Today’s new STEM challenges celebrate all things spring! Try these easy spring STEM Challenges to get the new season off to a great start.
What is Spring?
Spring is the season in between winter and summer often associated with flowers blooming, trees starting to grow green leaves, chicks and lambs being born and the weather finally warming up after a cold winter. The hours of daylight starts to lengthen building. up to the longest day on the 21st June in the Northern Hemisphere.
What is the Spring Equinox?
There are two equinoxes each year ( an equinox is when the sun passes directly over the equator – the tilt of the Earth is 0 degrees ). On both equinoxes the hours of daylight are equal to the hours of darkness. Equinoxes occur around March 21st ( beginning of spring ) and September 21st ( start of autumn ).
Solstices happen round June 21st and December 21st marking the start of summer and the start of winter.
In the Northern Hemisphere the June solstice is the first day of summer and the December solstice the first day of Winter. In the Southern Hemisphere it’s the other way round.
Now we know a little about the seasons, let’s get into the fun bit!!
Spring STEM Activities
You can print the STEM Challenge cards by clicking on the image below, or just follow the instructions on the linked pages.
Dissect a Flower
A flower dissection is a simple spring science activity that can easily be adapted for different ages.
Younger children can pull the flower apart and identify the stem, leaves and petals.
Older children can look in more detail and identify the reproductive parts of the plant too!
Another idea is to make a 3D flower model.
Opening Flowers
This opening flowers challenge is a lovely spring time activity that always gets a wow response from my children.
You simply cut a flower shape out from different types of paper, fold up the petals, place the flower on top of water in a tray and watch as it opens.
Build a Rain Shelter or Umbrella
The idea behind this challenge is to build a waterproof shelter or umbrella to keep a toy figure dry.
We made umbrellas for Incy Wincy Spider.
Make a Sundial
Did you know you can make a sundial from just a pencil and a bit of plasticine ( and a sunny day )?
The challenge is to plot 12 hours!! It might not give you the shape you imagine…
More Spring STEM Challenges
Grow a bean in a jar
A bean in a jar is an easy activity is a great way to learn about the conditions needed for germination. Another idea is to set up two and grow one in the dark and one in the light to see what happens.
Make a raincloud in a jar.
Learn about different types of clouds by making egg white on toast!
Can you think of any more spring STEM challenges for us?
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