How to Make an Igloo STEM Activities

How to make an igloo STEM projects are fun to make. These activities are ideal to learn about igloos and how they keep people warm.

What makes igloos special to keep warm air inside? Igloos have special structures that make them unique.

That is, the compact snow is an insulator that keeps the warm air inside. In these projects, students learn about insulators and how to make simple structures of igloos. 

How to Make an Igloo STEM activity

Using basic supplies like styrofoam bowls, you can easily create a lesson to investigate igloo structures and insulators.

Along with these science concepts, you can indicate how compact snow is a special material that acts as an insulator. 

Materials for Igloo STEM Activity 

• Styrofoam small or medium sized bowls
• Marshmallows 
• Pieces of cotton 
• FREE graphic organizers Igloo and Insulators/Conductors (See under the STEM Activities section)
• Safety scissors
• Glue
• Optional: Modge Podge

Instructions for the Igloo STEM Activity 

1. Use two styrofoam bowls for the igloos. 
2. Spread glue over the outside of the igloo bowl. 
3. Add marshmallows to the bowl. 
4. Set aside. 
5. To the other styrofoam bowl, spread glue on the outside of the bowl. 
6. Add pieces of cotton to the igloo bowl. 
7. Set aside. 
8. Use the FREE graphic organizers for How to Make an Igloo and the Insulator/Conductor table. 
9. Draw your observations on the graphic organizers and fill out the table.

Materials for Igloo Painting Craft

• Construction paper various colors
• Paint: gray, white, and blue
• Paint brushes
• Small piece of plastic bubble wrap
• Glitter
• Optional: marshmallows 
• Cardboard or cardstock paper
• Pencil 
• Safety scissors
• Masking tape
• Glue

Instructions for the Igloo Painting Craft 

1. Cut two pieces of cardstock paper to resemble igloo domes using half circles templates. 
2. Place the template onto a piece of construction paper towards the bottom corner of the paper. 
3. Trace the igloo template using a pencil. 
4. Place three different paints: gray, white, and blue on a paper plate or color tray. 
5. Use a brush to dab paint onto a piece of plastic bubble wrap.
6. Place small dabs of bubble wrap paint around the igloo template and its surroundings. 
7. Repeat for the entire construction paper. 
8. Gently remove the template. 
9. Allow the paint to dry for a few minutes. 
10. Place glue on the igloo section. 
11. Add glitter to the section. Let it dry. 
12. Optional: paste small marshmallows around the igloo to represent the outline of the igloo. 
13. For more crafting, use a small brush with paint and make gentle splashes of paint. 
14. Allow the paint to dry. 

Video

The video shows steps to create an igloo using marshmallows and cotton. You can also learn strategies to use this STEM project to learn about igloos, insulators, and conductors. Use the graphic organizers to enhance the learning objectives about insulators and conductors. 

Igloo Painting Craft for Kids

Building Igloos with Different Materials

Arctic animals and winter animals have to survive the harsh winters in the Arctic and Antarctica. Similarly, people that live in the Arctic also have to adapt to the cold weather.

Many people like the Inuit need to build structures from the resources available in their surroundings. For example, using compact snow, they make special structures like igloos.

These igloos act as temporary shelters during the winter. But do they still feel cold? While the temperatures may still be cool, they are somewhat tolerable to survive. 

Ability of Insulators to Keep Warm 

How does the compact snow help people stay warm inside igloos? The snow forms into a compact structure that is put together to make igloos.

The warm air inside the igloos allows people to stay safe and survive the harsh winds and freezing temperatures. In many instances, they might be able to build a small fire to keep warm.

In the same way, animals that live in the Arctic and Antarctica also have special adaptations that help them survive. For example, polar bears, penguins, and whales adapt to the cold temperatures by using their stored fat in their bodies.

During the winter, many of these animals use that stored fat to hibernate. These types of insulators, like the compact snow and stored fat, are examples of insulators.

Insulators are materials that hold in warm temperatures. On the other hand, conductors are materials that transfer heat to other materials.

Insulators and conductors are part of how many living things survive within their habitats. 

Conclusion

Creating igloos are more than fun crafts for kids. These activities are ideal for STEM projects to learn structure of materials and insulation.

Besides having fun making these crafts, explore other areas of science. For instance, you can easily adapt these STEM projects to discuss igloos, insulators, conductors, winter animals, and hibernation.