulating Activities 21
USE UP ALL How to make the can: (Teacher set up)

THAT ENERGY 1. Obtain a metal coffee can.

The Comeback Can 2. Open and remove both ends of the coffee can with a can
opener.
Rationale
3. Punch two holes in two plastic lids about 1½ inches
apart.
Grades 4-12
4. Thread a long rubber band through the holes in one lid
and another identical rubber band through the holes in
Work is done by using different kinds of power. The earliest
the other lid.
form of power was people’s own energy. Eventually, people
learned to train animals to work, and animal power was 5. Tie the ends of the rubber bands together inside the can
used whenever possible. People then learned to harness with a piece of string. Then tie a weight to the string so
the wind, and wind power was used to move ships and turn that the weight hangs down from the rubber bands.
wheels. Later, people discovered water as a cheap source of
power, and water power was put to work with the invention 6. Give the can a gentle push.
of the engine, which burns gas or oil. Over time, engine
power became more efficient and cheaper and expanded to
include steam power, atomic power, and electrical power.
Activities:
All the types of forces discussed above develop kinetic and
potential energy. 1. Create an energy journal to write about your results and
Lift a small block in the air. The block has the potential explain potential and kinetic energy. (#1-7).
to do work by its position in the air, meaning it possesses
potential energy due to gravity. Let the block fall. Poten- 2. Explain what happens and why it happens with the can.
tial energy is converted into kinetic energy, the energy of
movement as the block falls, and has the ability to do work. 3. Investigate how fast the can needs to be rolled to come
The kinetic energy in this example is also due to the force completely back to you.
of gravity. Other examples of potential energy are a wound
spring, a taut bowstring, a stretched rubber band, and an 4. Make a table to collect data on how far it rolls forward
inflated balloon. and how far it returns.
Potential and kinetic energy are difficult concepts to
visualize unless you are doing hands-on lessons that utilize 5. With the data collected define potential and kinetic
both kinetic and potential energy. In this section, you will energy.
create an energy journal to write about your experiments
6. Explain what work is as it relates to the workings of the
and explain potential and kinetic energy.
can.

Supplies: 7. Create your own device that uses both potential and
kinetic energy.
• One coffee can
• One heavy weight (i.e. washers)
• Two plastic coffee can lids
• Two long rubber bands
• Piece of string

22 25 STEMulating Activities
THE WORKING PLANT 4. The drinking straw should be cut so that the ends of
the paper towels are visible (about 6 ½ to 7 inches). Of

MODEL
course, the teacher can make this model bigger if desired.
The paper towel is pushed into the straw so that 1 ½ -2
inches are visible.

Rationale: 5. Cut enough tissue leaves for each student and a few
extras. Make sure the leaf stem is exaggerated as this part
will be coiled into the twisted paper towel. Make sure to
While most living organisms depend on others for their
draw the thick middle vein and branching veins on the
food, plants make their own food, and the entire plant
leaf using black magic marker.
contributes to the effort. The roots keep the plant in place
and take in all the water and nutrients which allow the 6. Fill the paper cup halfway with water and place your
plant to grow. The stem braces the plant and transports finished model in the cup. When left overnight, the water
the water and minerals from the roots to other parts of the will have wicked up through the paper towel. Once the
plant. Leaves and their green cells, known as chlorophyll, water enters the green tissue leaf, the water will distort
capture energy from sunlight. Using carbon dioxide, water, the students’ marking of the veins. This will show the
nutrients, and energy from sunlight, the chlorophyll makes students that the water has traveled up the paper towel
the food that the plant needs. Finally, the flower is the into the paper leaf, much like the xylem tube in an actual
reproductive part of most plants, containing pollen and tiny plant.
reproductive cells known as eggs. It allows a new plant to
grow and the whole process to begin again.
Continuation
Supplies: 1. Place your model into a cup of clear water

• Green tissue paper 2. Make a drawing of your model

• Non-bendable drinking straw
• Paper towel 3. Draw arrows illustrating flow of water through your
• Small clear plastic drinking cup model
• Black magic marker
• Scissors 4. Relate the item on the model to the parts of an actual
• Water plants explaining their function in a real plant
• Calculators
• Computers 5. Make a prediction of what the model will show

6. Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:

Activities:

Grades 3-5 Junior High

Make a Model Plant 1. Create the model.

1. This hands-on activity illustrates how the xylem ves- 2. Compare the model to the xylem and phloem tube and
sels and vascular tissue in plants, the “woody” element describe the function of both.
represented by the straw, transports water and dissolved
nutrients upward from the root. High School
2. Take the paper towel and twist to make an 8 inch piece. 1. Create the model.
This will illustrate the xylem tube of the green plant. Bet-
ter-quality paper towels lend to a better result; however, 2. Calculate the rate of flow of water through the model and
any paper towel will work as well. compare this to an actual plant.

3. The capillary action, or wicking effect, will lift the water

through the towel from the cup to the tissue paper leaf.

25 STEMulating Activities 23
LET’S LINK UP and recover their original dimensions when the force is
removed (ex: a rubber band at room temperature).

Rationale: 5. Macromolecule - a large molecule.

A polymer is a substance consisting of large molecules 6. Polymers - very long chain-like macromolecules; class
that are made of many small, repeating units called mono- of natural or synthetic substances composed of repeat-
mers, or mers. The number of repeating units in one large ing monomer units linked together to form a long chain
molecule is called the degree of polymerization. Materials molecule.
with a very high degree of polymerization are called high
7. Polymerization - a large group of chemical reactions
polymers. Polymers consisting of only one kind of repeat-
that can be adapted to link small molecules (monomers)
ing unit are called homopolymers. Copolymers are formed
together in very long chain-like structures.
from several different repeating units.
Most of the organic substances found in living matter, 8. Monomer - basic, repeating unit (molecule) of a poly-
such as protein, wood, chitin, rubber and resins are poly- mer.
mers. Many synthetic materials, such as plastics, fibers (see
nylon; rayon), adhesives, glass and porcelain are also, to a
Supplies:
large extent, a polymeric substance.
Polymerization is the process of linking the small
monomer molecules together to synthesize polymer mole- • Borax
cules. These polymers are called plastic resins. A monomer • White glue
is one part of the small molecules that form the units in a • Any color food coloring
polymer chain. It is a simple molecule that has the ability of • Zip seal bag
reacting with itself or with other molecules. Cross linking • Plastic cup
is the process in which chemical links are set up between • Craft stick
polymer chains. • Poster board
• Markers
Important Terms: • Computers
1. Cross-linked polymer - a polymer created when forces
connect adjacent chains. Advanced Preparation:

2. Linear polymer - a polymer in which monomer units are • Make a 4% Borax solution by dissolving 1/4 cup Borax
linked in a chain-like manner. in 1 quart of water. (This can be kept for other experi-
ments).
3. Plastics - synthetic polymer that can be processed by dif-
ferent methods to produce various shapes and structures. • Using the glue, make a mixture of ½ glue and ½ water
and mix it well. (This mixture can be made by the stu-
4. Elastomer - normally refers to polymers which, at room dents if preferred).
temperatures, can be substantially deformed by low stress

24 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities: Adaptations for Other-Aged Students:

Grades 3-8 Pre-K-2

1. This activity has been done with Pre-K-2nd graders.

Your teacher will explain that a polymer is a chain made of However, the amounts were pre-measured, and the stu-
many monomers. dents then mixed and made their own observations
1. Make a model of a polymer chain in front of the class.
as above.
Hold a sign that says “monomer” while linking arms or
holding hands. These links will represent the chemical High School
bonds forming a polymer chain.

2. Demonstrate that the chain is flexible by walking Conduct the investigation as described.
around the room and weaving in between others in the
room and tables. 1. Create a product from the investigation.
3. If there are adequate numbers of students, make anoth- 2. Develop an ad campaign for the product.
er polymer chain. Both chains will move around the
room to show that both chains are equally flexible. The 3. Research polymers and make an illustration of the link-
movement of one chain does not affect the movement ing process.
of the other chain.
4. List products created from polymers consisting of ho-
4. Add a couple of students between the chains. Have mopolymers.
them stand between the chains and hold on to both
chains at the same time to form a cross-linker. With the
cross-linkers, we have a cross-linked polymer chain.

5. Move the cross-linked chain around the room.

6. Illustrate that the movement of one chain depends on

the movement of the other chain.

7. Now that you understand polymer chains, you will

make a synthetic polymer.

8. Measure about one tablespoon of the Borax solution

and pour it into a paper cup. Observe the solution’s
behavior as you pour it.

9. Add a few drops of food coloring to the solution. The

borax solution is the cross-linker.

10. Measure out 4 tablespoons of the glue solution and note

its consistency. The glue mixture is the polymer.

11. Pour the glue mixture into the borax solution and stir
the solution for about five to ten minutes, until the color
is uniform.

12. Make comparisons between the gel and the human

polymer.

13. Illustrate this reaction in a cartoon that shows how a

monomer becomes a cross-linked polymer chain.

25 STEMulating Activities 25
 Activities:

Grade 3-5

1. Fill each plastic cup with water. Add 8 drops of red food
coloring into one plastic cup and 8 drops of blue food
coloring into the second plastic cup.

2. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of the celery stalk. This
opens the small tubes that allow water and nutrients to
flow throughout the stalk.
POWERFUL GREEN 3. Cut the stalk lengthwise into 2 sections.
PLANTS 4. Place one leg of the stalk into the cup with red food col-
oring and the other into the cup with blue food coloring.
Rationale:
5. Draw this set-up in your notes.
Green plants have “food factories” in their leaves. Chloro-
phyll in the leaves creates food by using energy from the 6. Check back over a few days and draw what you see each
sun, water and nutrients from the soil, and carbon dioxide day.
from the air. The food created by the plant is mostly sug-
ar and starch. The plant’s sap or water carries the food to 7. Generate questions from the observations and the illus-
wherever it is needed, similar to blood carrying nutrients trations you made. For example, is one color spreading
through the human body. Some of this food is used by the faster? Why?
plant instantly for energy while some is sent to the roots for
storage. Some of the food is also used to grow more of the 8. When the food coloring reaches the leaves, cut the stalks
plant itself: roots, leaves, stems and fruit. This food manu- crosswise and draw a picture to explain what you see.
facturing process is called photosynthesis.
Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
Objective:
Junior High
Students will determine how plants transport nutrients
and water through the structures of the plant. Repeat the above experiment with flowers, such as
roses or carnations. Observe the differences in how quickly
Important Terms: the color climbs the stalks of the different flowers.

• Energy
High School
• Chlorophyll
• Photosynthesis
1. Identify the names of the two types of tubes that move
Supplies: fluids throughout all green plants.

• One slightly wilted stalk of celery with leaves 2. Design and make corsages using
• 2 clear plastic cups carnations or roses.
• Red and blue food coloring
• Water
• Plastic knives
• Lab chart for recording
• Carnations
• Roses

26 25 STEMulating Activities
 Activities:

K-2

1. Design a picture or message on a sheet of construc-

tion paper. You may want to use leaves or other natural
objects, but make sure that they are taped down, and
the tape is underneath your chosen object. Once you are
finished, cut your design out of the paper.

2. Tape the cut-out portion to a piece of brightly colored

paper. Once again, make sure the tape is hidden by the
paper.

3. Leave your work on a sunny window sill or in a protected

spot outdoors for a few hours.

4. Check if the sun has bleached the paper. It should bleach

THE ARTIST SUN

enough that if you remove the leaves or letters in your
design, the area they covered should be darker than the
Printing Sun Pictures: An Investigation rest of the paper. The longer the paper is left in the sun,
the greater the contrast will be between the hidden area
Rationale: and the exposed, bleached area.

This activity works best in the summer. However, it

will work on a sunny day during any season. It could Grades 3-4
be a long-term activity for older students to see how
1. Explain how the sun’s rays caused the color differences in
the tilt of the Earth affects the experiment.
the paper used.
Even though our sun is an average-sized star, it
has the power to do so many marvelous and exquisite 2. If you placed a design in the shade as well, explain any
things. However, if we are not careful, our sun can differences between how much the two different papers
be dangerous. Without sunscreen, the sun can cause bleached.
painful burns on our skin, even on a cloudy or cold
day. Additionally, looking directly at the sun can cause
severe eye damage or even blindness. It must be em- Grades 5-8
phasized, especially to younger students, to never look
directly at the sun. 1. Create a collage of letters, shapes, leaves or other objects
on construction paper
Objective: 2. Illustrate how the rays of the sun interact with the Earth.

Students will explain the results of the sun’s rays on

High School
different colors of paper.
1. Create an ad campaign promoting the importance of
Location: wearing sunscreen.

• A sunny location 2. Invent an imaginary sunscreen and write up a commer-

• A shaded location cial for it.

3. Repeat the experiment during the fall and winter months

Supplies:
and observe any changes in how much bleaching occurs.
• Colored paper or bulletin board paper
• Tape
• Scissors 25 STEMulating Activities 27
 Activities:

1. Make observations about the rock. You can identify a

rock by figuring out where it comes from or what color
it is.

2. Hardness test: How hard is your rock? Geologists classify

ROCK COLLECTION rocks by how hard they are to scratch, using a scale from
1 to 10. The softest mineral talc has a hardness of 1 while
PROJECT a diamond, the hardest known mineral, has a hardness of
10. You can figure out how hard your rock is by scratch-
An Investigation Into Rock Types ing another object against it. For instance, a copper
penny ranks about 4 on the hardness scale. If you scratch
Rationale: the rock on your penny, the rock must be less than 4
hardness, but if the rock can scratch the penny, the rock
Identifying Rocks must be greater than 4 hardness. Experiment by scratch-
ing your rock with different objects to see how hard it is.
This is not designed to be a complicated activity. It is truly
exploration only. The student is to learn as they explore the 3. Streak test: Rub your rock against a piece of unglazed
types of rocks that they collect and organize. Remember, porcelain such as a kitchen or bathroom tile. Does it
this should not be difficult for you or the student. The less leave a streak? The streak left by a rock is less affected by
stress, the more they will learn. Enlist the use of a rock and impurities in the rock, and provides a more accurate way
mineral guide to assist you and the learner in the identifi- to identify the rock.
cation of rocks, check out an illustrated rock field guide, or
visit an online gallery such Geology.com or RockCollector. 4. Cleavage test: How a rock breaks, or cleaves, can indicate
co.uk. what type of rock it is. For instance, halite or salt splits
There is literally a myriad of different kinds of rocks into cubes while mica splits into thin sheets.
in a neighborhood. You will be amazed at what the student
will find and bring to you. Supplies:

Rocks are classified into three groups: • A container to hold the rocks for identification
(an egg carton works well)
• Igneous rocks: These rocks come from melted rock that • White hobby paint or acrylic paint
has cooled and turned into a solid. Some examples in-
clude pumice, granite and basalt. • Small paintbrush
• Sedimentary rocks: These rocks are created when layers • Fine-point permanent marker
of sediment, usually carried by water, cement together in
• Rocks
layers. Some examples are shale and sandstone.
• Metamorphic rocks: These rocks are created when sed- • Paper or journal
imentary or igneous rocks are buried deep within the
• Pen
earth’s crust and are changed by intense pressure. Some
examples are gneiss, slate, marble, and quartzite. • Three types of clay
• Vinegar
Rock collections are an enjoyable way to help the
• Pennies
child develop structural and scientific thinking skills.
These collections are a favorite among children because • Unglazed porcelain tile
they’re easy to organize and show, and are attractive when • Nail or paper clip
displayed at home.

28 25 STEMulating Activities
 5. Continue adding to your collection. You can find
rocks at museums and zoo gift shops, beaches, mines
and quarries, which are often open for rock collectors to
harvest specimens. However, do not collect rocks in state
or national parks, as it is illegal.

6. Be sure to revise records as soon as you add a spec-

imen, even if you can’t identify it right away. With a little
time and observation, you can create a collection that will
make you proud.

Junior High

1. Identify the three basic rock types by visual inspection.

2. Running basic rock test to identify rocks scientifically.

Activities:
High School
Grades 2-3
1. Identify the types of minerals in granite and other igne-
1. Gather some rocks! Look in the yard, the driveway, the
ous rocks.
woods, and the park. Ask your teacher where you can
collect. Collect as many as you can hold. 2. Illustrate how sedimentary rocks are formed.
2. Make a chart to keep track of the rocks. 3. Use three different types of clay to demonstrate how
metamorphic rocks are formed in the Earth.
3. Label each rock with a specimen number. Allow your
teacher to paint a small dot of white paint on the rock
and allow to dry. Use a marker to write a number in the
center of the paint dot.

4. Keep your rocks individually sorted in your container.

Grades 4-5

1. Identify the rocks collected. There are a variety of tests

you and your student can use to identify the rocks.

2. Always be careful to handle the collection carefully so

that rocks don’t bump into each other and cause chipping
or breaking. If your student is lucky enough to have a del-
icate specimen such as a nice crystal, consider wrapping
the stone in fabric or bubble wrap when storing it.

3. If the outcome is to create a display for evaluation,

be sure it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the
rocks.

4. Organize the collection in a way that makes sense to you.

25 STEMulating Activities 29
SHOO FRUIT FLY no eyes at all. Some of these colors are dominant, meaning
that if only one parent passes that gene along to the child,
the child will have the dominant trait. Other eye colors are
Rationale recessive traits, meaning that both parents must pass the
gene long for the child to have that trait. The same is true
Grades 4-5 in humans. Colors such as brown are dominant traits, while
less common colors such as blue are recessive traits.
Don’t shoo fruit flies away! They may be pesky, but scientists Surprisingly, some genes for eye color in fruit flies are
love to study them and so will you. You can raise two whole linked to the gene that determines life expectancy. How
generations of fruit flies in a month, but it is best to try this long will a purple eyed fruit fly live? Only about 27 days.
during the warmer months. It will take you 15 minutes to Fruit flies with normal eyes will live about 10 days longer.
set up a habitat for them, and 30 minutes to observe them Of course, fruit flies are pests and they’ve done enor-
up close. mous amounts of damage as well. The Mediterranean fruit
Have you ever seen a bowl of fruit with fruit flies hov- fly took hold in Florida in the 1920s, threatening to destroy
ering around it? Did you wonder where the fruit flies came acres upon acres of fruit. Eliminating the Mediterranean
from? Why do they always seem to appear out of nowhere fruit fly cost about 6 million dollars and the effort lasted
when fruit gets overripe? It’s easy to find out the answers by for several years. Another damaging species is the Mexican
setting up a scientific experiment with two jars of fruit. Seal fruit fly, which attack citrus fruits. Then there’s the apple
one jar, but leave the other one open. Maybe the fruit flies maggot, the cherry fruit fly, the melon fly, and others that
are attracted to the right fruit. Or maybe the fruit fly eggs attack walnuts, celery, asparagus, and olives. Fruit flies can
are on the fruit itself just waiting to hatch. Which is it? be difficult to kill. Luckily for you, it’s easy to get rid of your
No matter how annoying it is to see a swarm of fruit fruit flies. Just place your containers of flies into the freezer
flies circling around a beautiful bowl of fruit, scientists have overnight.
often been willing to put up with the little buggers because
fruit flies are perfect for the study of genetics. Genetics is Supplies:
the study of genes, and how different characteristics are
passed along from parents to offspring. With fruit flies, • Three large empty glass jars
which live for only about 4 weeks, a geneticist can follow 25 • Very ripe grapes and bananas
generations of fruit flies in a year! Additionally, since fruit • Paper towels
flies thrive in a very warm environment, such as overripe • Absorbent cotton large pieces (not cotton balls)
fruit, scientists have a constant supply. • Notebook paper
The fruit flies you raised in this project are called • Transparent tape
Drosophila, the same species used in genetics experiments. • Very small clear glass or plastic bottle
Imagine that you had a male fruit fly with curly wings and a • Aluminum foil
female fruit fly with normal wings. Will their children have • Magnifying glass
curly or normal wings? It only takes about 4 weeks to find • Computer
out, because the whole life cycle of the fruit fly is complete
in about that amount of time. Activities:
When the genes for several different traits are located
together on one chromosome, scientists say that those genes 1. Place half of a very ripe banana with the peel still on in
are linked. So, what happens if the gene for curly wings is a large clean glass jar. Add some very ripe grapes and a
linked to the male gene? In that case, only the male off- crumpled paper towel. Close the mouth of the jar with
spring of the fruit fly will have curly wings. Scientists have loosely packed absorbance cotton. Make sure there are
found that the fruit fly has more than 400 different genes, no holes around the edges so that fruit flies can’t get out
many of them linked together, so that there are a great num- or in
ber of variations in the ways fruit flies develop.
Can you see the color of your fruit flies’ eyes? Believe it 2. Use a sheet of notebook paper and transparent tape to
or not, they come in red, purple, white, apricot and brown, make a paper funnel that will fit in the mouth of the sec-
not to mention the bar-eyed fruit flies and the ones with ond jar. Let the small opening of the frontal be about ½

30 25 STEMulating Activities
 inch wide. Put some very ripe grapes and the other half Junior High
of the banana in another jar, along with a crumpled paper
towel. Set the paper funnel in the mouth of the jar. This 1. Carefully transfer one or two of the new fruit flies to a
forms sort of a trap, so that the fruit flies can get into the very small empty jar. Wrap aluminum foil around the top
jar but won’t find their way out so easily. two thirds of the bottle, to make it dark inside. The fruit
flies will move toward the light at the uncovered end of
3. Set both jars in a warm, bright spot, but not in direct the bottle. Use a magnifying glass to observe them. Fe-
sunlight. Within a few days, you should see some fruit males are larger than the males. But males have a larger
flies. Are there fruit flies in both jars? Where did they darker black band on the end of their abdomens. Can
come from? When you see 5 to 8 fruit flies in the jar with you tell which is which? If you think you have a male
the funnel, remove the funnel and plug up the mouth of and a female in your small bottle, transfer these fruit flies
the jar with absorbent cotton so they can’t get out to the third large glass jar and add some fruit. Plug the
opening with absorbent cotton. If you were right these
4. Watch the life cycle of the fruit flies in your jars. The eggs two fruit flies will mate and lay eggs. You can raise a
will be too tiny to see. But you can watch for the larva, whole new generation of fruit flies this way.
the worm-like stage in the development of the fruit fly.
You might see them on the crumpled paper towel. They
High School
will eat the fruit for about a week and then change into
the pupa stage. The pupae are the almost adults, but not 1. Determine what traits you will see by using a Punnett
quite. When the pupae become adults, they will mate square
and then lay eggs. A few days after that, you will see new
larva, and the cycle will start all over again. Fruit flies live 2. Observe the characteristics of the fruit flies you have
about 4 weeks altogether. Count the fruit flies in your jar raised. Use a Punnett square to determine the probability
and see how fast they multiply. of life expectancy.

3. Can you see the color of your fruit flies’ eyes? Use a Pun-
nett square to see if you can breed normal fruit flies from
Pre K-3 blind ones, or purple-colored eyes from normal parents.

1. Place fruit in a jar but do not cover it. You may want to
place the jar outdoors. Do fruit flies hover around the
fruit? For how many days? Will they lay eggs and start a
new generation? Does the fruit fly population increase?

2. Try to raise fruit flies using different kinds of fruit. Find

out whether you will get more fruit flies with an apple, a
pear, some cherries, or a peach.

25 STEMulating Activities 31
SOUNDS OF SILENCE wear hearing aids to help. Hearing aids act like a micro-
phone mounted on the ear, making the sounds louder so
the ear can process them more efficiently. While they aren’t
Rationale: perfect inventions, they can provide much-needed help to
people who have lost part of their hearing.
Have you ever been in “dead silence,” making not one tiny, Sounds may be loud or soft, pleasant or distasteful,
soft sound? This situation is nearly impossible since virtu- depending on how they are produced. Consider how the
ally everything in our world produces sound. In cities and strings inside a piano key are struck. Striking the key harder
towns there are quiet sounds, loud sounds and crashing may produce a louder sound, but never a different note. To
noises. In the wilderness, mosquitoes hum, flies buzz, birds create a different note or pitch, you must have a different
chirp and leaves rustle. We do not live in a silent world. frequency of vibration. The length of the piano string de-
What causes our world to be so noisy? termines the sound’s frequency, so striking the same length
Sound is a vibrational disturbance that causes energy string multiple times will always produce the same note.
to be transmitted in a longitudinal wave through a medium, This is also why pianos have strings of different lengths and
such as air or water. The sound forces the molecules of the thicknesses, allowing the pianist to produce a variety of
medium to vibrate back and forth, perpendicular to the di- different notes by striking different strings.
rection of the wave’s velocity. Sound waves will bounce back
or reflect when they hit an object. Supplies:
Because a sound wave is a series of compressions
and expansions of molecules, elastic materials can trans- • Dominoes
mit sound easily. Elastic materials are those that return • Rubber bands in a variety of sizes
quickly to the original shape. Since solids are more elastic • Shoe boxes or any box with a lid
than liquids or gases, and their molecules do not vibrate as • Wooden rulers
dramatically when exposed to sound, solid objects transmit • Styrofoam cups
sound much better than liquids or gases. Metals such as • Water
iron and nickel are very elastic and are therefore excellent • Food coloring
transmitters of sound, while a material such as lead is not • Drinking glasses
very elastic and transmits sound poorly. Since gases are • Clear plastic cups
incredibly inelastic by their very nature, gases are likely the • Art paper
worst transmitters of sound. • Crayons or markers
Another way of determining how well a medium trans- • Pencils
mits sound is to consider how the medium’s molecules are • Jump rope or length of cord (6-10 feet)
arranged. The molecules of a solid are mostly close packed, • Tuning forks
allowing sound vibrations to pass easily from one molecule • Slinky
to another. This is why putting your ear to a door allows you • Stopwatch
to easily hear sounds from the other side. • Illustration of the inner ear
The ear is designed to receive vibrations and to trans-
mit the impulses sent up by these vibrations to the brain. As Activities:
sound vibrations in the air reach the outer ear, they travel
down the ear canal and cause a thin membrane called the
Pre-K-2
eardrum to vibrate at the same frequency as the sound
wave. The vibration of the eardrum is transmitted through 1. Line up about 10 to 20 dominoes in a line. Place a picture
a series of small bones and liquids in the middle ear to the of an ear at the end. Explain how the dominoes create a
sensitive nerve endings of the auditory nerve. The auditory wave to the ear, just as sound does.
nerve carries the impulse created by the vibrations to the
brain, where it is interpreted as sound. 2. Sit in a circle with the lights on, but don’t speak or make
Some people’s ears don’t work correctly, and they must any noise. Raise your hand whenever you hear a sound.

32 25 STEMulating Activities
 When everyone’s hands are up, discuss what sounds you pens? Can you think of an instrument where this is done
heard and how sound is everywhere. to change its pitch?

3. Give each child a plastic cup. Place the cup upside down 3. Find different solid objects around the room. Place your
on a table. Let the child place their ear on the bottom of ear on them and tap them with the end of a sharpened
the cup while holding the cup on the table. Gently tap pencil. Can you explain any changes in the sound?
the table with a fork or knife a few times. Have the stu-
dents explain what they heard. Repeat with the students’ 4. Hold a jump rope or cord between you and a friend.
ears pressed directly on the table. Have them explain the Move your arms up and down to make a wave. What
difference. is the top of the wave called? What is the bottom of the
wave called? How is this related to sound?
4. Have the children make illustrations of animals that
make noises. Have them show their work and explain 5. If you have a tuning fork, strike it to the heel of your
their art to the others. shoe, then quickly move it to a cup filled to the top with
water. Dip the fork into the water and describe what
5. Show the children a box that has a circle cut out of the happens.
top. Explain that they are going to help make a string
instrument. Bring out several rubber bands of different Junior High
sizes. Ask the children how they would do this. After the
children have worked out the problem, allow them to 1. To demonstrate the behavior of a vibrating pendulum, tie
try other rubber bands and explain why the sounds are a washer to the end of a three-foot string. Tape the other
higher or lower. end to the back of a chair so the washer can swing freely.
Bring the washer to a 90-degree angle to the floor and
6. Explain to the children that sounds cannot be seen, only let it go. Time how long it takes the washer to swing to
heard. Tell them that today you will make them visible. the floor. Repeat the experiment with a two-foot string.
Bring out a Styrofoam cup of water and add a few drops What did your results show? How does this relate to a
of dark food coloring. After the water is still, slowly vibrating string and sound?
drag the cup across the table. They should observe small
waves in the water around the sides. Explain that vibra- 2. Strike a tuning fork to the heel of your shoe. Place the
tions cause sound, and the waves that they see are caused stem of the tuning fork on the table and listen. Repeat,
by the vibrations of the cup being moved across the table. but this time press your ear on the table to hear the
sound. Repeat on various solid objects around the room.
7. Have the children cup their hands behind their ears and
talk to them in a very quiet voice. Ask them to explain 3. In pairs, stretch a slinky across a table and flick one end
why they could hear you. What animals have big ears of the slinky. Notice the motion. Describe how this re-
and why do they need this? lates to molecules expanding and contracting in a sound
wave.
Grades 3-5
High School
1. Construct musical instruments from water-filled glasses
and organize a musical group to play a song. 1. Using the illustration of the ear, trace and explain the
transmission of sound from the outer ear, through the
2. Place a wooden ruler on the table with part of the ruler middle ear, and into the inner ear.
hanging over the edge. Hold the rest of the ruler firmly
on the table with your hand. With your other hand, flick 2. Illustrate a sound wave and label each part.
the loose end of the ruler firmly. What do you notice?
What do you hear? Try moving the ruler back and forth 3. Design an experiment that determines the elasticity of a
as you flick the end hanging over the edge. What hap- solid.

25 STEMulating Activities 33
THE EARTH IS MADE OF Most soil profiles have only the layers A, B and C,
while some show an organic layer (O).

EARTH The horizons are as follows:

• O – (humus or organic) Mostly organic matter such as
decomposing leaves. The O horizon is thin in some soils,
Rationale: thick in others, and not present at all in others.
• A - (topsoil) Mostly minerals from plant material with
Soil is an exceptionally intricate blend of car- organic matter incorporated, creating a good material
bon-based ingredients. It is formulated of worn rocks, for plants and other organisms to live. This is what most
decaying animal and plant matter, bones, feathers, people buy for use in a garden.
rotted leaves or wood, and roots of plants. The amount • E – (eluviated) This soil contains virtually no clay, miner-
of water that soil can hold depends on the amount of als or organic matter, leaving a concentration of sand and
plant and animal material it contains. The more sub- silt particles of quartz or other resistant materials. This
layer is missing in some soils, but often found in older
stance it has, the richer and more fertile the soil is.
soils and forest soils.
Coarse soil is known as sand or gravel. You can
• B – (subsoil) Rich in minerals that drifted down from the
easily see the particles of sand or the small rocks in A or E horizons and accumulated here.
gravel. While a fist full of sand will crumble easily, finer• C – (parent material) The deposit at Earth’s surface from
soil will stick together and form a clump in your hand. which the soil developed.
This type of soil is called loam. • R – (bedrock) A mass of rock such as granite, basalt,
Soil is critical to supporting all living organisms quartzite, limestone or sandstone that forms the parent
on this planet. The most obvious function of soil is, of material for some soils if the bedrock is close enough
course, to provide nutrients and support to growing to the surface to weather. Bedrock is not soil, as it only
plants. Soil also produces natural gases such as oxygen marks where the soil ends.
and nitrogen, which mixes with the atmosphere. A
variety of animals also burrow through soil and live Supplies:
beneath the ground. Soil captures, holds, discharges
• Various soils from different locations
and cleanses water for plants and animals. Finally, soil
• Small paper cups for collecting soil
can also preserve fascinating artifacts, both artificial
• White paper
and natural. • Clear cellophane tape
Various types of soil can be identified with a soil • Magnifying glass
profile, a sample of soil reaching from the surface of • Scissors
the soil to the bedrock far below. Each type of soil has • Earth-colored crayons
its own characteristic. Moving into the Earth one will • Water
find various levels of soil horizons labeled as O, A, E, • Old paint brushes
B, C and R. As these layers are assembled, they create • Shovel
a soil profile which describes a history of that location.

34 25 STEMulating Activities
Activities: 3. Use an old paintbrush to paint the Earth with the mud.

4. Write or tell a story of a plant that could not find soil to

Grades 3-5
grow in.
1. Identify different types of soil. Using the cups, collect a
few soil samples around your neighborhood. Spread out Junior High
some newspaper and spread out the soil into a small layer
on the newspaper. 1. Experiment to find out how to separate the living mate-
rial from the soil. Use a magnifying glass to illustrate any
2. Take a sheet of copy paper and fold it in half to form a creatures you find.
booklet. With the scissors, cut a circle into the first side
about half an inch in diameter. 2. If you have a microscope, examine any creatures you find
and try to identify them.
3. Take a length of cellophane tape and gently lay it on the
layer of soil (sticky side onto the soil). Firmly press it into 3. Dig a hole in a safe area about one foot deep and create a
the soil so that a layer of soil is collected. soil profile of your sample.

4. Place the soil filled tape over the hole so that the soil is in High School
the hole. Then take another strip of tape the same length
as the first and cover the soil strip from behind. 1. Complete a porosity test on your samples using the fol-
lowing technique:
5. Give the booklet a title. Use the booklet to record findings
from analyzing the soil sample. 2. Dig a hole 1 foot wide and 1-1.5 feet deep.

6. Analyze the soil using the magnifying glass. Record your 3. Fill the hole with water and wait until it completely
findings on the inside of the booklet. Illustrate anything drains.
interesting you find.
4. Fill the hole with water again and time how long it takes
7. Check for living organisms in your cup of soil. These for all of it to drain out. Soil tends to average water loss
critters will usually be very small, and you might need the of 1 inch per hour. If the hole drains slower than that,
magnifying glass to locate them the soil retains water well rather than draining well. If
it drains faster than an inch an hour, your soil is very
porous and will quickly dry out. What type of soil do you
Pre-K-3 have?

1. Collect soil from your neighborhood. Describe its color 5. Contact your local Agriculture Extension Center and ask
and use a magnifying glass to see if you can see anything about the type of soil in your area. Make a soil profile
that moves. from the information.

2. Add a small amount of water to each sample. Describe the

color of the mud.

25 STEMulating Activities 35
WHAT’S THE MATTER shape of size of its own. A gas can move freely about. When
we think of a gas here we use the example of air which has

WITH YOU
many different gases in it such as nitrogen, oxygen and
carbon dioxide.
Each state can change from one to the other. This is
Rationale: called changing state and requires the manipulation of heat.
A liquid can change. With the reduction of heat, we can
Grades 3-8 change water, a liquid, to a solid, ice. Or, with the addition
of even more heat, we can turn the liquid into a gas, steam.
Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Every- Water, with the changing of temperature can vacillate
thing around you is made of matter. All matter is composed between states. Wood, however, cannot make the same
of tiny components called atoms. Atoms cannot be seen, change as water. We can burn wood and create a gas, smoke,
but they are there. These atoms are made up of even smaller but we cannot create a liquid.
parts called sub-atomic particles such as neutrons, electrons There are two definite changes that occur here. We
and protons. They too are made up of even smaller units. can have a physical change or a chemical change. A physical
Matter is continually changing. Ice melts, firewood change occurs when we cannot change the overall chemical
burns, and paper can be ripped into many pieces. There are structure to the type of matter we are working with. For
three states of matter: example, wood—we can saw a piece of wood into two piec-
es. We have not changed it chemically. It is still wood. We
1. Solid could glue the pieces back together to make it look like the
2. Liquid original piece. The same is true with paper. This is termed a
3. Gas physical change. But when we burn wood, we have changed
it chemically. It becomes carbon and is no longer wood. The
Each state has own exquisite characteristic that sets it same holds true with paper. When this is done we say that
apart from all the others. A solid has its own definite shape this is a chemical change.
such as a book or a computer. It is static, while a liquid will Matter is always changing; it has mass and takes up
take the shape of its container like water or oil and gasoline. space throughout the various forms it becomes. Each one
This type of material can flow or spill. A gas however, has no possesses different descriptions of its new identity.

36 25 STEMulating Activities
Teacher set up prior to lesson: 8. What did you see? What do you predict was in the bot-
tle? What state of matter was it?
“Mystery Bottle”
Obtain an empty 20 oz water bottle. Paint it black and 9. On your last illustration, write your prediction of what
allow it to dry thoroughly. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar inside was in the bottle. What states of matter had to be in the
the bottle. Take a medium size balloon and attach the neck bottle?
to the spout of a funnel. Pour 1 tbsp. of baking soda into
10. When allowed take the balloon off and verify.
the balloon. Place the neck of the balloon onto the neck of
the water bottle. Make sure not to allow any of the baking 11. What changes occurred?
soda to enter the balloon. This set up is now ready for the
learner to experience. (Safety: If safety goggles are available,
allow the learner to use them during the investigation. If Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
not make sure they step away once they empty the balloon’s
contents into the bottle) Pre-K-2

Supplies: Present the bottle as a demonstration. However, this activity

can be done with the children interacting with the bottle;
1. Copy paper just be mindful of their curiosity
2. Crayons or map pencils
1. Predict what you think is in the balloon (solid, liquid or
3. Pencil
gas)?
4. Safety goggles (if available)
5. Medium sized balloon 2. What did you see when your teacher lifted the balloon?
6. Vinegar (1/3 cup) What do you predict was in the bottle? What state of
7. Baking soda (1 tbsp) matter was it?
8. Funnel
9. Empty 29 oz water bottle
10. Black paint High School
11. Brush
1. What type of change was observed?

Activities: 2. What other elements would produce similar results?

1. Make a booklet from a piece of copy paper. Fold the 3. What chemical compounds are represented in this reac-
sheet into half and then in half again. Make the title tion?
“What’s the Matter with You”
4. Place a deflated plastic sandwich bag on the table with
2. Do not pick up the bottle you see on the table. You may a straw sealed into the open end. Place books on top of
touch the balloon, but do not move it. Keep it where it is. the plastic bag but leave the straw extending past the
books. Use the straw to blow air into the plastic bag and
3. Turn to the first page and illustrate what you see and seal with a finger. Observe the books lift off the table
feel. through air pressure. Increase the number of books
lifted from the table and observe the results.
4. Predict what you think is in the balloon (solid, liquid or
gas)? 5. Use a balloon for the plastic bags. Will this produce the
same effect?
5. Write the prediction on the page where you drew the
balloon and bottle. 6. Explain why or why not.
6. When told to do so, lift the balloon and allow the mate-
rial to empty into the bottle. Step back and observe.

7. Illustrate the results in the booklet and record what you

observed

25 STEMulating Activities 37
TOYS ARE US energy is converted into energy that was not intended.
For example, a car engine turns the chemical energy of
gasoline into mechanical energy of motion. The trans-
Rationale: formation is not perfect, however, because some of the
energy is lost to thermal energy as the engine heats up.
Energy does many things for us. It moves cars along a The engine also makes noise, so some of the energy is
road and boats in the water. It bakes a cake and keeps said to be lost to sound energy.
ice frozen in the freezer. It plays our favorite song on
the radio and lights our home. Energy makes our bod- Supplies:
ies grow and fuels our minds as we think.
Scientists define energy as “the ability to do work,” • Slinky
but work has a narrow definition in science. We can • Super ball
think of work as: • Rubber band
• Yo-yo
• Moving something • Colored pencils
• Heating something • Matchbox car
• Producing light • Track for Matchbox car
• Making machines run • Computers
• Making something grow. • Stopwatch
• Wire hangers
Mechanical energy is the energy that moves phys- • Various wooden beads
ical objects or substances. Flowing rivers or moving el-
evators demonstrate mechanical energy at work. Many Activities:
machines exhibit mechanical energy as they move
themselves or other things. When we move, our bodies Grades 3-5
are demonstrating mechanical energy.
1. Take each toy and study its movement as you interact
“Kinetic energy” is another term used for the with it. Illustrate how each toy moves and what it does.
energy of motion, used specifically in connection with
the term “potential energy.” When you stretch a rubber 2. Use the toys to illustrate the definition of work.
band, you are moving it and expending mechanical
or potential energy. When you hold the stretched-out 3. Draw what you think is inside the toy.
rubber band, it is said to have potential energy because
4. Make a diagram of the toy you invent and explain what
it has the potential to expend the energy you gave it it does.
and shoot across the room. Mechanical energy is the
sum of an object’s kinetic and potential energy. 5. With the Matchbox car and ramp, identify where poten-
The law of conservation of energy states that tial energy and kinetic energy occur.
energy can never be created or destroyed. Energy in
6. Make changes to the car to make it travel faster down the
the universe is continually transformed from one type
ramp. Use a stopwatch to verify your changes.
to another, from one object to another. For instance, a
car engine burns gasoline, transforming the chemical
energy stored in it to mechanical energy of motion. So-
lar cells transform radiant energy, commonly known as
light, into electrical energy. A hair dryer converts elec-
trical energy into thermal (heat) energy and mechan-
ical energy in its rotating fan. It should be noted that
in every energy transformation, some energy is said to
be “lost.” Of course, energy is never lost. When scien-
tists say that energy is lost, they mean that some of the

38 25 STEMulating Activities
Adaptations for other-Aged Learners: High School

K-3 1. Design a Rube Goldberg machine. Determine what types

of energy the machine utilizes, and how it does so.
1. Have a friend sit in a chair and demonstrate the forces of
push and pull. 2. Using opened metal hangers and wooden beads, create
a roller coaster and describe how it converts potential to
2. Play with the toys for a few minutes and describe which kinetic energy.
is your favorite.

3. Make an illustration of what you think is inside the toys.

4. Place the Slinky on the top of the table near the

edge. Move a chair near the edge of the table. Lift the top
of the Slinky over the edge and describe what the Slinky
wants to do after it lands on the chair.

Junior High

1. Define work using the toys.

2. Explain kinetic and potential energy through the interac-

tion of the toys.

3. Devise an investigation that will demonstrate which toy

has the most kinetic energy.

4. Explain and illustrate a hypothetical perpetual motion

machine.

25 STEMulating Activities 39
WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS WEATHER
Rationale:

Simply put, weather is the condition of the atmosphere

at any given time. Weather is made up of four ingre-
dients or elements: temperature, wind, moisture and
pressure.
Earth and the atmosphere absorb heat and en-
ergy from the Sun, affecting the Earth’s temperature.
Temperature is the measure of how hot something is,
and is often measured with a thermometer. The Earth’s
temperature can affect the weather dramatically.
Wind, the movement of air over the surface of the
Earth, moves other elements of weather from place to
place. A sea breeze carries cool, moist air over the land,
whereas a land breeze carries cool, dry air over the Supplies:
seas. Wind is caused by uneven heating of the atmo-
sphere around the earth. Warmer temperatures create • Paper
areas where the air pressure is low, which allows higher • Computers (for research and presentation slides)
• Construction paper
pressure air to rush in and take its place, resulting in
• Crayons and/or map pencils
wind. Wind speed is measured with an anemometer • Plastic wrap
and wind direction is measured with a weather vane. • Craft sticks
The arrows on the vane point to the direction from • Thermometers
which the wind is blowing. • Pencils
Water falls to Earth as a form of precipitation: • Tape
rain, snow, sleet or hail. It may remain in the air as hu- • Magazines (for cutting out pictures)
midity or water vapor. Water vapor droplets may con- • Graph paper
dense, sticking to each other to form water droplets, • Small paper cups
and become clouds. When clouds condense close to • Paper clips
• Wooden dowels
the ground, it is known as fog. Hygrometers measure
• 2-liter soft drink bottles
the amount of water vapor in the air and rain gauges • Permanent markers
are used to measure rainfall. • Poster board
Air pressure is the weight of the atmosphere push-
ing on the Earth. Air pressure varies from time to time Activities:
and place to place. Variations in the temperature can
cause some pressure differences. For example, warm Pre-K-K
air weighs less than cold air and exerts less pressure,
creating an area of low pressure. Cold air, which is 1. Use a calendar to discuss the weather each day. Use pic-
heavier, creates an area of high pressure. Highs usual- tures of the sun, clouds or precipitation to illustrate each
ly bring fair weather. Lows generally bring cloudy or day. Discuss how each day makes them feel.
stormy weather. Air pressure can be measured with an
2. Have the students name the four seasons. What type of
instrument called a barometer.
weather is common to each?

40 25 STEMulating Activities
3. Have the students fold a paper in half and then in half 13. Draw a Mercator projection world map to record the
again to make four sections. Have them illustrate four names and directions of prevailing winds.
types of weather conditions with the child in the pic-
ture. How will they dress and where will they be in each 14. Make a chart of the primary and secondary points on a
setting? compass. Explain how winds are named.

15. Make a comic strip to demonstrate the Coriolis effect.

Grades 3-5
16. Design a precipitation-themed greeting card to be sent
1. Design a weather machine and have the student describe
to a meteorologist.
it, illustrate it and tell what type of weather it would
produce and why. 17. Make a collage relating the various forms in which
precipitation reaches the Earth.
2. Draw the four types of precipitation and what clothes or
items they would need to protect themselves. 18. Construct a flipbook to identify the stages of the devel-
opment of a hailstone.
Junior High

1. Write a glossary defining 15 types of winds such as

trades, westerlies, Chinooks, etc. High School

2. Make a series of posters that explain how air masses, 1. Explain the Hadley cell in an illustrated story. (The
temperatures and geographic features create winds. Hadley cell, named after George Hadley, is a tropical
atmospheric circulation which features rising motion
3. Make a large-scale drawing to illustrate the Beaufort near the equator, poleward flow 10–15 kilometers above
wind scale. Include the scale numbers, wind description, the surface, descending motion in the subtropics, and
miles per hour, wind effect, and weather map symbol. equatorward flow near the surface. This circulation is
intimately related to the trade winds, tropical rain belts,
4. Formulate a series of five metaphors which use the wind and hurricanes, subtropical deserts and the jet streams,
as their bases. Incorporate your own metaphors into an and the effect of convection on wind production).
original poem.
2. Using plastic wrap, craft sticks and a thermometer,
5. Make a crossword puzzle out of twenty or more construct a model to demonstrate or investigate the
terms and instruments used by meteorologists. greenhouse effect. Write a description comparing your
findings to possible effects on the atmosphere on Earth
6. Use a graph to interpret the temperatures in your
to the atmosphere on Venus.
area for two weeks.
3. Design and construct a homemade weather station.
7. Construct a scrapbook recording thirty meteoro-
logical symbols with their meanings. 4. Write a magazine article reporting on synoptic
meteorology.
8. Make an illustration or model of a Theodolite and
explain its uses. 5. Write or make a world map of climate zones with a
key and explanatory notes.
9. Select an area of local weather and make an illus-
trated diagram to examine causes and effects. 6. Create a PowerPoint presentation about the possi-
bility that weather is responsible for physical and emo-
10. Appraise the value of satellites for weather forecasting.
tional changes in humans.
Collect data, draw conclusions and choose your own
display. 7. Make a PowerPoint presentation explaining the
optical phenomena of Helios, rainbows and mirages.
11. Write a pamphlet describing the factors which create
a desert such as the Gobi, Sahara, or American South- 8. Create a precipitation kit for a younger child.
western deserts. Include stencils, pictures to color, and supplies for an
experiment.
12. Draw a world map which shows the major climate and
precipitation zones.
25 STEMulating Activities 41
YE OLDE DIRT FARMER earthworms also have five hearts that rapidly exchange
oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Earthworms grow and reproduce very quickly,
Rationale: providing a good deal of help to anyone tending plants.
Seeing earthworms in your garden or yard is a good
Worms are marvelous creatures. Every segment of sight. It means your soil is rich and will not, in most
their exquisitely designed body is important to their cases, need any fertilization, as the earthworms will
survival as well as for every animal on the planet. take care of that. If you want to have earthworms in
All worms, depending on the species, can re- your garden, most bait or pet shops carry them. Even
place lost segments. Like all invertebrates, worms are Amazon sells a starter kit. Bring them home, place
cold-blooded and cannot regulate their own body them into the area you want them to help, and with a
temperatures. Worms are hermaphrodites, meaning little observation, you should notice your plants look-
they have both female and male parts. To reproduce, ing healthier within days.
the worm will join at the clitella, the swollen segments
of their bodies, and exchange sperm. Baby worms are
Supplies:
later born from cocoons about the size of a grain of
rice. • Earthworms
As worms grow, they begin to burrow deep into • Paper plates
the dirt. Their burrowing forces the subsoil higher • Toothpicks
and mixes it with topsoil as the worms eat more and • Magnifying glasses
more dead vegetation. This cycle is repeated over and • Potting soil
over. Worm droppings, known as castings, turn dirt • Computers
into incredibly nutritious soil for plants. Earthworms • Clear plastic cups
• Flashlights
also secrete a slime coating around their bodies which
• Crayons
contains nitrogen, also vital for healthy plants. Finally, • Copy paper
worms soften the soil and make it easier for plants to • Water
take root.
Earthworms have no eyes, but they have light Activities:
receptors at the front of their bodies. Bright light will
paralyze an earthworm if exposed for a long period of Grades 2-5
time, so they will quickly try to find access to a dark
area if brought to the surface. This is why earthworms
wriggle around frantically if exposed to light. 1. Place an earthworm on a paper plate and drop a couple
Worms do not have lungs. Rather, they breathe drops of water on the worm. This will allow it to breathe
through their skin. Since they cannot exhale, they must during your activities.
stay moist always to continue breathing. Amazingly,

42 25 STEMulating Activities
2. Observe the earthworm on the plate for a few minutes High School
and describe its movement.

3. Place a small amount of soil near the worm and observe 1. Describe the purpose earthworms play in the produc-
its response. tion of nitrogen and oxygen in the soil..

4. Remove the soil from the plate. Use a magnifying glass 2. Explain how earthworms detect light and why they react
to observe the parts of the earthworm and draw a so strongly to it.
picture of what you see. Pay close attention to the front
segments and rear of the worm. 3. Research how earthworm droppings affect plant growth.

5. Fill a clear plastic cup with soil. Place the earthworm in 4. Make an illustrated guide to setting up an earthworm
the cup and observe its behavior. farm.

6. Place a second worm in the cup. Turn off the lights 5. Observe an earthworm with a magnifying glass or mi-
and shine a flashlight on the earthworm. Observe and croscope. Identify the setae and explain how they allow
explain its reaction to the light. the worm to move through the soil.

6. Design an investigation comparing earthworm activity

Adaptations for Other-Aged Learners:
and droppings to conventional fertilizer. Which is more
effective and why? Which holds up better against rain?
Junior High

1. Write and illustrate a children’s book on the life of an

earthworm.

2. Investigate which type of soil an earthworm prefers.

3. Illustrate and label each part of an earthworm’s body.

Explain the function of each part.

25 STEMulating Activities 43
YOUR WORLD IS TILTED the dark half passes through both the North and the South
Poles. As the Earth spins, the poles remain stationary and
thus locked in a perpetual “twilight” with the sun right on
Rationale: the horizon, drifting to the right (at the North Pole) or left
(at the South Pole). (See activity 7: “Spinning into Darkness,
The Earth’s spinning causes the alternation of day and night. Spinning into Light.”) As the Earth spins, any other location
In this section, the student will visualize how models help on its surface spins as well.
us understand how the Earth’s rotations affect us. Explain that the equator is the imaginary line around
In this activity, you will be modeling the day-to- the middle of the Earth, separating the northern and south-
night cycle of Earth’s rotation. Keep the axis of your model ern hemispheres. The equator cuts the Earth exactly in half,
“Earth” vertical so that the North Pole points to the room’s so any point on the equator is an equal distance from the
ceiling. Make sure the child understands that “up” doesn’t North and South Poles.
always mean north; this is just a demonstration. Put the In your demonstration, each point on the simulated
“sun” at about the same height above the floor as the Earth spends an equal amount of time in both the illumi-
“Earth.” This means the Earth’s axis and the line from the nated and darkened sides. In this model, day and night are
Earth to the sun are perpendicular. 12 hours long everywhere, and perpetual twilight reigns at
Light from the sun hitting a round Earth will at any the poles. This is close, but it is not precisely what happens
moment illuminate precisely one-half of the Earth’s surface to the real Earth.
while the other half is dark, in the Earth’s own shadow. In
our model configuration, the line separating the light from

44 25 STEMulating Activities
Supplies: 5. Turn off the lights and imagine you are out in space. Hold
your Earth model so the North Pole is facing directly
• Modeling clay (not needed if you use golf tees or toward the ceiling. Spin your globe in this position mod-
another object that sticks in Styrofoam) eling day and night. If you were standing on the North or
South Pole and you looked out into space directly over-
• 4 golf tees or small object to place in clay head, would you see the sun? Where would you have to
• Globe look to see the sun?

• Lamp or light source with 100-watt bulb 6. Place a golf tee on the poles to represent a person. If the
person looks directly overhead from either pole, they will
never see the sun, as it will always be in view but always
Activities: on the horizon. Where on Earth would the sun be exactly
overhead?
Grades 2-5
7. Describe and demonstrate how the path of the sun
overhead gets lower and closer to the horizon as you move
1. Show the effects on the Earth if we were tilted differently. toward the poles.
How would it affect how you stand and walk?
8. Explain that this isn’t how the Earth is positioned
2. Using a globe, show how the tilt on each hemisphere de- because we know for a fact the explorers traveled 50 days
termines the changing seasons. through winter and darkness, never seeing the sun. How
can this be? What must happen to the Earth for the North
3. Use the globe to explore how the Earth’s tilt causes dif- Pole or the South Pole to have days of total darkness or
ferent temperature changes between the equator and the
days of total light?
poles.
Teachers: Warn students never to look at the lamp i.e.
light source directly, as it could cause eye damage.
Junior High-High School
Activity Extensions:
Introduce the activity with the following challenge:

1. In February 2006, Mike Horn from South Africa and • Daily Temperature Recording and Mapping and Tracking
Borge Ousland from Norway traveled 600 miles to the Sunset and Sunrise Times: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/
North Pole. They traveled for 50 days in 24 hours of ECT/the_book/Chap2/Chapter2.html
complete darkness. The expedition discovered for the • Amazing images of Earth taken from space: http://www.
first time that, in spring and summer, the North Pole has awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/Science/Astronomy/
sunlight twenty-four hours a day, a “polar day” lasting six Earth.html
months. In the fall and winter, the poles experience a six- • Older students might find the analemma or the sun’s
month “polar night.” Design an activity to explain why the figure 8 path in the sky interesting. Information can be
North Pole can have long periods of complete darkness or found at http://www.analemma.com/Pages/framesPage.
sunlight. html It’s best to guide your student to research the ana-
lemma after they complete the next activity.
2. Brainstorm with a partner and list reasons for the polar • K-6 astronomy activities from Harvard-Smithsonian
days and nights. Center for Astrophysics’ Everyday Classroom Tools can be
found at http://hea-www.harvard.edu/ECT/
3. Choose several countries around the globe and determine
whether they are in the northern or southern hemisphere.
On a globe, label the hemispheres and poles.

4. Use a marker to re-draw the equator line. Describe what

the equator is and how far it is from the poles.

25 STEMulating Activities 45
 25
STEMulating
After-school
activities

Activities
are easy to do Summer fun
at home as: + learning

Homeschool
assignments

Classroom-tested
and proven to be
highly engaging!

Hands on activities that match the

high levels of energy that
children have for
learning have been engineered
A fun way to into each experience.
develop
understanding in
earth, life
and physical
science.

You only need

household and
Robert Roach resides in Spring, Texas, with his wife.
simple craft
He has three children and five grandchildren.
materials
Robert has been a teacher for 36 years, all of
which have been dedicated to bringing science
enrichment to the young learner.