STEM Competitions for K-12 Students

Celebrate Nuclear Science week with Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)! We are asking K-12^th students to identify a nuclear science-related resource and fill out a short survey to tell us what you learned. One winner from each grade band will be randomly selected to win!

Winners announced soon!

Prizes:

K-2^nd grade:

• Science Kit for Kids
• Doctor Jupiter My First Science Kit
• 58-Piece Kids Microscope Kit
• National Geographic Kids Junior Chemistry Set
• Smartivity Magic Science Kit

3^rd-5^th grade:

• Lego Gearbots
• National Geographic Magnetic Marble Run
• NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Science Magic Kit
• Thames & Kosmos Mega Cyborg Hand STEM Experiment Kit

6^th-8^th grade:

• FLASHFORGE Adventurer 5M 3D Printer 
• Flashforge 3D Printer Filament Silk PLA

9^th-12^th grade:

• FLASHFORGE Adventurer 5M 3D Printer 
• Flashforge 3D Printer Filament Silk PLA

Ready for a new kind of adventure? ORISE invites K-12 students to explore artificial intelligence (AI) through grade level specific AI adventures. Get ready to learn more about AI by completing the following adventures:

K-2nd and 3rd–5th: AI Adventure: Scavenger Hunt

Students will find examples of AI in their homes or communities (e.g., voice assistants like Google or Alexa, recommendations systems, traffic lights). Students will share their findings and discuss how the AI system works and benefits the user.

6th–8th: AI Adventure: Character Creation

Students will use AI to complete an iterative process for developing a fictional character. Students will learn how iterative refinement improves AI outcomes and explore how consolidated prompts affect the result.

9th–12th: AI Adventure: Source Investigation

Students will use AI to analyze the sources used in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) article generated by AI. Students will evaluate the credibility of sources and learn how to guide AI to use specific, reliable sources to create a factual STEM article.

Twelve prizes will be awarded with three winners per grade band – three for K-2nd, three for 3rd–5th, three for 6th–8th, and three for 9th–12th.

Prizes:

K-2nd grade:

• Miko 3: AI-Powered Smart Robot
• Pictionary vs. AI Family

3rd–5th grade:

• Miko 3: AI-Powered Smart Robot
• 5 in 1 STEM AI Robot

6th–8th grade:

• Robot AI Dog
• Makeblock mBot2 Coding Robot

9th-12th grade:

• Nous AI Robot
• Connect AI Robot Cube & Smart Cube

CALLING ALL CODERS!

ORISE invites you to jumpstart your school year by designing and developing your very own game or story using Scratch or Scratch Jr. This is your chance to showcase your programming skills and share your innovative ideas with ORISE. Students will use Scratch to create an interactive game, while K-2 students have the option to use Scratch Jr to create a story.

Eight prizes will be awarded with two winners per grade band – two for K-2 ^nd, two for 3 ^rd-5 ^th, two for 6 ^th-8 ^th, and 2 for 9 ^th-12 ^th.

Winners:

• Ela S. from TN
• Mayukha K. from VA
• Tim A. from PA
• Arvin S. from MI
• Jackson S. from TN
• Kush J. from GA
• Henry L. from CA
• Andrew J. from TN

Prizes:

K-2 ^nd grade:  LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set

3 ^rd-5 ^th grade : LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set

6 ^th-8 ^th grade:  LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Set

9 ^th-12 ^th grade:  Makeblock Ranger and Nous AI Robot

Get ready to be creative with your spring cleaning! ORISE invites students to repurpose something around the house and walk through the engineering design process to determine a new use for it. Create a 1–3-minute original presentation that creatively explains or demonstrates how you used the engineering design process to revitalize your item. EIGHT prizes will be awarded with two winners per grade band— two for K–2nd, two for 3rd–5th, two for 6th–8th, and two for 9th–12th.

Prizes

K– 2nd grade:

• Creative STEM Building Kit and Electronics Exploration STEM Kit

3rd – 5th grade:

• Snap Circuits Green Alternative Energy Electronics Exploration Kit

6th – 8th grade:

• Makey Makey + Expansion Pack and Chromebook

9th – 12th grade:

• Arduino + Electronic Fun Kit, Arduino Without Prior Knowledge book, and Chromebook

• Atticus S. from AZ
• Aadhav B. from CA
• Advik B. MN
• Chunru H. from TN
• Ahmad A. from PA
• Magdy G. from TN
• Jacqueline P. CA
• Mila A. from PA

Are you curious about life on other planets? ORISE invites you to unleash your creativity and imagination! We are looking for original presentations where you design a unique creature and explain three adaptations that would make it able to survive on the planet you have chosen. The planet can be real or make believe, but remember, your creature’s adaptations should be appropriate for the environment and your presentation should include scientific evidence to back up your design.

Twelve prizes will be awarded with three winners per grade band— three for K-2 ^nd, three for 3 ^rd-5 ^th, three for 6 ^th-8 ^th, and three for 9 ^th-12 ^th.

Prizes

K-2 ^nd grade:

• GeoSafari Jr Telescope, Ozobot Evo Kit

3 ^rd-5 ^th grade :

• Telescope & Tripod, Ozobot Evo Kit, OzoGoes Solar System Kit

6 ^th-8 ^th grade:

• Lego Technic Solar System Set, Celestron Telescope & Tripod, Mars Puzzle Set

9 ^th-12 ^th grade:

• Celestron Telescope & Tripod, Este 3 Rocket Kit, Recovery Wadding, Engines, and platform

• Alexander W. from TN
• Alice K. from TN
• Mukta M. from NJ
• Amy X. from AZ
• William L. from LA
• Neel S. from NJ
• Leela K. from GA
• Ian B. from PA
• Caylee B. from TN
• King V. from CA
• Elina G. from NJ
• Nga R. from KY

Get ready to blend curiosity and creativity by exploring how systems in the human body help us to participate in everyday activities. The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) is asking you to pick an activity (like running, eating something, crafting, etc) and explain how a system in the human body (endocrine, muscular, lymphatic, etc) helps to complete that activity. To enter, read the instructions for your grade level below! THREE prizes will be awarded to each grade band.

Prizes

K-2

• Interactive Human Anatomy Model for Kids
• Human Anatomy Floor Puzzle for Kids
• Amazon Fire HD 10 for Kids

3-5

• Interactive Human Anatomy Model for Kids
• Human Anatomy Floor Puzzle for Kids
• Amazon Fire HD 10 for Kids

6-8

• Anatomicum-Hardcover
• Beats Solo 4
• Grey Stanley Flip Straw Tumbler

9-12

• Anatomicum-Hardcover
• Beats Solo 4
• Grey Stanley Flip Straw Tumbler

Winners:

• Karenna A. from KY
• Yuktha N. from WA
• Kate P. from TN
• Cyrus M. from KY
• Rajanya P. from OR
• Shanaya P. from FL
• Gabriella P. from TN
• Harper W. from KY
• Emily F. from KY
• Aashini D. from NJ
• Oyinkansola O. from GA
• Zachary F. from GA

Is there a topic in your school that has not been covered that you would like to learn about? ORISE wants you to teach it! We are asking that you create an original activity to teach your topic, and then make a 2–3-minute video pretending like you are teaching the activity to your classmates. It must be a STEM topic of your choosing that has not been covered in your school. Make sure you explain how you designed your activity in your video!

Prizes for Winners:

Winners will be given the opportunity to spend up to $200 on an approved STEM prize. See below for some ideas and ORISE’s favorite STEM prizes.

• Telescope
• Snap Circuits
• Coding Robots
• Chemistry Sets
• Rock Tumblers

Winners:

• Lily A. from KY
• Emily B. from TN
• Ishank A. from VA
• Rowan S. from FL
• Chunru H. from TN
• Crystal S. from GA
• Josiah C. from GA
• Anna D. from TN
• Gary B. from FL
• Yandres R. from FL

Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore the fascinating connection between art and STEM! ORISE wants you to choose an existing piece of art or create your own masterpiece and create a 2-3 minute original visual presentation that creatively connects back to a STEM concept that helped to plan it or create it.

Eight prizes will be awarded with two winners per grade band—two for K-2nd, two for 3rd-5th, two for 6th-8th, and two for 9th-12th.

Winners:

• Alice K. from TN
• Helen K. from TN
• Shanaya P. from FL
• Heidi S. from TN
• Shane S. from TN
• Yuno Y. from KY
• Tiara C. from FL
• Mariana B. from TX

Prizes:

K-2nd grade:

• Spirograph Deluxe Arts and Crafts Set, 3Doodler Start+ (3D Pen), 3D Coloring Puzzle Set, Vtech Smart Watch, Lite Brite

3rd-5th grade:

• Spirograph Deluxe Arts and Crafts Set, 3Doodler Start+ (3D Pen), 3D Coloring Puzzle Set, Vtech Smart Watch, Lite Brite

6th-8th grade:

• 155 Piece Painting Kit, SCRIB3D 3D Pen, Amazon Fire 10 tablet

9th-12th grade:

• 155 Piece Painting Kit, SCRIB3D 3D Pen, Amazon Fire 10 tablet

Have you ever wondered why the leaves change color in the fall, why the days are longer in the summer, or how snowflakes form in the winter? ORISE wants you to figure it out! We are asking that you create a 2–3-minute original presentation that creatively explains or demonstrates a seasonal phenomenon of your choice. Eight prizes will be awarded with two winners per grade band—two for K-2nd, two for 3rd-5th, two for 6th-8th, and two for 9th-12th.

Winners:

• Amelia M. from NJ
• Sami S. from TN
• Hudson S. from TN
• Laila H. from TN
• Elin T. from KY
• Lucinda M. from KY
• Favour O. from ND
• Israel M. from FL

Prizes

K-2nd grade:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet and Osmo Kit

3rd-5th grade:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet and Sphero Bolt+

6th-8th grade:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet and Sphero Bolt+

9th-12th grade:

• Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet and Sphero Bolt+

If you have any questions, please contact: STEMEd@orau.org.