Welcome to Vivify’s Blog!

Thrilling STEM Activities for Kids: Roller Coaster Challenge

Let’s talk about roller coasters! Make the stimulating challenge of creating a roller coaster part of your next STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) project. By using the engineering design process, student teams are tasked with creating a thrilling ride! Students learn about the science of roller coasters, including various forms of energy, and then using common materials such as craft sticks, paper and tape, students design a track for a ping pong ball to land safely in a cup at the bottom. This activity is definitely one of my new favorite STEM activities for kids!

Read More

10 Must Have STEM Tools

Are you a new STEM teacher? Looking for a STEM activity in music or art? Are you introducing 3D printing? Our list of 10 must have STEM tools covers everything from robotics to unplugged learning, free resources, and some brand new products that just hit the market! We hope you enjoy this list of back to school STEM tools!

Read More

May the Fourth Be With You STEM Activities

It is a time of great opportunity to challenge kids to think critically and teach them the skills required for their future careers! STEM activities are interdisciplinary and project based which makes them exceptionally easy to include in holiday festivities. May the 4th (Star Wars Day) is no exception! Whether you are a Star Wars fan or not, the following activities are an exciting way to enhance STEM concepts and tie in the movies that have traversed the generations. May the 4th be with you!

Read More

7 STEM Activities in the Sun {Perfect for End of Year & Summer!}

Need ideas for outdoor STEM challenges for the end of the year or summer time? My students always get restless as the weather warms up, so we take STEM outdoors! What’s a better way to enjoy the weather and to learn science and engineering than to do STEM with the sun? From a UV light shelter to a s’mores solar challenge, read on for awesome STEM outdoor activities using the sun!

Read More

Pi Day STEM Activities

Happy Pi Day week! Are you planning to memorize all the digits of pi or maybe just eat some blueberry pie? If you are looking for new ideas, read on for STEM activities all about Pi! We have everything from a virtual pie to a spinning pie to help celebrate Pi Day with your students.

Read More

10 Amazing STEM Family Night Activities

Planning a STEM or STEAM Family Night? Read on for 10 amazing activities that will engage the whole family! From painting with robots to creating a paper circuit, these activities will take your STEM Family Night to the next level!

Read More

Basics of Sphero Robotics + 3 Awesome Sphero STEM Activities

Sphero is a robotics company that makes toy robots (you might have seen their BB-8 design), as well as educational robots to make learning fun! In the world of education, they are known best for their SPRK+ robot, which has already captivated classrooms around the world. Now, with the recent release of their newest robot BOLT, Sphero is continuing to showcase their innovative ideas and the educational value of robotics in the classroom. Read on to learn why I love using Sphero in my STEM program along with my favorite STEM Sphero Activities. And in my next post, I will dive even further into using the new BOLT robot!

Read More

The Best 3 Back to School STEM Icebreakers

Need a fun, easy team-building challenge for back to school? We have you covered with our favorite three back to school STEM icebreakers! Whether preschool or high school, read on for STEM activities and modifications to get your students moving and working together as a team! 

Read More

How to Launch Model Rockets & Amaze Your Students! (Pt 3)

The most exciting part of rocketry is the thrill of launch day! However, this can be the most stressful day for educators on a limited time frame and 30 rockets to launch! Read on to learn how to set-up a smooth launch event along with tips from my over 400 rocket launches with middle school students! 

This post is part three of a three part series on model rockets in the classroom.

Read More

How to Launch Model Rockets & Amaze Your Students! (Pt 2)

Learn everything you need to know about launching rockets with your students! I put together all my resources from four years of rocketry to help you bring this exciting STEM activity into your classroom. 

This post is part two of a three part series over model rocketry in the classroom.

Read More

How to Launch Model Rockets & Amaze Your Students! (Pt 1)

Do you want to launch a rocket with your students or kids? Are you afraid or unsure where to start? Keep reading for a beginners guide to model rockets based on my years of experience launching hundreds of model rockets with all ages. I also linked to a Google Drive with tons of valuable resources to get you started! 

This post is part one of a three part series on model rocketry in the classroom. 

Read More

Thanksgiving STEM

We are forever thankful for STEM education and the promising future it gives to our world. From designing a turkey nest for an egg drop challenge to sailing the Mayflower, we have compiled a list of our current favorite Thanksgiving STEM activities for you to enjoy. Don't forget to grab our FREEBIE Thankful for STEM resource!

Read More