By Amy Cowen
on September 21, 2021 8:00 AM
Rubber Band STEM:
Experiment |
View Videos |
Ask Questions |
Dig Deeper |
Our Educators Corner series includes high-interest STEM activities that work well with students in both official and informal settings– in the class or in the house. These activities are organized in fun themes that make it easy for teachers to choose just-right activities for weddings or unique systems. Each collection is hand-curated for enjoyable, ease-of-use, easy materials, availability, and interest factor. To help educators bundle activities with extra classroom or out-of-class activities and reflection, weve included conversation concerns, career connections. Weve also included book suggestions to help educators tie science and engineering to English Language Arts.
Stretchy STEM Science!
Elastic band are fun to stretch. What happens when you let them go? They may fly! Can you use the stretchiness of an elastic band to send out other things flying or create sound waves? Can you learn more about energy from elastic band? Yes!
Trainees can learn a lot about kinetic and prospective energy– and the law of conservation of energy– from basic rubber bands. In this weeks Educators Corner, weve highlighted an assortment of interesting maker-inspired builds and experiments that utilize elastic band. From launchers and a rubber band-powered vehicle to noisemaking fun with an elastic band guitar or craft stick harmonica, these are STEM-based activities your trainees will enjoy.
Lets hear it for stretchy rubber band science!
Choice Board |
Making learning enjoyable is sometimes half the battle! With the best activities, teachers can ensure finding out about science and engineering involves hands-on fun for students of all ages. Integrate in some stretchy science enjoyable with STEM experiments that utilize rubber bands!
Explore Careers |
Read Books
EXPERIMENT: STEM Experiments with Rubber Bands
WATCH: Videos.
CHOICE BOARD: Differentiated Learning.
Option boards offer a flexible knowing tool educators can use to supplement class direction. You may try an option board as part of weekly research, for additional credit, or for asynchronous and remote knowing.
Our Rubber Band STEM Choice Board is a fun method to encourage students to dig a little much deeper. With engaging jobs that encourage creative responses, synthesis of important concepts, hands-on building, and more, there is something here for everybody! (Tip: When providing this option board to students, you may want to supply links to referenced videos and activities they might require to enjoy or read through to satisfy the tasks. ).
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Video: Paper Airplane Launcher.
The science: When the releasing stick is pushed down, it has potential energy, just as a rubber band does when it is extended. When the stick is released, the energy is transformed to kinetic energy which is moved to the item being released.
The science: The extended rubber band shops possible energy that will be converted to kinetic energy to propel the aircraft forward when the elastic band is launched. Creating a device that can stand up to repeated use will take trial and troubleshooting, issue, and error resolving!
CHECK OUT: STEM Careers.
After trying Rubber Band STEM experiments, trainees may be motivated for more information about these science and engineering professions:.
READ: Books.
Pair picture and story books like these with Rubber Band STEM expeditions.
This DIY automobile is built from craft materials, workplace supplies, and an axle constructed from straws and rubber bands.
To turn this activity into a video game, set up containers in various sizes and at different distances as targets. Note: This activity works for little hands and younger kids as well as older kids! Be influenced by this second-grade trainee constructing her popsicle stick catapult.
Cotton Ball Launcher – Fun STEM Activity.
DIG DEEPER: More Activities and lessons.
For additional lessons and activities related to possible energy, elastic energy, and kinds of energy, see these curated Teaching Science Units collections:.
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Use these concerns with students to prompt discussion and reflection about the science behind these Rubber Band STEM activities:.
With a rubber band and a pencil, trainees can send paper aircrafts flying. After exploring with the pencil, obstacle students to develop a standalone launching device utilizing recycled products, toy structure bricks, or other craft materials.
The science: When the axle is injury, possible energy is stored. When the axle is released, the energy is transformed to kinetic energy that moves the automobile forward.
ASK: Questions.
Build a Submarine -STEM activity.
With cardboard tubes, elastic band, and pencils, students can make basic cotton ball launchers. Turn this activity into a game (or mathematics practice) by setting up target baskets with varying point levels. Can they master their launch abilities and score big? (Tip! As an option to cotton balls, you may try loosely packed aluminum foil balls, mini wiffle balls, or ping pong balls (if they fit the tube). Make sure you test outside in an open area up until you know how far the balls will fly.) if you switch from cotton balls.
The science: The launcher stores elastic possible energy that is converted to kinetic energy that propels the cotton ball when the rubber band is released.
Does an unstretched elastic band have energy?
What kind of energy are you creating when you stretch an elastic band?
What takes place when you release a stretched elastic band in terms of its energy?
What are other examples of prospective energy?
What is the law of conservation of energy?
Whats the role of the rubber band? This hands-on STEM activity needs a contained body of water, like a little outside swimming pool.
The science: When the propeller is wound, it stores elastic possible energy that is converted to kinetic energy when released.
Construct in some elastic science enjoyable with STEM experiments that utilize rubber bands!
Can you discover about energy from rubber bands? Students can learn a lot about kinetic and potential energy– and the law of preservation of energy– from basic rubber bands. From launchers and a rubber band-powered car to noisemaking fun with a rubber band guitar or craft stick harmonica, these are STEM-based activities your trainees will love.
Our Rubber Band STEM Choice Board is an enjoyable method to encourage trainees to dig a little much deeper.