Fun Ways To Teach STEM to Students
The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields will always be highly relevant in the professional world and only seem to grow in importance as new innovations become a part of our daily lives. As teachers work to equip the next generation with the skills to succeed and contribute to the future in a positive way, they should also try to include STEM in curriculum so children can gain familiarity with it from an early age. But many students may not immediately find STEM intrinsically interesting. Ignite a passion for learning with these fun ways to teach STEM to students.
Designing Rollercoaster Models
Physics lies at the heart of designing all sorts of structures, vehicles, and tools that people use in everyday life. You can introduce students to concepts such as potential and kinetic energy, gravity, and acceleration by having them design model rollercoasters. Provide materials such as marbles, tubing, tape, and wood frames so your students can work to create rollercoasters that allow the marbles to roll all the way to the end without stopping. They will see the way gravity acts on the marbles as well as the manifestation of potential and kinetic energy. You can also accompany the activity with problems for them to solve regarding changes in velocity along different parts of their rollercoaster.
Experimenting with Insulators
Experiments are perhaps the most straightforward method for helping students understand scientific ideas. One experiment that is easy to set up and carry out is an insulator experiment. Have students fill four plastic cups with aluminum foil, cotton balls, and Styrofoam, leaving one cup empty. Next, have them place smaller paper cups within the plastic cups and add in equal amounts of water to each paper cup. Direct them to cover each cup with plastic wrap, place all four cups on a baking pan, and put the pans in a freezer. Have them take out the pans periodically to see which cup’s water has started to freeze first. Students will learn the concepts behind how engineers make buildings and packages that slow the exchange of heat to keep people comfortable and preserve perishable goods.
Coding and Building Robots
Robots are a fun way to teach STEM to students because they capture their attention and get them involved in computer coding. You can use ready-made learning tools such as Wonder Workshop’s robots and accompanying apps to teach kids how to understand and use various programming languages. They can then use this knowledge to command their robot to move according to their directions. Raspberry Pi is another option, which can serve as a basis for students in higher grade levels to build working robots and code them at the same time.
After setting up a Raspberry Pi computer, students can wire together a robot using motors and batteries and connect these to the ports on the Pi. With computers dominating all aspects of modern society, students will have a strong foundation that they can use to go deeper into related computer science industries.
