1st Grade STEM Activities

STEM That Sticks: Real Learning for Real-World Ready First Graders

STEM learning in 1st grade shouldn't just be about stacking plastic cups or gluing googly eyes onto construction paper. It's about sparking curiosity, building resilience, and helping first graders see how the world works through hands-on exploration. Mission.io transforms 1st grade STEM ideas into immersive missions that supercharge engagement, critical thinking, and collaboration—without the chaos of reinventing your lesson plans.

Why Choose Mission.io?

First grade is where the magic starts, where young learners discover patterns, explore nature and ask big questions. Mission.io takes that natural curiosity and launches it out of this world. Our missions embed seamlessly into your existing lessons, making it easier to teach STEM concepts while giving students the chance to explore, experiment, and think like real scientists and engineers.

Each mission is engineered to boost collaboration, critical thinking, and resilience, all the good stuff that makes STEM stick for life. With zero student logins, zero prep, and 100% student engagement, we make your job easier and your classroom more awesome.

First | Sound and Vibration

In the Cards

Students will use their knowledge of sound and vibration to help Dug avoid a catastrophe at the Intergalactic card stacking competition.

Standards: SEED 1.3.1, NGSS 1-PS4-1

First | Climate Control

Beach Frenzy

When RALF overheats due to excessive sun exposure, the crew will help him get better by coming up with engineering solutions to protect him from the sun's warming effect.

Standards: SEED 1.3.3, NGSS 1-PS4-3, NGSS K-2-ETS1-2

First | Creativity

Sky's the Limit

Students will use their imagination to help RALF get to the top of the skyscraper.

What Does Mission.io Look Like in the Classroom?

Picture this: Your first graders walk in and see a mission screen glowing at the front of the room. Their eyes widen. They team up, log on, and dive into solving a high-stakes problem.

They ask questions. They argue respectfully. They fail (a lot)—and try again. And you? You're guiding them with prompts, watching magic happen, and collecting rich data on their collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Why Is Mission.io the Best Choice for First Grade Teachers?

Let’s be real: 1st grade teachers already juggle everything from math worksheets to milk spills. You need STEM activities that work and don’t require five hours of prep or a second teaching license in engineering.
With Mission.io, you get:

Ready-to-launch lessons that align with standards and your schedule
Hands-on learning with real-world STEM challenges
Data tracking that shows how students are building skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving through storytelling and play-based learning
Kid-approved missions that are actually fun (yes, even more fun than recess)

First grade STEM doesn’t have to mean chaos. With Mission.io, it’s all systems go: engaging, effective, and totally doable.