100 Day STEM Challenge

The 100^th day of school is coming up soon. Are you ready to celebrate?

Try this 100 Days STEM Activity with your class. It’s tons of fun and packed full of learning.

How do you set up the project?

You’ll want to find four groups of 100 items. It’s important to make sure the items are of various sizes. For example, I used 100 pony beads, 100 pennies, 100 pom poms, and 100 pipe cleaners.

You could also use cotton balls, pencils, mini erasers, paper clips, etc. Just make sure they are all different sizes.

Next, find four containers. You’ll want to find containers that closely fit each grouping of item.

For example, my 100 pennies fit perfectly inside one of those little bathroom cups. My pipe cleaners needed a shoe box size storage container.

How do you do the activity?

Present your class with the piles of items and their containers. Keep the items and containers separate.

Ask them if they can predict which group of items belongs in which container. There’s one perfect container for each group of items.

Let them write down their predictions and then tally up the predictions from the class.

What containers did they choose? Why did they choose it?

It’s easy to find the container that best fits the biggest pile of items, but how do you choose for the smaller items? The pony beads will fit into every container, so why is the smallest container best?

You’ll get your class talking about size (and volume). They’ll use their prediction skills. They’ll also use their math skills as they tally up all the guesses.

Now it’s time to test the predictions.

Let your students put the items in the predicted containers. Did your class make the correct predictions? If not, can they correct their predictions to put the piles in the correct containers?

Your students will have a blast if you add a STEM element to your 100^th day celebration this year.