Spider Parachute Halloween STEM Challenge (Distance Learning)

lesson overview

Design a parachute to save a spider! This is a fun Halloween STEM activity that your students will love.

When some spiders are born, they make parachutes out of their silk in order to safely drop from their mother’s web. They release a few strands of silk that form a triangular-shaped parachute that catches the breeze and lifts them in the air! But in our challenge today, one of the baby spiders is unable to deploy their parachute and needs your help to get down! 

Click here for an editable STEM journal to use with distance learning, including digital and printable versions.

**This product is similar to the Drag Device Challenge Product**

This hands-on activity is an engaging design challenge that allows students to work in teams, apply the engineering design process, and connect math topics to real-world applications. As a student-driven assignment, the purpose of the teacher is to act as a facilitator. You will provide the structure to the project, but students will take an active role in designing and building a device to deposit a rover into the lunar crater. Our students have loved this activity, and we know yours will too!

This packet includes:

• Detailed teachers guide with links to resources

• Science background related to drag forces and gravity

• Student handouts to guide them through the design process: includes two versions for elementary and middle school students

• Materials budget page

• Math connection problems

Materials Required:

• Tissue paper

• Coffee filter

• Dixie cups

• String

• Cardstock

• Masking tape

• Scotch tape

• Trash bags

• Plastic spiders

• 3-8 ounce paper cup

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

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