Earth Day STEM Challenge Activity - New Earth City
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52 NGSS-aligned STEM challenge activities to build engagement, critical thinking, & problem-solving all year long! These are easy STEM activities to implement, use simple materials, and include modifications for grades 2 - 8. The basic idea: Students work in partners or groups against criteria &Price $59.99Original Price $184.89Save $124.90
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Earth Day is the perfect time for the New Earth City STEM / STEAM challenge activity, but any other time of the year will do!The basic premise:It is Earth Day, and the year 2035. Earth has become overcrowded. The students are part of a pioneering crew tasked with setting up the first city (New EarthPrice $5.98Original Price $7.96Save $1.98
Description
This is the perfect Earth Day STEM activity!
The basic idea:
It is Earth Day, and the year 2035. Earth has become overcrowded. The students are part of a pioneering crew tasked with setting up the first city (New Earth City) on Planetopia, a fictional name for a recently discovered Earth-like planet in a distant solar system.
Part of the mission is to set up the city to prevent or address the problems we are having on Earth so we don’t repeat our errors on our new home planet.
- This challenge is best done in teams or partners due to time and space constraints.
Note: This is the printable version. If you are in a 1:1 / paperless classroom, you will want to check out the digital option for use with GOOGLE SLIDES (TM) instead.
⭐️ Resource includes:
✅ NGSS aligned standards, Grades 2 – 8
✅ Teacher Tips
- Links to STEM Challenge How-To videos
- Materials and timing
- Criteria & Constraints (including modifications to increase difficulty for older students)
- Measuring results
- Post-design extension activities list
- Link to a video walk-through of the challenge
✅ Student Handouts
- Criteria & Constraints List (two versions in color ad B&W for younger and older students; editable)
- Data Measurement Handouts (3 versions, 4 pages each. Version 1: measure length, width, and height and find perimeter; Version 2: same as version 1 with area added; Version 3: same as Version 2 with volume added)
- Design Analysis Handouts (2-page regular spacing and 4-page expanded spacing for primary students included in color and B&W)
- Discussion Questions (in color and B&W)
✅ Extension templates/worksheets
- Measuring & Classifying triangles from New Earth City
- Process Flow Map
- Math Extension
Materials you’ll need to do the activity are easily modified.
Sample/suggested materials for each student or group:
- 12 x 12 in. cardboard or foam board (serves as a parcel of Planetopia land. Feel free to go larger, but smaller is tough for students to manage)
- Plastic shopping bags (5)
- Pipe cleaners (12 – 24)
- Craft sticks (5 – 10)
- Paper or note cards
- Scissors
- Yarn or string
- Rulers
- Tape (24 – 26 in.)
- Data Measurement & Design Analysis handouts (included)
Optional:
- Water or soda bottle lids
- Small cups
- Clay and/or foil
- Coffee stirrers
- Rubber bands
- Glue
- Markers
This resource is also available in the following discounted bundles:
⭐ Planetopia Project STEM Challenge Bundle
⭐ STEM Challenges: Year-Round Mega Bundle
⭐ The Ultimate STEM Challenge Mega Bundle
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⭐ Planetopia Project STEM Challenge Bundle
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Video preview music credit:
"Carefree" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
