Free Build a Chimney for Santa Preschool STEM Challenge

12/10/2022

Free Build a Chimney for Santa Preschool STEM Challenge

Are you looking for a fun and easy learning activity to do before Christmas? Your students will have great time building a chimney and fireplace for Santa using this free resource!

Easily combine this Chimney for Santa Building resource with your favorite blocks, or building materials. This is also a fantastic activity to accompany the book Santa's Stuck by Rhonda Growler Greene. You can watch a read aloud on YouTube here.

Before you begin this activity

Research and discuss what your students already know about chimney's and fireplaces. Inside your resource you will find posters to support your research. Some important things to note: A Chimney is outside, and a Fireplace is inside.

Teacher Tip: During this project, some students may express worry that Santa won’t be able to deliver gifts if they don’t have a chimney. It’s a good time to reassure your students that Santa is magical , and has other clever ways of delivering gifts.

What's included?

Inside this free 8-page resource you will find:
Challenge Directions & Santa Cutout
Chimney Building Blueprint
Chimney Poster
Chimney and Fireplace Cards

The objective of this building challenge is to: build a chimney and fireplace with openings large enough for Santa and his sack of toys to fit through without getting stuck.

It's Design Time:

It's time to support your students creativity! Your students can use the included design forms to describe the materials they plan to use, and draw their planned design. Assist younger children by being their scribe as needed. *Teacher Tip: Consider laminating these design forms, and re-using them with dry erase markers to save paper.

Let's Build!

After your students have completed their design forms, it's time to start building, so they can test and improve their designs.

Your students can build their chimney's and fireplaces using any building materials you have on hand! Support your students learning by asking them questions:
"Why did you choose to use XYZ materials to build with?" Once they are satisfied with their structure, they can draw a picture of their design and move onto the testing phase.

Test and Modify!

After they complete their structures, your students can test their chimney and fireplace to make sure the included Santa figure can fit inside (and get out). Encourage your students to answer each of the design questions on their forms, and adjust/modify their structures as needed.

You can also ask: "What would make it easier for Santa to fit inside the chimney/get out of the fireplace?","What else can you try?"

Download this activity for free in our shop!