This competition will be at Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 in New Oxford, PA.
This competition will be at Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 in New Oxford, PA.
Embedded Files
2027 STEM Design Challenge
LIU12 Regional Competition:
4th-5th = February 24, 2027
6th-8th = February 25, 2027
Competition Schedule
9:00 - 9:25 AM - Registration and Check In
9:25 - 9:30 AM - Welcome, Logistics, Instructions
9:30 - 11:30 AM - Construction Time
11:30 - 12:30 PM - Lunch (to be brought/packed)
12:30 - 12:55 PM – Awards
1:00 PM – Dismissal
STEM Challenge
EcoThrills - The Sustainable Amusement Ride Challenge:
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Your team has been hired to design the newest attraction for an amusement park unlike any other —
park where "green" is the main event. The owners are committed to building a fun, family-friendly
destination that runs on clean energy, minimizes waste, and inspires every visitor to think about their
impact on the planet.
In this challenge, elementary and middle school students will design and build a working amusement
park ride using a prototype constructed of K'Nex and/or Engino. The ride must move, operate, or
demonstrate motion in some way, and it must clearly showcase an environmentally friendly approach to
how it is powered, built, or operated.
Teams should consider how their ride reduces its environmental footprint and may choose to incorporate
recycled or reused materials into other aspects of the model outside of the K'Nex/Engino prototype, such as
background settings showcasing visual representations of clean energy sources, to highlight environmentally
responsible thinking and enhance the model's commitment to sustainability.
Competition Rules:
Competition Rules:
● A team of 2-4 students will work together on the project.
● Students must create their prototype using no more than 1400 K’Nex and/or Engino pieces. String, tape, and rubber bands are permitted. 3D printed pieces are NOT allowed.
● Teams must bring their materials to the competition and will have 2 hours to recreate their project for judging. Prototypes must be built "from scratch."
● There can be no pre-constructed components brought to the competition. Pieces can be organized in labelled bags but must be fully unassembled and stay in the bag until the competition begins.
● Projects must fit on a 6-foot-long table. No water, live plants, or live animals may be used as part of the display.
● Each team must submit a design notebook and blueprint for viewing at the competition.
● Each team must prepare a presentation (2 minutes or less) on their model and how it answers the challenge.
For more information, visit the STEM Design Challenge website.
Judging Criteria
Prototype Design
Design Notebook
Blueprint
Teamwork
Creativity
Presentation
Competition
Awards will be given to top three teams in grades 4-5 and grades 6-8.
The 1st place team in each division (grades 4-5 and grades 6-8) at each Intermediate Unit regional competition will advance to the state competition.
The state competition will be held on TBD at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA.
PARTS OF THE COMPETITION
PARTS OF THE COMPETITION
Design Notebook
This should be a journal of the team’s progress from start to finish.
The Notebook should include elements of the Engineering Design Process.
Blueprint
A blueprint is a technical drawing or design plan for a project. It is used to represent the final product.
Blueprints for the STEM Design Challenge can be a drawing, cad drawing, online sketch, etc. Pictures should not be used.
Prototype
Teams will answer the challenge by creating a prototype of their idea using K’Nex pieces and/or Engino.
The prototype will be a representation of their solution. They may expand on their solution during the presentation.
Teams may include a backdrop or artwork, but judges will not consider this in their scoring.
Projects must fit on a 6' Table. Water may not be included in the display.
Presentation
Teams are asked to share their ideas in a presentation for the judges.
Each presentation will be 2 minutes or less.
Every student on the team should participate in the presentation.
Judges may ask questions of the team after the presentation.
Note - There is no budget this year for middle school students.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
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