These Thanksgiving STEM activities for 2nd grade are uniquely suited for the likes and interests of 2nd grade students, or for 2nd-grade kiddos on Thanksgiving break.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of food, family, fun, and the kickoff to the holiday season!
It’s also a fun time for Thanksgiving STEM activities!
Take a look at the list below and pick your favorite second grade Thanksgiving STEM activities to try!
What is the Importance of Thanksgiving Activities for 2nd Grade?
2nd graders love creating and feeling a sense of accomplishment. They also love learning about the world and exploring creative problem-solving methods.
2nd graders can reason, plan, and create innovative solutions.
This makes it the perfect year to explore STEM with kiddos in the classroom or home.
Studies show that “STEM skills built from early learning will help students to develop the knowledge and habits that will engender a lifetime of STEM understanding and proficiency.”
Research also suggests that girls and minorities often turn away from STEM as they mature if they don’t have a firm love of the topic established in the early grades. And more jobs than ever before have a STEM element, which puts these kids at a disadvantage.
This makes it even more vital for teachers to introduce hands-on STEM lessons in early grades.
And these 2nd grade Thanksgiving STEM activities provide a fun seasonal touch that kids will get a kick out of.
Classroom-Friendly Thanksgiving STEM Activities for 2nd Grade
Your class (or your own kids) will have a blast with these Thanksgiving STEM activities for 2nd grade!
Make sure to grab the FREE STEM challenge cards that match the Thanksgiving theme!
Low-Prep Thanksgiving STEM Activities for Second Grade
The best thing about these Thanksgiving STEM activities is that they are low-prep and most use just household supplies.
Take a look at the supplies listed below to ensure you have everything you need to complete your 2nd grade STEM activities.
The Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based ProjectsBall 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)
How to Set Up a STEM Activity in 2nd Grade
If you are teaching second grade, you know that kids can get out of hand quickly!
- Keep the chaos at bay by employing some of these techniques:
- Have everything set-up and ready-to-go before the kids come in
- Break the kids into small groups and assign everyone a specific role
- Go over the science and STEM lesson before handing out any materials
- Encourage the kids to think creatively, not to find the “right” solution
- Make clean-up part of the STEM lesson routine
- Use disposable materials when possible to reduce cleaning time
- Always have a rubric to guide your STEM lessons and keep them on track
Easy Thanksgiving STEM Activities for Second Grade
If you have a second grader, or are teaching second grade, then you’ll love these hands-on Thanksgiving science experiments and STEM activities that are perfect for the second grade classroom.
There is no end to the STEM learning fun when you try these activities!
Follow this guide to learn how to make a turkey out of LEGO!
And here you can make a LEGO turkey dinner ready for the Thanksgiving table!
Or, try your hand at making a LEGO pumpkin!
Low-Prep Thanksgiving STEM Activities for 2nd Grade
These STEM activities for 2nd grade all have a fun Thanksgiving twist! Kids in second grade will have a lot of fun with these STEM activities for Thanksgiving.
These printable Thanksgiving challenge cards offer 40 different Thanksgiving-themed STEM activities perfect for 2nd graders!
This list of pumpkin experiments will help kids learn about chemistry, biology, physics, properties of matter, states of liquid, density, and a whole lot more!
Can a pumpkin become a volcano? Find out in this fun science experiment all about chemical reactions.
Salt crystals are pretty, but this pumpkin version can also teach kids a lot about physical changes!
Learn about the parts of a pumpkin and make a density column at the same time.
This fall slime is such a fun lesson in non-Newtonian fluids for kids!
2nd graders will have a lot of fun making popcorn dance in this chemical reaction experiment perfect for Thanksgiving.
Kids will love learning about polymer chains in the cranberry slime experiment.
Learn how to make butter and how temperature and movement can change the form of a substance!
How does mold form? Learn in this fun, slightly gross science experiment!
Get even more Thanksgiving STEM challenges in the November STEAM pack!
Sometimes you need a bit of a break from heavy stuff. This pumpkin craft can teach kids about the design and shape of a pumpkin!
Nothing says Thanksgiving like turkeys. And this twist on the egg drop experiment is so much fun.
Try this super fun Thanksgiving math set for 2nd grade!
Make math fun with these bar graph challenges.
Learn how to tally and graph with these Thanksgiving math problems!
Make a shopping list for Thanksgiving dinner in this STEM math challenge!
More Thanksgiving STEM Activities
Simple Thanksgiving Science Experiments for the Elementary Classroom
Thanksgiving Engineering Activities for Elementary
