STEM at Home offers fun and engaging science, technology, engineering, and math activities. Lessons are available for a variety of grade levels and are designed to help youth gain knowledge, to meet the Nebraska State Standards, and to prepare youth for the next grade level. The lessons are easy to navigate and packaged ready for you to use. The lessons below are downloadable/printable and can be used with and without internet access.
Interested in having a Nebraska Extension professional deliver a lesson to your group? Simply complete the STEM at Home interest form, and we'll be in contact to set up a learning experience to fit your needs.
Nebraska Extension professionals using these lessons are also invited to submit their engagement data. This data will be used to help us gauge the demand and impact of the materials and help us make improvements.
Stem Activities
Plant Needs & Seeds
Grade: K
Materials
- Starting Seeds video
- Worksheet and assessment
- Potting soil (or garden/field plot)
- Pots (to be placed by the window)
- Sharpie or tape to mark on the pot
- Access to water, watering can
- "What's Missing" worksheet (end of the lesson)
- Crayons/Markers
- Radish, tomato, bean, or basil seeds (seeds that sprout quickly)
- Paper
- Paperclips
- Scissors
- Pencil
- 2 baggies/child
- Lima or navy beans (6-8/child)
- 2 paper towels per child
- Spray bottle for water
- Tape
Science Standards:K.7.2.A, K.7.2.B, K.7.2.C, K.7.2.D
Color Changing Milk
Grade Level:K-2
Materials
- Handout
- Milk
- Dinner plate
- Food coloring
- Dishwashing soap
- Cotton swabs
Science Standards: SC.2.3 Structure and Properties of Matter
Live Butterflies
Grade Level: 1-3
Materials
- Online videos and PowerPoints
Science Standards: SC.1.6.2; SC.3.9.3
Computer Coding for You
Grade Level: 3-5
Materials
- Computer Coding for You video
- PowerPoint Worksheet (optional)
- Pencil
- Paper
- Worksheet
- Video
Science Standards:3-5.ETS1.A, 3-5.ETS1.B, 3-5.ETS1.C
Light & Wavelength
Exploring Light & How It Travels
6-8
Materials
- Activity 1: flashlight, mirrors, binder clips, white or black paper.
- Activity 2: two chairs or stools of the same height, duct tape, wooden skewers and gumdrop candies
Science Standards: SC.8.2.2
Rewnewable Energies
Grade Level: 6-8
Materials:
- Activity 1: An electronic device for research and materails to create a poster
- Activity 2: 5 (3 oz) paper cups, two straws, one pushpin, a sharpened pencil with an eraser.
Science Standards: SC.6.4 & Fair Projects
NASA 4-H Virtual Science Sessions
The NASA 4-H Virtual Science Sessions includes 5 exciting NASA lesson plans for activities that highlight resources from the NASA Science Mission Directorate and Human Exploration and Operation Mission Directorate. Each lesson features a video of a 4-H Youth Development professional facilitator walking youth through activities highlighted on the lesson plans. Worksheets and demonstration aides along with simple materials for the learning and practice of science concepts for youth are also included.