Can You Engineer A Rain Barrel?

April Showers Bring May Flowers! Our STEM Challenge is a great way to invite kids to practice researching and using their imagination, in a way that will get them excited to jump into Spring.

For this challenge, kids must create a container to hold and dispense rain water with the given materials.

Are you up for the challenge? Can you engineer a rain barrel?

What you need...

• Popsicle Sticks (40 sticks)
• Glue
• Cotton Balls
• Aluminum Foil
• String/Pipe Cleaners
• Rainy Day (or salt shaker to make water come down like rain)
• Can You Engineer A Rain Barrel? Creator Sheet

What you need to do...

• Start by telling kids that the objective of this challenge is to engineer a rain barrel, given the materials provided.
• Give kids the materials needed.
• Have kids write their name on their Creator Sheet and ask why they think rainwater is better than tap water?
• Kids will then start brainstorming how they will create their rain barrel using the given materials. Have them write and draw their ideas on their Creator Sheet
• Have them start to create their own inventions!
• After kids have created their own inventions, have them test using water.
• On the Creator Sheet, students will write down any ideas on how they could improve their project, if they wanted to create a new replica.

We would love to see you try this STEM Challenge. Share your results with us through social media!

Happy Making,

Maker Maven