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

The “M” in this STEM challenge should be an extra-large capital letter, because it is definitely the focus in this 2-D challenge!

The basic premise:

Individually or in partners/small groups, students will design the “heaviest” heart possible.

– Using a criteria/constraints list, students create small hearts of various colors & sizes. Point values are assigned to each color group based on its size. Students arrange various configurations of their smaller hearts inside a large, outer heart in order to create the “heaviest” possible heart. (“Heaviest” is in quotation marks because we are not measuring weight; rather, we are assigning point values to inner hearts.)

This challenge can be run simply (focusing on shape creation & manipulation, measurement, addition, and symmetry), or you can add complexity (focusing on length/width ratios, multiplying & dividing decimals, percent contribution, etc.). Two criteria/constraints lists are provided to highlight either end of the spectrum along with editable versions.

 

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Note: This is the digital format, compatible with Google Slides ™.

For the print version, click here.

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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 Slides
  • Post-design extension activities list
  • Link to a video walk-through of the challenge

• Student Slides
  • Outer “Heavy” Heart outline (printable option included)
  • Criteria & Constraints List (editable)
  • Design Analysis
  • Discussion Questions

• Extension slides
  • Process flow map
  • Create & solve math problems based on designs
  • 12 math problem task card slides of increasing difficulty

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Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:

(Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified. You don’t need to provide all of the following materials. Select a subset and/or add in your own ideas.)

For each student or group:

• Colored construction or printer paper (3 – 6 sheets)
  • Recommended one sheet each of red, pink, and purple per partner/group
• Colored pencils or crayons
• Scissors
• Rulers
• Heart outline copies
• Design analysis handouts

Optional:

• Folders, Ziploc bags, or large envelopes to contain cutouts if using on multiple days.
• Glue (if you want students to glue their final design in place)
• Calculators (for younger students and/or those with special needs)

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This resource is also available in print format and as part of the Valentine’s Day and the Mega STEM Challenge bundles. Click through below:

 

If you prefer to purchase on TPT, click here. 

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