STEM Challenges

Age: 11–14

Time requirement: x5 30 minutes

How does the Army use STEM skills?

These six challenges ask students to apply STEM knowledge to a range of Army training scenarios and tasks.

1. PLAN YOUR RATIONS: Plan a day’s healthy rations for a soldier.

   STEM topic links: Biology: Nutrition & diet.

2. TEST YOUR VISION: Find out how well your peripheral vision lets you identify movement, colour and shape.

   STEM topic links: Biology: Vision. Physics: Light. Maths: Angles.

3. HOW FAR AWAY? Use the speed of sound to calculate distance and locate your ‘enemy’.

   STEM topic links: Physics: Sound, distance, speed & time.

4. HOW TALL IS IT? Estimate the height of an object using your arm and hand.

   STEM topic links 11–14: Maths: Triangles, ratios, measurement.

5. CROSS THE RIVER: Build a paper bridge that supports a chocolate bar.

   STEM topic links: Physics: Forces

Each challenge includes a structured activity sheet and template to support students. Timed to 30 minutes, they are designed flexibly to be run independently at home with minimal equipment, in a STEM club or lessons at school.