A few days ago I was putting together some containers of STEM materials, using straws for the challenge, and heard a student say this:
“I see straws in those bins. We use a lot of straws!”
Yes, we do! In fact, we use so many straws for challenges that I asked for straws to be added to our school supply list this year! So now I have one entire cabinet filled with straws. Just for fun, we counted the boxes one day and there were 40. FORTY. That is 4000 straws, just in boxes. There are also smaller boxes and bags, and more bags, and even more boxes.
Well, I asked for them! Right? But why?
Let me show a little we have done with straws!
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This is going to be a quick look at some of our challenges. If possible I have linked these back to blog posts of the past that would give you more details.
Mazes!
This is a Quick Challenge called Straw Mazes. The walls of the maze were built of straws. A little bit of tape and that’s about it!
LINK: It’s All Ah-Mazing
Clear tape works better for this maze than masking tape.
Tennis Ball Towers
Above is another Challenge called Tennis Ball Towers. This one has some unusual materials and a surprising constraint- kids must use all the materials. They get so creative!
I have seen some very clever uses of the materials that were decorative rather than functional.
Parachutes
Above kids are making a container to hold an egg. It was then dropped with a parachute! So, of course, we called this one Egg Parachutes!
Hoop Flyers
This is one of our most recent challenges! We made hoop flyers and experimented with changing variables. It was spectacular!
I love watching students experiment and then design based on test results!
So, now, you ask,
“Why do we use so many straws?”
Because, my friends, they do not cost very much! I have FIFTEEN classes of STEM each week. I cannot spend a lot of money.
Advice: Ask parents to send in straws. And another little giblet of knowledge for you is this: The best straw you can get is from the Dollar Tree!
For those of you wondering about the waste and where all this plastic ends up- we reuse straws so many times. I save the pieces in large containers and we use them over and over!
So what are you waiting for? Get some straws!
I started a STEM club this year and the kids loved straws and making things with them. We had platforms for holding weight, towers to hold baseballs (I coach so I had a bucket full) and will be making boats during our last STEM meeting. Thanks for you blog site and Pins.
Thanks for sharing these STEM challenges. I just wanted to share I've walked into several fast food restaurants on the way to my school, told them I was a teacher, and that I needed straws for a project, and they've never turned me down.
What a great idea! I have gotten pizza boxes from a restaurant, but I will definitely try straws- especially milk shake straws! Thank you!
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