Paper airplanes are pieces of art. Watch this video showing a paper airplane that has flapping wings like a bat. After watching, try to make one of your own.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #55: Make a Flying Bat

2. Watch this video about bats. Record 5 details on your recording page.

3. See how researchers are learning more about how bat wings work. Add a few notes to your recording page.

4. For the next step you will need a  few pieces of printer paper (8.5 X 11)

5. Watch this video. The teacher will show you all of the steps for folding your own paper bat. Be patient as any type of paper folding takes some practice. Tip-use a ruler to help you make the creases so they are very crisp.

6. Take a picture of your finished bat and add it to your recording page.

Steps 7 and 8 require teacher permission. Talk with your teacher before proceeding.

7. Try out your paper bat.  Find a space where you will have enough room.

8.  If you are happy with the results, add a few sentences explaining your project.

9. If you would like to go back to the video and try to build a second bat, please do so.

10. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Spark your thinking! 

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#54: Bitsbox 3-Make your Own Stamp

2. Read the Website Directions for coding challenge:  Creating your own stamp in Bitsbox Write the 6 steps on your recording page.

3. Watch the video directions for this coding challenge. Write 2 ideas that you want to remember on your recording sheet.

4. Step 2 gave the information in a written format and step 3 had you watch a video. On your recording sheet, write 2 sentences about how you like to get information-written or video format.

5. Log into Bitsbox. Remember to log in with google. Make 3 of your own stamps. Add a picture of your stamps to your recording page.

6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the bitsbox badges at the EY website.

In this design activity, you will use a bag of mystery materials (an assortment of recyclables and other random items) and then a challenge card stating a building challenge to do with those materials. Then you use those “mystery” materials to complete the challenge.  

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #53: STEAM Challenge: Mystery Bag

2.  Print out the free mystery bag challenge cards. Cut them apart.

3. Gather 8-12 different materials. You’ll want to be sure the items are varied. Each bag should contain at least one larger item that can serve as a base for the design, and then an assortment of smaller items.

***Tip: it’s more challenging if a teacher/sibling/or parent fills your bag

• One bag (you can use gift bags, lunch bags, grocery bags, or even large baggies.)
• Scissors
• Tape (scotch tape or masking tape)
• Various kinds of recyclables (cardboard tubes, cardboard, newspaper, aluminum foil)
• A variety of other materials (paper plates, plastic cups, string, yarn, pipe cleaners)
• Mystery Bag Challenge Cards (print and cut these if you can)

4. Pick a challenge card. You could put the cards in a container to draw from or place face down on a table.

5. Record your challenge on your recording page. You could also take a picture of the challenge and add it to your page.

6. Complete the challenge on the card using only the materials in your bag. ***Tip: it’s more challenging if you set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes.

7. Take a picture of your challenge and add it to your recording page.

8. Write one about what was easy about the challenge and one sentence about  what was hard.

9.  Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Use this project as your first project mystery bag design challenge badge from the EY website.

Cargo Bot is puzzle game for iPad designed to introduce programming concepts. In this game, players control a robotic arm to relocate crates to a specified area, aiming to accomplish this in the fewest moves possible. There are five levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard, Crazy, and Impossible.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #52: Cargo Bot Coding

2. Watch this video until you get to 1:25. Record what the lesson was about on your recording page.

3. Learn about loops starting at 1:26. Record information on your recording page.

4. Go to Mosyle and add the Cargo Bot app to your ipad.

5. Spend 15 minutes coding. After the 15 minutes are up, record where you ended up on your recording page or add a screenshot to your page.

6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Roller coasters are all about physics! Unlike most moving vehicles, cars, trains, and buses that rely on engines, roller coasters rely on gravitational potential energy. What goes up, must come down.

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#50: STEAM Challenge: Roller Coaster

2. For this mini spark, you will be building your own roller coaster.  Visit the Instructables website linked below to find templates you can print and cut out.  Or, use your own materials and come up with your own design.  Get creative and don’t forget to take pictures to document your progress.

3. Go to the Instructable website and read the information from the top to the bottom. Record examples of potential and kinetic energy on your recording sheet.

4. On your recording page, make a list of the supplies you will need. If you need help getting supplies talk to your EY coordinator.

5. Print out this template. If you want to used colored paper, talk to your EY coordinator about getting some to use.

6. Complete all of the steps. Take at least 5 pictures of your process.

7. Take a picture and a video of your challenge.

8. Add all of your pictures to your recording sheet. If you would like to make Pic Collage of your challenge that is great.

9. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your video with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Art requires creativity and imagination and enhances flexibility, adaptability, productivity, responsibility and innovation – all required skills for a successful career in any field of study.  The ‘A’ in STEAM represents ‘Art’ which includes music.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #49: Intro to Opera

2. Get started with this informational video. Record details from this clip on your recording page. Add in details about  conductor’s role and actions. Explain how he is positioned during the opera.

3.  Watch this video, The Physics of Opera. Record at least 8 vocabulary words and a short definition on your recording page.

4. Answer these questions on your recording sheet.  Rewatch the video if necessary. ****Remind your teacher that the answers to these questions can be found in the STEAM mini spark folder.

• What techniques do opera singers use to project their voices over an orchestra?
• How does the shape and material of an instrument affect its sound?
• Explain the concept of harmonics as described in the video.
• Why is it beneficial for an opera singer to emphasize higher partials? 
• Describe the role of the concert hall in enhancing the sound of opera singers. 
• What factors can influence a singer’s vocal ability as they age?
• How do the vocal techniques differ between a Wagnerian singer and a bel canto singer?

5. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Meet an Opera Singer Mini Spark and the Marvelous World of Opera Badge on the EY website.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #48: Make a Crystal

2.  Watch this video that shows the steps for making a crystal.

3. Gather your materials. Take a picture and add it to your recording page.

• measuring spoon
• colored pencil
• pipe cleaner
• hot water
• food coloring (optional)
• spoon
• Borax (Available at grocery stores in the laundry soap section. Use 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster, not Boraxo soap.)
• a glass or jar

Safety first! Borax can irritate your skin, eyes and lungs, and it can be harmful if you swallow it. Ask a grown-up for help handling borax, and don’t touch your crystal once it’s done

4. Watch the video again and work on your experiment.  Take pictures while you are working and add them to your recording sheet.

5. The following day, take a picture of your crystal and add it to your recording sheet.

6. Read this information and add a summary to your recording sheet.

Understanding Borax Crystals.

Borax is a type of crystal, defined as “a solid with flat sides and a symmetrical shape due to its molecules being arranged in a specific, repeating pattern.” Each crystal exhibits a unique repeating pattern that corresponds to its shape. Crystals can vary in size, but they all share this characteristic structure. Examples of crystals include salt, sugar, and Epsom salts. Salt crystals typically form in a cube shape, while snow crystals display a six-sided design.

How Do Borax Crystals Form?

Hot water can dissolve more borax than cold water. This is because the molecules in heated water spread further apart, allowing more borax to dissolve. When no additional borax can dissolve in the solution, it is considered saturated. As the solution cools, the water molecules come closer together, creating less space for the dissolved borax. This change allows crystals to start forming as the water evaporates and releases the excess borax.

7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #47: STEAM Challenge: Paper

2. Look over the STEAM challenge.

3. Make a sketch of what your structure will look like and any ideas that you have. Add a picture of your sketch to your recording page.

4. Gather the materials you will need. Ask an adult to help you if necessary.

5.  Take a picture of your supplies before you start. Add the picture to your recording sheet.

6. Take a picture of you final project at add it to your recording sheet. Explain your project,  what you did well on this challenge and where you can improve.

7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

K-12 students worldwide are invited to give engineering a try with the annual Engineering Challenge from Science Buddies. Announced every January, the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge lets students use their problem-solving skills to design, build, and test contraptions. The challenges use simple materials and are free for all to participate.

Spark your learning!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #45:Science Buddies Contest

2. Each challenge that science buddies has prepared for you has an introduction video that show the challenge and what you will build. Look at the list below and choose 6 that sound interesting. Add those to your recording sheet.

• 2025 Engineering Challenge-Opens in Jan 2025
• 2024 Rubber Band Car Challenge
• 2023 Ping Pong Pickup Challenge
• 2022 Ball Run Challenge
• 2021 Tallest Tower Challenge
• 2020 Cricket Wicket Knockdown Challenge
• 2019 Volleyball Machine Challenge
• 2018 Ball Launcher Challenge
• 2017 Follow the Flow Challenge
• 2016 Marble Machine Challenge
• 2015 Balloon-Powered Car Challenge

3. Watch each of the videos you picked. For each one,  record the name of the challenge, the materials needed, and summarize the project in one sentence.

4. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Engineering Design Challenge badge at the EY Website if you want build one of the challenges.

Check out the STEAM mini spark #25 to learn about the engineering design process.