Groundhog Day STEM Challenge Cards

These Groundhog Day STEM cards are fantastic building challenges that focus on one of winter’s “special” days, February 2nd or Groundhog Day! Will he or won’t he? This themed day is a fantastic opportunity to explore shadow science, light and physics, and animal habitats.

From the classroom to library groups to homeschooling, these printable Groundhog Day STEM challenges are an excellent addition to winter lesson plans or screen-free time! STEM activities are perfect all year round!

PRINTABLE GROUNDHOG DAY STEM CHALLENGES FOR KIDS

WHAT IS STEM?

Let’s first start with STEM! STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. So a good STEM project will intertwine two or more of these learning areas to complete the project. STEM projects often focus on solving problems and can be based on real-world applications.

Almost every good science or engineering project is a STEM activity because you have to pull from different resources to complete it. Results happen when many different factors fall into place.

Technology and math are also essential to include in the STEM framework, whether through research or measurements (time, degrees, angles, length, etc.).Use technology to research the Groundhog and see what their habitat is like.

It’s important that kids can navigate the technology and engineering portions of STEM needed for a successful future. It’s good to remember there’s so much more to STEM than building expensive robots or being on screens for hours.

FUN GROUNDHOG STEM ACTIVITIES

Explore the changing seasons with STEM. These free Groundhog Day theme STEM activities are perfect for engaging kids in science, technology, engineering, and math as they work their way through fun challenges!

You need easy ideas for the kids, right? I want these printable STEM cards to be a simple way to enjoy hands-on learning with your kids.

Use in the classroom, at home, or with clubs and groups.
Print, cut, and laminate to use repeatedly (or use page protectors).
Perfect for individual or group challenges.
Set a time constraint, or make it an all-day project!
Talk about and share the results of each challenge.

WHAT DO GROUNDHOG STEM CHALLENGES LOOK LIKE?

STEM challenges are usually open-ended suggestions to solve a problem. That’s a big part of what STEM is all about! With these STEM tasks, you’ll build a burrow, explore shadows, craft puppets, and more!

TIP: If time and technology allow, research images or watch a short video on the subject matter to get ideas. This material can also be prepped ahead of time!

TIP:When starting with STEM challenges, I recommend choosing the materials ahead of time for the project. Limit the number of materials as well! This can help with decision-making and making the most of the time you have available. Too many materials to choose from can lead to confusion and analysis paralysis!

Ask a question, come up with solutions, design, test, and retest! The tasks are meant to get kids thinking about and using the design process.

What’s the design process? I’m glad you asked! In many ways, it’s a series of steps an engineer, inventor, or scientist would go through when trying to solve a problem. Learn more about the steps of the engineering design process.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR GROUNDHOG STEM CHALLENGES?

Mostly, you will have the opportunity to use what you already have on hand by letting your kids get creative with simple materials. Also, please read about how to put together DIY STEM kit ideas on a budget and get our printable STEM supplies list.

My pro tip is to grab a large, clean, and clear plastic tote or bin. Whenever you come across a fantastic item you would normally toss into recycling, toss it in the bin instead. This goes for packaging materials and items you may otherwise throw away.