Moon Solar Tower Challenge: STEM At Home Activity
Originally Posted: October 21, 2020
Updated: May 2024
Type: STEM Activity
Grade Level: 2 - 8
Mission: Design and build a solar-powered tower on the Moon!
Materials needed: Watch the video for suggested materials. For this challenge, we recommend limiting the supplies to force students to problem solve in how to best use materials for the tower.
Tape
Scissors
Ruler
3, 5 oz cups
3 sheets of paper
1 paper plate
7 bendy straws
Solar Panel (2V output) or Coin Cell battery
Notes on materials:
The Pitsco Solar Panel (2V) will only light-up LED lights that are rated for 2V. In the linked product, only the red, yellow, green, and orange lights will work with the solar panel. All lights will work with a 3V coin cell battery.
Solar panels need to be placed in direct sunlight to power the LED light. If your windows are double-paned or have any coating that will block the sunlight, you will need to open the window or place them outside.
A coin cell battery can be used instead of the solar panel. Make sure the positive end of the LED connects to the positive end of the battery. This makes the challenge easier so we recommend increasing the tower height constraint.
Watch Instructional Video: STEM Space At Home is a video series led by an engineer using materials you can find at home. The videos are intended to support elementary and middle school students through fun engineering design challenges with a real-world connection. Find all episodes here.
STEM Space At Home is a video series led by an engineer using materials you can find at home. The videos are intended to support elementary and middle school students through fun engineering design challenges with a real-world connection. Find all episodes here.
STEM Space At-Home is brought to you by Vivify STEM and Communities In Schools of San Antonio through the NASA program “New Worlds Await You” led by the WEX Foundation.
Check out the video of middle school student submissions of the Moon Tower STEM challenge! This is part of the free Space Club program found here.
Additional Resources:
Need a more in-depth STEM activity guide? This challenge is part of Vivify’s Mission to Moon STEM curriculum where students complete a 10 unit lesson revolving around a journey to the Moon.
Chile Solar Car STEM Challenge: Explore the largest solar power plant in the world located in Chile and make a solar car navigate the mountains and ocean surrounding the solar power plant using the engineering design process. Students also learn about the STEM careers of electrical engineering and heliophysics to bring in real-world STEM connections.
Solar Oven STEM Challenge: This engaging STEM challenge is a fun way to learn about pioneering women in history and incorporate the engineering design process into your classroom or afterschool program! Students use the engineering design process and ways to harness the sun's energy by constructing a solar oven to heat s'mores! This challenge also highlights Maria Telkes, the inventor of the first system to heat a home with solar power.
Moon and Solar Energy videos:
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