Details
Pages
21 Pages
Subject
Engineering, Science
Product
Digital
Grade
3rd, 4th, 5th
Resource Type
Activities, Science Centers
Description
This electricity STEM Challenge is a hands-on investigation of series and parallel circuits that encourages application of what students know about current electricity while they design and create light-up vests for road crew workers.
In this activity, students will work through the engineering process by brainstorming, planning, designing, and carrying out their plans to design a light-up vest for road crew workers who work at night. The vests need to light up with both a series circuit and a parallel circuit. Since it is a STEM challenge, students will test their designs, reflect, and possibly have to rework them.
This STEM Challenge Covers:
✓ Current electricity
✓ Making closed, complete circuits
✓ The components of current electricity (battery cell, wires, resistor/bulb)
✓ Series circuit
✓ Parallel circuit
✓ The engineering process
With This STEM Challenge, You'll Get:
✓ Non-fiction reading piece to help build the background knowledge of the teacher and/or the student
✓ Engaging introduction to the STEM activity and problem
✓ Higher level thinking, problem solving skills, and cooperative learning
✓ Troubleshooting tips, extension ideas, and other helpful hints to make this smooth
✓ Practice sheet (printable sort)
✓ Anchor chart
✓ Detailed teacher information
✓ Reflection questions and grading rubric
.… and so much more!
Materials Used
• large brown grocery bag
• button batteries
• copper tape
• electrical tape
• LED bulbs
• markers
• scissors
Most of these materials are linked, in the product, to where I purchased them on Amazon for relatively inexpensive prices in large quantities.
How You Can Use This Unit:
✓ Broken up over several days
✓ As a supplement to an already established program
✓ Science centers
✓ Whole group, small group, partners, or individual work
✓ Enrichment activities
In this activity, students will work through the engineering process by brainstorming, planning, designing, and carrying out their plans to design a light-up vest for road crew workers who work at night. The vests need to light up with both a series circuit and a parallel circuit. Since it is a STEM challenge, students will test their designs, reflect, and possibly have to rework them.
This STEM Challenge Covers:
✓ Current electricity
✓ Making closed, complete circuits
✓ The components of current electricity (battery cell, wires, resistor/bulb)
✓ Series circuit
✓ Parallel circuit
✓ The engineering process
With This STEM Challenge, You'll Get:
✓ Non-fiction reading piece to help build the background knowledge of the teacher and/or the student
✓ Engaging introduction to the STEM activity and problem
✓ Higher level thinking, problem solving skills, and cooperative learning
✓ Troubleshooting tips, extension ideas, and other helpful hints to make this smooth
✓ Practice sheet (printable sort)
✓ Anchor chart
✓ Detailed teacher information
✓ Reflection questions and grading rubric
.… and so much more!
Materials Used
• large brown grocery bag
• button batteries
• copper tape
• electrical tape
• LED bulbs
• markers
• scissors
Most of these materials are linked, in the product, to where I purchased them on Amazon for relatively inexpensive prices in large quantities.
How You Can Use This Unit:
✓ Broken up over several days
✓ As a supplement to an already established program
✓ Science centers
✓ Whole group, small group, partners, or individual work
✓ Enrichment activities
This electricity STEM Challenge is a hands-on investigation of series and parallel circuits that encourages application of what students know about current electricity while they design and create light-up vests for road crew workers. In this activity, students will work... more
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