With two energetic nephews, I’ve noticed their summer days often revolve around screens. In an effort to cut back on their screen time, I teamed up with Creative Teaching Press to engage my nephews in a fun and educational activity at home. We were given the STEAM Design Challenges Resource Book for Grade 3, and even though I'm by no means an educator, the activities inside were easy to follow and provided just the right amount of guidance for turning an ordinary summer afternoon into an exciting learning adventure.
After flipping through the book and reading up on some of the year's worth of activities, my nephews chose the "Perfect Pirate Plan" as their project for the afternoon. This creative activity is designed to teach kids about buoyancy while fostering their artistic abilities and reasoning skills. The challenge: design and build a boat that can float and carry as much "treasure" as possible.
Step 1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems
We began the activity by discussing what makes a boat float and what materials might be best for our project. I asked some leading questions to encourage their critical thinking and help guide a conversation about what we were doing: “Why do some things float while others sink?” “What materials should we use?”, etc, etc. After we had landed on some ideas for materials and some theories as to what would and wouldn't work for the project goal, we moved on to the next step.
Step 2: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
The activity in the STEAM workbook actually calls for making boats out of clay, but we didn't have any clay on hand, so instead we decided to use found materials from the recycling bin. The boys found plastic bottles and containers, cardboard, and even old glasses. We also collected some rocks from the garden to serve as our "pirate treasure". We then filled a plastic tub with water and tested each item the boys picked out to see how the material would react in water. Afterwards, they quickly started brainstorming boat designs, sketching out their ideas on paper.
Step 3: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
With our materials in hand, we moved to the construction phase. It was a blast seeing their creative sides come out and hearing their justifications as to why they felt their boat design would float.
As they built their boats, I guided them through the principles of buoyancy. We discussed how the shape and distribution of weight affect a boat's ability to float.
Step 4: Testing and Evaluating
With their boats ready, it was time for the ultimate test: how much treasure could their boats carry? We weighed the rocks and started loading them onto the boats, bit by bit. It became a competition (as it always is among siblings) to see whose boat would hold up the best in water and under the weight of their treasure. We repeated the test several times, tweaking the designs and strategies along the way and taking notes. Each iteration brought new insights and sparked more questions, keeping the boys engaged and excited.
Step 5: Reflecting and Learning
As the afternoon drew to a close, we gathered to reflect on what we’d learned. My nephews were proud of their boats and eager to share their discoveries. They had not only learned about buoyancy and engineering but had also honed their problem-solving skills and spent the afternoon creating.
The "Perfect Pirate Plan" turned out to be the perfect way to incorporate summer learning into our day-to-day routine. It was a fun, hands-on project that kept the boys’ minds active and away from their screens. Most importantly, it showed them that learning can be an exciting adventure, and I got to spend the afternoon bonding with them!
So, if you’re looking for a way to combine summer fun with educational enrichment, I highly recommend giving any of Creative Teaching Press's STEAM Design Challenge Books a try. They are a fantastic way to spark curiosity, encourage creativity, and make lasting memories with the kids in your life.
Enjoy this Free STEAM Activity
Test out the STEAM Design Challenge Books for yourself with this free downloadable activity!
