One of our objectives at Launch STEM Careers is to provide hands-on STEM activities in the classroom that simulate real life science and engineering projects for girls in grades 4–8. In an effort to make those activities accessible to everyone, we have uploaded our lesson plans in PDF format so that teachers, parents, and guardians can use them in the classroom and at home. If you have any questions about how to implement these lesson plans, feel free to connect with us through our Contact page.
STEM Introduction—Career Speed Mentoring
Rotate through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math tables to discuss STEM Careers.
Students are introduced to the parts of the computer and how computer languages are used to make a computer function. This activity provides a basic introduction to ASCII encoding.
Design and build a Mars rover out of pasta! Students will also have to stay within the constraints of a budget to build their rover. At the end of the activity, students compete to see whose rover travels the farthest.
Hands-On Activities
Hands-On Activities
One of our objectives at Launch STEM Careers is to provide hands-on STEM activities in the classroom that simulate real life science and engineering projects for girls in grades 4–8. In an effort to make those activities accessible to everyone, we have uploaded our lesson plans in PDF format so that teachers, parents, and guardians can use them in the classroom and at home. If you have any questions about how to implement these lesson plans, feel free to connect with us through our Contact page.
STEM Introduction—Career Speed Mentoring
Rotate through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math tables to discuss STEM Careers.
Click here to view/download the Career Speed Mentoring activity.
Science—Learn What an Optometrist Does
Learn about what optometrists and ophthalmologists do and how we see with our eyes. Students will learn how vision is measured.
Click here to view/download the 20/20 Vision activity.
Engineering—Grapple Fixture
Build a grapple fixture and use it to grab and lift an object.
Click here to view and/or download the Grapple Fixture activity.
Technology—Intro to Coding with Scratch
Code with Scratch, a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, to create an animated scene.
Click here to view and/or download the Scratch Software Project activity.
Math—Learn to Manage a Checking Account
Learn to balance a check book and manage a checking account.
Click here to view and/or download the Checkbook activity.
Engineering—Circuit Bugs
Wire a parallel circuit and design a light-up bug or butterfly.
Click here to view and/or download the Circuit Bugs activity.
Engineering—Light-Up Greeting Card
Wire a series circuit and design a light-up greeting card for a birthday, Valentine’s Day, etc.
Click here to view and/or download the Light-Up Greeting Cards activity.
Science + Engineering—Foam Rocket Launch
Build a rocket out of foam and launch at different angles to learn about trajectories.
Click here to view and/or download the Foam Rocket activity.
Science + Engineering—Balloon Rocket Launch
Design your balloon rocket and launch it to the classroom ceiling. Compete to see whose rocket gets the most paper clips to the ceiling.
Click here to view and/or download the Balloon Rocket activity.
Engineering—Prosthetic Dolphin Tail
Use your creativity to design, fabricate, and test a prosthetic dolphin tail.
Click here to view and/or download the Prosthetic Dolphin Tail activity.
Technology—Using ASCII Code
Students are introduced to the parts of the computer and how computer languages are used to make a computer function. This activity provides a basic introduction to ASCII encoding.
Click here to view and/or download the ASCII Necklace activity.
Engineering + Math—Mars Pasta Rover
Design and build a Mars rover out of pasta! Students will also have to stay within the constraints of a budget to build their rover. At the end of the activity, students compete to see whose rover travels the farthest.
Click here to view and/or download the Mars Rover activity.
Engineering—Biomechanical Hand
Design a biomechanical hand and test it by picking up objects.
Click here to view and/or download the Biomechanical Hand activity.
Engineering—STOMP Rocket
This activity will be uploaded soon. Please visit us in the future to view and/or download this activity.
Engineering—LCROSS Payload
Design a LCROSS payload that will deliver a marble to a target like NASA landed LCROSS on a precision landing on the moon.
Click here to view and/or download the LCROSS Payload activity.
Engineering—CubeSAT
Build a cardboard model of a NASA CubeSAT payload.
This activity will be uploaded soon. Please visit us in the future to view and/or download this activity.
STEM End of Year Challenge
Compete in teams to earn points in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math leadership activities.
This activity will be uploaded soon. Please visit us in the future to view and/or download this activity.