Christmas STEM: Pneumatic Device Engineering Challenge

lesson overview

Christmas STEM: Design a pneumatic device that will lift a present and place it into Santa's sleigh!

Note: This challenge is the same as the Mars Pneumatic Device Challenge except for changes in the career and real-world connections.

Activity Overview: Santa’s elves are quickly wrapping presents to get everything ready for Christmas Eve. But some of the presents are really heavy. Santa needs your help to lift the presents and place them in his sleigh!

Students will first learn about pneumatic systems, make a simple pneumatic system and then create a pneumatic device that can pick up objects.

Real-world STEM Connection:

• How Pneumatic Devices Work

• Examples of Pneumatic Devices in the Real World

• Career Connection: Toy designer

As with many STEM activities, this challenge can be tailored to students of various skill levels and abilities.

Included in this product:

• Detailed teachers guide with links to resources

• Photos and videos of student examples

• Student handouts to guide them through the design process

• Videos to motivate and support learning

• Editable Google Slides STEM journal for distance learning

• STEM Career Connections and real-world examples

• Science handouts

• Student recording sheet for each step of the process

Suggested Materials: Many different materials can be used for this challenge. Here are some suggestions that worked well for our students.

• Syringe and tubing (Amazon)

• popsicle sticks (large &/or small)

• pipe cleaners

• cardboard

• card stock

• construction paper

• cardboard tubes

• rubber bands

• straws

• paper cups

• paper clips

• string

• masking tape

• scissors

• ruler

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Looking for more STEM lessons? Find the Vivify resource guide here: bit.ly/VivifyResourceGuide

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