Description
Students will love these STEM Activities! In these STEM Challenges on circuit electricity, students will create paper circuits using copper tape. Students will use STEM engineering skills while creating all types of conductive tape circuits using copper tape, coin batteries, and LED diodes to complete the challenges.
Great for science lessons on current electricity, STEM camps, and after-school STEM programs. Each STEM challenge can be done independently, though they do build in complexity.
This set includes:
- ten paper circuit challenges
- directions
- templates for ten designs
- troubleshooting tips
- photos of finished projects
- hints
- article on electrical circuits
- follow-up pages
Teachers and Students Love This Resource!
Margaret ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Extremely Satisfied
Fun activities with templates. Lots of Design Thinking and great Engineering experience. My students were so happy about the light saber! We did every project!
Elizabeth ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Extremely Satisfied
I used this with an afterschool STEAM program with mixed grades. This was really engaging and had very clear directions. We are going to do every one of these challenges, as my kids are just thrilled. They really have to think critically, test their design, and troubleshoot. Great engineering activity!
This unit goes especially well with the following standards:
NGSS 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.
NGSS 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another
NGSS 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
NGSS MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions
NGSS MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
NGSS MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
NGSS MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
Utah SEEd 4.2.3 Plan and carry out an investigation to gather evidence from observations that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electrical currents. Examples could include sound-causing objects to vibrate and electric currents being used to produce moon or light.
Utah SEEd 4.2.4 Apply scientific ideas to design a solution that converts energy from one form to another. Define the problem, identify criteria and constraints, develop a prototype for iterative testing, analyze data from testing, and propose modifications for optimizing the solution.
You will need the following inexpensive materials:
- Conductive copper tape
- paper
- LED diodes
- coin batteries
- clear tape
- scissors
Challenges Include:
- Simple Circuit
- Parallel Circuit
- Series Circuit
- Light Up Robot
- Light Up Tree
- Light Up Snowman
- Laser Sword Light
- Parallel Circuit With Corners
- Student Design With Light
- Four Different Kinds of Switches
Through these challenges, students will learn about:
- Closed and open circuits
- Electrical switches
- Parallel circuits
- Series circuits
- Design thinking
- Engineering
- And terms: load, path, source
Want to see some examples of Copper Tape Paper Circuit Stem Challenges?
