Virus Protection: STEM At Home Activity

Virus Protection: STEM At Home Activity

STEM Space At Home Video Challenge

STEM Space At Home is a video series led by an engineer using materials you can find at home. The videos are intended to support elementary and middle school students through fun engineering design challenges with a real-world connection. Find all episodes here.

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Virus Protection STEM Challenge

Mission: Design a device to help with physical distancing to slow the spread of a virus.

Materials needed: Watch the video for suggested materials.

• Ping pong ball

• Scissors

• Tape

• Straws

• Paper

• Paper plates or cups

• At least 9 feet of string or fishing wire

Before starting the video, download the activity guide found in our free resource library

Additional Resources: Need a more in-depth STEM activity guide? Access the full lesson plan that includes:

• Detailed teachers guide with links to resources

• Grading rubric for the engineering design process

• STEM Career and Real-world Connection

• Real-world STEM history and science handouts

• Student handouts to guide them through the engineering design process

• Editable Google Slides for a STEM Journal

• Instructional STEM video with mechanical engineering and virologist

• Math extension problems including average speed, graphing, ratios, and angles

Want more kid-friendly COVID-19 resources? Check these out:

• Discovery Education Resources

• Kid’s Guide to Coronavirus

• COVID-19 Flipbook for Kids by Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Want to learn more about virology? Check out these videos:

• Day in the Life - Microbiology / Virology - Prof Bill Rawlinson

• A Day in the Life of a Virologist (Pandemic Edition)

• The Future of Virology: Virology in the 21st century - Lynn Enquist, PhD

• An Introduction To Virology

Good luck engineers! We can’t wait to see your virus protection devices! Don’t forget to post your design using #𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!