Arts and Crafts with a STEAM Twist
The Diocese of Orlando, one of the top private schools in Orlando, offers a Christ-centered curriculum that is embedded with the STEAM components. The foundation of your child’s education includes science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. STEAM-based learning is a prominent educational element, and your child doesn’t have to leave her STEAM academics at school! Here are arts and crafts projects with a STEAM twist she can do right at home!
Juice-Pouch Stomp Rocket
Your child can reuse her juice-pouch by turning it into a stomp rocket that uses compressed air to launch towards the sky. Let your little budding engineer know this type of science is called pneumatics. All you need is one flexible straw, one standard straw, an empty juice pouch, colored cardstock, and modeling clay.
What to Do:
Cut the end of the flexible straw at an angle.
Insert the flexible straw’s pointed end into the juice pouch’s straw hole.
Cut the other straw in half.
Cut three trapezoids out of the cardstock that are 3 inches at the base,1 inch in height, and ¾ of an inch at the top.
Tape the “fins” on each side of the straw, without flattening it.
Take one half-fin perpendicularly to each full fin.
Roll the clay into a small ball, then add it to the top of the straw’s seal.
To launch, your child will blow into the flexible straw to inflate it.
To aim, she will bend the flexible straw and put the rocket straw over the end.
Lastly, she will stomp down hard to lift off!
Dancing Balloons
For a lesson in movement and the concept of a vortex, your child can make dancing balloons! All this flying project needs is a fan (circular shaped is best!), balloons, two poster boards, and tape.
What to Do:
Make a tube by taping the two poster boards together to form a cylinder. The cylinder’s circumference should be the same as the fan’s circumference.
Blow up the balloons.
Put the tube on top of the fan.
Turn the fan on the medium setting.
Watch the balloon dance in the air vortex!
Salt Pendulum
This salt pendulum project combines art, science, and kineticism! The materials needed include: salt, string, funnel, beads, thumbtacks, tape, hot glue, black paper, and a doorway to hang the pendulum.
What to Do:
Near the funnel’s top, punch three holes with an even amount of spacing between them.
Push the thumbtacks through the holes, then hot glue the bead onto the pointed end.
Cut three lengths, between 10 inches and 12 inches, of string. At the top, tie them into a knot.
The loose ends will be tied to the thumbtacks.
Hang the pendulum.
Place the black paper underneath it.
Tape the bottom of the pendulum shut, then fill it with salt that is loose and easily flows out of the funnel.
Have your child untape the bottom, and let the pendulum swing!
For more than 50 years, the private schools in Orlando have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.