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STEM Challenge: STEM In Action

Bradly Cusack, Mariah Warren, Kelsey Willems | Published: October 13th, 2025 by K20 Center

Based on STEM Challenge: Eggstravaganza by Bradly Cusack.

Summary

In this activity, students will create a short commercial showcasing a STEM invention or solution. They will collaborate on planning, storyboarding, producing, and revising their videos, learning to communicate scientific and engineering ideas effectively.

Essential Question

  • How can we use the engineering design process to solve real world problems?

Learning Objective

  • Students will use the engineering design process to solve a real-world problem related to STEM.

Snapshot

Question

Present students with the problem/scenario and criteria. 

Brainstorm

Students work in small groups to brainstorm a solution using a KWHL chart. 

Plan and Design

Given design criteria, students will research, plan, and prepare their pitch idea.

Create

Students use online software to design storyboards and shot lists based on their designs.

Test and Analyze

Students will test their prototype according to the goal of the performance task and analyze them for future design considerations.

Reflect and Improve

Students will reflect on the test analysis document, plan design improvements, and create their commercials.

Communicate

Students will present their commercials.

Engineering Design Process Debrief

Students will reflect on their experiences using the 3-2-1 instructional strategy.

Materials List

  • Activity Slides (attached) 

  • Facilitator Guide handout (attached; teacher copy) 

  • Engineering Notebook Materials handout (attached; one per student; optional)

  • 3-2-1 handout (attached; one half-page per student)  

  • My Checklist handout (attached; one per group)

  • Storyboard handout (attached; one per group plus extras)

  • Shot List handout (attached; one per group) 

  • Pitch Graphic Organizer handout (attached; one per group) 

  • Engineering Design Process poster (attached; optional) 

  • Sticky Notes and Chart or poster paper (optional)

  • Markers (optional)

  • Composition Notebook (one per student)

  • Whiteboard or poster board (one per group)

  • Dry-erase markers (one set per group)

  • Clipboards (one per group; optional for storyboarding)

  • Pen/pencil

  • Materials for STEM Activity: 

    • Cameras, tablets, or smartphones (1 per group); Tripod or stabilizer (1 per group, optional); Lighting (1 small set per group or shared classroom lighting); Microphones (1 per group, optional for clearer audio); Editing software (1 per student or shared per group)

Preparation

35 Minute(s)

Facilitator Guide 

The Facilitator Guide handout is designed to support you in leading a successful STEM Challenge session. It includes setup instructions, best practices for creating an authentic and engaging learning environment, and images of sample notebooks to model expectations for students. The materials list provided is suggested but not exhaustive—you are encouraged to adapt or supplement as needed to fit your group’s interests and resources. Additionally, review the attached slide deck for more opportunities to customize.

Engineering Notebooks Materials 

To best model authentic scientific discovery we highly recommend having students keep a composition or spiral notebook specific for all STEM Challenge activities. The provided Engineering Notebook Materials handout contains headings, prompts, and other useful recording templates that you can print and have students cut out then glue/tape into their notebooks. See the Facilitator Guide handout for a model. However, we have also provided instruction slides (5, 10, 12, 14, & 17) before each phase that show students what should be on the next page(s) of their notebooks if you would prefer them to handwrite the headings, prompts, etc. Feel free to hide these slides if needed. 

You may consider shifting how you have students use their engineering notebook for this particular challenge. 

My Checklist 

We recommend printing and laminating the My Checklist handout for each student to add to their notebook or have out on their desk.

Question

25 Minute(s)

Use the Activity Slides to facilitate the following STEM Challenge session. Transition through slides 2-4 to introduce the activity title, essential question, and objectives. The essential question should be the guiding force throughout the activity and can help shape your probing questions as needed.

Move to slide 5 which shows how students should set up the first sections of their notebook. If you are using the provided Engineering Notebook Materials handout, pass one copy out to every student along with scissors and tape or glue. Give students time to set up the Question & Brainstorm sections of their notebooks. 

Display slide 6. Introduce the scenario for this session to the students and remind them to fill in that part of their notebooks. Read through the slide content in as much detail as needed.

Transition to slide 7 and explain the criteria for this engineering challenge to students in as much detail as you think necessary. Encourage students to choose a product that they have already designed from previous STEM Challenges to showcase in their commercial. 

Display slide 8. Using the KWHL Graphic Organizer strategy, have each student go to or create their own KWHL chart in their notebooks by writing the following questions at the top of four columns:

  1. Know: What do I know about the task?

  2. Wonder: What do I not know (and want/need to know) about the task?

  3. How: How will I find the information I need to complete the task?

  4. Learn: What have I learned about the task?

Guide students through the K (What I Know) section by encouraging them to share prior knowledge, experiences, and assumptions related to the problem without judgment. Then, move to the W (What I Want to Know) section, prompting them to generate focused, curiosity-driven questions that highlight gaps in understanding. Allow students time to work.

Brainstorm

30 Minute(s)

Display slide 9 and revisit the KWHL chart introducing the H (How I Will Learn) section. Guide students to think about specific strategies they can use to find the answers to their W questions. This may include online research, hands-on experiments, interviews with experts, reviewing data, or consulting books and credible websites. Encourage students to match each question with at least one method or resource, considering the reliability and accessibility of their sources. With these strategies in mind, students should begin generating and sharing potential solutions to the problem, using their K and W entries as a springboard for idea creation. All ideas are recorded without judgment in the space after their KWHL charts to promote creativity and ensure a wide range of possibilities for the next phase of planning.

Plan and Design

55 Minute(s)

Display slide 10 which shows how students should set up the next sections of their notebook. Give students time to set up the Plan & Design sections of their notebooks. 

Move to slide 11, pass out a Pitch Organizer handout to each group, and explain how students will prepare a pitch using a modified 5W Cube strategy. Explain to students how and why one would use a pitch, or pitch their ideas. Share that, generally, pitches are used to rapidly collect feedback about a design or product and are 30 seconds to a minute long. For their pitch, encourage students to describe their idea, materials needed, and the step-by-step process for completing the project. 

Students must have their pitches approved by the teacher in order to present. After students have had time to prepare their pitches, hold a pitch meeting where an elected group speaker shares the team proposal.

Create

55 Minute(s)

Display slide 12, which shows how students should set up the next sections of their notebook. Give students time to set up the Create sections of their notebooks. Pass out one copy each of the Storyboard and Shot List handouts to each group (consider having extras of the Storyboard handout in case groups need to revise their original drafts). 

Move to slide 13. Explain that now students will review their pitch ideas and select the most promising option or combination of ideas that best meet the problem’s criteria and constraints. Students will draw detailed sketches and storyboard their ideas, either physically, digitally, or both, to clearly show how the solution will be built.

The prototype should include a storyboard and a materials/prop list. Emphasize clarity—anyone who reads their storyboard should be able to understand and replicate the process. This phase bridges creative ideas with practical action, ensuring that the concept is ready for the create phase.

Test and Analyze

55 Minute(s)

Display slide 14 which shows how students should set up the next sections of their notebook. Give students time to set up the Test & Analyze sections of their notebooks. 

If students need a reminder, return to slide 7 to review criteria again. Display slide 15. As a group, brainstorm and determine what a successful commercial should look like (i.e. what are important elements to include). When brainstorming, ask students how they would best collect feedback from their peers. 

Invite students to put their prototype (storyboard and shot list) to the test, using the criteria and constraints from the Question phase as their guide. “Testing” is essentially gathering feedback from a focus group and should still follow a consistent process so results are reliable and measurable. Students should gather data through observations and feedback, looking for evidence of how well the storyboard performs and where it might fall short. The purpose of this phase is to learn from the prototype, not to prove it’s perfect.

As students are wrapping up their tests and data collection, transition to slide 16 and explain that now they need to brainstorm the best mode for representing their collected raw data for analysis. Inform students that these representations will be for group use only, and not presented like in other STEM Challenges. Allow students time to brainstorm the best tools for displaying their data. Consider checking in on their ideas periodically.

Reflect and Improve

25 Minute(s)

Display slide 17 which shows how students should set up the next sections of their notebook. Give students time to set up the Reflect & Improve sections of their notebooks.

Display slide 18. Students review their peer feedback data and analyze what feedback to use to revise and iterate their storyboards. Using their peer feedback and new storyboards, students begin to create the first draft of their commercial. They should follow their plans, storyboard, and step-by-step instructions carefully, using tools and materials safely and responsibly. While creating, students should document their progress through photos, notes, or sketches to capture changes or adjustments made along the way. Remind students that the goal of this phase is to make the design more effective, efficient, and reliable before retesting or final presentation.

Display slide 19. Have students return to their KWHL charts and direct them to complete the “L” column: “What I learned”.

Communicate

30 Minute(s)

Have students present their commercials. Audience members should be actively listening. After each presentation, allow the audience time to engage with a peer review strategy and give the presenting group their feedback. Here are suggested strategies:  

Engineering Process Design Debrief

30 Minute(s)

To close, move to slide 20, where students will use the 3-2-1 instructional strategy to reflect on their learning. This reflection should summarize three things they learned, two challenges they overcame, and one improvement they would make if given more time. Pass out one half-page of the 3-2-1 handout and allow students time to work. Note: you may either choose to pick up these responses or have students add them to their notebooks. 

Resources

Publisher

K20 Center

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Downloads

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Facilitator Resources

Click on a file type icon to download an attachment.

  • Activity Slides—STEM Challenge—STEM in Action
  • Facilitator's Guide—STEM Challenge

Learner Handouts

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  • 3-2-1—STEM Challenge
  • Engineering Design Process Poster
  • Engineering Notebook Materials—STEM Challenge
  • My Checklist—STEM Challenge
  • Pitch Organizer—STEM Challenge—STEM in Action
  • Shot List—STEM Challenge—STEM in Action
  • Storyboard—STEM Challenge—STEM in Action

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