Learning doesn't always require slideshows, textbooks, group discussions, and worksheets; learning can be as simple as exploring what's all around you. Sometimes, the simplest tasks can have the biggest impact on our students. As we enter the last few months of the school year, Mobile Ed has created a list of no-prep STEM activities that encourage exploration, creativity, and critical thinking for busy educators to have in their back pocket.

Here are Easy No-Prep STEM Activities to Try in your Classroom: 

1. Would You Rather? STEM Edition! Get students thinking about science by asking them simple yet thought-provoking questions. Here are a few examples: 

• • • Would you rather explore deep-sea trenches or outer space?

    • Would you rather receive $1,000 today or $10 every day for a year?

    • Would you rather travel at the speed of light or teleport?
      

2. Strongest Bridge Challenge. Using objects from around your classroom (pencils, paper plates, books, tape), see which student(s) can make the strongest bridge! This project requires creativity, critical thinking, trial and error, and teamwork. 

3. Predict and Explain. This is an easy strategy to include in your teacher toolbag or a fun, focused lesson. Ask students for their predictions when going about your daily lessons, such as:

• • • The clouds look dark outside. What do you think will happen next and why?

    • What happens if you drop a feather vs. a book?

    • Do you think this object will float or not? 
      

4. Index Card Tower. A simple yet educational activity! Whip out your stack of index cards and see which group of students can build the tallest one. Students will need to use physics, trial and error, and teamwork to win this challenge!

5. Pattern Hunt. Pattern recognition is an important skill for coding and programming. There are patterns everywhere! Can your students find patterns around your classroom or outside in nature?

6. Nature Observations. Perhaps the easiest and most self-explanatory activity, this is a great task to have in your back pocket as a teacher. No matter the weather, students can step outside, take a walk, or look out the windows to observe what's happening. Use note cards or journals to keep track of these observations. Perhaps include a few prompts that align with your current lessons, such as weather, water, plants, animals, and more. After all, observation is our first form of learning.

7. Kitchen Scraps Garden. It's as easy as you think it is! Who knows, this could inspire some of your students to plant their own garden this spring!

8. Compost Bin. It's as easy as setting up a covered container in your classroom! Students can easily learn about plant biology up close while also learning to contribute to supporting Earth's environment. Discussions on composting can also inspire students to p

Have You Heard of the STEAM Museum? 

The activities listed above are exactly why educators love hands-on experiences—they:

• • • Require no/low prep
    • Engage every student
    • Reinforce real curriculum concepts 
      

That’s the same reason our school assemblies resonate so well with schools—we’re just taking this idea and scaling it into a full, immersive experience. Have you heard of the STEAM Museum? If you need more low-prep STEM experiences to teach and inspire your students, the STEAM Museum is the perfect in-school field trip for you. It's low prep, engaging for all students, and educationally entertaining!

The STEAM Museum is the perfect resource for educators and PTOs looking for hands-on activities that immerse their students in STEM/STEAM. The STEAM Museum transforms your gym into a hands-on museum that teaches Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). This assembly is a teacher favorite because it educates students while meeting them at their level, through hands-on play and exploration. Click the button below to learn more about the STEAM Museum!