As a parent or teacher, you’re always looking for fun and engaging ways to get kids interested in learning. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities are a great way to do just that. And what better way to make STEM exciting than to incorporate animals and the jungle into the mix? Here are some animal STEM activities and jungle-themed STEM activities that will get kids excited about learning.
Jungle-Themed STEM Activities
- Animal Adaptations – Materials such as paper, clay, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes can be used to create animal models. Students can also use images from books or the internet for inspiration.
- Jungle Engineering – Depending on the challenge, materials such as toothpicks, popsicle sticks, straws, paper clips, and rubber bands can be used to create structures. Students can also use cardboard, paper, or other materials for a more substantial project.
- Jungle Math – Measuring tapes or rulers can be used to measure the height and circumference of trees. Graph paper or an online graphing tool can be used to create graphs.
- Jungle Coding – Scratch is a free online coding platform that can be used to create games. The program includes a variety of jungle-themed sprites and backgrounds to choose from.
Animal STEM Activities
- Animal Habitats – Materials such as cardboard, paper, paint, and glue can be used to create models. Students can also use natural materials such as leaves and sticks to create a more realistic habitat.
- Animal Science Experiments – Materials will vary depending on the experiment. For example, for the water filtration experiment with a clam, students will need a plastic container, sand, gravel, and a clam. For the diet study with mice, students will need different types of food and containers to hold the mice.
- Animal Math – Measuring tapes or rulers can be used to measure the wingspan of a bird or the length of a snake. Graph paper or an online graphing tool can be used to create graphs.
- Animal Coding – Scratch or Python can be used to create the game. Depending on the game, students may want to include images or sounds of animals as well.
These materials and products are just a few examples of what can be used for these animal STEM activities. Depending on the project and the age of the students, additional materials and products may be necessary.