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Fun Fall STEM Challenges
Students of a wide range of ages can complete these Fall STEM challenges. The pumpkin patch fence challenge is perfect for kindergarten, but all four are fun for middle school and up. You can add some additional design requirements for older students.
The free printable accompanying this activity includes a challenge card for each of the four Fall STEM challenges and a set of Design Cycle worksheets. These sheets can be used to guide students through the design, building, and tweaking-tinkering stages of the process. You may opt not to use these sheets.
Check out all of our Fall and pumpkin STEM activities here.
Resources to Use Before Completing the Fall STEM Challenges
Here are a few videos on building for strength that will help your children design strong structures and vehicles:
- Strong Structures from Global Design Squad Strong Structures with Triangles | Design Squad (youtube.com)
- What Makes Bridges Strong? What Makes Bridges So Strong? | Engineering for Kids | STEAM | SciShow Kids (youtube.com)
- Shapes of Strength from TeachEngineering.org Shapes of Strength (youtube.com)
Supplies Needed for the Fall STEM Challenges
- A copy of the challenge cards
- Copies of the design worksheets, if you opt to use them
- Candy pumpkins, candy corn, or mini marshmallows
- Toothpicks
- Craft sticks
- Glue gun or tape
- Straws
- Scrap cardboard (pieces cut from a cereal box work well)
- Small figures, books
- This inexpensive set of wheels with axles (These were a HUGE hit that allowed us to make wheeled solutions for minimum money.)
Photos of Our Fall STEM Builds
Get the Free Fall STEM Challenge Printable
Request the printable below, which includes the list of resource videos, supply list, STEM challenge cards, and Design Cycle worksheets.
I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.