4 Super S.T.E.M Challenges to Kick Off the Summer!

Krystal Winn Author

Fall in love with S.T.E.M this summer with these 4 challenges!

Just because the traditional school year is wrapping up doesn’t mean the learning (and by that I mean pre-planned, visibly demonstrated learning) has to stop at all. :) 

Why not dive into some science experiments with these 4 awesome super summer challenges:

Grab more challenges like these and more boredom-busting fun activities in this Ultimate Summer Activity Bundle HERE:

Experiment 1: Ice Fishing 

Materials:

• Bowl of water
• Ice cubes
• String
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Fill a bowl with water and add a few ice cubes. Let the ice cubes float freely.
2. Take a piece of string, about 6 inches long, and lay it gently over one of the ice cubes.
3. Sprinkle a little salt over the string and ice cube. The salt will lower the melting point of ice. This will cause it to melt slightly and then refreeze, trapping the string.
4. Wait for about 30 seconds, then gently lift the string. The ice cube should come up with it!
5. Explain how salt interacts with ice, making it melt and refreeze, allowing the string to stick.

Tip:

Try different amounts of salt to see how it affects the ice cube sticking to the string. After observing the results, think about which amount works best.

Experiment 2: Popsicle Taste Test

Materials:

• Assorted flavored popsicles
• Blindfold
• Notepad and pen

Instructions:

1. Gather a variety of flavored popsicles—fruit, chocolate, mint, etc.
2. Blindfold a participant and give them one popsicle at a time to taste.
3. Ask them to guess the flavor and write down their guesses.
4. Repeat the process with all the different flavors.
5. Once done, reveal the actual flavors and compare them with their guesses.

Tip:

Can they identify the flavors accurately without seeing the colors? Try mixing unusual flavors—like mint and chocolate or fruit combinations—and see how it affects their guesses. This experiment highlights how sight and preconceived notions influence taste perception. Discuss why certain flavors might be easier or harder to identify and how our senses work together to create the experience of flavor

Experiment 3: Rainbow Ice

Materials:

• Ice cube tray
• Food coloring
• Water
• Clear cups

Instructions:

1. Fill an ice cube tray with water.
2. Add a few drops of different food coloring to each section of the tray and mix well. Freeze the tray overnight.
3. The next day, fill a clear cup with water.
4. Drop one colored ice cube into the cup and observe what happens as it melts. Notice the patterns and colors that are formed.
5. Observe how the density of the colored ice affects its melting and movement in the water.

Tip:

Mix different colored ice cubes in the same cup of water and watch how the colors blend and create new shades!

Experiment 3: Ice Volcano

Materials:

• Ice cube tray
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Food coloring (optional)
• Tray or shallow dish

Instructions:

1. Fill an ice cube tray halfway with water and freeze until solid.
2. Once the ice is solid, sprinkle baking soda over the top of each ice cube and then fill the rest of the tray with water. Add a drop of food coloring if you want colored eruptions. Freeze again.
3. Place the frozen cubes in a tray or shallow dish.
4. Pour vinegar over the ice cubes and watch as the lava erupts from them!
5. Think about how the substances ( which produce carbon dioxide gas), cause the fizzing and bubbling.

Tip:

Experiment with different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to see how it affects the size and duration of the eruptions.

Experiment 4: Melting Race

Materials:

• Ice cubes
• Salt
• Sugar
• Warm water
• Plate

Instructions:

1. Place four ice cubes on a plate.
2. Sprinkle salt on the first ice cube, sugar on the second, pour a small amount of warm water over the third, and leave the fourth one as it is.
3. Observe which ice cube melts the fastest and note the time it takes for each one to melt completely.
4. Discuss why salt and warm water speed up the melting process, while sugar affects it differently.

Tip:

Try other substances like baking soda or pepper and see if they have any effect on the melting speed of the ice cubes.

Check out the full self-paced grade-level curriculum HERE! (K-5th available.)

BONUS! Experiment 5: Ice Sculpture Challenge

Materials:

• Ice cubes or large blocks of ice
• Various tools (spoons, butter knives, paintbrushes)
• Salt
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Create your ice sculpture by freezing water in molds or large containers. Once frozen, remove the ice and place it on a tray.
2. Use tools like spoons and butter knives to carve and shape your ice into a sculpture.
3. Sprinkle salt over certain areas to see how it helps in carving by melting the ice faster in those spots. You can add drops of food coloring to the salt for a colorful effect.
4. Continue carving and adding salt until you have created your ice masterpiece!
5. Discuss how salt speeds up the melting process and can be used to shape ice in interesting ways.

Curious Tip:

Challenge yourself to create specific shapes or figures with your ice sculpture. How detailed can you get?

Have fun with these challenges! Explore, observe, and grow!

Categories: : homeschool, homeschooling