2016 STEM Design Challenge Bucks County Dates:

March 9: Grades 4-5 Competition

March 10: Grades 6-8 Competition

*Both competitions will be held at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22.

2016 REGISTRATION LINKS:

Please see the 'Important Registration Information' section below for registration details.

Grades 4-5 Competition LINK

Grades 6-8 Competition LINK

**PLEASE BE AWARE THAT EACH REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ONCE 65 TEAMS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED**

**K'Nex Kits are no longer available**

The 2016 Challenge:

Your team is being challenged to design a building. This building must be at least 1 meter tall and your team must be able to demonstrate that your building can hold weight. During the presentation your team must show the strength of your building (using books, weights, etc.) and also address how your building is environmentally friendly.

Additional Middle School Challenge
Teams competing in the grades 6-8 division will also be asked to present a budget of their project. Each K’Nex piece will be given a price and teams will receive an inventory sheet. Middle school teams will need to turn in an inventory of pieces used and an overall cost of their building. Download the Parts/ Price List.

NEW for 2016: every team that registers to compete will get a K’Nex kit! Teams will be required to use that kit at the competitions.

2016 Student Team Registration will open January 8, 2016. A link will be posted on this website at 8:00AM.

Teacher Training will be held on January 28, 2016, at the BCIU. Registration LINK.

2016 Rules:

  • A team of 4 students will work together on the project.
  • Only the K’Nex kit and motor provided will be permitted to be used.
  • Schools must bring their K’Nex kits on the day of the competition.
  • Students will have 2 hours to put together their project at the competition.
  • No pieces may be brought to the competition already joined.
  • Each team will need to bring a journal and a blueprint to the competition with them.
  • Each team will need to prepare a presentation (max 2 minutes) on their model and how they answered the challenge.

Download additional information, including judging criteria HERE.

Download the Scoring Rubric HERE.

The top team in each division (grades 4-5 and grades 6-8) from Bucks County and from across the state will be invited to compete in a state competition in May 2015.

Tentative Schedule for the Competition:

9:00 AM Team Arrival & Registration

9:30 AM Welcome/ Competition Overview

9:45 AM Student Competition

11:45 AM Student Lunch

Judging of Projects

12:30 PM Awards Ceremony

1:00 PM Clean Up & Dismiss

Important Registration Information (Specific to the Bucks County Competition):

  • Each team competition is limited to 65 teams (65 grades 4-5 teams AND 65 grades 6-8 teams!).
  • Each school building may register two teams for the grades 4-5 competition and/or two teams for the grades 6-8 competition.
  • Registration must be completed separately for each team that a teacher is registering.
  • Registration will automatically close once 65 teams have been registered.
  • Each teacher is able to register one additional chaperone.
  • Be ready to submit your judge's name when you register your team(s). (See below for information regarding judges.)

Important Information for Chaperones:

  1. If a school or school district would like to participate in the Bucks County STEM Design Challenge, they must send at least one designated judge to the competition (a STEM professional from their community, a lead STEM teacher, etc.)
  2. Parents are not permitted to attend the STEM Design Challenge. As much as we would love to welcome all parents, our capacity at the IU simply cannot accommodate that many people. We are happy to take photos and videos that you may share with parents, as long as you have permission to photograph students (which leads to item #3…).
  3. We would like to take photos and videos of the students as they build and compete. Please bring a roster list with you on the day of the competition, showing which students you have media clearances for. We will ask for this list at the time of registration.
  4. All student teams must arrive with their own KNex kit/ parts- we will not have extras available on the day of the competition.
  5. Students are chaperones are asked to bring a brown bag lunch.

If you have any questions about the 2016 STEM Design Challenge, please contact Dr. Lindsey Sides at 215-348-2940, ext. 1460, or .