Thanksgiving STEM Activities for Middle School

Thanksgiving STEM activities for middle school go beyond simple Thanksgiving STEM activities and give a little more meat to STEM.

Middle schoolers should be challenged to think outside the box and really apply the scientific knowledge that they have learned to solve real-world problems.

But, that doesn’t mean that science can’t be fun in middle school.

All of these middle school Thanksgiving STEM challenges are tons of fun and will make the dreary days of November a little more interesting!

Thanksgiving STEM activities for middle school go beyond simple Thanksgiving STEM activities and give a little more meat to STEM. Middle schoolers should be challenged to think outside the box and really apply the scientific knowledge that they have learned to solve real world problems. But that doesn't mean science can't be fun!

Why Make STEM Fun for Middle Schoolers?

Once kids get into middle school, they transition largely from hands-on education to an education much more focused on grades, progress, and tests.

There are a few subjects where kids get to explore hands-on, but far fewer than in the elementary years.

Thanksgiving STEM challenges for middle school

While it is important for middle school students to transition into a style of learning that they will find in high school and college, middle schoolers are still young and love doing things hands-on.

Science class and STEM class are some of the only places where middle schoolers can still explore the world and problem solve in a concrete way.

Research shows that kids who are exposed to science using hands-on methods are far more likely to go into a STEM field as a career, and are also less likely to feel hopless about the future.

STEM projects teach middle school kids that they can make a difference in the world.

In fact, just this year, a middle school girl local to us was able to contribute to Covid vaccine research and won a science scholarship.

While there is a big difference between vacccine research and Thanksgiving STEM activities, baby steps are the key to developing a love for a subject.

Maybe today a 6th grader may try out leaf chromtography, but in a few years, she could be learning how to fight genetic diseases thanks to her exposure to the fun side of science.

Supplies for Middle School Thanksgiving STEM Activities

Keep these supplies on hand for any middle school STEM activities!

The Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based Projects Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, 16-Ounces (4-Pack)Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil, 32 Ounce Barbasol Soothing Aloe Thick & Rich Shaving Cream 10 Oz (2 Pack)Alka-Seltzer PFY BXAS50 80659297 Antacid and Pain Relief Medicine, Two-Pack (Pack of 50)Kadaon 10X Handheld Magnifier Antique Mahogany Handle Magnifier Reading Magnifying Glass for Reading Book, Inspection, Coins, Insects, Rocks, Map, Crossword Puzzle BORAX 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster, Powder, 4 Pounds Fine Ground Celtic Sea Salt – (1) 16 Ounce Resealable Bag of Nutritious, Classic Sea Salt, Great for Cooking, Baking, Pickling, Finishing and More, Pantry-Friendly, Gluten-Free McCormick Assorted Food Color, 1 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)Food Coloring – 12 Color Vibrant Cake Food Coloring Set for Baking, Decorating, Fondant and Cooking – Upgraded Liquid Concentrated Icing Food Color Dye for Slime Making, DIY Crafts – .25 fl. oz. Each 30% Pure Vinegar – Home&Garden (1 Gallon)Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, 5 lb Argo Corn Starch 16 oz. Box (Pack of 4)

Thanksgiving STEM Challenges for Middle Schoolers

Thanksgiving activities for middle schoolers

Middle school kids love a good challenge. Just look at TikTok.

These Thanksgiving activities for middle school science provide a fun Thanksgiving themed challenge to middle school kids, making science fun in November!

Thanksgiving Science Experiments for Middle School

Middle schoolers will have fun with these Thanksgiving science experiments.

Watch this video and learn how to make cloud bread! It’s a fun science activity for middle schoolers to try on Thanksgiving.

Determine what causes bread to mold when you do the bread mold experiment and how you can prevent it.

Explore density in-depth while trying out this pumpkin density experiment.

Fall leaf slime may not seem like the most “sciency” thing to make, but you can explore a lot of scientific concepts with slime, including molecular bonding, non-Newtonian fluids, and chemical changes.

Middle schoolers interested in chemistry will appreciate this Leaf Chromatography STEM activity.

You can learn how to make Salt Crystal Pumpkins and also learn about ionic molecular bonds at the same time.

The dancing popcorn experiment is fun, but middle schoolers can also use it as a discussion on physical vs chemical changes.

Thanksgiving Technology Activities for Middle School

These technology activities all have a fun Thanksgiving twist for middle schoolers.

Thanksgiving activities for middle school science

There are 40 Thanksgiving STEM Challenges to try out in these printable cards, perfect for science centers!

Build a clock from a pumpkin and learn about electrical engineering.

Try Thanksgiving coding and learn more about how computer programming works.

Thanksgiving Engineering Activities for Middle School

Middle schoolers can try out there hand at engineering with these Thanksgiving challenges.

thanksgiving stem projects for middle school

In these November STEM activities there are 8 exciting STEM challenges that middle schoolers can try.

Any age kid can do the turkey egg drop project with popsicle sticks, but middle schoolers should focus on using sustainable materials, materials that are cost-effective, or some other challenge that forces more intelligent design choices.

Follow this guide to learn how to make a turkey out of LEGO!

Or, try your hand at making a LEGO pumpkin!

And here you can make a LEGO turkey dinner ready for the Thanksgiving table!

Build a Mini Mayflower and explore the detailed nuances of historical boat design. Why did ancient peoples choose to build boats the way they did?