STEMsparks
Try solving one of our STEMsparks below! The goal of these tasks and activities is to SPARK your learning of concepts related to STEM. We will post a new STEM Spark each week.
Inspired by Dan Meyer's Three-Act Math Tasks, we have created videos to introduce and wrap-up each STEM Spark. The videos help introduce these challenging tasks visually. We encourage you to be creative and persevere in solving them. We hope they SPARK your interest in STEM and exploring other STEM-related resources.
STEMspark #19: Energy
from the Tickle College of Engineering
Learn about the conservation of energy through two interesting experiments!
STEMspark #18: Hover Craft
from the Tickle College of Engineering
Learn how make a mini hover craft and test it out!
Part 1: Make a Mini Hover Craft
Part 2: Test Your Hover Craft
STEMspark #17: Density Spark
from the Tickle College of Engineering
Learn about density through a fun experiment!
STEMspark #16: Bowling
from the Tickle College of Engineering
Learn about momentum through a bowling activity!
STEMspark #15: Ants
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles Micucci. Then complete the three activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read The Backyard Bug: Book for Kids or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Ant Song
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
none
Ant Spelling Numbers
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
white sheet of paper
4 popsicle sticks
cup
tape
crayons or colored pencils
scissors
1 marker
Parts of an Ant
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
1 popsicle stick
1 straw
3 crayons (colors of your choice)
1 Marker
STEMspark #14: Insects
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the The Backyard Bug: Book for Kids by Lauren Davidson. Then complete the three activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read The Backyard Bug: Book for Kids or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Create a Firefly Home
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Clear cup
Snap cubes/blocks
Stickers (firefly or dot stickers)
Pen, marker, or pencil
Flashlight (optional)
Insect or Not Activity
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
2 cups
Crayons or markers
Paper
Scissors
Bug stickers
Dot stickers
Pen or pencil
Make an Insect
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
3 popsicle sticks
Snap cubes/blocks
Crayons
Pencil or pen
Dot stickers
Tape
2-3 straws
Scissors
STEMspark #13: Praying Mantis
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis. Then complete the three activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read My Awesome Summer or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Make a Praying Mantis Mask
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Sheet of paper
Scissors
Crayons or markers
Glue
Popsicle stick
Praying Mantis Camouflage
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Pencil or pen
Crayons, markers, or coloring pencils
Tape
Piece of paper
Praying Mantis Yoga
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Yoga mat or blanket
STEMspark #12: Flies
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the Diary of a Fly. Then complete the three activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read Diary of a Fly or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Skip Counting and Place Value Activity
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
paper
page of circle stickers
crayons
marker
pencil
Life Cycle of a Fly Activity
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
piece of a straw
2 plastic cups
marker
popsicle sticks
Making Flies and Skip Counting
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
4 plastic cups
Page of circle stickers
Crayons
insect stickers
STEMspark #11: Dragonflies
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the Are you a Dragonfly. Then complete the three activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read Are you a Dragonfly or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Make a Dragonfly and Learn About how they Grow
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
tape or glue
scissors
2 popsicle sticks
Markers or crayons
a piece of paper
Learn about a Dragonfly's Special Eyes
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Plastic cup
Crayons
Marker
Pen
a piece of paper
Learn About the Anatomy of a Dragonfly
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Piece of paper
permanent marker
Crayons
STEMspark #10: Butterflies
This STEMspark connects STEM and literacy. First, watch the video below or read the A Butterfly is Patient. Then complete the four activities below by gathering the materials listed and watching the instructional videos.
Read A Butterfly is Patient or watch the video below.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Butterfly Anatomy
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
Scissors
Crayons
Tape
Pen or pencil
1 popsicle stick
Butterfly Stages
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
3 plastic cups
popsicle stick
marker or pen
pencil
crayons
stickers (insects and page of circle stickers
How to Draw a Butterfly
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
a piece of paper
Crayons, markers, or coloring pencils
Stages of a Butterfly
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Materials Needed:
2 plastic cups
2 pieces of paper
Crayons
Black marker
Tape or glue
Scissors
STEMspark #9: Area of a Circle
First watch the Intro Video and try these questions:
Will this always work for any circle? What properties of a circle help us know this?
If we could make smaller and smaller sector wedges, what kind of parallelogram would our circle start to look like? Would it ever approximate a perfect square? Why is this so?
Then watch the Wrap- Up Video and try these questions:
Solve the area of a rectangle with length 5 and width 8:
Solve the area of a circle with radius 3
Using the area from part three, what would the area of a single sector be if we cut the circle into 8 sectors?
Review this presentation that was used in the Intro and Wrap-Up videos.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Intro
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #8: The Color Taste Test
Do we taste with our taste buds or do we taste based on what we see? Try this Color Taste Test to find out.
Materials:
Cup of water
5 clear cups
Food dye
Sprite or another clear drink
Your Task:
Pour Sprite in each of the 5 clear cups and put a different color of food dye in each cup.
Ask a volunteer to participate and take a drink of water to cleanse his/her taste palette.
Ask the volunteer to keep their eyes open and take a sip of each cup and drink of water after each sip.
Ask the volunteer the following questions:
What was your favorite drink?
Did you taste any different flavors?
Then have the volunteer close their eyes and take a sip of each cup and drink of water after each sip.
Again, ask the volunteer the following questions:
What was your favorite drink?
Did you taste any different flavors?
Compare the volunteer's answers.
Finally, reveal to the volunteer that all the cups have the same drink. Have the volunteer take a sip from each cup again after being aware that all the cups have the same drink.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Intro
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #7: Index Card Tower Challenge
Inspired by Matt Farrell's YouTube STEM Challenge.
Your Challenge:
Using 12 index cards, build the tallest tower that you can.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Intro
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #6: Plastic Audit Challenge
Protect our Planet Challenge:
This Earth Day challenge was shared by the Tennessee STEM Innovator Network. Although, Earth Day has passed, it is always good to find ways to protect our planet. Students participate in this challenge to protect our planet by engaging in a plastic audit. How can you reduce plastic waste at your home?
Watch the video below for an introduction to the Plastic Audit Challenge and examples of simple ways to save plastic waste.
Your Task:
Go around your house and find places in your home where you use plastic.
Identify ways you can swap the plastic items for other reusable or recyclable items that would save plastic waste.
Write about or draw a picture of ways you can reduce plastic waste in your home. Please share your ideas with us using the Google form.
For more Earth Day challenges, visit EarthDay.org
STEMspark #5: Design a Recycled Prototype of a Business that Allows for Social Distancing
Design Challenge:
This design challenge was inspired by Stephanie Prince's tweet. The grocery store prototype created by one of her 3rd graders at Adrian Burnett Elementary School is shown in the picture below.
We would like you to create a prototype of a business that allows for social distancing using recycled materials. You can choose a business from the following list or select a different business:
restaurant
grocery store
healthcare clinic
veterinary hospital
convenient store or gas station
auto-repair shop
post office
STEMspark #4: Is Rock, Paper, Scissors, Fair?
Use this handout to complete this STEM Spark.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Intro
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #3: Microplastics in East Tennessee
Your Task:
We would like you to come up with a plan to eliminate or reduce the microplastics in the TN river. Your plan should include:
method of microplastic removal
estimated cost to implement your method
projected timeline of success
plan for sustainability after method is initiated
You will record your final ideas on the paper or on a computer and share it with your friends, family, or back to us.
References:
Intro
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #2: The Game of NIM
Three Rules:
You need 10 small objects in a line.
This game requires two players (take turns).
When it is your turn, you will pick up one or two objects.
The Winner is the person who picks up the last object or two objects!
Your task:
Play several times and try different strategies. Come up with a strategy that allows you to win every time!
Remember: STEM is problem solving. STEM is thinking about strategies and trying them!
We were inspired by the Family Math book. Check out this book for additional information about NIM.
Check out the Nrich site for another version of NIM and other similar games that involve strategy thinking: https://nrich.maths.org/1204
Intro
Wrap-Up
STEMspark #1: Cut-A-Card Task
Materials Needed:
3" X 5" Index cards
Scissors
Practice paper (optional)
This task comes from the Family Math book by Stenmark, Thompson, and Cossey (1986). You can purchase this book to see this task and many other engaging tasks by clicking the button below.
For more tasks to develop visualization skills, visit Jo Boaler's YouCubed website.