STEM Activity for Elementary Students | Engineer Inspiration Boards

Need an easy STEM activity for Elementary Students? Check out these Engineer Inspiration Boards. These work best for younger students in grades K-2. With a one page format, students can use this board as inspiration to build various things that represent the theme represented. See how you can use these in your classroom in a variety of ways!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you purchase through my link, it’s no added cost to you and I get a little kickback in return. Win-win!

STEM Activity for Elementary Students | What are they?

These one page boards are meant to be a way to inspire students to be creative and imagine new solutions to design the images shown. A variety of themes are available to provide students new inspiration year round. There are not step-by-step directions to tell students how to build each one. It's inspiration!

The boards come in a few different formats:

• PDF [Color and Black & White} Full size, half size and quarter-page size
• Google Slide
• Powerpoint
• JPGs Directions for creating a Seesaw activity are also included

STEM Activity for Elementary Students | How Should I Use These?

Before jumping into building, have students thoughtfully plan by drawing and how they are going to create their design & write down the materials they are going to use. After they have built their first creation, challenge students to improve their design with the suggestion checklist.

Likewise, they don’t have to try all of the suggestions, but they are more than welcome to! Then have students share their work on the sharing page by either placing their design on up of the page, drawing their page or inserting a picture digitally.

 

Here are some ways these Engineer Inspiration boards can be used in your classroom:

• Create a book of the Engineer Inspiration boards you collect and leave them as a station in your classroom.
• Have hands-on homework weeks where you assign an Engineer Inspiration Board along with the planning pages
  
• For a class reward or warm-up, display the Engineer Inspiration board on the big screen in your classroom and set a timer for students to create what they can in that time frame.
• Need a quick sub plan idea? Print out these boards, place the planning pages in page protectors and leave out materials you want students to build with while you are away.
• Use the Engineer Inspiration Boards during a station at a class party. Parties can still be fun and have an educational component! 

STEM Activity for Elementary Students | What Should Kids Build With?

These mats are designed to be used with an endless amount of supplies. Whatever you have in your classroom or at home, kids can create with it! Click here to get my go-to STEM supply list!

Here are a few ideas below to inspire you. 

• pipe cleaners
• playdough
• LEGO bricks
• Crayola modeling clay (this doesn't dry out!)
• wooden planks
• popsicle sticks

STEM Activity for Elementary Students | What Other Teachers are Saying…

Teachers around the world love using these Engineer Inspiration Boards in their classrooms! Here is what they are saying.

“These are absolutely AMAZING! We use these boards early on for STEM Fridays. I would have students choose one thing from the first row, then the next week from the second row and so on. I was blown away by what my students came up with, and what clever materials they used! I had a student build one of the items using their dirty clothes from their hamper! (HA!)” -Livin' the Third Grade Dream

 

“I used these activities as part of the students asynchronous work. They are loving creating the different things on the board!” -Brittany S.

 

“A wonderful extension activity and easy to use!” -Dominee K.

STEM Activity for Elementary Students | Where can I Get Them?

Each board can be bought individually and also in a bundled set. Want to try one before you buy? Click HERE for a Space Themed Board for your class!

All individual boards and bundles can be purchased here from my shop. 

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

• Must Have STEM School Supply List by Naomi Meredith 
• Books About Creativity for Kids by Naomi Meredith 
• Best Robots for Kids for STEM & Technology Lessons by Naomi Meredith 

What questions do you have about these boards? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!