Okay, guys. These are two of my favorite STEM projects that I used with my 7th grade science class back in the day during our unit on energy. Whether you’re a teacher gathering ideas for the new school year or a parent trying to keep your own kiddos busy until they head back to school (or both!), you’re going to want to check these out.
Best of all, like the Tin Can Robot activity, both of these activities combine fun food, recycling, and science!
Now, I’m not going to reinvent the wheel, so today I’m sending you off to check out some recommended resources. Let’s jump in!
Pizza Box Solar Ovens from Scientific American: Did I mention fun food? Eat pizza, recycle box, make S’mores. What more could you ask for?
Pringles Pinhole Cameras: First, go read this National Geographic article (or at least look at the pictures. They will WOW you.). If you’re one of those tl;dr people (and even if you’re not…), watch this video and then show it to your kids. This activity illustrates how we see what we see. Here’s a simple explanation…When light reflects off of an object or scene, the image that is formed on our retina is upside-down. Our brain interprets the information and “flips” the image.
Your Turn! Did you make a solar oven or pinhole camera? What did you and your kids learn? What are your favorite STEM projects that you have used in or out of the classroom?