Pre-Built Lesson: Halloween STEM Fun!
Grade We’re so excited to put our very own spooky STEM spin on one of our favorite holidays. Read on below for some tricks (and treats!) involving the states of matter, and make some spine-tingling, hair-raising STEMtastic magic! Happy Halloween!
Resources in This Lesson
Resource 1
Our favorite witch doctor, Veronica, explores the three states of matter – solids, liquids and gases – via a growing pumpkin in this Halloween-themed Rosie Explores video!
Rosie Explores States of Matter
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-explores-states-of-matter/
Resource 2
Our special guest for Halloween is Esther, the heroine of Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, and Gassy. She’s a fairy who believes in science instead of magic, and we’re reading about her exploration of the three states of matter!
Rosie Reads Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, Gassy
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-reads-fairy-science-solid-liquid-gassy/
Resource 3
Bouncing pumpkins, papier-mache ghosts, and witch’s brew – oh my! STEM and Halloween combine to make some awesome creations, all while exploring physical and chemical changes!
Rosie Makes STEMtastic Halloween Decorations!
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-makes-stemtastic-halloween-decorations/
Resource 4
Continue learning and exploring with some of these tried and tested Rosie Recommends activities from other STEM education resources.
Rosie Recommends Halloween STEM Activities!
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-recommends-halloween-stem-activities/
We are so excited to share Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, Gassy by Ashley Spires! Esther is a fairy who believes in science and the book chronicles her investigation of the three states of matter (solids, liquids, and gasses). She’s on a mission to get her fellow fairies excited about science too – will she succeed?
When you’re finished reading Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, Gassy, ask kids these comprehension questions:
- What makes Esther different from other fairies?
- What are the steps of the scientific method that Esther and her friends use to solve the mystery of the disappearing pond?
- How did the pond disappear?
For our Rosie Reads activity, ask kids to think about a question or problem that can be investigated with the scientific method. Once they’ve chosen their question, ask them to map out each step in the scientific method and how they’d proceed. What tips can they take from Esther’s experience in the book?
Watch The Video
https://youtu.be/3MAYyOFWBig
Check out some of these tried and tested Halloween activities from other STEM education resources!
Recommended Resources
Resource 1
You can’t spell “STEM” without the “M” so we’re super excited to share these mathematical polyhedra pumpkins! Delve into geometry, learn about the dodecahedron and icosahedron (say that ten times fast!), and make some pretty cool Halloween decorations all at once.
Resource 2
If you’ve been getting groceries delivered and have dry ice on hand, these spooktacular projects are for you! Subzero science experiments help kids understand how dry ice works and make for some pretty amazing Halloween tricks. After all, who doesn’t want to create a crystal ball bubble?!?!
Rosie Makes STEMtastic Halloween Decorations!
We made three – yes three! – awesome STEM-inspired Halloween decorations in this video. Click each resource below for bouncing pumpkins, papier-mache ghosts, or witch’s brew – oh my! All of these projects combine STEM and Halloween while exploring physical and chemical changes.
Watch The Video
https://youtu.be/NKpLpNP35TI
Rosie Makes Halloween Decorations!
Resource 1
Rosie Makes Bouncing Pumpkins
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-makes-bouncing-pumpkins/
Resource 2
Rosie Makes Papier-Mache Ghouls
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-makes-papier-mache-ghouls/
Resource 3
Rosie Makes Witch’s Brew
https://handsonstem.rosieriveters.com/resources/rosie-makes-witchs-brew/
We’re exploring the three states of matter – solids, liquids, and gases – and how they change in this fun video.
Want to make the growing pumpkin at home or in your classroom? Watch the video for an overview, gather the materials listed at the right, and follow the instructions below!
Watch The Video
https://youtu.be/5t2fp_0JyHI
Required Materials
- 1 Alka Seltzer tablet
- water
- food coloring (optional)
- plastic bottle
- balloon
- marker (optional)
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1
Fill your bottle with water (liquid).
Step 2
Place the Alka Seltzer tablet (solid) inside of the balloon. You’ll likely need to break it up a bit before inserting it. Optional: draw a spooky face on your balloon with a permanent marker before you insert the Alka Seltzer!
Step 3
Stretch the lip of the balloon over the bottle’s neck. You’ll need to hold the part of the balloon that contains the antacid tablet/baking soda while you do this to ensure that it doesn’t spill into the bottle before you’re ready.
Step 4
Drop the Alka Seltzer (solid) into the water (liquid).
Step 5
Watch as the two substances react with each other to create carbon dioxide (gas)! If you don’t have Alka Seltzer, swapping it for baking soda and using lemon juice in place of the water also works!