STEM - LEGO Car Design Challenge

EYLF Learning Outcomes:

Learning Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

Learning Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

4.1 Children develop a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity

4.2 Children develop a range of learning and thinking skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating

4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials

Learning Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Time required: 50 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium to High. The educator will need to set up the STEM challenge and assist the children in conducting the activity. The early childhood educator role shifts to being a side-by-side learner in this activity once the children begin to build and test their car.

• balloons – one per group
• LEGO or connecting bricks
• marker
• masking tape
• one to three arched bricks
• tape measure
• wheel sets – four wheels for each group.

This lesson is designed to build competencies in the following skills:

• collaboration
• creativity
• critical thinking
• flexibility
• problem solving
• social skills.

This is an original Cool+ lesson.