Searching for last-minute STEM ideas for completion of the year, for after screening, for a classroom warmup, or for a rainy day in the house? Attempt these paper-based STEM activities!
By Amy Cowen
on May 6, 2022 8:00 AM
Science Activities that Use Paper!
Doing science and engineering activities does not need to need lots of products. An engaging STEM learning experience might be simply a stack of paper away if you are looking for something to do with trainees in the classroom or with kids at house!
12 Free STEM Activities Kids Can Do with Paper
1. Paper Pinwheels
Find the very best Pinwheel Design: Explore various models of paper pinwheels to see how they each spin in wind. Which style works best?
2. Paper Roller Coasters
Construct a Paper Roller Coaster: Design and develop model roller coasters from paper. Kids will discover that possible energy, kinetic energy, and friction all contribute in creating a roller rollercoaster that a marble can successfully run start to end up. Whats the trick to including loops? (Educators! NGSS-aligned lesson plan offered.).
3. Paper Kites.
How Tails Help a Kite to Fly: Kites are outstanding for paper-based science. Kids can experiment to see what shapes, products, and styles make kites fly best. (Kites for all ages! This household discovered making kites to be an engaging STEM discovering experience for more youthful and older kids in your home.).
4. Paper Helicopters.
Make a Whirlybird from Paper: These simple paper gadgets let kids explore how helicopters work on Earth or how they might work on Mars. An NGSS-aligned Engineer Helicopters for Mars lesson strategy is likewise offered.).
5. Phonebook (or Notepad!) Friction.
Phonebook Friction: If you interleave the pages of two phonebooks, it can be exceptionally hard to pull them apart. With a couple of sticky note pads, kids can do a scaled version of this activity and test their strength against the force of friction.
6. Flipbook Animation.
Apparent Motion in Flipbooks: Use a stack of index cards (or durable paper) to show basic stories that look like they are in movement when you “turn” through them. How is the flipbook procedure associated to what takes place in stop-motion film making?).
7. Shadow Puppet Show.
Making Shadow Puppets: Make a set of shadow puppets from cardstock and use them with a flashlight to put on a shadow play and discover about the physics of light and shadow at the very same time! An NGSS-aligned elementary school lesson plan is also readily available.).
8. Balance an Art Mobile.
Balance the Forces Within a Mobile: Kids can use paper in a range of ways to make aspects to hang from an art mobile. The photo revealed listed below is from the mobile of great animals this trainee made at home.).
9. Paper Fish.
Make a Paper Fish Swim with Surface Tension: Use easy paper fish and dish soap for a fast presentation of the power of surface stress!
10. Paper Rockets.
Construct a Paper Rocket: These simple rockets are easy to make with paper and tape and get introduced by blowing through a straw. What design or product changes make them fly greatest or farthest? (Educators! The Paper Rockets to Learn the Scientific Method is an excellent way to present trainees to the clinical approach.).
11. Paper Towers.
Tallest Paper Tower Challenge: Use paper and taper to build tall paper towers. The 2021 Challenge is over, however kids can still construct their own high paper towers and see how high they can go! To see examples of the kinds of paper towers students built this year, see Thousands of Tall Paper Towers (and Lots of Tape!).
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12. Paper Ball Run.
Paper Ball Run Challenge: Use paper and taper to build a paper ball run for a ping pong ball. A cross in between a roller coaster and a marble run, the paper ball run welcomes a vast array of methods to the design, size, and shape. Can you discover ways to “decrease” the path of the ball so that it takes as long as possible to get from start to complete? This was the 2022 Fluor Engineering Challenge task. The 2022 Challenge is over, however kids can still create and construct paper ball runs both to check out the building and construction and to explore utilizing science-based methods to slow the roll. You may select to disregard the limitations on sheets of paper if doing this for fun. To see examples of the type of paper towers students developed this year, see Eighth Annual Fluor Challenge a Paper Ball Run Success. (Educators! Lesson strategies are available for grades.
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Make a Whirlybird from Paper: These easy paper devices let kids check out how helicopters work on Earth or how they might work on Mars. Construct a Paper Rocket: These basic rockets are easy to make with paper and tape and get released by blowing through a straw. Tallest Paper Tower Challenge: Use paper and taper to build high paper towers. Paper Ball Run Challenge: Use paper and taper to build a paper ball run for a ping pong ball. To see examples of the kinds of paper towers trainees developed this year, see Eighth Annual Fluor Challenge a Paper Ball Run Success.
