One of my favorite STEM activities is our Magnet Racer challenge! After studying magnets, students get to build their own magnet-powered Lego car which they then try to navigate through a series of obstacles. Building and testing takes several days, and students experiment with different size wheels, wheel bases, magnets, and of course, their car design! I set up a variety of stations on the floor which mirror the final obstacle course. They can test as often as they’d like, and decide which type of magnet will work best for them to “drive” with.
On the day of the final “race”, each student gets a predetermined amount of time to try to complete the course. They are docked points for things like crashing, touching their car, or driving over the lines. They are awarded points for each obstacle successfully completed! It’s a fun way to end the magnet studies before moving on to electricity!
