Engage your students with Create a New Planet — an immersive project-based learning unit that combines hands-on STEM challenges with creative and report writing for 2nd grade and up. Students design their own planet from scratch, document everything about it, and then complete engineering and design challenges inspired by their creation. Perfect for STEM programs, science units, end-of-year projects, and enrichment activities.
 
With 6 hands-on STEM challenges, a full suite of research and writing worksheets, teacher slides, and individual rubrics, this resource keeps students engaged and thinking like scientists and engineers from start to finish.
 
Key Features:
6 STEM Challenges: A range of engineering and design challenges where students design, build, and create based on the planet they have invented — each with a full task description and step-by-step instructions.
STEM Challenge Choice Board: A visually engaging choice board giving students ownership over their learning.
Rubrics: A rubric for each STEM challenge makes assessment simple and consistent.
Design and Brainstorming Worksheets: Students brainstorm and document their planet covering planet description, aliens and creatures, climate profile, environmental features, plants and animals, and a final planet report.
Teacher Slides: Ready-to-use slides to introduce every stage of the project, including each writing activity and STEM challenge.
Space Theme: A highly engaging topic that connects naturally to science and space curriculum — perfect for teachers looking for a project that covers space concepts in a meaningful and creative way.
Individual or Group Work: Flexible enough to be completed independently or as a collaborative group project, making it easy to adapt to your classroom setup.
Print-Friendly Design: Clean black and white worksheets throughout.
 
Students Will:
Design and document an original planet including its climate, terrain, aliens, plants, and animals
Complete hands-on engineering and design challenges inspired by their planet
Practice descriptive and report writing in an engaging, purposeful context
Think critically about design decisions and justify their choices in writing
Work individually or in a group
 
Perfect For:
STEM programs and science units
Project based learning units
Enrichment programs and science camps
End of term, unit or year projects
Early finishers and extension activities
Substitute teacher activities
 
Create a New Planet is a complete, low-prep project that gives students the freedom to imagine, build, and explore. Grab it today and watch your class become space explorers.