Antarctica Shelter STEM Challenge
Take your students on a educational journey to Antarctica with this complete lesson! Read the letter from fictitious travel guides explaining weather conditions and the hazards of living in Antarctica. Students will learn about "insulation" and "freezing point" as they complete introductory activities using dry ice (optional) and simulating animal blubber!
Grades: Kindergarten - 5th
Teaching Duration: 2 hours
“I used this for our 4th grade Stem Day. The kids loved it! Thank you for providing background information and resources to extend.”
product overview
*Use our FREE Engineering Design Process Google Slides with these challenges for remote/distance learning*
Take your students on a educational journey to Antarctica with this complete lesson! Read the letter from fictitious travel guides explaining weather conditions and the hazards of living in Antarctica. Students will learn about "insulation" and "freezing point" as they complete introductory activities using dry ice (optional) and simulating animal blubber! An icebreaker activity facilitates teamwork as students must "cross the ice" to travel across the classroom while only touching sheets of paper "ice". Using the engineering design process, student teams are then tasked with designing an insulating shelter to prevent ice from melting! Students also learn about the STEM careers of geoscience, marine biology, and satellite engineering to bring in a real-world STEM connection. Related math problems extend the learning fun!
As with many STEM activities that are student-driven, this challenge can be tailored to students of various skill levels and abilities.
Included in this product:
Detailed teachers guide with links to resources and accompanying teacher slides
Editable grading rubric for the Engineering Design Process
STEM Career Connections
Icebreaker activity instructions
Editable student handouts to guide them through the Engineering Design Process
Math extension problems
Required Materials for Challenge: Styrofoam cups, tape, foil, card stock/standard paper, wax paper, scissors, paper plates, craft sticks, cotton balls, plastic condiment containers, small liquid measurement containers, and ice.
About STEM Challenges: Click here to learn more about the 3 Stage of STEM. STEM challenges are an engaging way to incorporate the engineering design process into your classroom or after school program! These hands-on activities allow students to work in teams, apply the engineering design process, and connect science topics to real-world applications. The teacher will provide the structure to the project, but students will take an active role in designing and building their own balloon rocket device.
