Welcome to Vivify’s Blog!

Brick by Brick: Intro to Criteria and Constraints

The world’s greatest superhero needs your help! Your mission is to create an exact replica of their top-secret headquarters. But there’s a catch: the villain has stolen all the blueprints! It’s time to put on your engineering hats, strategize with your team, and rebuild the superhero’s headquarters brick by brick. The fate of this mission depends on you—let’s get started!

The Brick by Brick: Intro to Criteria & Constraints lesson builds communication skills, increases understanding of the engineering design process, and is a great way to connect to authentic engineering work. Learn more below and find this lesson for FREE in our STEM resource library.

Read More

A Search for Life: Astro-Rover STEM Challenge

The Astro-Rover STEM Challenge is a classroom favorite, with many of my students calling it the highlight of their entire school year! What makes this space-themed unit unique is the way it blends science concepts and design thinking into one truly interdisciplinary package. The Astro-Rover STEM lesson, perfect for middle school classrooms, captivates students with the thrilling topic of alien life while aligning with key NGSS science standards, such as understanding how the presence of water can indicate potential for life.

Read More

Earthquake-Resistant Structures STEM Project

Why do earthquakes happen? How can we protect people and buildings during an earthquake? These are just some of the questions students explore in the Earthquake 5E STEM challenge. In this challenge, students learn about earthquakes and how engineers design structures to be earthquake-resistant.

Read More

Design a Prosthetic Leg STEM Activity...for Animals!

Looking for an engaging STEM activity that builds empathy? Read below for a Stage 2 STEM engineering activity that challenges students to learn about and design an interchangeable prosthetic leg. Students then apply concepts for a prosthetic for their favorite animals!

Read More

Design a Sustainable Eco-House STEM Project

In the Eco-House Extravaganza STEM project, students work in teams to complete the ultimate project-based learning STEM experience: planning and designing an energy-efficient, eco-friendly house! Read below for how to implement a project that incorporates environmental and earth science, STEM careers, sustainability, and teamwork. This lesson was developed by a middle school science teacher and Harvard graduate student, Kristina Ohl, who shares her experience developing and testing out this lesson so you can bring it to your classroom!

Read More