Finding the right STEM challenges or STEM-related projects for your students can give them a great chance to test and demonstrate their skills.
Adding a competitive element or some time-based urgency can help bring out the best from STEM students, encouraging innovation and effective teamworking – perfect for preparing them for future learning or workplace situations.
To give you some inspiration for your students’ next STEM projects, we asked our centres that deliver STEM Leaders for their ideas on challenges that can help bring out these key skills. And wow, did our centres deliver with their suggestions:
1. Robotics Challenge
Working in teams or small groups, students are tasked with building a simple robot using kits like LEGO Mindstorms or Arduino.
These robots are programmed to perform a series of tasks, navigate a maze or even compete in a mini sumo-bot competition – who remembers Robot Wars? Working on this project is a great chance to develop teamwork, programming and problem solving skills.
2. Renewable Energy Investigation
Students are tasked with investigating and reporting back on a wide range of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind or hydro power. They then present to their peers with their findings and the pros or cons of each source.
They could take this a step further by designing and building scale models of their energy systems, testing their efficiency and comparing the results.
3. Bridge Building Challenge
Task teams of your students with designing and building a bridge using a wide range of different materials including lollypop sticks, drinking straws or spaghetti. The challenge is to build a bridge that can support the maximum load or cover the greatest distance without collapsing.
There are loads of examples of different bridge designs all around us – where might your students take inspiration from?
4. Egg Drop Challenge
Challenge teams to design a protective container for a raw egg that can be dropped from a certain height without breaking.
Using elements of physics, engineering and materials science, learners will be challenged to create an effective shock absorber – and no cheating by using a parachute!
5. Coding and Game Development
Tap into students’ interest in their favourite games or web platforms by encouraging them to learn programming languages like Python, Scratch or JavaScript to create their own interactive games or simulations.
What do they like about their favourite games that they could imitate and incorporate? Encourage them to think creatively and logically while developing their own coding skills, then put their games to the test in a live tournament.
6. Organise a Hackathon: Smart City Innovation
Divide students up into groups with the focus on designing a prototype smart city that addresses a specific challenge faced by your local area.
Give each team a specific area to focus on, such as transportation, environmental monitoring, community engagement and energy efficiency. At the end of the challenge ask the students themselves to judge the real-world applicability of the ideas and work together to create your prototype.
7. Bioengineering Challenge
Introduce learners to the world of bioengineering by showing them examples of work being done to create prosthetic limbs and challenge them to design their own prototype that could change the world.
They could explore options for using biodegradable materials to create sustainable versions of existing designs or simply strive for efficiency to make life easier for us all.
8. Mars Rover Challenge
Have teams of students work in groups to design and build a small-scale model of a Mars rover using materials or items such as cardboard, motors and sensors.
The challenge element is to programme the rover to navigate a simulated Martian terrain, collect samples and overcome obstacles, combining robotics, programming and problem-solving.
9. Wind Turbine Design Challenge
Investigating the process and evolution of using wind turbines for power generation, students work in teams to design and build their own turbine using simple materials like paper, cardboard and small motors.
Making use of their knowledge of physics, engineering and renewable energy, can they create an effective turbine to generate the maximum amount of electricity from a controlled wind source?
10. Water Quality Assessment
Task students with investigating the quality of local water sources. They could collect water samples, analyse them for factors like pH acidity, dissolved oxygen and pollutants, as well as explore and propose possible solutions to improve water quality.
In addition to learning about the work involved in analysing water, this project is an ideal opportunity for learners to find out more about creating a plan for social action and how to instigate change in their community.
By working in teams on projects like these, students have a chance to learn effective communication and how to create workable solutions to problems that pop up along the way.
This gives them the confidence to inspire those around them and empower their peers so that everyone on the team can achieve their best.
STEM Leaders is our programme of learning designed to help students develop leadership skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving through their interest in STEM subjects. Find out more about encouraging your students to become STEM Leaders here.