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Experiment

How Does It Work
Geysers of Fun
Why do Mentos mints turn ordinary bottles of diet soda into geysers of fun? The answer is a little more complicated than you might think. Let's start with the soda: soda pop is made of sugar or artificial sweetener, flavoring, water and preservatives. The thing that makes soda bubbly is invisible carbon dioxide (CO ₂), which is pumped into bottles at the bottling factory using lots and lots of pressure. If you shake a bottle or can of soda, some of the gas comes out of the solution and the bubbles cling to the inside walls of the container (thanks to tiny pits and imperfections on the inside surface of the bottle called "nucleation sites"). When you open the container, the bubbles quickly rise to the top, pushing the liquid out of the way. In other words, the liquid sprays everywhere.
More Carbon Dioxide Observations
Is there another way for the CO ₂ to escape? Try this: Drop an object (like a raisin or a piece of uncooked pasta) into a glass of soda. Notice how bubbles immediately form on the surface of the object. These are CO ₂ bubbles leaving the soda and attaching themselves to the object. Adding salt to soda also causes it to foam up. That's because thousands of little bubbles form on the surface of each grain of salt. This bubbling process is called "nucleation." The places where the bubbles form - whether on the sides of the can, on an object or around a tiny grain of salt - are called the (yep, you guessed it!) nucleation sites.
Why are Mentos Mints so Special?
The reason why Mentos work so well is twofold. First, there are thousands of tiny pits on the surface of each mint. Second, the weight of the Mentos candy itself is important in this Mentos and Coke experiment. Each Mentos mint has thousands of tiny pits all over its surface. These tiny pits act as those nucleation sites we discussed - which are perfect places for all those CO ₂ bubbles to form. As soon as the Mentos mint hits the soda, bubbles form all over the surfaces of the candies and then quickly rise to the surface of the liquid. Couple this reaction with the fact that the Mentos candies are heavy and sink to the bottom of the bottle and you've got a double whammy! The gas released by the Mentos mints literally pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle in an incredible and amazing soda blast! Cool, huh?
Measuring the Height of the Geyser
To make any of these tests meaningful, you'll need to find a way to measure the height of the eruption in this experiment with soda and Mentos. Have a friend or a parent record this experiment while you perform it. This is a great way to watch and document the results of your experiment; however, you'll also need some specific measurements for data. Try placing the soda bottle next to the wall of a brick building (after getting permission from the building's owner, of course). Measure the height of the geyser by counting the number of bricks that are wet once the geyser stops. If you want a more specific measurement, use chalk to mark off 1-foot increments on the brick wall before you drop the Mentos into the bottle of soda. Make comparisons, create a chart with your data and draw some conclusions. Be sure to thank the building's owner and to hose off the wall of the building when you are finished!
Measuring the Volume of the Geyser
If you want to examine the volume of the geyser instead of the height, make a note of the volume of a full bottle of soda before you drop the Mentos into it. (OK, this is a trick question because a 2-liter bottle of soda holds - you guessed it - 2 liters!) Once the geyser stops, pour out the remaining contents of the bottle and measure how much liquid is left inside. You could use a beaker or a graduated cylinder to measure the remaining liquid in milliliters. Remember that 1 liter is equivalent to 1000 mL. Subtract the remaining amount of liquid from the original volume of the bottle to calculate the volume of the geyser. Then, make comparisons, create a chart with your data and draw your conclusions.
How Many Mentos Work Best?
This has to be the number one question that everyone asks about this experiment with soda and Mentos. What exactly IS the best number of Mentos mints to use to make the highest-shooting geyser? This is a great topic for a science project - you'll need lots of soda and Mentos mints and a few friends to help record all of the data.

Be sure that the soda bottles are all the same brand and type. It's also important that all of the test bottles are stored in the same place so that the liquid in each bottle is the same temperature.

Line up a row of ten 2-liter bottles against a brick wall (see "Measuring the Height of the Geyser"). Each bottle will receive a different number of Mentos. Drop one Mentos candy into the first bottle and record the height by counting the wet bricks (or set up your own scale behind each soda bottle). Drop two Mentos candies into the second bottle - and so on - until you've completed the experiment with all ten bottles.

Of course, this could go on forever. However, you'll start to see a trend in your data that shows the maximum height of the geyser for a certain number of Mentos. Many soda geyser-ologists believe that seven Mentos candies produce the highest-shooting geyser. Using any more than seven Mentos mints is just a waste, according to these soda-soaked science enthusiasts. What do your results reveal about the effect of the number of Mentos on the height of the geyser?
The Brand Test
It's time to put your favorite soda to the test in this fun experiment with soda and Mentos! Does one brand produce higher-flying geysers? How does generic soda stack up against the big-name brands? If you're doing a science fair project, your initial question might be: "What is the effect of the brand of soda on the height of the geyser?"

Use your data from the previous test to determine the standard number of Mentos candies to use for this test. The only variable you'll change in this test is the brand of soda; everything else will remain the same (for example, the number of Mentos and the amount of soda). Again, make sure all of the soda is at the same temperature. That's because temperature plays an important role in the reaction, too. The brand of soda is the only thing that changes (the variable).

Just think - your results could be the catalyst for the next Mentos Geyser Experiment craze!
The Temperature Test
What is the effect of temperature on the height of the geyser? Does warm Diet Coke and Mentos versus cold Diet Coke and Mentos make a difference? Does warm Diet Coke create a higher geyser explosion than does cold soda? The key is to keep every launch fair and to make sure the only variable is the temperature of the soda. You'll need a thermometer to record the temperature of the soda just before you launch it.

To enforce the fairness factor, you must stick with one brand of soda for the entire test. Let's use Diet Coke in this example. You'll want to purchase three bottles of Diet Coke and two rolls of Mentos. You're going to set up three tests: warm soda, room temperature soda and cold soda. Place one bottle of Diet Coke in the refrigerator and let it sit there overnight. Place the second bottle in a place where it will reach room temperature overnight. There are two safe ways to warm the other bottle of soda. The simplest method is to let the unopened bottle sit in the sun for several hours. You can also place the bottle of unopened soda in a bucket of warm water. (Never use a stove or a microwave to heat a bottle of soda!)

It's time to return to your launching site. Check to make sure your measuring scale is in place (counting bricks or using an alternative scale against the wall). Let's start with the bottle of cold Diet Coke. Open the bottle and dip the thermometer down into the soda. Record the temperature. Load seven Mentos mints into your paper roll or your Steve Spangler Science Geyser Tube and drop them into the soda. Immediately record the data for the cold soda test. Repeat the same procedure for the bottle of soda at room temperature and then again for the bottle of warm soda. It's important to use the same number of Mentos for each test and to drop them into the soda bottles the exact same way.

No matter which brand of soda you tested, the warm bottle probably produced the highest-shooting geyser. Warm soda tends to fizz much more than cold soda. Why? The answer lies in the solubility of gases in liquids. The warmer the liquid, the less gas can be dissolved in that liquid. The colder the liquid, the more gas can be dissolved in that liquid. This is because as the liquid is heated, the gas within that liquid is also heated, causing the gas molecules to move faster and faster. As the molecules move faster, they diffuse out of the liquid, leaving less gas dissolved in that liquid. In colder liquids the gas molecules move very slowly, causing them to diffuse out of the solution much more slowly. More gas tends to stay in solution when the liquid is cold. This is why that at the bottling plant, the CO ₂ is pumped into the cans or bottles when the fluid is just above freezing - around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. This low temperature allows the maximum amount of CO 2 to dissolve into the soda, keeping the carbonation levels as high as possible.

Take It Further
Take it Further
Simply dropping Mentos mints into a bottle of soda to make a geyser isn't really science - it's just a fun trick to do in your backyard. The real learning takes place when you start to change one variable at a time to see how it affects the performance of the geyser.
The Big Blast
After completing all of these tests, you've become somewhat of a Mentos Geyser Experiment expert who has the research to support the answer to this question: "How can you make the highest-shooting Mentos geyser?" Each test isolated an independent variable. Combining all of the information you observed into one launch is a great way to wrap up your science fair project! For example, based on your individual test results, you might have arrived at this recipe for the best Mentos Geyser:

Use a bottle of Diet Coke

Make sure the soda is at least 85 degrees Fahrenheit

Drop seven Mentos into the soda all at the same time

By using the scientific method and some critical thinking skills, you've successfully turned a great gee-whiz science trick into an exciting and explosive research-based science fair project!

Science Fair Connection
Science Fair Connection
You may be asking yourself, "Can I use the Mentos Geyser for my science fair project?" The answer is YES, but you'll need to learn how to turn a cool science activity into a real science experiment. The secret is to turn your attention away from the spraying soda and concentrate on setting up an experiment where a single variable is isolated. Then, observe, record and report the results.

To get the best results in a science experiment, you will need to standardize the test conditions as much as possible. The biggest challenge in the Mentos Geyser Experiment is finding a consistent way to drop the Mentos into the soda every time. This was the original reason I invented the Geyser Tube toy: to find a way to standardize the actual drop of the Mentos mint candies. If you're not using the Geyser Tube, make sure to come up with your own method for dropping the Mentos mints into the soda exactly the same way each and every time.

Mentos and Coke Geyser Phenomenon History

As strange as it might sound, the Mentos Geyser Experiment never actually started out using Mentos chewy mints. This science demonstration was popular among chemistry teachers back in the 1980s. Instead of Mentos mints candy, however, they used a roll of Wintergreen LifeSavers and a pipe cleaner. Teachers threaded the roll of Wintergreen LifeSavers onto a pipe cleaner as an easy way to drop all of the LifeSavers into the soda at the same time. Within seconds of dropping the candies into the soda, a huge geyser would erupt from the bottle.

By the end of the 1990s, however, the manufacturer of Wintergreen LifeSavers increased the size of the mints (no one was ever certain why). This made the diameter of the candy too large to fit into the mouth of the soda bottle. Science teachers started experimenting (as they like to do) with other candies and mints that would have the same effect when dropped into a bottle of soda. As luck would have it, the solution to the problem was within arm's reach of the Wintergreen LifeSavers in the candy aisle: Mentos chewy mint candies!

Because Mentos mints didn't have holes in the middle like LifeSavers, getting them into the bottle was a little tricky. Everyone found their own method for quickly dropping the Mentos into the soda. Some people fashioned a tube out of paper; others used a piece of plastic tubing to load the Mentos. At the time, my solution was to load the Mentos candies into something called a "Baby Soda Bottle" - a test tube-like container that held an entire roll of Mentos perfectly. Oddly enough, this container was actually a "pre-form" or 2-liter soda bottle before it was blown up into a big bottle. That's why it's called a Baby Soda Bottle!

Troubleshooting Ensued

I must admit, however, that even with the Baby Soda Bottle method, the results were not very consistent. It proved challenging to get away from that bottle before it exploded. For that reason, I solicited help from our creative team at Steve Spangler Science to come up with a Geyser Tube - a better, more consistent way to drop the Mentos candies into the 2-liter bottle. Better yet, if we could trigger the drop of the Mentos from a distance, we wouldn't get as wet.

Experimenting with Trigger Devices

The next few months were spent building trigger devices that ranged from plastic tubes with sliding doors and magnets that held metal stoppers in place to an elaborate battery-operated switch that was triggered by a motion detector. We even played with ways to use the Geyser Tube to trigger multiple soda geysers in a method similar to a Rube Goldberg machine. The bottom line was that we needed to find a way to standardize the drop of those Mentos mints.

As they say, the simplest design usually turns out to be the best and most elegant solution to the problem. The winning Geyser Tube design was a clear plastic tube with a special fitting that twisted onto any soda bottle. The trigger pin at the bottom of the tube prevented the Mentos from falling into the bottle until you pulled the string attached to the pin. The moment the pin was pulled, a slider ring resting above the pin fell into place and covered the holes where the trigger pin once was. The Mentos mints then dropped into the soda. But there was one added bonus: the restricted hole at the top of the plastic tube helped to build up more pressure in the bottle and launched the soda up to 30 feet into the air!

Fortunately, the maker of Mentos (Perfetti Van Melle) also liked our Geyser Tube design. We launched the Mentos Geyser Tube toy at the New York Toy Fair in February 2007.

A Television and Live Stage Phenomenon

The Mentos Geyser Experiment became one of my featured demonstrations - both on television and during my live stage presentations. While I had performed variations of the Mentos Geyser Experiment on television many times from 2001 to 2004, my performance of the demo in the backyard of Denver's NBC affiliate KUSA-TV in September of 2005 proved to be the tipping point. The demo went from relative obscurity to an internet sensation!

My cohost for the KUSA-TV science segment was the lovely Kim Christiansen. During the commercial break, I told Kim what was going to happen and reminded her to pull her hand out of the way of the erupting geyser and to run backward. Unfortunately, Kim got so caught up in the fun that she forgot to do both - and got soaked in Diet Coke on live television! To add insult to injury, she did it two more times. Each time, she was covered in more soda until her once-pink dress was now more Coke-colored than pink!

KUSA-TV News posted that original video on their website along with my blog post titled, "News Anchor Gets Soaked!" Within a few weeks, links to the video and my blog entry numbered in the thousands. I also posted the video on a new online video-sharing site called YouTube (YouTube was only seven months old at that time). As they say, the rest is history. Within the next 12 months, over 800 Mentos Geyser Experiment-related videos were posted on YouTube, making the demo one of the most popular pop-culture science experiments in recent history.

The Million Dollar Question

We knew the Mentos Geyser Experiment was a popular experiment when a producer from ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire called for help when writing a question. Here's the question we came up with:
In an experiment popularized online, what candy creates an explosive geyser when dropped into a 2-liter Diet Coke bottle?
The question was asked on a special College Week episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The participant got it right for $8,000, saying: "I saw it on TV, and I bought Mentos and a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke. So, I'm going to go with Mentos. That's my final answer."

The contestant ended up doing really well, going all the way to the $250,000 question; however, he walked away with $125,000.

Steve Spangler Science Online Experiment Library

Don't miss our other super-fun and hands-on experiments in our huge online experiment library! From after-school activities and science classroom activities to STEM club experiments, our website is one of the most trusted resources for fun, age-appropriate experiments for kids of all ages.

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Mentos Geyser Experiment Steve Spangler Science

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Experiment Geysers of Fun Why do Mentos mints turn ordinary bottles of diet soda into geysers of fun? The answer is a little more complicated than you might think. Let's start with the soda: soda pop is made of sugar or artificial sweetener, flavoring, water and preservatives.

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Abstract

In the wild there are two types of animals: the hunters and the hunted. A good predator is always on the prowl for fresh prey. What can an animal do to stay off of the menu? To survive, some animals use camouflage so they can better blend in with their surroundings. In this science project, you will be the hungry predator hunting for M&M® prey. But it may not be as easy as it sounds - some of your prey will be camouflaged by their habitat. Will they be able to avoid your grasp? To find out, work up that appetite and go hunting!

Objective

Hunt for M&M prey in a series of different habitats to discover which M&M's survive in each habitat and why.

Credits

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Last edit date: 2017-07-28

Introduction

Nature can be brutal. The harsh reality is that if you are not a hunter, then you are being hunted, also known as the prey. What do animals do to avoid being eaten? Some animals develop defense mechanisms, like porcupine quills or the plated armor of an armadillo. Other animals develop gross tastes on their bodies, or poisonous mucus coatings.

This pattern of animals developing strategies to survive is called adaptation, and it is a mechanism for evolution. You may have heard the famous phrase "survival of the fittest," which Charles Darwin used to describe this natural phenomenon. In order to survive in nature, you need to be fit, and fitting in to your environment is very important to avoid being eaten!

The most common way that animals can avoid being eaten by a predator is by an adaptation called camouflage. Camouflage is a set of colorings or markings on an animal that help it to blend in with the surroundings and increase its chance for survival. The surrounding environment that the animal hides in is called the habitat, or the place where the animal lives.

Each animal needs to adapt to a unique habitat, and animals adapt in all kinds of interesting ways using camouflage. Katydids, like the one in Figure 1, are insects that usually live in green leafy trees and many have adapted to their habitat by having a bright green body shaped like a leaf. Chameleons, which change habitats often in the colorful jungle, have adapted a way of changing their skin color to match their immediate environment. Decorator crabs have adapted by learning how to cover their shells with debris to blend in with their habitat.

In this science project, you will test how adaptation and survival work by using M&M candies as your prey. You will hunt for the M&M's in different-colored "habitats" to test whether some M&M's do better in some habitats than others. Then you can discover which M&M's are best suited to survive in each habitat.

Terms and Concepts

Bibliography

For help creating graphs, try this website:

Materials and Equipment

Plastic baggies (6)

M&M's, at least 10 of each color

Use plain M&M's, which should have six colors: Yellow, blue, green, brown, red, and orange.

To make sure you have at least 10 candies of each color, you will want to get at least two 1.69-oz. packages.

Skittles®, at least 60 of each color

Use plain Skittles, which should have five colors: orange, yellow, green, red, and purple.

To make sure you have at least 60 candies of each color, you will want to get at least one 16-oz. package.

Metal pie tin or sturdy paper plate

Stopwatch or timer

2-4 volunteer predators who like to eat M&M's

Lab notebook

Remember Your Display Board Supplies

Experimental Procedure

1. First you will need to prepare a mixed group of "prey." Do this by counting and placing 10 M&M's of each color into a plastic bag.
This means you should have one plastic bag with 10 yellow, 10 blue, 10 green, 10 brown, 10 red, and 10 orange M&M's candies in it.

2. Prepare different "habitats" using Skittles candies. Do this by counting and placing 60 Skittles of a single color in a bag. Repeat for each color, in the end you will have 5 bags - each with just one color of Skittles.
This means you should have one plastic bag with 60 orange Skittles, one bag with 60 yellow Skittles, one with 60 green Skittles, one with 60 red Skittles, and one with 60 purple Skittles.

3. Gather together a pack of 2-4 volunteer "predators." This can be anybody who likes to eat M&M's: a friend, brother, sister, mom, dad, grandparent, etc.

4. Explain the rules of the game to your predators as follows:

1. The volunteers should pretend to be M&M's birds. They should make a "beak" using their pointer finger and thumb for collecting M&M's candies, as shown in Figure 2.

2. You will set a timer (or watch a stopwatch) for 20 seconds. During those 20 seconds, the volunteers will use their beak to quickly pick up M&M's and quickly put them in their other hand.
To encourage the volunteers to be fast, tell them that when they are done with the experiment, they can eat the same number of candies as they picked up. (But they should not eat any candies until you are all done testing.)

3. The volunteers should avoid picking up any Skittles candies because Skittles make the M&M's birds sick. The Skittles represent the habitat that the M&M's candies live in.

5. After explaining the rules, pour one prepared bag of Skittles into a metal pie tin or sturdy plate. Mix in the prepared bag of M&M's. Put the pie tin in the middle of your group of M&M's birds. Make sure everyone can reach the pie tin.

6. Set your timer for 20 seconds.

7. Say, Go! and start the timer. When the timer beeps, everyone should stop picking up M&M's.

Count the number of each M&M's color that each person collected. Record the numbers in a data table in your lab notebook, like Table 1. If any volunteer collected any Skittles, put the number of Skittles they collected in the bottom row of their column, the one labeled "Skittles." Also, re-emphasize that Skittles make the M&M's birds sick and should be avoided.
Make sure to record the data for the correct habitat. For example, if you used orange Skittles as the habitat, record your data in the columns that say "Orange Skittles" at the top.

1. Once you are done counting the candies, put the M&M's back in the bag you prepared them in. This includes the M&M's that people picked, as well as the M&M's that were still in the metal tin. Your bag should now be like you prepared it in step 1.

2. Take away the Skittles you used for the habitat (by pouring them off the pie tin).

3. Repeat steps 5-10 for all of the other prepared bags of Skittles until you have tested each Skittles habitat.
When you are all done testing, you can let the volunteers eat the candies if they want to. They can eat the same number of candies as they picked up, if you want to do it that way.

4. Add up the total number of each M&M's color that the volunteers picked for each Skittles habitat. Record your data in a data table in your lab notebook like Table 2.

1. Using the numbers from your data table that is like Table 2, make a bar graph of how many of each color M&M's was picked for each Skittles habitat.

1. You can make a graph by hand or use a website like Create a Graph to make a graph on the computer and print it.

2. Put each habitat's name on the x-axis (the horizontal axis going across), such as "Green Skittles," "Purple Skittles," etc. Put the number of each M&M's color collected on the y-axis (the vertical axis going up and down). Make a bar for each M&M's color (and any Skittles collected).

1. Tip: Each Skittles habitat labeled on the x-axis should have seven bars for it, one for each of the six M&M's colors and one for any Skittles collected.

2. If you want, you can make a separate graph for each Skittles habitat. If you do this you should end up with five graphs, one for each Skittles color.

2. Look at your graph(s) and analyze your results.

1. Do you notice any interesting patterns between the color of the Skittles habitat and the color of the M&M's that were picked?

2. Hint: What is different about the blue M&M's? What about the brown M&M's and the purple Skittles?

3. How do you think this same survival strategy would work in the wild?

Communicating Your Results: Start Planning Your Display Board

Create an award-winning display board with tips and design ideas from the experts at ArtSkills.

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

Variations

In the wild, adaptation and evolution happen over several generations. There is a way to test this phenomenon with the M&M science project. Pick one colored Skittles habitat and randomly put the contents of an entire package of M&M's on it. After a round of predation, as was described in the science project, double the number of M&M's that are left by adding a colored M&M to match the color of each M&M that is left. For instance, if there are 4 red and 2 brown M&M's left, then add 4 more red and 2 more brown M&M's. Then repeat another round of predation. How many rounds does it take to get all the same colored M&M's?

Do some research on how different animals use camouflage. What types of things do animals try to look like? Do some animals try to look like other animals? Do some predators use camouflage too? Think of a way to investigate how effective different types of camouflage are. For example, you could have volunteers try to spot different camouflaged animals in pictures, like the katydid in Figure 1 in the Background, and time how long it takes for them to spot the animal. Do some camouflage techniques work better than others?

Different animals have adapted to different environments and habitats. Take a trip to your local zoo and bring your lab notebook. Write down and draw pictures of any special adaptations you observe. Do animals in the zoo use camouflage? Do the zookeepers do a good job of creating natural habitats? How do you think that the adaptations of zoo animals work in the wild? Do some kinds of animals have more adaptations than others?

You could repeat this experiment but use different types of candy. How easy is it for M&M's hunters to catch their prey when the habitat is made using candies of a different shape, such as Nerds candies, or candies that are both different in shape and multi-colored, like candy corn? How effectively can the M&M's camouflage?

Ask an Expert

The Ask an Expert Forum is intended to be a place where students can go to find answers to science questions that they have been unable to find using other resources. If you have specific questions about your science fair project or science fair, our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.

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Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. The perfect thing to liven up a rainy day, school vacation, or moment of boredom.

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Please ensure you have JavaScript enabled in your browser. If you leave JavaScript disabled, you will only access a portion of the content we are providing. Here's how. In the wild there are two types of animals: the hunters and the hunted. A good predator is always on the prowl for fresh prey.

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STEM-Works - Space Activities - Alka-Seltzer Rocket

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Five engineering challenges for kids - with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It's a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love.
Move over, expensive building sets! These simple materials were a huge hit with my boys. The first time we got them out, Owen (almost 7) spent well over an hour busily creating all kinds of designs. And that's saying something, because out of all of our kids he has the shortest attention span by far.

Kids will have a blast just exploring with these materials, and it's a great activity for hand-eye coordination. After they have had a chance to experiment with building, expand the activity with these fun engineering challenges!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Materials Used:
We used a train table board as a building surface.
Challenge #1: Build a structure that can support the most possible weight.
For this one, you could either challenge kids to build a true bridge, or just a structure that supports weight.

Two clothespins with a craft stick between them make great supports for a structure.

We couldn't believe how much weight this could hold! We didn't keep going to find the capacity on this one, but Gresham built another one that held many, many chapter books (about 25!) before collapsing!

Then we tried building bridges. Gresham came up with this design.

Then he tested the strength of his design with books.

It held 8 books and then collapsed, which was not too bad!

Then we tried a bridge with triangles in the design (since I knew that triangles are a stronger shape).

As expected, this one held a lot more weight. It collapsed after 13 books.
Challenge #2: Build the tallest structure.
Colored craft sticks make this whole activity a work of art as well as design!

This was Owen's tallest structure that he built completely himself (he's almost 7).

And Aidan's (age 12.5). As you can see, this is an activity that works well for a wide range of ages.
Challenge #3: Build the tallest structure with the fewest clothespins.
It doesn't seem like it would be possible, but we were able to build structures with only two clothespins at the bottom!
Challenge #4: What can you build with triangles?
This one was my favorite. Triangles lend themselves to really neat designs.

Owen started this one, and I made it into a hexagon. I never would have thought to balance the triangles on the binder clips the way he did, but it worked very well!

Here is Aidan's triangle design.
Challenge #5: Build a domino chain.
Gresham discovered that he could make "dominoes" out of craft sticks and clothespins!
Then we came up with several designs that didn't really fit any particular challenge. The kids just had a great time exploring!
Who knew clothespins could be so much fun?
Order Supplies on Amazon:
I am storing our "building set" in a plastic shoebox. We have about 36 binder clips, 150 craft sticks, and about 50 clothespins. That has been plenty for three kids building at one time. If you have a classroom of kids, you might want to get more.
Also, be sure to check out our Engineering Challenges with Craft Sticks, Cups, and Wooden Cubes!

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5 Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

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Five engineering challenges for kids - with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It's a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love. Move over, expensive building sets! These simple materials were a huge hit with my boys.

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Conversation Heart Popsicle Stick Catapult

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Little scientists can build a popsicle stick catapult that really launches. This is an engineering project kids will beg to build over and over again.

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You can never have too many boredom busters, especially when they are full of learning! I set up this simple STEM challenge for my kids as a why to have fun and unwind after school and could not believe how much fun it turned out to be.

Get your kids thinking critically and developing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills with just some simple items from around the house!

We've partnered with Sylvan Learning again this month to share how kids can create their own pom pom drop. We took some of the principles taught in the Sylvan EDGE classes and used them to create STEM challenges with pom poms and paper towel rolls.

Head over to their blog to see how to encourage problem solving skills in kids with 3 simple items from your kitchen-the extension challenges are so much fun!
Thanks to Sylvan Learning for sponsoring this post and encouraging hands-on STEM fun for kids!
Don't let the fun and discovery stop there!
We have TONS of science experiments your kids will love on our Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids page!
Take me to the experiments -> Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids

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You can never have too many boredom busters, especially when they are full of learning! I set up this simple STEM challenge for my kids as a why to have fun and unwind after school and could not believe how much fun it turned out to be.

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Explore STEM Resources for K-12 Educators

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NASA invests in our nation’s future workforce by providing unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) opportunities for students, educators and institutions. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement collaborates with NASA STEM experts to connect both learners and educators to exciting NA…

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Rent some chromebooks from Mr. Korber and we can pair students up to work on coding!

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Learn computer science. Change the world.

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Every student in every school deserves the opportunity to study computer science.

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Potential nice weather activity and event for those pumpkins that go on clearance after halloween for STEM night!

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Information overload! Lots to check out!

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by DS Examiner

I could go on and on about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. How job openings are predicted to soar to over one million by 2020. How the U.S. government is freaking out that students aren't prepared.

But I won't. Because, frankly, this guide to STEM opportunities is for you:

You're going to take the first step on Mars.

You're going to plant farms on skyscrapers.

You're going to discover a cure for cancer.

Nuclear fusion. Virtual reality. Clean water for all. With the world facing 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering, your interest in math and science is set to pay off-big time.

You'll be the one using your problem-solving skills to find answers to impossible challenges.

You'll be the scientist leading an exploration of the Mariana Trench or the engineer building a next-generation robot.

You'll be the graduate finding a great job and earning a hefty salary.

It's your life. Know that amazing things are possible.

STEM Fun for Kids Grades K-12

Cool STEM Websites

Ask Dr. Universe: Washington State University's Ask Dr. Universe allows kids to explore various STEM topics and get answers to common questions. Have a question not covered on the site? Submit it on their "Ask" page!

Code.org: No one is too young (or old, I might add) to code. Learn how to build an iPhone game, write your first computer program, draw in JavaScript and much more.

Engineering, Go for It! (eGFI): Discover the nuts and bolts of engineering. This website contains advice on careers, entertaining info on all kinds of fields and links to the eGFI magazine.

EPA Students: Searching for news on the environment, homework resources, info on contests or ideas for an environment-based school project? Check out this website run by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Exploratorium: One of my favorites. The website of the San Francisco-based Exploratorium is jam-packed with interactive activities, videos, apps, links and more.

Extreme Science: Extremely interesting. Here you'll find wild and weird facts about nature, resources for science projects and info on all kinds of world records.

How Stuff Works: I visit this website every day. It has hundreds upon thousands of articles that explain the wonders of science (and almost everything else on the planet).

Museum of Science + Industry Chicago Online Science: Apps and activities and videos, oh my! Play games, watch baby chicks hatching, create virtual chemical reactions or use forensic science to analyze different types of candy.

NASA Education for Students: Career information, image galleries, NASA Television, features and articles ... whatever you'd like to know about aerospace, you're sure to find it here.

NASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA): SEMAA was developed to increase the participation of historically underserved K-12 youth in STEM fields. School activities and summer sessions are held throughout the nation.

NOVA: The website for PBS's popular science show is overflowing with videos and articles. Explore the wonders of evolution, nature, physics, math-practically any STEM subject that rings your bell.

Science Buddies: Get stuck on science. This website has over 1,000 ideas for science fair projects, project guides, project kits and detailed profiles of STEM careers.

Science Channel: Question everything. Along with a rundown on the Science Channel's TV programs, this website has plenty of videos, quizzes, games and the latest science news.

STEM-Works: In addition to articles and job information, STEM-Works has stocked their site with interesting activities. Test your skills in the reptile quiz. Rescue an athlete in the Bionic Games. Or, simply follow the path of great whites with the Global Shark Tracker.

TechRocket: A year-round online learning destination for kids and teens. Use the promo code "MIDSFREE" to get a free first month!

Tynker: A computing platform that allows children to develop programming skills through fun, creative courses. Join the millions of kids from around the country learning to code with Tynker!

STEM Challenges and Contests

Siemen's We Can Change the World Challenge: You have the power to save the planet. In Siemen's K-12 environmental sustainability competition, teams from across the country compete to improve their own communities. Lots of prizes.

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision: ExploraVision is a K-12 science competition with a difference. Teams of two to four students work with a teacher to simulate the challenges of real research and development.

STEM Awards

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes: This annual prize honors 25 outstanding young leaders (age 8 to 18) who have made a significant positive difference to people and/or the environment. The top 10 winners receive a $5,000 cash award to support their education.

The NEED Project's Annual Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement: NEED's annual award was established to recognize K-12 students who achieve excellence in energy education in their schools or communities.

President's Environmental Youth Awards: The PEYA program celebrates K-12 students, school classes, summer camps or youth organizations that are promoting environmental stewardship. Every year, one outstanding project from each region is selected for national recognition.

STEM Career Resources

Bureau of Labor Statistics K-12: The U.S. Department of Labor has been busy. Here you'll find charts, maps and many other resources on careers and the U.S. economy.

WeUseMath.org: Ever wondered (as I frequently did) when you're going to use math in real life? This website on math careers has more than a few answers.

Government STEM Initiatives

Educate to Innovate: Launched in 2009, Educate to Innovate aims to move U.S. students from the middle to the top of the heap in science and math achievement. It's spawned a number of federal efforts and philanthropic initiatives (see below).

STEM AmeriCorps: This multi-year initiative is focused on placing AmeriCorps members in STEM non-profits (such as FIRST) to work in underserved communities.

White House Science Fair: At this science fair, the President serves as the host! Students are honored for innovative projects, designs and experiments while the White House streams the event live.

Women in STEM: In collaboration with the White House Council on Women and Girls, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has instigated a number of efforts to increase the participation of girls in STEM subjects.

Philanthropic STEM Initiatives

Change the Equation: Led by CEOs, this nonprofit seeks to mobilize the business community to improve the quality of STEM education across the U.S.

Connect a Million Minds (CAMM): Sponsored by Time Warner Cable, CAMM is a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative that aims to inspire students to develop STEM skills.

US2020.org: The ultimate aim of this nonprofit is to mobilize one million STEM mentors annually by 2020.

Youth Inspired Challenge (YIC): Created by the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), YIC is designed to expand the impact of STEM learning outside the classroom.

STEM Fun for Elementary School Kids

Cool STEM Websites

PBS Kids

Cyberchase: Help Jackie, Matt and Inez use math to protect the digital universe from evil. Don't worry: Cyberchase has lots of math games, videos and activities to aid you in your quest.

Design Squad Nation: Design anything (!) your mind might imagine. Through Design Squad challenges, videos and tutorials, you'll discover all there is to know about engineering principles.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!: Pre-K STEM games, activities and videos galore. The adventurous Cat in the Hat is even ready to lead you on an exotic math safari adventure

The Greens: Wondering what you can do to protect the planet? The Greens have some great ideas, including games, activity guides and their very own carbon calculator.

Lifeboat to Mars: Explore the world of biology with this free online game. In one simulation (Microland) you control hungry microbes. In another (Ecoland), you have to balance out the space station's ecosystem.

Zoom: Hot science and cool ideas. You'll find all kinds of activities and experiments on Zoom's website, including things like lemon juice rockets, crazy straw bridges and bubble cities.

Science Games and Apps

Math Games and Apps

STEM Contests

Junior FIRST® LEGO® League: Are you a LEGO® fiend? Then this is the contest for you. You'll use LEGO® bricks to design and build a moving model; then, you'll assemble a Show Me poster to showcase your solution. For kids age 6 to 9.

NSBE KidZone Elementary Science Olympiad: Collect a team and test your science skills in 18 different events at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) National Convention. Open to grades three to five. Those in kindergarten through second grade compete in a non-competitive league.

Perennial Math Tournaments: A virtual math tournament (via videoconferencing) for both teams and individuals. Open to grades three to eight.

STEM Camps

Audubon Nature Camps: Audobon offers a ton of Nature Camps throughout the country. Beginning in April, they start taking applications for Wild Birds Pathways to Nature.

Camp Invention: Daydreams become discoveries at this summer day camp. Created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Camp Invention presents essential STEM concepts through creative hands-on activities.

Camp KAOS: To infinity and beyond! These cool flight and space adventure-themed camps take place at the Smithsonian-affiliated Kansas Cosmophere and Space Center (KAOS) in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Destination Science Camp: Spend a week this summer creating robots, building a digital music system, training an electric-powered chameleon or even preparing for a mission to the moon! Held at 130 locations in six states.

Digital Media Academy Adventures Camp: Digital Media's award-winning camps cover everything from cartoon creation to computer programming to advanced robotics with LEGO® EV3. For kids age 8 to 12.

Engineering for Kids: Engineering for Kids is an education company for kids age 4 to 14. It offers a variety of STEM programs, including in-school field trips, birthday parties, workshops and camps.

Engineering Summer Camps: Interested in building the world's future? The Engineering Education Service Center has put together a state-by-state list of engineering summer camps.

iD Tech Camps: The sky's the limit at iD Tech's day and overnight camps. Make your own video game, program your own app or even code in Java.

KinderCare® Summer Camps: From the wacky wet science of water to the basics of surviving in the wilderness, KinderCare offers a variety of programs for pre-K through school-age kids.

Science Explorers: Sharks and submarines, potions and slime, castles and catapults .. whatever you love, these science summer camps have just the activity for you. Offered in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Snapology: Snapology partners with schools around the country to offer STEAM programs, contests, and camps. The programs are interactive, which allows kids to learn through hands-on instruction and play. Programs are offered in a number of different formats, including after school, on weekends, and over the summer.

Vision Tech Camps: Vision Tech offers camps for kids ages 7-17 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Camp topics include robotics, programming, minecraft, and more.

Youth Digital Summer Camps: Design 3-D models for Minecraft, create your own video game or even direct a 3-D animation! These camps focused on digital technology are held in various southern cities. For kids age 8 to 16.

STEM Career Resources

Career Aisle: Elementary: Dreaming about what you want to be when you grow up? These videos about jobs in science, technology, engineering and math can help you decide.

Note: There are plenty of state and regional organizations that didn't make it onto my list. If you're interested in local camps, scholarships and after-school activities, I also recommend checking with your teachers and school.

STEM Fun for Middle School Kids

Cool STEM Websites

The Big Brain Theory - Discovery Channel: Competitors on this TV show have just 30 minutes to come up with a solution to an (seemingly) impossible engineering challenge.

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Bill's entertaining television episodes cover everything from comets to the science of music. Have some fun with his home demos.

Chi Alpha Mu: Otherwise known as the National Junior Mathematics Club, Chi Alpha Mu is the younger sibling of Mu Alpha Theta. Check out its list of contests and summer grants.

Environmental Health Student Portal: Interested in learning more about chemicals, air quality and water pollution? This website has videos, games and experiments to help you along.

Kids Ahead: A STEM bonanza. Kids Ahead is packed with all kinds of resources, including scavenger hunts, videos, articles, links to local activities and fun events and info on cool jobs, that inspire and excite.

MathMovesU: Hone your math skills with online games, virtual thrill rides and national competitions! MathMovesU also offers a variety of scholarships and sponsorships.

MythBusters - Discovery Channel: The folks at MythBusters use experiments to bust rumors, myths and urban legends. (During their Cannonball Chemistry experiment, they accidentally drove a cannonball through the side of a house.)

Sally Ride Science: Founded by America's first female astronaut, Sally Ride Science hosts a number of student programs, including science festivals and overnight camps.

Science Bob: Bob is a science teacher who loves to experiment (often on Jimmy Kimmel). His website has videos, links and plenty of ideas for build-your-own experiments and science fair projects.

SciJinks: It's all about the weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and NASA put together this educational website to teach kids about meteorology and earth science. Check out their games section.

Scratch: Designed for kids age 8 to 16, Scratch is a place where you can program your own interactive stories, games and animations. A project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab.

TechRocket: A great learning tool for kids interested in programming, graphic design, and more! Use the promo code "MIDSFREE" to get a free first month!

STEM Games and Apps

STEM Camps

Science and Technology Contests

Math Contests

AMC 8: Test your math skills in this 25-question, 40-minute multiple choice contest (held every November).

MATHCOUNTS Competition Series: MATHCOUNTS holds a series of "bee-style" contests in over 500 local chapters. Top teams advance to the state competition and then to the National Competition in May.

MATHCOUNTS Math Video Challenge: Create your very own math video with your friends and classmates and be in the running to win a college scholarship!

Perennial Math Tournaments: A virtual math tournament (via videoconferencing) for both teams and individuals. Open to grades three to eight.

Rocket City Math League (RCML): Sponsored by Mu Alpha Theta, RCML is a year-long, four-round math competition. Trophies are mailed to top-ranked middle school and high school students at the end of the year.

U.S.A. Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS): Pit your problem-solving skills against some of the toughest conundrums out there. Because of the level of difficulty, USAMTS allows students a full month or more to work out solutions.

STEM Career Resources

Career Aisle: Middle School: Wondering what the future might hold? Explore some of the options available to you in science, technology, engineering and math. Lots of videos.

Kids.gov Jobs: Get the skinny on every job under the sun. Wondering what marine biologists do? Want to watch a video on becoming a veterinarian? You're in the right place.

iON Future: If website browsing isn't your style, you can always play this free STEM career exploration game. It's geared toward middle school and early high school students.

NASA Look to the Future: Careers in Space: You don't have to be an astronaut to work in the space program. NASA has a list of other professions, including robotics engineer, computer scientist and oceanographer, for you to consider.

Note: There are plenty of state and regional organizations that didn't make it onto my list. If you're interested in local camps, scholarships and after-school activities, I also recommend checking with your teachers and school.

STEM Fun for High School Kids

Cool STEM Websites

Arrick Robotics: This the prettiest website in the world, but if you're looking for robotics resources, this is the place to be. Includes lists of competitions and contests, groups and clubs, games and simulation.

Codeacademy: Learn to code interactively (and for free). Codeacademy offers coding classes in major programming languages like Python, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript and Ruby.

DiscoverE: Thinking about engineering? DiscoverE has a selection of resources on careers, preparing for college and research schools. You might also want to check out their list of videos, trips, websites and hands-on activities.

Mu Alpha Theta: Also known as the National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta has over 100,000 student members. It organizes a national math convention, offers special awards and provides competitions.

Student Science: A central spot for science news, blogs, resources and information about Intel competitions. Sample article titles include "Native 'snot'" and "A library with no books."

TechRocket: Neat tool for exploring programming languages, 2D and 3D game design, and more. Use the promo code "MIDSFREE" to get a free first month!

STEM Games and Apps

STEM Camps

Science and Technology Contests

Math Contests

STEM Grants and Opportunities

InvenTeam: InventTeams are made up of students, teachers and mentors who receive grants of up to $10,000 to devise technological solutions to real-world problems (you can choose your own problem).

iSTEM Scholars Program: Live in California and looking at a STEM-related profession? You might want to consider this after-school and summer program. You'll go on field trips, receive individual tutoring and be prepped for national tests.

Planet Connect Student Grants: Have a passion for protecting wildlife and native habitats? Planet Connect offers high school students grants of $1,000 to implement local projects and participate in wildlife or natural resource internships.

STEM Career Resources

Note: There are plenty of state and regional organizations that didn't make it onto my list. If you're interested in local camps, scholarships and after-school activities, I also recommend checking with your teachers and school.

STEM Fun for Girls

Cool STEM Websites

STEM Awards

NSTA Angela Award: The National Science Teachers Association awards a $1,000 US EE Savings Bond to one female student in fifth through eighth grade who is involved in or has a strong connection to science.

STEM Camps

Note: There are plenty of state and regional organizations that didn't make it onto my list. If you're interested in local camps, scholarships and after-school activities, I also recommend checking with your teachers and school.

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The Ultimate STEM Guide for Kids: 239 Cool Sites

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by DS Examiner I could go on and on about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. How job openings are predicted to soar to over one million by 2020. How the U.S. government is freaking out that students aren't prepared. But I won't.

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This is a very user-friendly site. Scroll down to bottom right where you see green tabbed activites and click on those!

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Lots of activites here. Click on activites tab to find some long and short ideas.

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Calling all Investigators! The STEM-Works team from SMU needs your help with a paper chromatography lab at the 2012 USA Science and E...

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Check out this blog for lots of ideas. Yes you can access this blog even with our firewall :-)

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STEM Family Nights are awesome! They generate excitement for STEM in your school and community by allowing students, teachers, and families to explore STEM together in a fun way! I planned my first STEM Night this past November, and after a big success, we planned three more! We worked with each middle school campus to create a family night that best fit the school culture, and we were excited to have over 400 participants engaged in activities each night. We got the whole school involved from administrators, teachers, coaches, student organizations, and parents to put on a meaningful night of STEM exploration. Want to plan your own night? Read on to learn how!

What is a STEM Family Night?

A STEM Family Night is an evening of hands-on science, math, and engineering activities for students and families to complete together. The event includes a range of activities covering different STEM topics and connections to exciting STEM careers. You can select a theme such as space or environment. You may also want to connect with relevant standards, especially during testing season. If you are new to STEM, you can read more about the basics of STEM education here. To get started on your STEM Family Night planning, here are some basic steps to follow.

Step 1: Get Support

A STEM Family Night can be a big undertaking and requires support from school administration and teachers. Reaching out to math and science departments is important for recruiting teacher volunteers and advertising to students, but other departments should also be included. Here are some more ideas for additional support:

Local engineering companies for sponsors, volunteers, or providing raffle prizes

Local universities with science and engineering departments that can provide STEM students to support activities

Parent volunteers to help prepare activities, fundraising, and support event logistics

High school STEM clubs such as robotics that can bring demonstrations or volunteer at a station

Step 2: Choose Activities

Choose activities in advance to allow for teachers to sign-up for stations, use in marketing, and plan logistics. I recommend about 6 stations that can be spread throughout the cafeteria or gym depending on expected participation.

Recommended for stations:

Quick, hands-on activity that can be completed in under 10 minutes

Accessible to all ages

Opportunity to design and build

Requires only a short list of readily available materials

Wide-range of topics covered to cater to a range of student interests

NOT Recommended for stations:

Talks or presentations - you may want to have a kick-off talk, but keep it short

Displays from companies that don't include a hands-on component

Overly time-consuming or extensive activities with multiple steps

Same type of activity for all stations

For our STEM night, we had a mix of engineering design challenges, science experiments, math activities, programming / robotics games, and team-building challenges. Below is a sample of our activities, but you can get the full guide here.

Step 3: Logistics

STEM Family Nights will vary depending on school culture and family engagement. In general, a STEM Night should not exceed more than 2 hours and is recommended to be an open event for all students and families. You should consider the following:

Is transportation an issue for students? It was for us, so we started immediately after school.

Will food be provided? We had a carnival style theme with a food truck serving kettle corn and slushies. It was a huge hit!

Do families need to RSVP? We made it an open, come and go event for families.

How will you promote the event? We made announcements, posted fliers, called parents, and sent emails. However, the biggest draw was promotion by teachers, especially promises of extra credit.

For space, we considered various options at each school. We decided to spread the stations across the cafeteria plus a few classrooms or library. Below is the Straw Rockets station in the cafeteria. The signs were targets for the students to aim at with their rockets.

I highly recommend the use of a STEM Passport for your night. Participants receive the passport at the start of the night and get stamps for each completed activity. Stamps allowed students to get kettle corn or slushies, and this was a great way to keep students focused and engaged. Our STEM Family Night Planning Guide includes an editable version of this passport. Teachers collected these passports to provide extra credit.

Final Thoughts

Provide extra seating for elderly or young children

Make a diagram of activities and present to administration and custodial staff

Create a welcome area with sign-in sheets and STEM Passports

Create signs and a tri-fold for each station with additional information

Refreshments: Students can be rewarded with a food ticket upon completing a set number of activities. 2 stamps = food ticket

Raffle prizes: Raffle tickets can be another incentive for participation

We hope you find these tips useful for planning your own STEM Family Night! For more information, you can purchase Vivify's all-inclusive planning guide that includes all of our activities, a planning checklist, a complete budget and materials list, editable marketing materials, STEM resource handouts, and more!

Best of luck on your STEM Family Night!

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STEM Family Nights are awesome! They generate excitement for STEM in your school and community by allowing students, teachers, and families to explore STEM together in a fun way! I planned my first STEM Night this past November, and after a big success, we planned three more!