Sign up for free

5 Minute Puddle

5 Minute Puddle

You will need

  • Chalk
  • A bowl of water
  • A timer

How to do it

  1. Create a puddle on a sunny outdoor surface by gently spilling water on it.
  2. Draw around the perimeter (outside) of the puddle using chalk.
  3. Start the timer and watch!
  4. Stop the timer after 5 minutes. How much of your puddle is left?

What are we learning

Evaporation is a process that occurs when a liquid changes into a gas. On a warm, sunny day, air molecules move quickly with energy from sunlight, and water molecules in the puddle are warmed by the sun’s heat. When energetic air molecules collide with water molecules on the puddle’s surface, some water molecules receive enough energy to break free from the puddle, becoming water vapour. This reduces the amount of water in the puddle, so it shrinks. You will notice that a puddle with the smallest surface area takes the longest to evaporate. This is because there is less surface area exposed to the air.

Investigate

Create two puddles, one smaller and one bigger, and time them. Which puddle evaporated the fastest, the one with the bigger or smaller perimeter?

Careers associated with this activity

Natural Colours

Natural Colours

You will need

  • Paint charts
  • An outdoor space
  • A camera/ipad (optional)

How to do it

Simply grab a paint chart and see how many colours you an match up with natural objects!

Are there any colours that you struggle to find in the natural environment? Why do you think this is?

What are we learning

This activity encourages children to really look at the natural environment around them and the colours within it. It introduces them to the important role that botanists and naturalists play in studying the plants and flowers around us. You could use it as an opportunity to talk about scientific concepts such as how the process of photosynthesis affects the colours of leaves.

Investigate

Repeat this activity in a different season. How has the range of colours that you have found changed? Why do you think this is?

Careers associated with this activity

Daffodil Dissection

Daffodil Dissection

You will need

  • A daffodil
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers (optional)
  • Magnifying glass (optional)

How to do it

  1. Take a daffodil and carefully begin the dissection. Start with the outer parts of the daffodil: sepal, petals etc.
  2. Use a pair of scissors to cut the corona. You may also want to use tweezers to assist with the dissection.
  3. Continue to dissect the remaining parts of the daffodil, laying them out on a flat surface.
  4. Use a magnifying glass to take a closer look at each part of the daffodil.

What are we learning

A flower dissection is a great way to get children to really engage with the parts of a flower. Flowers like daffodils and lilies work particularly well for this activity. Children will enjoy discovering and labelling all the different parts of the flower and researching their purposes.

Investigate

Go on a nature walk and look at other types of flowers. What flower parts do they have in common? What are the differences?

Careers associated with this activity

Drain Disaster

Drain Disaster

You will need

  • A shoebox
  • Scissors
  • Blue fabric/paper
  • String
  • Lolly sticks
  • Keys, card, coins, receipt etc
  • A magnet
  • Paperclips
  • Chopsticks

How to do it

  1. Turn a shoebox into a drain by cutting slits in the lid.
  2. Add blue fabric or paper for ‘water’.
  3. Drop in items to rescue (keys, credit card, coins, receipt etc).
  4. Time to get rescuing! You could use paperclips, magnets or chopsticks. Or try out other ways to rescue each item.

What are we learning

 This activity helps to develop soft skills such as creative thinking, communication and problem solving. Encourage children to think for themselves about how they will use the equipment to rescue each item. There is likely to be an element of trial and error. Discuss with your child the benefit of making these mistakes. They are an important part of the learning process and help us to improve!

Investigate

Find out more about the job of a water engineer.

Careers associated with this activity

Ice Fishing

Ice Fishing

You will need

  • ice cubes
  • A bowl of cold water
  • Food colouring
  • String
  • Salt

How to do it

  1. Fill a bowl with cold water.
  2. Add a drop of food colouring to the water to create a colour contrast. Mix well.
  3. Drop in the ice cubes.
  4. Position your ‘fishing rod’ (string) across the ice.
  5. Sprinkle salt on the areas where the string and ice meet. Then leave for one minute.
  6. Lift up the string to see how much ice your fishing rod has caught!

What are we learning

Salt lowers the freezing point of water, helping to dissolve it faster. As it melts, the string sinks into the ice cube. The water dilutes the salt/water mixture, causing the ice on the top to refreeze, trapping the string. 

Investigate

Find out about how salt is used on icy roads to keep them safe in the winter.

Careers associated with this activity

Flower Chemistry

Flower Chemistry

You will need

  • A flower
  • A pestle and mortar
  • A jug of water and a teaspoon
  • Vinegar
  • Bicarbonate of Soda
  • A paint/baking tray

How to do it

  1. Drop two petals into a pestle and mortar.
  2. Add two teaspoons of water and mix until the water changes colour.
  3. Use a syringe to collect up the mixture. Then add it into three different tray wells.
  4. Add a teaspoon full of vinegar to the first tray well and mix. This is your acid indicator.
  5. Add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda mixed with water to the second tray well and mix. This is your base indicator.
  6. Compare the colours in each tray well. What is different about them? Why do you think this is?

What are we learning

A rose is an example of an acid-base indicator. Other flowers that you could use include tulips and pansies. When we add an acid it turns the petal mixture an orange or pink colour. When we add the base it turns the petal mixture a blue or purple colour.

Investigate

Now try this with a range of other flowers. Which ones are acid-base indicators? You could also try this activity with fruit and vegetables.

Careers associated with this activity

5 ways to get started with STEM education


STEM education… we hear those words a lot nowadays. We know that STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) will play a crucial role in shaping our futures. STEM education is a cross-discipline approach to teaching these subjects with problem solving at its heart. Great STEM education works through activities with real-world applications, helping children to understand how their learning is relevant and how they could use it in the future.

But how do we get started with it?

Here are 5 quick, easy to implement ways to help get you started.

Remember…

  • You don’t need to be an expert in STEM to deliver great STEM education.
  • You don’t need lots of spare time in your day to fit STEM education in.
  • You don’t need lots of expensive resources.

Start with these small steps and you’ll steadily see the STEM culture in your classroom grow!


 

STEM activities with a practical, real-world purpose are a really fun way to engage children with STEM education. Not only that but they’re a great way to get children working collaboratively – perfect for the start of the academic year!

I truly believe that it’s possible to slot high-quality STEM education into those spare 15 minutes in your day.

Take my 15-Minute STEM books. Each book contains 40 activities, each starting with a curiosity question to spark interest and excitement. They give you activity instructions and an explanation of the learning. There’s even suggestions for further investigation if you wish to take the activity further.

Or check out the free STEM activities on our website here. New activities are added regularly!


How to get started with simple STEM activities:


Our year is packed full of rich opportunities to set STEM education within a real-world context. From seasonal celebrations such as Halloween or Easter to special days/weeks such as National Space Week or Ada Lovelace Day.

It’s always good to be aware of whats coming up each month so you can plan opportunities to link your STEM learning to it. For example, Autumn is the perfect time to try out our free Frozen Fireworks activity.

We’ve put together a handy guide for each season so you can plan ahead. You can find these in our blog section. We also recommend you make links to local events going on in your community, as well as to global events going on in the news.


How to get started with celebrating STEM events:


When you think STEM education, what kind of equipment comes to mind? Robotics, Raspberry Pi, 3D printers… expensive stuff!

STEM education doesn’t need to break the budget. It can also be all of these things: cardboard boxes, lolly sticks, yoghurt pots and elastic bands. The kinds of things we have lying around our homes and classrooms.

Instead of throwing these things out, save them up, safe in the knowledge they will soon come in handy for a STEM activity! Over time you could build up a class or school ‘Makerspace’, an area to store creative materials. For now a box in your cupboard will do.


How to get started with saving STEM resources:


It’s easy to underestimate the influence of a book on a child’s understanding of the world. Stories help to shape children’s perspectives and form their understanding of cultural and gender roles. What better way to teach the importance of STEM skills than through a book?

There are lots of fantastic fiction books around that your class will love. See below for some of our suggestions, including seasonal STEM books and maths picture books.

STEM books are also a great way to address diversity and challenge stereotypes in STEM. They help to introduce positive role models and to raise the profile of influential people in STEM.


How to get started with reading STEM books:


What better way to bring STEM education to life than with STEM visitors. When we invite in people working in STEM careers we not only help to educate children a bit more about the world of work but also to introduce them to a range of positive role models.

Why not start with the school playground? Reach out to the parents in your school community to see if they would be willing to speak to the class about their jobs. You may well be surprised by the offers you get!

Additionally try approaching local companies and businesses. You will find they are often only too happy to help out and some really productive relationships can come about as a result of this.


How to get started with speaking to STEM visitors:


10 ways to nurture children’s STEM skills this summer

10 ways to nurture children's STEM skills this summer

The summer holidays are in sight, endless days with the family stretching out in front of you. One thought is beginning to weigh heavily on your mind: ‘How on earth am I going to keep my children entertained?’ It’s all very well leaving them to their own devices but it doesn’t take long before the novelty of lie-ins, endless screen time and lack of routine wears off and you hear them utter those dreaded words: ‘I’m bored!’

Keeping children amused in the holidays is a daunting prospect for many parents and keeping the cost down even more so. However, the summer holidays are a golden opportunity for children to explore, learn new skills and put their learning into a real-world context. What’s more, nurturing your child’s natural curiosity and creativity is an excellent way to broaden their horizons and shape their future aspirations.

Recent research by the charity Education and Employers shows that children form their perceptions about careers and jobs at an early age, developing their future ambitions from as young as seven. However, making a connection between primary school lessons and the jobs they might one day pursue is not easy. This research also shows that there is a major disconnect between the careers that primary-aged children are most interested in and those that the economy needs.

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related industries are some of the fastest growing and demand for skilled workers is only set to grow. From robotics to caring for our environment, space exploration to the digital revolution, these disciplines have an impact that can already be seen in every aspect of our lives. Preparation for STEM careers is not just a matter of imparting hard knowledge, but nurturing ‘soft skills’ such as teamwork and problem solving. Fortunately, STEM activities and soft skills go hand-in-hand.

Here are ten quick, easy ways to nurture a love of STEM this summer. They won’t break the bank, and might just prevent those dreaded words… ‘I’m bored!’

Go on a nature walk

Nature walks are a fantastic way to unwind and appreciate the natural world outside. Spend time searching for minibeasts like beetles and ants in different habitats, using a magnifying glass to take a closer look. Alternatively, look for naturally occurring patterns, from the symmetry of a butterfly’s wings to the spirals in a snail’s shell or the tessellation in tree bark. The natural world is full of patterns!

blow some bubbles

Have a go at creating a 2D shape bubble wand by cutting straws into quarters and bending pipe cleaners through them to join the straw segments together. For more of a challenge, create a 3D shape bubble wand. Cubes and pyramid shapes work particularly well for this. Then dip your bubble wand into soapy water, take a good look at your bubble and then blow it away!

Enjoy a local adventure

Take a trip to a local museum or zoo. This is a great way to not only bring learning to life but also to meet experts in different fields. What’s more, many museums run free events and workshops for children throughout the summer holidays. Look up locations near you for more information.

Get puzzling

Play puzzles and games. Activities such as Sudoku and chess are great for developing logical thinking, an important skill in STEM subjects. Construction toys such as Lego help to develop spatial awareness. Anything involving dice is great for developing mathematical skills.

Make a stick raft

Challenge your child to create a raft out of natural materials. Sticks, joined together with twine are perfect for this and a leaf can make an excellent flag. Then test your raft in a bowl of water or stream to see if it floats!

Appreciate the night sky

Try your hand at a spot of stargazing on a clear evening. There are lots of free apps available for download to help you navigate the sky above you. For a closer look at the stars, locate a free star gazing event near you. The ‘Go Stargazing’ website is a great place to start.

Create a junk modelling masterpiece

It’s amazing what can be constructed out of the contents of a recycle bin. Cardboard tubes such as those found on kitchen and toilet roll can be taped to a wall to create a marble run. Vary the angles of the tubes to create different speeds of travel. Another idea could be to create a moving vehicle or boat out of junk modelling materials.

Fix something

Find out how things work. For example, try taking a simple mechanical toy apart and reassembling it again (steering clear of electrical items). As you do so, discuss the function of all the different parts.

Construct a newspaper tower

Challenge your child to create the tallest freestanding tower that they can out of newspaper. Sticky tape works best for joining the structure together. You could make this competitive by setting a timer to see who can build the tallest tower in the allotted time: you or your child?

Set off on a scavenger hunt

Give your child a list of ten things to find in the natural world. Ideas that work well are a list of colours, textures, shapes or smells. They can tick items off the list once found or even take a photo of them as evidence.

For each of these activities, you can discuss their relations to different sorts of jobs. For example, a newspaper tower could be connected to the role of a civil engineer or architect; the nature walk to the job of a biologist or forester; the junk modelling to the job of a design engineer. Plan these activities into your summer holidays and perhaps you might just plant some seeds for future ambitions in the process.

For more STEM activities and ideas, order your copy of 15-Minute STEM here.

15-minute STEM

This post has been included in Twinkl’s End of Terms Activities blog.