Build a Tent: A Preschool STEM Activity

STEAM Challenge: Can you build a tent that fits the most animals?

Objective: Build a tent that can hold the most stuffed animals.

Materials:

• Book, Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins
• Stuffed Animals
• Pool Noodles
• Tape
• Light weight material

Teaching Strategy:

1. Read the book, Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins

2. Ask, “How many animals do you think can fit in a tent?”

3. Use the materials to build a tent that can fit the most amount of animals.

4. Test your design. How many animals does your tent fit?

5. Redesign your tent to try to fit even more animals.

Guiding Questions:

How do you enter and exit your tent?

What would you change about your tent if a storm came?

When do people use tents?

STEAM Integrations: 

Science: What time of the year do people usually go camping?

Technology: What tools do you need on a campsite?

Engineering: Build a tent that can hold the most animals.

Art: Design and draw the ultimate tent for your animals.

Math: How many animals fit in your tent?

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