STEM Monthly Newsletter
January 2026
Bundle Up for Winter STEM Fun
Get ready for a blizzard of hands on learning with our collection of winter themed STEM printables, challenges, and activities. Students can design their own snow fort, build a 3D snowman, explore a “Winter Woodland” in an I SPY adventure, play the Snowman Shuffle board game, and try Winter Woodland Bingo. They can investigate snowflake symmetry, practice coding in a winter algorithm game, write their name in binary code, create spinning winter thaumatropes, and enjoy many more chilly challenges. There is something exciting for every grade level as we celebrate STEM all season long.
Why Do Animals Hibernate?
When winter arrives and food becomes hard to find, some animals enter a deep, cozy sleep called hibernation. During this time, their bodies slow down so they can save energy and stay safe until spring returns. It is nature’s clever way of helping animals survive the cold months.
Hibernation
Bears Snores On
Hibernation Activities
How Do Animals That Stay Awake Keep Warm?
Some animals snooze through winter, but others stay wide awake in the cold. So how do they stay toasty? Many have a warm, squishy layer called blubber that works like a built in puffy coat. Try our blubber glove activity to see how this amazing insulation keeps animals cozy all winter long.
Click HERE for printable directions
January STEM Activities
New Year's Day
Winter Science
Kick Off the New Year with a Night of Sky Magic
January brings two exciting sky shows for Florida students and families. On the evening of January 3, everyone can look up to see the first full moon of 2026 rising. That same night, the Quadrantids meteor shower reaches its peak. A meteor shower is when lots of tiny space rocks zip into our sky and burn up, making quick flashes of light called shooting stars. Because the full moon will brighten the sky, only the biggest meteors may be visible, but students can still spot a few bright streaks before sunrise. It is a fun way to start the new year with some sky watching and space science.
If you love shooting stars and space adventures, these activities are perfect for you. Learn how meteor showers work, fold your own shooting star origami, and even create craters just like the ones real space rocks make. Get ready for some out-of-this-world fun.
Matilda 2-Month Update
Florida Dairy Farmers' Winter Recipes
Try out some of these amazing dairy recipes from the Florida Dairy Farmers. Click on the picture for the recipe.
STEM Competitions
Future Creatures Challenge
Ready to imagine the creatures of tomorrow? This challenge invites students in grades K–12 to pick a current rainforest animal and design how it might adapt for a future habitat affected by climate change. Illustrate both the present-day and future versions of your animal, and write a short explanation of the changes you envision.
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
Students in grades K–12, get ready to unleash your creativity and engineering genius in the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest! Design a wonderfully wacky chain-reaction machine that completes a simple task in the most delightfully complicated way possible, and show off your STEM skills with style!
Robofest
Students in grades 4–12 are invited to design, build, and program autonomous robots in the exciting Robofest competition! Dive into STEM challenges that mix coding, engineering, creativity, and teamwork, and see how far your robot can go.
Can You Guess the Winter Item Before the Zoom Out?
Practice Math Magic With A Friend
Step 1: Tell your friend, “Pick any number… but don’t tell me!”
Step 2: Say, “Now add 3 to your number.”
Step 3: “Double the number you have now.”
Step 4: “Subtract 4.”
Step 5: “Divide that number in half.”
Step 6: “Now subtract your original number.”
Then smile and say, “Your answer is… 1!”
Watch their face when they realize you guessed it!
STEM Shout Out!
CAMS
Studying Chemical Reactions
PAMS
Creating Tornado Tubes
SAA
VEX Robotics
Special Thanks to Mrs. Gregos, CSA Science & STEM Supervisor
cgregos@charterk12.com