Distance learning STEAM activities, ideas, and strategies
Check out DiscoverE's robust library of STEAM activities and video challenges you can use to engage students in engineering at home and online!
Students are encouraged to share their challenge results by emailing photos to social@discovere.org.
Use our Tips for Distance Learning resource to explore options for sharing design challenges with kids. And check out articles with remote learning strategies for educators and parents!
At Home Engineering
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DiscoverE Challenge: Harmless Holder
Design a beverage holder that won’t hurt wildlife or pollute the environment!
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Environmental, Industrial & Manufacturing -
DiscoverE Challenge: Power Boat
Design and build a boat that moves through water powered by a rubber band.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Mechanical -
DiscoverE Challenge: Sticky Glue
Make and test your own glue!
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Material Science -
DiscoverE Challenge: Slow It Down
Design an aircraft that falls as slowly as possible before landing on a target.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8, 9-12Discipline(s):Aerospace -
DiscoverE Challenge: Step Launcher
Design a way to launch a small ball off the floor so you can catch it!
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Mechanical -
DiscoverE Challenge: Critical Load
Build a house of cards and see how much weight it can support before it collapses.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Civil -
DiscoverE Challenge: Tallest Cup Tower
Build a stable tower out of cups and make it as tall as possible!
Grade(s):K-2, 3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Civil -
DiscoverE Challenge: Pen Factory
Think like an industrial engineer and create your own assembly line! Design the most efficient way to assemble a collection of pens.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Discipline(s):Industrial & Manufacturing -
Tips on Distance Learning
Learn why open-ended design challenges are so well-suited for remote learning and explore options for sharing with students at home.
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At Home: Water Pollution Clean Up
Healthy water is important for humans as well as for the environment. Can you design a water filter to remove pollutants?
Grade(s):K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Topic(s):GreenDiscipline(s):Agricultural & Biological -
At Home: Colorful Chemistry
Red cabbage juice makes a colorful chemical indicator for acids and bases around the home.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8, 9-12Discipline(s):Chemical -
At Home: Build an Earthquake Resistant Structure
Build structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows then test them on a home-made shake table.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Topic(s):StructuresDiscipline(s):Civil -
At Home: Tennis, Anyone?
Create a racket that can hit a ball accurately to a partner or the target!
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Topic(s):Forces, Sports/ Games, Technology/MaterialsDiscipline(s):Material Science, Industrial & Manufacturing -
At Home: Windy City Tower
Can you design and build a paper tower that can hold up in the wind?
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8, 9-12Topic(s):Forces, StructuresDiscipline(s):Civil -
At Home: Safe Landing
Design a lander that keeps a ball safely secure when you drop it from 1 foot or higher.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Topic(s):Forces, Simple Machines, Space/TransportationDiscipline(s):Aerospace, Industrial & Manufacturing, Mechanical -
Article for Educators
Learn why the Engineering Design Process is more important now than ever. Read the article.
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At Home: Foil Boats
How much weight will a piece of foil support? Turn it into a challenge!
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Topic(s):ForcesDiscipline(s):Material Science -
At Home: Keep a Cube
Challenge students to explore heat transfer using the engineering design process.
Grade(s):3-5, 6-8Topic(s):Energy, Green, Technology/MaterialsDiscipline(s):Material Science, Mechanical -
Article for Parents
Get great tips on doing STEM activities at home.
