Bonkers for Conkers: Feltwell Elementary's Fall STEM Adventure

This autumn, a simple brown seed sparked a unique STEM project at Feltwell Elementary School. What started as curious hands bringing in handfuls of conkers—the seeds of the local Horse Chestnut tree—developed into a fascinating, student-led project.

From Playground to Project

The STEM teacher, Dani Noorlun, states, “Our study on conkers was entirely inspired by the students' own curiosity. When multiple students show up with these treasures from the playground, you know you have to follow their lead!”

The core goal of this project was to identify and explore the different properties and uses for conkers while, of course, having fun! The project also served as a fantastic connection to the UK's natural and cultural heritage, tapping into the local prevalence of Horse Chestnut trees and the much beloved British game of conkers.

Scientific Sleuthing: From Seed to Soap

Our young scientists have been busy investigating the properties of conkers through hands-on observation and experiments:

• Conker Chemistry: Perhaps the most exciting experiment involved conker soap! Students observed how a simple soap can be made from the seeds. Then, they became comparative chemists, testing and comparing the bubble production of the conker soap against standard school hand soap and dish soap. This activity introduced concepts of natural compounds and chemical properties in a tangible way.

Engineering Challenges:

Our students put their design skills to the test in challenging build projects.

Second Grade students were tasked with designing and constructing slides for conkers. The goal was to transport a conker from the top of a stack of DUPLO bricks all the way into a cup below. To make it a true engineering challenge, their design had to include at least one turn. This project required planning, measurement, and lots of trial-and-error troubleshooting to successfully guide the conker through the track.

Kindergarten and First Grade students were challenged to create a horse chestnut tree out of KEVA planks and see how many conkers their trees could support. They were also challenged to engineer a device to carry as many conkers as possible.

Math in Action: Weighing and Estimating

Math skills were naturally integrated into the exploration:

• Measurement and Estimation: Students compared the weight of different conkers and other manipulatives. They practiced making hypotheses about which conkers were heavier or lighter. A key activity involved estimating how many connecting cubes it would take to equal the weight of a single conker, strengthening their understanding of mass and comparative measurement.

A Conker-ing Success Story!

The response to this project has been overwhelmingly positive! Students have genuinely loved exploring and playing with the conkers.

As noted by teacher, Dani Noorlun, “Many students have continued to create piles of conkers during recess, bringing them to class ‘just in case’ we needed more.”

We hope students carry forward their problem-solving skills, their ability to observe and compare, and their understanding that learning is everywhere, even in a simple seed found on the playground!