Looking for fun Christmas or winter activities that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and/or math? Christmas-Winter STEM / STEAM Challenges sure to engage with brain-busting work disguised as fun!

The basic premise: 
Students work in partners or groups against criteria & constraints lists to design and build Winter/Christmas-themed devices. Modification suggestions are included to make these challenges engaging and productive for students in grades 2 – 8.

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There are five STEM design challenge events included in this bundle:

• Candy Cane Calamity
• Reindeer Relay
• Sled (or Sleigh) and Slope
• Frozen Fortress
• Snowman Stretch

This bundle saves you ~40% off the cost of buying each challenge separately. What a bargain! ☺

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See the preview below:

 

Note: This is the printable version.

If you are in a 1:1 / paperless classroom,
you will want to check out the digital option for use with Google Slides ™ instead.

 

If you have questions about which version is right for you, please feel free to reach out with a question: [email protected].

Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. Materials lists can be found in the product descriptions for each individual challenge linked above.

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Resource includes:

• Overall STEM Tips
– Suggestions on timing and whether or not to treat these challenges as competitions
– What to say (and what not to say) during STEM Challenges
– 5-event Data Tracker handout (color and B&W)

Plus, each challenge comes with:

• NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8

• Teacher Tips
– Links to STEM Challenge “How-to” Videos
– Links to challenge-specific video walk-throughs
– Materials and timing
– Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
– Measuring results
– Post-design extension activities list

• Student Handouts
– Criteria and Constraints list (editable version provided)
– Results and Design Data Analysis
– Discussion Questions

• Extension templates
– Process Flow Map
– Math Extension
– Additional handouts vary by challenge

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Benefits of this STEM Design Challenge:
– Focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and application of learning
– Helps students develop growth mindset traits like persistence and resilience
– High levels of student engagement
– The potential to hit upon all NGSS ETS standards depending on the depth and number of iterations you choose to implement in your classroom (modifications included)
– Highly flexible and differentiated for materials, timing, grade levels, and rigor.

Each design iteration should be planned for ~60 – 90 min. if you are including data gathering and analysis rather than just building for fun. If you add extension activities, you will need to adjust timing accordingly.

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NOTE: You can save even more by purchasing this bundle as part of the
STEM CHALLENGE YEAR-ROUND MEGA-BUNDLE!!!

 

 

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This resource is also available in a digital 1:1 format, compatible with Google Slides ™!

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If you prefer to purchase on TPT, click here. 

Note: Any coupon codes you received for subscribing to the email are for this site and will not work on TpT.