24 STEM Lessons You Can Quickly Deploy in the Classroom - Edu News | NASA/JPL Edu (2024)

Calling all teachers pressed for time, substitutes looking for classroom activities that don't require a lot of prep, and others hoping to keep students learning in especially chaotic times: We've got a new collection of lessons and activities that you can quickly deploy.

Read on to explore our collection of Quick and Easy STEM lessons and student activities, organized by grade band. Get everything you need to guide students through standards-aligned lessons featuring connections to real NASA missions and science as well as links to student projects, which can be led by teachers or assigned as independent activities.

Grades K-2

• Make a Paper Mars HelicopterIn this lesson, students build a paper helicopter, then improve the design and compare and measure performance.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Make a Paper Mars HelicopterBuild a paper helicopter, then see if you can improve the design like NASA engineers did when making the first helicopter for Mars.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• What Tools Would You Take to Mars?Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars and what tools they will put on their robot to accomplish their goals.Subject ScienceGrades K-2Time 30-60 mins
• Rockets by SizeStudents cut out, color and sequence paper rockets in a simple mathematics lesson on measurement.Subject MathGrades K-2Time 30-60 mins
• Rocket MathStudents use rocket manipulatives to help them develop number sense, counting, addition and subtraction skills.Subject MathGrades K-1Time 30-60 mins
• Tangram RocketStudents use tangrams to create rockets while practicing shape recognition.Subject MathGrades K-1Time 1-2 hrs
• Student Project: Build a Rover and More With ShapesUse geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rover and other space-themed designs!Subject MathGrades K-2Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Build a Rocket and More With ShapesUse geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rocket and other space-themed designs!Subject MathGrades K-2Time Less than 30 mins
• Mineral Mystery ExperimentStudents explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery ExperimentDissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• What Do You Know About Mars?Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars.Subject ScienceGrades K-2Time Less than 30 mins
• Melting Ice ExperimentStudents make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Parachute DesignStudents design and test parachute landing systems to successfully land a probe on target.Subject EngineeringGrades K-2Time 1-2 hrs
• Planetary PoetryIn this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 1-2 hrs
• Student Project: Write a Poem About SpaceAre you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Ocean World: Earth Globe Toss GameStudents use NASA images and a hands-on activity to compare the amounts of land and surface water on our planet.Subject ScienceGrades K-6Time Less than 30 mins
• Simple Rocket Science ContinuedStudents gather data on a balloon rocket launch, then create a simple graph to show the results of the tests.Subject MathGrades K-2Time 30-60 mins
• Spaghetti Anyone? Building with PastaStudents use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load and gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Building With SpaghettiUse spaghetti to build a tower modeled after the giant structures NASA uses to talk to spacecraft.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time 30-60 mins
• Simple Rocket ScienceStudents perform a simple science experiment to learn how a rocket works and demonstrate Newton’s third law of motion.Subject ScienceGrades K-2Time 30-60 mins

Grades 3-5

• Make a Paper Mars HelicopterIn this lesson, students build a paper helicopter, then improve the design and compare and measure performance.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Make a Paper Mars HelicopterBuild a paper helicopter, then see if you can improve the design like NASA engineers did when making the first helicopter for Mars.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• Soda-Straw RocketsStudents study rocket stability as they design, construct and launch paper rockets using soda straws.Subject EngineeringGrades 4-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Make a Straw RocketCreate a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!Subject EngineeringGrades 4-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Rocket Activity: Heavy LiftingStudents construct balloon-powered rockets to launch the greatest payload possible to the classroom ceiling.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Design a Robotic InsectStudents design a robotic insect for an extraterrestrial environment, then compare the process to how NASA engineers design robots for extreme environments like Mars.Subject ScienceGrades 3-5Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Design a Robotic InsectDesign a robotic insect to go to an extreme environment. Then, compare the design process to what NASA engineers do when building robots for Mars!Subject ScienceGrades 3-5Time 30-60 mins
• Mineral Mystery ExperimentStudents explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery ExperimentDissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• How Far Away Is Space?Students use measurement skills to determine the scale distance to space on a map.Subject MathGrades 3-7Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: How Far Away Is Space?Stack coins and use your measurement skills to figure out the scale distance from Earth's surface to space.Subject MathGrades 3-7Time 30-60 mins
• Melting Ice ExperimentStudents make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Planetary PoetryIn this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 1-2 hrs
• Student Project: Write a Poem About SpaceAre you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Planetary Travel TimeStudents will compute the approximate travel time to planets in the solar system using different modes of transportation.Subject MathGrades 4-6Time 30-60 mins
• The Ring Wing GliderIn this simple engineering design lesson, students turn a piece of paper into an aircraft wing and then try to improve upon their design.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Make a Paper GliderTurn a piece of paper into a glider inspired by a NASA design.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Ocean World: Earth Globe Toss GameStudents use NASA images and a hands-on activity to compare the amounts of land and surface water on our planet.Subject ScienceGrades K-6Time Less than 30 mins
• Spaghetti Anyone? Building with PastaStudents use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load and gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Building With SpaghettiUse spaghetti to build a tower modeled after the giant structures NASA uses to talk to spacecraft.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time 30-60 mins

Grades 6-8

• Make a Paper Mars HelicopterIn this lesson, students build a paper helicopter, then improve the design and compare and measure performance.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Make a Paper Mars HelicopterBuild a paper helicopter, then see if you can improve the design like NASA engineers did when making the first helicopter for Mars.Subject EngineeringGrades 2-8Time 30-60 mins
• Soda-Straw RocketsStudents study rocket stability as they design, construct and launch paper rockets using soda straws.Subject EngineeringGrades 4-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Make a Straw RocketCreate a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!Subject EngineeringGrades 4-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Rocket Activity: Heavy LiftingStudents construct balloon-powered rockets to launch the greatest payload possible to the classroom ceiling.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Mineral Mystery ExperimentStudents explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery ExperimentDissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• How Far Away Is Space?Students use measurement skills to determine the scale distance to space on a map.Subject MathGrades 3-7Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: How Far Away Is Space?Stack coins and use your measurement skills to figure out the scale distance from Earth's surface to space.Subject MathGrades 3-7Time 30-60 mins
• Melting Ice ExperimentStudents make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Planetary PoetryIn this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 1-2 hrs
• Student Project: Write a Poem About SpaceAre you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Planetary Travel TimeStudents will compute the approximate travel time to planets in the solar system using different modes of transportation.Subject MathGrades 4-6Time 30-60 mins
• The Ring Wing GliderIn this simple engineering design lesson, students turn a piece of paper into an aircraft wing and then try to improve upon their design.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Make a Paper GliderTurn a piece of paper into a glider inspired by a NASA design.Subject EngineeringGrades 3-8Time 30-60 mins
• Ocean World: Earth Globe Toss GameStudents use NASA images and a hands-on activity to compare the amounts of land and surface water on our planet.Subject ScienceGrades K-6Time Less than 30 mins
• Spaghetti Anyone? Building with PastaStudents use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load and gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time Less than 30 mins
• Student Project: Building With SpaghettiUse spaghetti to build a tower modeled after the giant structures NASA uses to talk to spacecraft.Subject EngineeringGrades K-8Time 30-60 mins
• How Do We See Dark Matter?Students will make observations of two containers and identify differences in content, justify their claims and make comparisons to dark matter observations.Subject ScienceGrades 6-12Time Less than 30 mins

Grades 9-12

• Mineral Mystery ExperimentStudents explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery ExperimentDissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins
• Melting Ice ExperimentStudents make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Planetary PoetryIn this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 1-2 hrs
• Student Project: Write a Poem About SpaceAre you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!Subject ScienceGrades 2-12Time 30-60 mins
• Let's Go to Mars! Calculating Launch WindowsStudents use advanced algebra concepts to determine the next opportunity to launch a spacecraft to Mars.Subject MathGrades 9-12Time 30-60 mins
• How Do We See Dark Matter?Students will make observations of two containers and identify differences in content, justify their claims and make comparisons to dark matter observations.Subject ScienceGrades 6-12Time Less than 30 mins

Explore More

Find our full collection of more than 250 STEM educator guides and student activities in Teach and Learn.

For games, articles, and more activities from NASA for kids in upper-elementary grades, visit NASA Space Place and NASA Climate Kids.

Explore more educational resources and opportunities for students and educators from NASA STEM Engagement.

TAGS: Lessons, Teachers, Educators, Parents, Substitutes, Activities, Students, Science, Engineering, Quick and Easy

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Kim Orr, Web Producer, NASA-JPL Education Office

  Kim Orr is a web and content producer for the Education Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her pastimes are laughing and going on Indiana Jones style adventures.