The Best STEM Challenges for Elementary Students in 3rd 4th and 5th Grade

I get a lot of questions about teaching STEM. What exactly is it? How do I start? Where do I get materials? How much time does it take? What are some easy STEM activities to start with?

Today I’m going to show you how to choose the best STEM challenges for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders because finding a quality project is the most important step. After that, all the details will fall into place.

Why focus on 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, you ask? Well, most younger students aren’t quite ready for the full engineering design process – especially testing, evaluating, and revising. But they are definitely ready to explore science concepts and learn about the scientific method which are the building blocks of a real stem activity. So for those little learners in 2nd grade and below, a simple experiment is a great way to introduce them to the basics of science.

So how do you find good STEM lessons for your young scientists in upper elementary? Here are some things to consider before you get started:

.

STEM Challenges Must Have A Purpose

Just like in any other subject, when teaching STEM, your activities need to have a clear reason behind them. Here’s why:

1. A reason gives you an end-goal and that is how you tell whether your students were successful or not.
2. Learners who are given a meaningful reason for learning will naturally learn more.

.

Don’t spend valuable class time on something if you and your students don’t know WHY they are doing it.

.

Avoid “Fake” STEM Activities

What does that mean? You might be surprised to learn that not every activity labeled “STEM” qualifies. Just because your students design and build something doesn’t mean they are doing STEM. There are lot of fun projects that people call STEM that really aren’t worth the time from an educational standpoint. Here are some examples:

What STEM is not…

• STEM isn’t stacking a bunch of cups on top of each other to see who can make the tallest tower. That’s a fun activity or a contest.
• STEM isn’t making a butterfly with popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. That’s an art project.
• STEM isn’t making a kaleidoscope out of a toilet paper tube. That’s a craft.
• STEM isn’t copying 3-D shapes with toothpicks and gumdrops. That is following directions.

.

.

Real STEM Is A Problem Solving Process

Now that you know what STEM is not, let’s think about what it is so you can plan some high quality and FUN stem activities for your students. 

STEM involves many important concepts and problem-solving skills such as:

• identifying problems
• asking questions
• brainstorming 
• planning
• designing
• testing 
• revising 
• predicting
• estimating
• measuring
• reflecting

.

.

It requires students to first identify something that needs to be fixed or solved. None of the examples I listed earlier present students with any kind of problem, and that goes back to point one… STEM activities for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders need a clear purpose.

.

STEM Follows Specific Steps

A true STEM challenge follows the engineering design process. It doesn’t stop short. And what is that process?

• Define the problem.
• Brainstorm solutions.
• Plan your best solution.
• Make a model.
• Test your model.
• Reflect and revise your design.
• Test again.
• Share your results.

.

There are many STEM challenges for elementary students that stop after step 4. But is that what real scientists and engineers do? Of course not! They don’t stop without finding out if their ideas work and if their hypothesis was correct. So why should your students?

.

STEM is About Real-World Problems

Ideally, a STEM challenge will present students with a very clear problem to solve and something that makes them WANT to solve it. Knowing how their ideas might be applied in the real world can turn disinterested students into highly motivated problem solvers. 

A good example is a house building challenge. Students could either…

• Build the strongest house they can or
• Design a house that can withstand hurricane force winds for a family living in Haiti

.

Now, which do you think is more motivating? Which has a clearer purpose? Which has specific requirements that could be tested? You know the right answer.

.

.

Here are a few other ideas that could be the basis for some excellent stem challenges:

• Design an effective method for cleaning up oil spills in the ocean
• Build a device that can remove fallen rock quickly after an earthquake
• Create a waterproof capsule that could be used to send supplies to a trapped submarine

.

Finding the Best STEM Activities

Now that you know what good STEM challenges for elementary students should include, it will be a lot easier to find or design one for your class. To help even more, I’ve designed this quick little checklist:

Does the challenge…

• Present students with a problem to solve?
• Include suggested materials?
• Have clear parameters or requirements?
• Require students to measure or test their results?
• Provide an opportunity to revise and retest?

.

If you can say yes to each item on the list, you know you’ve got a real challenge that will develop your students’ critical thinking skills.

I encourage you to steer away from the term easy stem challenge when searching for activities for elementary kids. The word easy tends to bring up fun activities that might involve a bit of science but don’t fit the criteria of STEM learning. There really is no such thing as simple STEM projects. If you’re going to do STEM, you want something that will challenge your young learners to think creatively and critically.

.

Preparing for Your STEM Challenge

Before incorporating STEM challenges for elementary students into your lesson plans, you’ll need to collect a variety of materials. Keeping a stash on hand makes doing engineering projects a lot less overwhelming.

Here are some ideas for materials that always come in handy:

• paper clips
• rubber bands
• string
• tape
• plastic spoons
• craft sticks
• newspaper
• cardboard
• paper towels
• plastic wrap
• paper cups
• aluminum foil

.

Your students will also need some tools like rulers or measuring tape, timer, scissors, and pencils. They can also use technology to research their ideas or gain background knowledge (like, how does a catapult work?), so tablets or laptops are helpful as well.

A good way to get basic supplies without spending a bunch of money is to just ask your students to bring some junk in from home. You can also send a letter to parents asking for donations of simple materials.

.

Now what are you waiting for? Get out there and start using STEM with your third, fourth, and fifth graders!

---

.

Looking to save time with some fully-planned STEM activities? Each of these sets includes 5 exciting challenges centered around an engaging theme. All the planning is done for you and the activities can be completed in collaborative groups or by individual students. Perfect for 5th graders!

.

---

.

FAQ About STEM Challenges for Kids

.

Q: How much time should I plan for a STEM challenge?
A: It can vary quite a lot, but you should to allow enough time for all phases of the engineering design process: defining the problem, brainstorming, planning/designing, building, testing, revising, retesting, and sharing. For many upper-elementary challenges, this could mean two to three class periods (or equivalent at home). If you try to fit too much into one short session, students may rush the testing or revising phases, and you won’t get the best learning outcome.

Q: How do I assess or grade STEM challenges?
A: It looks different than how you grade traditional assignments because there isn’t a set of “right” answers or solutions and everyone’s finished product will be different. Here are some tips:

• Use rubrics that include criteria like how well students defined the problem, how creative their brainstorming was, how systematically they tested & revised, and how successfully they met the design requirements or solved the problem.
• Include both process and product elements, not just the final build.
• Encourage reflection: have students describe what worked, what didn’t, and what they would change next time.
• If collaborating in groups, include peer or self-assessment to help with responsibility and communication skills.

.

Q: How do I manage classroom behavior during messy, hands-on STEM?
A: Some kids will get overly excited during STEM projects, so you need to keep that in check. They also have to work cooperatively. Here are some ways to handle it:

• Establish norms early: what collaboration looks like, how tools are shared, how to clean up.
• Assign roles within groups (e.g. checker, recorder, materials-manager, builder) so students have specific responsibilities.
• Keep group sizes manageable (pairs or small groups of 3-4 tend to work best).
• Circulate and monitor. Ask guiding questions to keep groups focused on the task. Be prepared to intervene right away if there are any conflicts over ideas or who does what.

.

The more often you do STEM with your students, the fewer issues there will be.

Q: How often should I do STEM challenges in my curriculum/year?
A: Depends on your schedule, but consistency helps. Maybe once every few weeks or tied into specific science units. You want students to get familiar with the design process, problem solving, and working cooperatively. A once-a-year project won’t get them there.

Q: How do I align STEM challenges with standards?
A: You definitely want to choose projects that support your teaching goals. Look at the concepts and skills involved in each challenge. Does it involve measuring volume or distance? Will students be working with force and motion or forms of energy?

• Map the challenge to the relevant state or science & engineering standards (NGSS or equivalent).
• Look for cross-curricular alignment (Math: measurement, geometry; Language Arts: speaking and listening, writing/reflection; Social Studies: solving community issues or historical context).
• Make sure assessment (rubric) includes standards-based criteria.

.

Q: How can I differentiate STEM challenges for students with varying abilities?
A: Ways to scaffold or extend:

• Provide question prompts, graphic organizers, and guided design sheets for students who need more support.
• Offer challenge goals (e.g. make the design lighter, cheaper, etc.) for high-ability students.
• Use mixed ability groups so students can help one another.
• Allow alternate ways of showing what they learned (e.g. drawing/modeling vs. building, oral vs. written explanation).

.

Q: What about safety?
A: It’s important to think ahead:

• Choose materials and tools that are age-appropriate and safe (blunt scissors, non-toxic glue, etc.).
• If using sharp or heavy tools, supervise closely and provide safety instruction.
• Have rules for safe lab behavior.
• Be mindful of allergies or sensitivities (latex, certain adhesives, etc.).

.

Q: How can I make STEM challenges work with homeschooling when I only have one or two children?
A: Many projects are designed for small groups, but can be easily adapted. One child can go through the design process solo, keeping a notebook of sketches and reflections. If you have two children, have them take on different roles (builder, recorder, tester) and then switch for the next round. Another option is to join in and learn along with them!

Q: How do I fit STEM into an already full homeschool schedule?
A: STEM doesn’t have to be a big time suck. You can spread a challenge out over days or weeks if you need to. Also, integrate STEM into subjects you’re already teaching: use measurement in math, test forces during a science unit, or write reflections for language arts.