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Even if your playground/schoolyard is limited, there are many activities that you can do outside as long as you prepare your students with expectations and structured procedures.

Review Procedures and Expectations BEFORE Going Outside

My advice is to go over the procedures the day before and have the structured activity on a clipboard or iPad. I prefer to have the students read the procedure the night before. (How I Use Digital Science Notebooks to Maximize Student Learning).

My experience has been that it is not a good idea to surprise them with "today we are going outside". Students get too wound up and it becomes more like a recess. I want the trip outdoors to be an extension of my classwork, so I need them to have that mindset.

Have a policy in place for what you will do if a student, or students, act up and stop the learning of others. I usually stay fairly close to the front of the building so that if I need to send a student to the office, I will do so. I make sure the students are aware that that is something that may happen.

Some Structure As You Take Science Activities Outside

Some helpful strategies to establish order while outside:

- Set times to meet back at a certain point. They can see the time if they are using iPads or you can ring a loud bell. I average 10 minutes and then call students to regroup. You can touch base, review objectives, and let them go work again.

-Remind them of the rule "if you can't see me then I can't see you".

-Give them a specific range they may wander such as "from that yellow sign to that tree".

-Remind them of the accountability of the assignment.

-Always follow up with the activity inside. Remind them that they "need to collect data" while they are outside.

Examples of General Ecosystem Science Activities to Do Outside

Abiotic Biotic Scavenger Hunt-Take the students outside, with their iPads or phones, and have them do an extensive scavenger hunt of the schoolyard. It mostly involves them taking pictures of their discoveries and plugging them into the Google Slides presentation. (Go Outdoors on an Exciting Schoolyard Ecosystem Scavenger Hunt).

What is in a Square Foot?-Using string, have the students form a square foot and then they should count how many different abiotic and biotic items they find. Typically they count the different types of plants(no need to identify them), any insects, rocks, dead leaves, etc. The idea is to have the students really looking closely at the area in front of them.

Build a Student Food Web- This is a super fun activity where the students stand in a circle and they are each given a card with either a plant or animal represented on it. The card tells who their creature eats or who eats them. You connect students with string or yarn based on the food chains until you have a giant yarn web! (Bring your camera!)

This results in so many great discussions as students lower or raise their yarn to show the effect of a single organism on the entire web. I have a digital/printable version of this as well, so once we get back inside, I have them draw the lines between the organisms to reinforce the concept. (How to Make Food Webs Interactive and Fun!).

Bat Moth Sonar Game-Remember the game Marco Polo that we used to play in the pool? You can do a variation of this with a bat and moth and discuss the sonar that bats use to catch their prey.
Students stand in a circle and they are the "trees". Assign one student to be the bat and another is the moth that the bat is trying to catch. Both the bat and moth are blindfolded in the middle of the circle. The bat must keep saying "bat, bat, bat" (sonar) and the moth must keep saying "moth, moth, moth". If either the bat or a moth gets too close to one of the "trees" then that tree must say the word "tree".
The object is for the bat to use its ears to find and capture the moth and not hit the trees. The moth is using its ears to avoid the bat and the trees.

Shrink Down- "If I were 2 inches tall, where would be the best place for me to hide?" You could have the students make a small piece of cardboard that is 2 inches high, or a small drawing of a creature before they come outside. The idea is that they are looking for a place that would have good protection from predators, a food source and a possible water source.

I like to have the students take a picture of their creature in the location and then have them support it with a paragraph. If they get stuck, I ask them to write it as if they were a real estate agent selling a small plot of land to the creature.

Nature Journal - Even if your schoolyard is relatively small, there should be enough space where you can separate the students and let them sit quietly. They can write about anything at all that has to do with the nature around them. It could be about the clouds, the temperature, any bugs that they see, birds that they hear, etc. Some students will simply make a list, while others will do a much more descriptive paragraph. I also offer them the opportunity to draw something that they see, such as a pretty plant or a distant tree.

Outside Activities and Experiments with Plants

Plants Adapting to Humans-Have the students search for plants that have adapted to living around human structures and take pictures of them. If no cameras are available then they can do a written description or even a drawing. Examples could be a vine climbing up a fence, grass in the cracks of the sidewalk, and moss or lichens on the side of a brick wall.

Bark Rubbings - Grab some paper and some crayons and have the students go from tree to tree getting bark rubbings. Warn them not to press too hard and they will get very interesting patterns that are very different from tree to tree. We call them "Tree Fingerprints!".

Leaf Rubbings- Hand out clipboards, paper and different colored crayons. The students put a leaf that they find with the veins side up under the piece of paper on the clipboard. They gently rub the crayon back-and-forth so that the shape of the leaf and vein pattern appear. Most students like to use multiple colors for each leaf.

You can expand on this assignment by having them find a parallel vein pattern, a palmate vein pattern or a pinnate pattern.(I review these patterns before we go outside).

Plant Identification App - I paid for the app called "Picture This", which is a great plant identifier. Students like to name things! With the iPads, I have them take pictures of the plants, that they want identified, and then I just hold my phone up to their screen. Otherwise, if no iPads are available, I let each student choose one plant that they want to name and I use the app for them.

Paint Sample Strips - I like to go to the paint store and get as many variations of green, yellow, orange and red that I can. The students search for that exact color and then we talk about the variations in the amount of chlorophyll or other pigments. This is a great way of talking about why the leaves turn color in the fall!

Observing Plant Transpiration - This classic experiment is to take Ziploc bags and put them over the end of a branch of a tree or a bush. Seal up the Ziploc as tight as you can to hold in the moisture. This would be set up and left overnight. If the conditions are good, with bright sunshine, students should come back to a bag full of water droplets.

This leads into a discussion of the products of photosynthesis and how the stomata on the underside of the leaves help regulate the water levels of the plant.

What exactly is a weed?- I love to set this question up to the students and have them go find a "weed". I ask them for the definition of a weed and they usually say "it's a plant that we don't want". I ask them if there are any weeds in the desert, or in the rainforest or in the deciduous forest? They start to doubt themselves a bit.

They are blown away by the fact that there is no such thing as a "weed". It is simply a plant that humans don't want growing where it decided to grow! If that same plant was found in the middle of the forest, you would not classify it as a weed. It would simply be another plant. This also leads to a great discussion about how a lawn or a crop field, composed of one plant species, is not a situation that happens in nature.

Seed Hunt- I do a structured STEM project having the students design a seed dispersal method from their own imaginary plant. Before beginning the project, we go outside and look for actual seeds and discuss the means of dispersal such as wind, water, explosive release or animal transport. I have usually already introduced the project before we go outside so that they are super tuned in to finding examples.

Science Activities to Do Outside Involving Animals

Find Animal Homes Adapting to Humans - Animal Homes Near Humans-Backyard or School Scavenger Hunt. This is a free resource on my blog and it involves taking the students outside on a scavenger hunt searching for animal homes that are near humans. They look for nests in trees, holes on the side of a building, openings in street signs, nests between cracks on the sidewalk, beehives in the corner of the building, etc. The students take pictures and then add them to the description which leads to great discussions back in the classroom. They can also use them for drawing if the camera feature is not available.

Writing prompt -"If I were a hawk, where would be a good place to find a mouse in the schoolyard?". Since I have iPads, I have students take pictures of their chosen areas. They could easily draw them and then write a paragraph about why it would be a good place for mice to live, therefore making the hawk able to catch them. This is a good activity to do after they have done the food web.

Try to Build a Bird's Nest-After looking at pictures of the types of nests of local birds, have the students gather materials and try to create a nest themselves. It is not easy at all. I like to bring out some water, or be near a hose, so that they can have mud available. You can have a discussion with them about how they are using their hands but birds do it with their beaks!

Make a Camouflaged Critter-This is a really fun activity where the students look around for a place that they would like to have a critter to hide. They then design a camouflaged creature to hide there.

I have done this two ways. One was to have lots of natural materials for the students to use while we are still outside. The alternative was having them do it for a homework assignment. I tend to lean towards the homework assignment, using non-natural materials, to make students think harder about the camouflage concept. When they use natural materials it is sometimes impossible to find their creature!

Dig for Worms - Good 'ole earthworms are fun to dig up after a good rain. Some students have never done this before, and may be a bit squeamish, but it's a good opportunity to get them more familiar with these very important creatures.

Find "Bug Resturants" in Leaves- This activity is included in my abiotic and biotic scavenger hunt. The students search for leaves that have signs of insects or animals that have eaten them. It is interesting to see that there are some leaves that have no damage at all, which leads to a great discussion about plant adaptations.

Outside Activities About the Movements of the Sun and Earth

UltraViolet Beads- These amazing beads are white indoors and then turn vibrant colors when ultraviolet rays hit them. Ideas for how to use these are endless!

I like to have the students build protective shelters. I give them each about 5 beads and a pipe cleaner to create a UV bead creature that will "hide" in the shelter. If the beads stay white, then their shelter has protected their creature from the ultraviolet rays! I have seen ideas online where students construct a spaceship capsule that is protecting an astronaut from the dangerous ultraviolet rays in outer space.

Shadow Chalk - An old faithful activity that is very dramatic! Students stand on a black surface and trace the outline of their shoes with chalk so that their feet don't move. A partner traces the outline of their body. Even after 15 minutes, the shadow has already changed! Come back in 1-2 hours and the students are amazed! Great discussions will come out of this activity.

Sundials-This is great to do with the activity above. The students use paper plates to make sundials and then watch the movement of the shadow. The history of timepieces can be brought into this as you review how to read an analog clock.

Read Compasses- Most students have never used a compass, so it can be fun to have them work together to figure out directions. It can be a lot of work at the front end for you, but making an orienteering challenge is so much fun. Students use their compasses to take a certain amount of steps in a certain direction, as per directions, to find a "treasure".

Weather Activities to Do Outside

Temperature in the Shade vs. Sun - Have students use thermometers to find the temperature of several locations in sun or shade. This can lead to discussions about uneven heating of the earth and wind currents.

Wet vs. Dry Socks- Students put a thermometer in a wet sock and a dry sock and put them both in the sun to see the difference. Cooling by evaporation can be discussed.

Cloud types- It's easy to find cloud charts online, or in books, for students to identify and even photograph. One year my six graders became obsessed with taking time lapse photography of the clouds changing. They were so amazing.

Look for Cloud Shapes - If you have a nice, grassy area students can lay on their backs and look for shapes in the clouds!

Bubbles - So much science going on with bubbles! For weather, we blow them close to the school building and then further away to watch the wind patterns. The Dollar store has small bubble containers in the wedding favors section! They come several in a pack.

Outline a Puddle - This is best on a hot, sunny day. Students trace the edge of a puddle and check on it periodically to see evaporation occurring. There's your water cycle introduction!

Physical Science Activities To Do Outside

Scavenger Hunt for High or Low Friction Surfaces - Students search for both high and low friction surfaces and create a chart of examples. Taking pictures is also great during this activity.

Paper Helicopters- Super easy to make! I prefer to have students make them inside and then take them outside to test. link. this would be a great introduction to balanced and unbalanced forces.

Paper Airplanes - I mentioned in another blog post that I am always surprised how many middle school students never really made paper airplanes! Research some YouTube videos or easy directions and let them test their skills. Perhaps set up some competitions such as fastest airplane, straightest, most curved path, most horizontal path, etc.

Zombie Speed Activity- Use the formula: speed = distance/time and turn your students into zombies! They pretend to be strolling through the park, running through the park, running backwards as they spot a zombie, and then they become a zombie themselves with whatever weird gait they invent. They need either a phone/iPad or a stopwatch.

Film Canister Rockets - Plain baking soda, vinegar and film canisters can make very fun rockets. Slightly more expensive, and more dramatic, is to use Alka-Seltzer tablets. This can lead to great discussions about gas release and the pressure of gasses.

Conclusion

This was just a small sample of so many ideas that you can take outside. What could you do to study the human body with pulse and respiratory rates? What messy chemistry demos could you take outside like elephant toothpaste or coke and mentos?

A change of scenery is good for everyone and, as long as it is structured, it can be a nice relaxing break in your day.

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Science Activities to Do Outside with Middle School - Science By Sinai

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Lots of ideas for science experiments and activities to do outside with your middle school class. Set up procedures and expectations first.

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Activities for phenomena-based learning

Everyone loves a mystery, and science educators are taking advantage of the natural curiosity students bring to mysteries to deepen understanding about science. Educators call this "phenomena-based learning."

According to the Next Generation Science Standards, "...phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our science knowledge to explain or predict. The goal of building knowledge in science is to develop general ideas, based on evidence, that can explain and predict phenomena."

Luckily, we can find lots of "mysterious" phenomena to observe and try to explain - both out in the world and as digital pictures and videos! Here is an example:

The video above was shot using a cell phone camera on a wide sandflat in a bay along the coast of Maine. What do you observe happening in the video? What questions can you ask about the video? Here are a few:

Why is the water moving, and why is it moving so fast?

What is the white foam on the water? Is it pollution? How could you tell?

What are the dark things moving with the water?

Why are there ripples in the sand? What causes them?

You can do an activity like this in your own backyard! By finding phenomena, making observations and asking questions, you're already taking part in scientific practice and exploring some of the mysteries of the natural world.

As students raise questions and explore them, it is important to engage them in the following ways:

Guide them to make non-trivial, detailed and accurate observations. Younger students might respond to questions with personal stories about the ocean or observations that don't relate to the phenomena. Gently point out why their observation doesn't relate, and suggest they provide another.

Help them connect their observations to explanations in a logical and non-trivial way. Ask questions to help them determine the flaw in their logic, and, if necessary, offer hints to get them on track.

Encourage them to challenge others' observations and explanations in a positive, non-confrontational manner. Quickly respond to negativity, and create an expectation that all challenges are to be positive and helpful.

Provide examples that help them refine their use of language to articulate their observations and explanations more clearly. Ask them to rephrase their responses using your suggestions.

Suggest ways to use resources to research their observations and explanations to further their understanding. Guide them in the use of scientifically-appropriate resources on the internet to research answers.

Exercises like this are at the heart of "doing" science, and research shows that students are more engaged, and their learning is deepened, when they participate in solving the "mystery" of natural phenomena. Remember, encouraging curiosity and interest is more important than having the "right" answers for an activity like this!

Here's another video to try:

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Mysteries Can Help Children Understand Science. Here's How. [Activity]

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Everyone loves a mystery, and science educators are taking advantage of the natural curiosity students bring to mysteries to deepen understanding about science. Educators call this "phenomena-based learning." According to the Next Generation Science Standards, "...phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our science knowledge to explain or predict.

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Nature-based environmental education programs may improve health-related quality of life and STEM capacity in low-income Black and Hispanic youth

Racial- and ethnic-minority children, as well as low-income children, face health and educational inequalities compared to white or high-income children. Research-based evidence indicates that nature contact may reduce such disparities in urban low-income populations. This study examined the potential of a nature-based education program for improving the health and educational outcomes of urban low-income Black and Hispanic children. Nature-based education (NBE) uses nature engagement to inspire curiosity and improve health.

This study tested two hypotheses: (1) An NBE intervention improves health-related quality of life; (2) An NBE intervention improves STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) knowledge and self-efﬁcacy (STEM capacity). Three elementary and middle schools in the St.Louis Public Schools District (SLPS) participated in the study during the 2018-2019 academic year. Eighty percent of the student SLPS population at that time were Black; four percent were Hispanic. Over 95% of the students live in low-income households. The NBE intervention consisted of weekly STEM-based environmental education classroom lessons and monthly nature-based outdoor ﬁeld trips. The program was implemented over a 15-week period and was facilitated by undergraduate mentors (NBE mentors).

Participating students (N=122) completed a pre-intervention and post-intervention survey addressing both health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains and STEM-capacity domains. The HRQoL domains included physical health functioning, emotional health functioning, school functioning, social functioning, and family functioning. The STEM-capacity domains focused on leadership, teamwork, science relevance, sustainability relevance, STEM self-efﬁcacy, and science interest. Additional data were collected through (1) student focus groups and (2) post-intervention surveys of the NBE mentors and teachers. Five school teachers and 49 NBE mentors completed the post-intervention survey, which focused on their perceptions of the NBE impacts on the SLPS students.

Student survey results showed signiﬁcantly higher scores in every HRQoL and STEM-capacity domain after the completion of the NBE intervention program. Focus group responses and feedback from NBE mentors and teachers also indicated that the NBE intervention was effective in promoting STEM capacity and HRQoL in the participating children. Children's responses during the focus group discussions showed that the NBE program provided an engaging learning environment, promoted environmentally conscious decisions, engaged families, and promoted healthy behaviors, including physical activity. Student responses also indicated that the NBE program helped them develop leadership and team building skills. "Every NBE mentor and SLPS teacher indicated that the NBE intervention was beneﬁcial for the SLPS students." Older students (age 12-15) showed larger gains from the intervention than younger students (age 10-11).

This research adds to the growing body of evidence indicating that nature contact and environmental education can improve health outcomes and scientiﬁc engagement of children. Such outcomes could help reduce the health and educational disparities of low-income, urban, Black and Hispanic youth.

Citation
Sprague, N., Berrigan, D., Ekenga, C.C., (2020). An analysis of the educational and health-related benefits of nature-based environmental education in low-income Black and Hispanic children. Health Equity, 4(1), 198-210.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/heq.2019.0118

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Nature-based environmental education programs may improve health-related quality of life and STEM capacity in low-income Black and Hispanic youth - Children and Nature Network

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Racial- and ethnic-minority children, as well as low-income children, face health and educational inequalities compared to white or high-income children. Research-based evidence indicates that nature contact may reduce such disparities in urban low-income populations. This study examined the potential of a nature-based education program for improving the health and educational outcomes of urban low-income Black and Hispanic children.

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These days, STEM learning is more important than ever. Science, technology, engineering, and math are the keys to many modern careers, so a good grounding in them from an early age is a must. The best STEM activities are hands-on, leading kids to cool innovations and real-world applications. Here are some of our favorites, with challenges that will really get kids thinking about how STEM plays a part in their everyday lives.

1. Participate in the St. Jude EPIC Challenge

St. Jude's EPIC Challenge gives students a chance to create real-world impact for other kids currently facing cancer. EPIC stands for Experimenting, Prototyping, Inventing, and Creating. Participants come up with innovative ways to help St. Jude kids, following through from concept to creation. Past winners have created comfortable pillows, buddy blankets, and more. Learn about the EPIC Challenge and find out how to join here.

Plus, get a free copy of our engineering and design poster we created together with St. Jude right here.

2. Add STEM bins to your classroom

You can use STEM activities in a wide variety of ways with these cool bins. Incorporate them into literacy centers, create a makerspace, and offer early finishers fun enrichment ideas. Learn how to create and use STEM bins.

3. Conduct an egg drop

This is one of those classic STEM activities every kid should try at least once. Kids can do it at any age, with different materials and heights to mix it up.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy

4. Engineer a drinking straw roller coaster

This is such a fun way to encourage engineering skills! All you need are basic supplies like drinking straws, tape, and scissors.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster/Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

5. Simulate an earthquake

The ground under our feet may feel solid, but an earthquake changes that pretty quickly. Use Jello to simulate the earth's crust, then see if you can build an earthquake-proof structure.

Learn more: Teaching Science

6. Stand up to a hurricane

In a hurricane zone, houses must be able to stand up to strong winds and possible flooding. Can your students design houses that make it safer to live in these dangerous areas?

Learn more: Carly and Adam

7. Create a new plant or animal

Kids will really get into this project, indulging their creativity as they invent a plant or animal that's never been seen before. They'll need to be able to explain the biology behind it all, though, making this an in-depth project you can tailor to any class.

Learn more: I Love 2 Teach

8. Design a helping hand

This is a great group science project. Students hone their design and engineering skills to make a working model of a hand.

Learn more: Model Hand/Science Buddies

9. Understand the impact of non-renewable resources

Discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources, then have your class form "companies" to "mine" non-renewable resources. As they compete, they'll see how quickly the resources are used. It's a great tie-in to energy conservation discussions.

Learn more: The Owl Teacher

10. Devise an amazing marble maze

Marble mazes are one of students' favorite STEM activities! You can provide supplies like straws and paper plates for their project. Or let them use their imaginations and create marble mazes from any materials they can think of.

Learn more: Marble Maze/Raising Lifelong Learners

11. Fly clothespin airplanes

Ask students what they think the airplane of the future might look like. Then, provide them with clothespins and wood craft sticks, and challenge them to build a new kind of airplane. Bonus points if it can actually fly!

Learn more: STEAMsational/Clothespin Airplane

12. Play catch with a catapult

This take on a classic science project challenges young engineers to build a catapult from basic materials. The twist? They also must create a "receiver" to catch the soaring object on the other end.

Learn more: Catapult Challenge/Science Buddies

13. Bounce on a trampoline

Kids love bouncing on trampolines, but can they build one themselves? Find out with this totally fun STEM challenge.

Learn more: Teach Student Savvy

14. Build a solar oven

Learn about the value of solar energy by building an oven that cooks food without electricity. Enjoy your tasty treats while discussing ways we can harness the energy of the sun and why alternative energy sources are important.

Learn more: Desert Chica

15. Build a snack machine

Incorporate everything students learn about simple machines into one project when you challenge them to build a snack machine! Using basic supplies, they'll need to design and construct a machine that delivers snacks from one location to another.

Learn more: Snack Machine/Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Recycle newspaper into an engineering challenge

It's amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge students to build the tallest tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: STEM Activities for Kids

17. Design a biosphere

This project really brings out kids' creativity and helps them understand that everything in a biosphere is really part of one big whole. You'll be overwhelmed by what they come up with!

Learn more: Laney Lee

18. See the effects of an oil spill

Learn why an oil spill is so devastating for wildlife and the ecosystem with this hands-on activity. Kids experiment to find the best way to clean up oil floating on water and rescue the animals affected by the spill.

Learn more: Kitchen Counter Chronicles

19. Assemble a steady-hand game

This is such a fun way to learn about circuits! It also brings in a bit of creativity, adding the "A" to STEAM.

Learn more: Steady Hand Game/Left Brain Craft Brain

20. Craft a cell phone stand

Your science students will be thrilled when you let them use their phones in class! Challenge them to use their engineering skills and a small selection of items to design and build a cell phone stand.

Learn more: Science Buddies/Engineer Cell Phone Stand

21. Engineer a craft stick bridge

Here's another one of those classic STEM activities that really challenge kids to use their skills. Build a bridge with popsicle sticks and push pins, and find out which design can bear the most weight.

Learn more: Build a Bridge/Scholastic

22. Forage and build a bird nest

Birds build incredibly intricate nests from materials they find in the wild. Take a nature walk to gather materials, then see if you can build a sturdy, comfy nest of your own!

Learn more: Kids Craft Room

23. Drop parachutes to test air resistance

Use the scientific method to test different types of material and see which makes the most effective parachute. Your students also learn more about the physics behind air resistance.

Learn more: Education.com

24. Find the most waterproof roof

Calling all future engineers! Build a house from LEGO, then experiment to see what type of roof prevents water from leaking inside.

Learn more: Waterproof Roof/Science Sparks

25. Build a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Better Umbrella/Raising Lifelong Learners

26. Go green with recycled paper

We talk a lot about recycling and sustainability these days, so show kids how it's done! Recycle old worksheets or other papers using screen and picture frames. Then, ask kids to brainstorm ways to use the recycled paper.

Learn more: Undercover Classroom

27. Brew up your own slime

Chances are good your students already love making and playing with slime. Turn the fun into an experiment by changing the ingredients to create slime with a variety of properties-from magnetic to glow-in-the-dark!

Learn more: Slime Design/Science Buddies

28. Create a taxonomy system

Students can step into Linnaeus' shoes by creating their own system of taxonomy using a handful of different dried beans. This is a fun science project to do in groups, so students can see the differences between each group's system.

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

29. Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

As you learn about the life cycle of plants, explore how water supports plants' growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Lessons 4 Little Ones

30. Find the best soap bubble solution

It's easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outside science activity.

Learn more: Soap Bubbles/Science Buddies

31. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you've ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Scholastic/Dish Soap Bubbles

32. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Watch

33. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution/JDaniel4's Mom

34. Test your local water quality

Once you've "cleaned up" your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what's in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water testing kits are readily available online.

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

35. Explore with an edible Mars Rover

Learn about the conditions on Mars and the tasks the Mars Rover will need to complete. Then, give kids supplies to build their own. (Add to the challenge by making them "buy" the supplies and stick to a budget, just like NASA!).

Learn more: Library Makers

36. Baked potato science

This edible science project is a nutritious way to explore the scientific method in action. Experiment with a variety of methods for baking potatoes-microwaving, using a traditional oven, wrapping them in foil, using baking pins, etc.-testing hypotheses to discover which works best.

Learn more: Potato Science/Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Waterproof a boot

Ask kids to select various materials and tape them over the free boot printable. Then, test their hypotheses to see which ones work best.

Learn more: Waterproof a Boot/Science Sparks

38. Determine the best way to melt ice

Conventional wisdom says we sprinkle salt on ice to melt it faster. But why? Is that really the best method? Try this science experiment and find out.

Learn more: The Chaos and the Clutter

39. Don't melt the ice

We spend a lot of time in winter trying to get rid of ice, but what about when you don't want the ice to melt? Experiment with different forms of insulation to see which keeps ice frozen the longest.

Learn more: Ice Insulation/Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

40. Build a straw house

Grab a box of straws and a package of pipe cleaners. Then task kids with designing and building their dream house, using only those two items.

Learn more: Deceptively Educational

41. Design a balloon-powered car

Explore the laws of motion and encourage creativity when you challenge students to design, build, and test their own balloon-powered cars. Bonus: Use only recycled materials to make this project green!

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Cars/Science Buddies

42. Learn map skills by designing an amusement park

For this cross-curricular activity, students investigate the parts of a map by creating an amusement park. After they create their map, they do a detailed drawing and write about one of their ride designs. Then they design an all-access park pass. So many STEM activities in one! Find out more about it here.

43. Reach for the ceiling

Round up all your building blocks and try this whole-class project. What will students need to do to be able to construct a tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling?

Learn more: Mama Smiles

44. Cast a tall shadow

Here's another tower-building challenge, but this one's all about shadows! Kids will experiment with the height of their tower and the angle of their flashlight to see how tall of a shadow they're able to cast.

Learn more: No Time for Flashcards

45. Devise a recycled toy bot

These adorable toy bots are made from pool noodles and recycled electric toothbrushes. So clever! Kids will have fun designing their own, plus they can tweak this idea to make other fun wiggling toys.

Learn more: Artsy Momma

46. Link up the longest paper chain

This incredibly simple STEM activity really gets kids thinking. The challenge? Create the longest possible paper chain using a single piece of paper. So simple and so effective.

Learn more: Paper Chain Challenge/Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

47. Find out what you can make from a plastic bag

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous items on the planet these days, and they're difficult to recycle. Give each student a plastic bag and ask them to create something new and useful. ( These ideas from Artsy Craftsy Mom offer some inspiration.)

48. Start a school robotics team

Coding is one of the most valuable STEM activities you can include in your classroom plans. Set up a school robotics club and inspire kids to embrace their newfound skills! Learn how to set up your own club here.

49. Embrace the Hour of Code

The Hour of Code program was designed as a way to get all teachers to try just one hour of teaching and learning coding with their students. Originally, the Hour of Code event was held in December, but you can organize yours any time. Then, continue to learn using the huge amount of resources on Hour of Code's website.

50. Give kids a Maker Cart and a pile of cardboard

You don't need a whole lot of fancy supplies to create a STEM Cart or makerspace. Scissors, tape, glue, wood craft sticks, straws-basic items like these combined with a stack of cardboard can inspire kids to all sorts of amazing creations! See how these STEM activities work here.

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50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box

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Hands-on science is one of the best ways to get kids thinking creatively. These STEM activities are perfect for upper elementary students.

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Some ideas on how to minimize gender bias in our teaching practice and curriculum.

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Keeping Girls in STEM: 3 Barriers, 3 Solutions

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Stereotypes and cultural norms dampen girls’ interest in STEM, but educators can counter the disparities with small changes to their practice.

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Students use existing classroom literature - stories, novels, and expository texts - as the basis for engineering design challenges that help them identify problems, design realistic solutions, and engage in the Engineering Design Process while reinforcing their literacy skills.