STEM Christmas Challenge: Elf Pendulum Adventure
Santa's little helper elf is stuck on a shelf yet again! This is a great activity for your classroom Elf. This engaging and hands-on activity will teach your students about pendulums as they assist the elf in safely swinging down from the shelf.
Grades: 4th - 10th
Teaching Duration: 2 hours
“This is made for older students, especially the data sheets. However I adapted it to my k/1 class and they LOVED it so much we did it again with little “campers” at the end of the year!”
lesson overview
Santa's little helper elf is stuck on a shelf yet again! This is a great activity for your classroom Elf. This engaging and hands-on activity will teach your students about pendulums as they assist the elf in safely swinging down from the shelf.
First, students complete an activity that explores the effect of different variables of simple pendulums. Next, your students will follow the engineering design process with the included worksheets to guide them through each step in creating a safety harness to protect the elf and the candy can he/she is holding on to. This is the perfect holiday-themed STEM challenge to review math and physics concepts while having fun! Don't have an Elf? No problem, any similar item or even a printed picture of an elf will work.
This packet includes:
*Detailed Teacher Notes including instructions and additional resources
*Engineering Design Process Handout
*Handout with a full overview of the physics of pendulums
*Student worksheets to guide them through the pendulum exploration activity and the design challenge using the Engineering Design Process
* Grading rubric
*Reflection questions and Math Extension questions (Graphing, algebraic expressions and equations, applied physics of pendulums) (in customary and metric units)
For another Elf STEM challenge, make sure to check out the Elf Zip Line Adventure and Elf Sledding Adventure from our store!
