Try This Easy STEM Project to Engage Your Middle School Students

This image shows a toy phone sitting on a DIY cell phone stand created from wooden craft sticks, pipe cleaners, cardstock, and tape.

Engage Your Students with a Hands-On STEM Project They'll Love

Looking for a low-prep, high-impact STEM project to use with your middle schoolers? This free challenge is the perfect way to introduce your students to the engineering design process in a fun and meaningful way.

In this quick STEM project, students are challenged to build cell phone stand using whatever materials you have on hand. It’s fast, flexible, and fun. Ideal for early finishers, last-minute sub plans, or days when you need something hands-on but still meaningful.

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What's Included in This Free STEM Project?

This image shows two worksheets titled "Cell phone stand engineering design challenge." There is a notebook, pencil, scissors, and glue in the background.

You’ll get a downloadable STEM Challenge with everything you need:

  • ✔ A simple but engaging engineering challenge

  • ✔ Printable and digital student worksheets to guide the design process

  • ✔ Suggested materials and setup tips

  • ✔ Grading rubric

  • ✔ Student certificates

  • ✔ Low-prep format – just print or share materials and grab supplies from your cupboard!

Whether you’re teaching STEM as a stand-alone class or integrating it into science or advisory, this activity is designed to make your planning easier.

Why You'll Love This Project

  • Fast and flexible: You can do it in one class period or extend the optimization and presentation piece over multiple periods.
  • Student-centered: Students take the lead in designing, building, and testing their own ideas.
  • Aligned to STEM practices: Supports creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.
  • No fancy materials needed: Use what you already have. Think paper, paperclips, tape, and straws. Whatever you can pull out of the cupboard!

Perfect for Any of These Teaching Situations

  • 👩‍🏫 First week of school or getting-to-know-you days

  • 📚 End of a unit or short class periods

  • ✏️ Early finishers and fast groups

  • 🧠 Building STEM skills like iteration, testing, and teamwork

  • 📅 Emergency sub plans or unexpected schedule changes

  • 😵‍💫 Last minute lesson plans
This image is titled "Phone Stand STEM Challenge." It shows a worksheet for a cell phone stand STEM challenge and a student prototype holding a toy cell phone.

Download the STEM Project Freebie

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