The end of the school year is so exciting and can be so chaotic. STEM Activities for Kids has a treat for you! We are featuring our favorite End-of-the-Year STEM activities.
These fun challenges will get you through these last few weeks of school with engaging problem-solving and learning opportunities! Which one will you try?
End of the Year-Egg Drop by Meredith Anderson
This is a classic end of year challenge that works for students of all ages! The easiest way to differentiate an egg drop STEM challenge to make it work for a wide grade range is to increase the drop height (you can use a foot or even one meter for each year of school, provided you have a tall enough building).
Why this is perfect for the end of the school year?
I recommend this challenge be done outside. The testing tends to get a little more chaotic and exciting than other STEM challenges, but the rewards are huge!
Enhancement Opportunities
Will students provide a cushion for the egg? A shock absorption feature? Maybe a way to slow the fall? There are endless possibilities here and testing is an absolute blast.
Pro Tips
Use hard-boiled eggs OR plastic Easter eggs with bouncy balls inside them, to minimize mess. For a real challenge allow hard-boiled eggs in the testing phase and then allow the best designs to compete for a final challenge using raw eggs. Provide a tarp or cardboard for easier cleanup. If you do use raw eggs, please take precautions for handling and let students know that their prototype may not survive the testing phase.
Designing with Bubbles by Teachers are Terrific
This is another fabulous STEM Challenge that your students will love. After experimenting with bubble solution students can choose from an array of materials and create their own bubble wand.
This challenge is perfect for trying outdoors in the spring, but it’s also great for a rainy spring day when you are stuck indoors. Be sure you allow plenty of exploring time with this challenge. Kids love to blow bubbles and letting them play first will eliminate problems later. I have more tips about this challenge at Teachers are Terrific!
Why is this perfect for the end of the year? The sun is shining and going outdoors to try those bubble wands adds some fun to your science class! Clean up is easy when you go outside.
TIP: If you try this indoors have wet and dry cloth towels on hand. The bubble solution is best cleaned up by wiping down tables with a dry paper towel, then a wet cloth towel, and finally a dry cloth towel. Your tables will be very clean!
You can read more about bubbles here: A Simple Guide to Bubbles in the Classroom!
Ultraviolet Light Shelter STEM Challenge by Vivify STEM
Can you protect an “astronaut” from the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) light overexposure? Our kids love this outdoor engineering challenge! First, test different materials to find their effectiveness at blocking UV rays. You can test this using ultraviolet light sensitive beads that turn from clear to multi-colored when exposed to UV light. Next, build an astronaut from the beads and apply the engineering design process to build a shelter that prevents UV light from reaching the astronaut. If the weather is not cooperating, using a blacklight will still do the trick! For more details about this activity and extension ideas, head to our post here: 7 Activities in the Sun or check out our complete project guide here: Ultraviolet Light Shelter STEM Challenge.
What makes this great for the end of the year?
Restless students will enjoy a breath of fresh air and sunshine by working outdoors! This challenge keeps students engaged with the hands-on building while sharpening critical thinking skills. Plus use the activity as a teaching moment to discuss the harmfulness of UV rays. Kids will learn the science and maybe even gain a greater desire to wear sunscreen this summer!
Wind-Powered Cars by Science Schoolyard
I just love finding ways for children to get outside at the end of the school year. Creating activities that can utilize the sun and wind are perfect for that! Creating a wind-powered car works for all different age levels and all you need are a few simple supplies and kids love a challenge outside!
I give each team four life-savers for wheels, three straws, two pieces of paper (one typing paper, and one card stock), four paper clips and masking tape.
What makes this a great end of the year activity? Once the groups are done designing and creating their cars I take them outside to race their cars against each other. This is an added bonus when your kiddos might be a little squirrely. I love treating it just like a race. I create a checkered flag and have students line the sides of our “race track”. That also keeps them in one place as you organize the racers.
A few tips for this activity, if any supplies break or are used up, I don’t replace them. We have to find a solution to our problem which allows them to problem solve at a different level. I also let each person on the team blow the car. I give each person on the team a number before we even start building. Once outside, the numbers represent who goes first, second…and so on. You can keep track of the winners and then celebrate and discuss why that design might have worked better and how they could modify their cars. I also give them a bit of time to modify after each race to help them find ways to make their car drive better!
This is also a great activity for indoors as well. We have done this activity both ways and at many different times in the year such as Earth Day, when you teach about renewable energy, or even in fall and spring when the wind is blowing, making this activity a very versatile STEM challenge!
Which one will you choose? These are some of our favorite challenges and will become your favorites, too! Perfect for the end of the year!
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