Looking for St. Patrick’s Day activities that your students will love but are more than just a craft or activity to pass the time? This St. Patrick’s STEM Challenge (or STEAM Challenge) will keep your students engaged in brain-busting work disguised as fun!

Note: If you are in a 1:1 classroom, you may prefer the
digital format, compatible with Google Slides ™.

Resource includes:

• NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8

• Teacher Tips:
  • Links to my 5-part video series on getting started with STEM challenges
  • Materials and timing
  • Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
  • Measuring results
  • Universal STEM Challenge Notes & How to Use Student Handouts
  • Post-design extension activities list
  • Link to a video walk-through of the challenge

• Student Handouts:
  • Criteria & Constraints List (in color and B&W; editable)
  • Results and Design Analysis (2-page regular spacing and 4-page expanded) spacing for primary students included in color and and B&W; editable)
  • Leprechaun Lore List (in color and B&W; editable)
  • Discussion Questions (color and B&W; editable)

• Extension templates
  • Process Flow Map
  • Writing Templates
  • Rainbow Research Log (editable)
  • Math Extension

Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:

For each student or group:

• Gold chocolate coins (5 – 10)
• Almond Hershey’s Kisses or Rolos are a good alternate – easier to find and often less expensive
• Small cups, bowls, or coffee filters (1 – 3)
• Pipe cleaners (5 – 10)
• String/yarn (24 – 36 in.)
• Shoeboxes and/or cardboard scraps (distributed evenly among groups)
• Craft sticks (5 – 10)
• Tape (12 – 24 in.)
• Rubber bands (5 – 10)
• Scissors
• Second-timer
• Design analysis handouts (included)
• Leprechaun Lore List (included)

Optional:

• Plastic baggies (1 – 2)
• Clothespins (2 – 4)
• Paperclips (10 – 20)
• Straws (5 – 10)
• Toothpicks (10 – 20)
• Brass brads/fasteners (2 – 4)
• Single hole-punch

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 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.

This resource is available in a digital 1:1 format, compatible with Google Slides (TM), as well as in discounted bundles.

Digital format – compatible with Google Slides (TM)

Printable Discounted Bundle

Digital Discounted Bundle

If you prefer to purchase on TpT, click here.

Note: any coupon/promo codes for this site will only work on this site. TpT does not have the option for individual stores to offer promo codes.

Preview Music Credit:

“Carefree” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/