Holiday Engineering endeavor: Craft a vessel for Santa's crew of reindeer
This holiday season, embark on a fun and educational adventure with the Christmas STEM Challenge! This unique activity combines the traditional raft-building activity with a festive twist, as students design and build rafts to rescue stranded reindeer.
## Materials Needed - Structural materials: straws, popsicle sticks, craft sticks, balsa wood or plastic sticks - Adhesives: masking tape, duct tape, glue (hot glue or white glue) - Decorative materials (optional): Christmas-themed stickers or paint, glitter, small Christmas figurines (reindeer replacements) - Testing materials: water (for a bathtub or large container), small weights or pennies (for testing buoyancy)
## Instructions
### Step 1: Design Planning Begin by encouraging students to sketch their raft designs, considering features that will ensure the reindeer's safety and dryness. Key considerations include buoyancy, stability, and capacity.
### Step 2: Gathering Materials Collect the necessary materials for raft construction, such as craft sticks, straws, adhesives, and decorative items.
### Step 3: Building the Raft 1. Create the base of the raft using popsicle sticks or craft sticks, gluing them together to form a rectangular shape. 2. Add straws between the sticks for enhanced buoyancy and stability. 3. Secure the straws and sticks together using masking or duct tape, or glue for added strength. 4. Decorate the raft with Christmas-themed decorations if desired.
### Step 4: Testing and Refining 1. Conduct a buoyancy test by gently placing the raft in water to observe if it floats. 2. Perform a load test by adding small weights or "reindeer" figurines to assess the raft's capacity. 3. Refine the design if necessary, addressing any weaknesses that may cause the raft to sink or tip.
### Step 5: Reindeer Rescue Mission 1. Brief students on the mission to rescue the stranded reindeer using their rafts. 2. Simulate a rescue operation by carefully placing the "reindeer" on the rafts.
## Learning Outcomes This engaging activity encourages students to apply the engineering design process while developing problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Key physics and engineering concepts, such as buoyancy, stability, and structural integrity, are introduced through hands-on learning.
Join in the festive fun this Christmas season and build a raft to save the day for the lost reindeer!
- During the Christmas STEM Challenge, kids will engage in an investigation to enhance their understanding of engineering design and science education, as they aim to build rafts to rescue stranded reindeer.
- The activity encourages kids to stem from their design plans, focusing on key considerations such as buoyancy, stability, and capacity in their raft constructions.
- While crafting their rafts, kids learn the importance of experimentation in the realm of science and education-and-self-development, as they incorporate structural materials, adhesives, and decorative items.
- After constructing their rafts, kids test their work through experiments, examining buoyancy and capacity with water and weights or pennies.
- Lastly, successfully completing this stem-education venture helps kids solidify their learning outcomes, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity, while having a fun and educational experience during the holiday season.
