A lot of STEM thinking is using things in different ways.  Because so many of us are teaching from home, using found objects in STEM challenges is a great way to continue doing STEM without having to worry about materials.

Everyone has STUFF and everyone seems to have a lot of leftover stuff after they open or use something.  Many of these items we toss in our recycling bins or trash cans.  I ask my students to keep a plastic tub or brown bag in their garage or basement were they can toss they found objects for STEM challenges.  

Sometimes you need to give kids a list of some found objects to get them started!  Here are a few...

- cardboard toilet paper and paper towel tubes

- empty cardboard boxes from food items OR from deliveries

- plastic bags

- plastic bottles

- glass jars and bottles

- paper, paper stuffing

- foil

- lids

- cardboard sheets

- egg cartons

- old clothing, shoes

- magazines, newspapers, junk mail 

- empty pop cans

- old books

- extra straws from fast food restaurants (they will give out extras if you ask)

The list can go on and on...just look around.

We use junk mail to build lots of things that we would build with paper or index cards at school.  This always cracks my kids up because everyone seems to have junk mail.  While few people get newspapers, a lot of those free ads that no one reads are printed on newsprint.

Encourage your kids to look at things a little differently and they can find a lot of things to use to do STEM challenges!

Think creatively and use things in different ways!

Did you know that today is National Skyscraper Day?  Who knew that was a holiday?

Skyscrapers are pretty amazing feats of engineering!  The first skyscraper was just 10 stories tall.  It was built in Chicago.  It wouldn't even count as a skyscraper today!  Skyscrapers must be at least 40 stories today in order to be called "skyscrapers".  These massively tall buildings came from the need to build upwards instead of outwards in crowded city areas.

Looking for a STEM challenge to use for this holiday?  Check out my STEM Calendar Challenges for September!

You can buy this challenge from my TPT store for just $2!  Or you can grab the whole set of five STEM Calendar Challenges for the month of September!

Sometimes the hardest thing about doing STEM challenges is finding the materials!  We are also looking for materials that are cheap and easy to find.  Many STEM challenges use FOUND OBJECTS.  These can be the things in someone's recycling bin, things you don't really use anymore, or using things like plastic building blocks or play dough in a new way!  

Lots of the materials in my STEM challenges on TPT use things that can be found at the dollar store or grocery store.  Those seem to be places where parents still have to go.

Using a mystery bag for your STEM challenges gives kids the option of finding a certain number of random things in order to do a challenge.  Kids just have to choose 10 things for these challenges.  There is no real restriction on the materials.  Everyone seems to have a "junk drawer" and this stuff is perfect for these STEM challenges!  

Click here to buy this pack on TPT for just $2.00!  Feel free to also make up your own challenges!