How to Turn STEM Failures into Learning Opportunities!
[[{“value”:”
Let’s take a look at some not-so-great moments, my failure moments! This humorous look at our STEM lab is all about failures (that might have taught us a thing or two)!
Based on my mistakes I have created STEM Challenges that do work! Those suggestions are also included in this post. By the way, I love using hyperbole, so watch for that, too!
Newton’s Laws
Okay, well the idea here was to have the kids test Newton’s Laws of Motion- one of which says (paraphrasing here) that the more force applied the more distance an object will travel.
So, how to apply a force to a little car? Hmmm, just having the kids push lightly, medium, and hard seemed out of the question as I could just imagine them throwing cars across the room.
So, the car whackers were born.
It only took me about a minute and a half to know this was a bad idea. The kids were supposed to pull back the rather flimsy yard stick to a certain distance and let go. The stick should fly forward and strike the car. The more you pull it back the farther the car should go. Right?
Nope!
Too many uncontrollable variables. It depends on the person pulling back and how the stick slides on the floor and so many other things. We tried it for two classes and then I ditched this idea.
Besides by then I had two broken sticks and at least three kids that got popped in the head by a swinging stick.
Apparently they also make great twirling batons.
The take-away: we had great discussions about variables- which makes me think the kids understand that concept!
And this led to inventions of some amazing challenges to demonstrate Newton’s Laws:)
Newton’s Cradles demonstrate Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion. Egg Cars and Wind Cars demonstrate Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion. Click the images for details about each resource.
Failures with the Pancake Challenge
Okay, well who doesn’t love cooking with kids?
Hmmmmm…..loaded question, right?
My idea was to have kids test different ingredients in pancake batter and determine the right amount of some ingredients to make the best pancake. It is a FABULOUS STEM challenge.
And I mean that.
So, why is it a failure?
MEASURING, that’s why. Now, mind you, I am not saying nobody cooks anymore, but really nobody cooks. I mean we open boxes and frozen things and throw dinner together. I am guilty of that, too. So, it is no wonder that kids can’t use measuring cups and spoon up some flour. Lots of adults can’t do that either! So, first I had to show them how to level flour on a measuring spoon and in a measuring cup! And, you know what? They actually did quite well with it! It just took five hundred years! So, I gave up on having the kids do the measuring and did it myself. I used about ten thousand little cups and all they had to do was pour in a cup! The experiment was truly amazing and we also got to eat pancakes!
The take-away: they definitely know that a chemical reaction is happening with pancake batter and they know it needs to be perfect if you want the pancake to taste good!
Failures with Experimenting and Designing
So, this challenge was from an engineering kit that was given to me from an engineering company.
Basically, the kids experimented with about ten different materials to discover which would allow the best water flow to come through the material in a specific amount of time. The materials were things like netting, waxed paper, foil, and cheesecloth. I am sure you can see where this is headed- Disaster Land!
The background I used was about designing a filter system.
Anyway, testing the materials was interesting, but it used 80 gallons of water which was spilled rather regularly. After I swiped the second giant roll of paper towels from the custodian closet I was pretty much done with this one.
In the end we knew to never make a filter out of aluminum foil or netting.
The take-away: I need to think through planning experiments better than I did for this one!
And that is just what I did!
In my version of this challenge I invented a much more interesting story. Students were told they have a sloping backyard and their dog’s house fills with water when it rains.
Their job is to build a flood barrier. They begin by testing materials to find the most absorbent. Then they build the barrier around a paper doghouse.
And, the we pour water around it. Will the barrier keep their doghouse dry?
Click the image to see more details!
Failures with Cranking Devices
This one is super! A super failure (an oxymoron, maybe!) Anyway, here’s what happened. I told the backstory to students. They are on a hike and a teammate follows over a slope. They must build a cranking device to retrieve their friend using only the items in their backpacks or things from nature. We used dowel sticks to represent tree limbs. Then I saw this 
The students are turning the ‘tree limb’ by hand to roll up their passenger carrier and rescue someone.
Let me say that again- they are turning a log by hand.
Can you do that?
Well, no.
That is when I climbed on the counter and pulled down a tree limb I happened to have in the lab. It’s about an 8-inch diameter, 3 feet long piece of a tree.
I handed it to the first student who almost dropped it.
BECAUSE IT IS HEAVIER THAN YOU EXPECT!
Well, that got their attention because it became obvious you could not physically turn a log to wind up a rope.
And that’s also when someone suggested a pulley or a handle to crank the rope and wind up the passenger car.
On a side note, I kept that tree limb because it was a decorative, never thinking I may actually use it one day!
See the little handle that is being turned. Also, the rope kept slipping off the end and they added a little piece of wood to keep it from falling off!
I love this challenge!
Click the image for more details!
I know you found a few ideas to use in your classroom. I hope the hyperbole did not alarm you too much! It’s fun and so is STEM!!
RELATED ARTICLES
“In this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that Amazon will pass on small percentages to me with your purchase of items. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!“
Picture Books for STEM
The post How to Turn STEM Failures into Learning Opportunities! first appeared on Teachers are Terrific.
“}]]