Thanksgiving STEM Challenge Bundle Paperless

These Thanksgiving STEM / STEAM Challenges will engage your students in brain-busting work disguised as fun while helping Pilgrims and Wampanoag people meet their basic needs!

The basic premise: 
Students work in partners or groups against criteria & constraints lists to design and build Thanksgiving-themed devices. Modification suggestions are included to make these challenges engaging and productive for students in grades 2 – 8.

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There are five STEM design challenge events included in this bundle:

• Though the Pumpkin Picker and Corn Cultivator challenges could be interchanged, the recommended order is based on the following story line:
  • Water Transportation (Mini Mayflower / Mini Mishoon)
  • Build shelter (Protect the People) 
    • (note: Students can build for Pilgrims and/or Wampanoag)
  • Gather food (Pumpkin Picker)
  • Organized agriculture (Corn Cultivator)
  • With food & shelter in place, there’s time for fun and games (Turkey Transporter)

This bundle saves you ~40% off the cost of buying each challenge separately. What a bargain! ☺

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See the preview below:

 

Note: This version is for use with Google Slides in 1:1 / paperless classrooms. If you prefer to print and have students complete work with paper/pencil, you’ll want to look at the printable version instead.

If you have questions about which version is right for you, please feel free to reach out with a question: kerry at feelgoodteaching.com.

 

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Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. Materials lists can be found in the product descriptions for each individual challenge linked above.

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Resource includes:

• Overall STEM Tips
  • Suggestions on timing and whether or not to treat these challenges as competitions
  • What to say (and what not to say) during STEM Challenges
  • 5-event Data Tracker (Google Slide format & printable version)

Plus, each challenge comes with:

• NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8
• Teacher Tips
  • Links to STEM Challenge “How-to” Videos
  • Links to challenge-specific video walk-throughs
  • Materials and timing
  • Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
  • Measuring results
  • Post-design extension activities list
• Student Slides
  • Criteria & Constraints List (editable versions provided)
  • Design Analysis
  • Discussion Questions
• Extension slides
  • Process Flow Map
  • Create & Solve Math Problems Based on Designs
  • Several video / website slides for broadening understanding of related topics
  • Plus, other design-specific extensions (see each individual challenge resource description page for more details)

 

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Benefits of this STEM Design Challenge:
– Focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and application of learning
– Helps students develop growth mindset traits like persistence and resilience
– High levels of student engagement
– The potential to hit upon all NGSS ETS standards depending on the depth and number of iterations you choose to implement in your classroom (modifications included)
– Highly flexible and differentiated for materials, timing, grade levels, and rigor.

Each design iteration should be planned for ~60 – 90 min. if you are including data gathering and analysis rather than just building for fun. If you add extension activities, you will need to adjust timing accordingly.

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NOTE: You can save even more by purchasing this bundle as part of the
STEM CHALLENGE YEAR-ROUND MEGA-BUNDLE!!!

 

 

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This resource is also available in a print version!

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If you prefer to purchase on TPT, click here. 

Note: Any coupon codes you received for subscribing to the email are for this site and will not work on TpT.