Getting Started with 2nd Grade STEM Challenges

Introducing STEM to your 2nd Graders is a great way to spark their curiosity and encourage critical thinking. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is a valuable tool for teaching problem-solving and promoting creativity in young students.

Here are four excellent resources for getting started with STEM in second grade:

1. , Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie

2. Frank the 7-Legged Spider by Michaele Razi

3. The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers

4. Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro

1. Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie

Teach 2nd Grade STEM and Engineering!

This Second Grade STEM Activity is designed with second grade students in mind. In this STEM Challenge, students use the Engineering Design Process to design, build, and test a new wing for a crow.

Material List:

• Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie

• Pipe Cleaners

• Plastic Straws

• Different Types of Paper

• Tape

• Pencils and STEM Journals

During the “explore” part of the lesson, students plan, design, and execute their own ideas. They follow the six-step Engineering Design Process:

1. Ask

2. Imagine

3. Plan

4. Create

5. Experiment

6. Improve

After they have completed their activity, there is time for reflection on what worked and what didn't.

2. Frank the 7-Legged Spider by Michaele Razi

Second Grade STEM Challenge Aligned to 2nd Grade NGSS Engineering!

This Second Grade Read Aloud STEM Activity is designed specifically with second grade students in mind to cover NGSS Engineering Standards.

In this STEM Challenge, students design, build, and test a new leg for Frank the Seven-Legged Spider. After the activity is complete, there is time for reflection on what worked and what didn't.

Material List:

• Yarn

• Pipe Cleaners

• Plastic Straws

• Other Available Craft Materials

• Pencils and STEM Journals

• Frank the 7-Legged Spider by Michaele Razi

Engineers look at simple things in creative ways and think about ways to solve the problems around them. The book in this activity provides examples as problems become solutions through innovative thinking.

3. The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers

In this Second Grade STEM Activity, students investigate how to design the perfect paper airplane!

After they have completed their activity, there is time for reflection on what worked and what didn't. This STEM Challenge is designed specifically for Second Grade NGSS, but can be used in 1st Grade, Second Grade, or Third Grade. This STEM Project is a companion activity to The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers.

Material List:

• Paper

• Tape

• Paper clips

• Plastic grocery bags

• String

• Pipe cleaners

• Index cards

• Pencils and STEM Journals

• The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers

Engineers look at simple things in creative ways and think about ways to solve the problems around them. The book in this activity provides examples as problems become solutions through innovative thinking.

4. Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro

Introducing STEM in Second Grade!

Connect STEM and Literacy with this amazing NGSS Aligned read aloud STEM activity as a companion for Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro.

In this 2nd Grade STEM Challenge, students will upcycle/change the materials into something that can be a useful classroom tool. Students think creatively about the limited materials available and what they might design that can be a useful classroom tool. Feel free to offer additional or different materials based on availability.

Students also will create their own name out of materials you have in your classroom. It's a great way for students to get to know one another.

Material List:

• Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro

• Chart Paper

• Scissors

• Glue

• Items for Name Building Challenge (ex. cardboard, popsicle sticks, toilet paper rolls, paper scraps, pipe cleaners) *You may want to have these items on each table in a plastic bin.

• Recyclable Materials for Group Challenge (cardboard, plastics bottles/food containers, packing materials, wires, buttons, or other materials that families can donate and send in to school.)

• Tape

Have more questions or need additional resources?

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