• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Shop 1200+ Teaching Resources in Our TpT Store

  • Whimsy Workshop Teaching

    Teacher Clip Art, Literary Resources, Classroom Ideas

    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
      • Phonics
      • Sound Wall
      • Reading
      • Writing
      • Poetry
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Clip Art
      • Phonics
      • Animals
      • Fairy Tales
      • Math
      • Seasonal
      • Specialty
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    Home
    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
      • Phonics
      • Sound Wall
      • Reading
      • Writing
      • Poetry
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Clip Art
      • Phonics
      • Animals
      • Fairy Tales
      • Math
      • Seasonal
      • Specialty
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    • Shop on TpT

    Mystery STEM: A Stem Game With A Twist

    Our classroom embraced STEM challenges this year in a big way.

    We explored all kind of building, integrated STEM with other subject areas, and worked in multi-age groups.

    We worked both in and outside the classroom on our STEM challenges.

    The confidence and enthusiasm of our little engineers soared!

    And now we’re adding MYSTERY STEM to add even more fun and rigor!

    Mystery STEM is a fun game that adds more challenge to your STEM activities!

     

    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    The concept is simple! The mystery is the challenge: students won’t know what they have to build, or what their limited materials will be, until they start the game and turn over their cards. Each player places their Building Card and Materials Card on the game board.

    Mystery STEM Game Board

     

     

    THINK, TEST, IMPROVE!

    The brainstorming begins!

    All players work at the same time: thinking, testing and improving!

    This is the heart of STEM exploration. Students experience ideas that don’t work the way they intended, and learn to overcome the disappointment and persevere.

    This is where Growth Mindset comes in, and this is why I always add a Growth Mindset component to my STEM lessons and units.

    Mystery STEM game board

    THINKING CARDS

    Once students have completed their challenge, they each choose a Thinking Card. These prompt students to think and share ideas about their building experience. For example, they may be asked to give another player a compliment and a suggestion, or ask a question.

    They may be asked to talk about their biggest challenge, or how they would rate the materials they used. How did they handle the challenges and disappointments? When did they show a Growth Mindset?  This generates excellent discussion with peers and is a key part of the process.

    STEM Thinking Questions

    REFLECT AND REVIEW

    For a written component, students use a Reflection Booklet. This single (double-sided) page booklet has space for brainstorming ideas and reflection on the challenges and final products. Students are prompted to write about their feelings when faced with challenges and other ideas. These booklets become an interesting archive of student growth and achievements through the year.

    Reflect and Review Booklet

     

    MYSTERY STEM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

    How Does Mystery STEM work in the classroom?

    Read more details about Mystery Stem by clicking HERE.

    OTHER STEM PROJECTS

    Our other favorite STEM resources incorporate Fairy Tales and Growth Mindset using simple Reader’s Theater scripts that set up a building challenge! You can take a quick look at them and read how they are used in our classroom by clicking HERE.

    Adding Growth Mindset to STEM

    STEM bundle 1

    Pin these ideas for later!

    Add a fun twist to your STEM exploration with the Mystery STEM game! Students are challenged to build with limited supplies and encouraged to share reflections with friends. There are thinking cards and a reflection booklet to complete after building for a rigorous fun STEM activity any time!

    STEM, Growth Mindset

    You May Also Enjoy These Posts

    Social Emotional Learning in the Primary ClassroomGrowth Mindset in the classroomTeaching Social Skills: Growth Mindset Classroomarchive for instagram whimsy workshop teachingInstagram Archive

    Primary Sidebar

    Check out these related resources...

    literacy-stem-fairy-tales-projects-activities-program-lessons-challenge-easy-kids-students-first-grade STEM Challenges Full Year Bundle stem-seasonal-bundle-partner-plays-activities-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-fun STEM Seasonal Bundle stem-activities-growth-mindset-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-bundle Fairy Tales STEM Literacy Bundle stem-activities-growth-mindset-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-bundle STEM Bundle 1: Fairy Tales STEM Activities stem-activities-growth-mindset-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-bundle-2-fairy-tales STEM Bundle 2: 8 Fairy Tale Partner Plays
    More Like This

    Free teaching resources

    Join over 100,000 other primary teachers who have access to EXCLUSIVE free resources and teaching ideas! We'd love to share them with you!

    Click here to access!

    Footer

    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use

    Join over 100,000 teachers!

    Copyright © 2023 Whimsy Workshop Teaching •  All rights reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs