STEM/STEAM wish list

I hear my students say "I am going to ask for this for Christmas".  I am so happy that they want educational activities, but struggle with price for some of the materials.

So here is a list of some of my favorite "wish list" items.  They are at different price points.  3 under $50 and 2 over $50.

Happy holiday shopping!

LESS THAN $50

Code and Go Robot Mouse - LINK to buy on Amazon
WEBSITE: https://www.learningresources.com/home.do

Pros - teaches computer programming, user friendly
Cons - gears can break in mouse if mishandled (use the enclosed grid pieces rather than the floor)

Makey Makey - LINK to buy on Amazon
Website - https://makeymakey.com/- (they are running a BOGO deal today!)

Pros - lots of options online, turns every day conductors like bananas into a computer
Cons - must be used with a computer or USB adapter, lots of wires

I have not used the cheaper - Makey Makey GO yet!  We use the classic in STEAM.

SNAP CIRCUITS - LINK to buy on Amazon
Website:  https://www.elenco.com/brand/snap-circuits/
Pros:  Teaches electricity
Cons: lots of kits to choose from, clean up (the box has a great organization tray, but children struggle to match up the "map" during clean up

OVER $50 

Keva Planks - LINK to buy on Amazon
Website: http://www.kevaplanks.com/

Pros: Low tech (no computers, wires), encourages creativity/engineering
Cons: looks like blocks or Jenga

Cubelets - LINK to buy on Amazon
Website: https://www.modrobotics.com/cubelets/

Pros: Intuitive robots, rechargable battery, can be expanded with LEGOS
Cons: Price for the product

I hope that you find something to add under your tree this holiday season.  I do have a STEAM WISH LIST on Amazon.  I plan to purchase new items from our book fair profits, but my wish list is always bigger than my budget.  PLUS - Scholastic has a limited selection as well of STEAM/STEM items.
Mrs. Hedderman's WISH LIST

I DO NOT make any money from this post...it is just a few ideas from Mrs. Hedderman.

MARBLE RUNS, MAZES, GAMES

Last week was book fair.  This means two classes on the STEAM side while a subset of students shop at the book fair.  In the past we have done a movie, free choice stations, directed stations, and more.  None of these "worked" well.

This year we tried an engineering design challenge to create a marble run, maze, or game or some combination!  This was a HUGE success. 

95% of the groups created a working model of a marble activity.  The students had 1 cardboard box such as a cereal box, 3 cardboard tubes, a scrap box and UNLIMITED TAPE AND GLUE. 

I would get more masking tape since this was easier to manipulate and cut compared to packing tape.  I would find a way to secure the materials after the initial selection since many could not respect this limit.  Finally, I would start collecting materials earlier and CUT the longer tubes into halves or thirds.   This way everyone has more equality in materials.

The students created a variety of projects and were extremely creative.  This week, students will share their creations with their classmates and take an e-survey/quiz/assessment of the project!

Working on paper airplanes for spring book fair.

Here is the engineering design process worksheet that we started with:

I will post more pictures this week, but here are a few of the projects in action!

Leaf fun

I have been busy at work and home....therefore my blog is neglected!

Here are some of the activities and topics covered:

Kindergarten:
We have done shapes, bridges, and leaves.  For shapes, we read Color Zoo and did a simple shape worksheet.   The students listened to my one of favorite fall stories for our leaf week.  I found a read aloud version at this link - Falling Leaves.  She doesn't do too many fun voices, but they enjoyed the story.  I think that the message was a bit over Kindergarten heads.  Students made "leaf" faces like the book using tracers, pencils, and crayons.  This practices fine motor skills, following directions, and creativity.  Another activity was bridges.  The story was The Three Billy Goats Gruff as well as watching Sci Show Kids on Bridges.  LEAVES video




First grade:Students have done engineering, websites, and leaves!  Students did some centers including our new Lakeshore Learning Kit about constructing a apple orchard for Johnny Appleseed's birthday.  We have practiced logging into the computer.  Plus we are working on mouse skills on the computer.  The favorite website is Sparky from the National Fire Protection Agency.  In addition, we did a week of leaf activities.  First, we completed a simple science experiment to see the chlorophyll inside the leaf.  Then created "Leaf Creatures".  Plus we got some free-choice engineering time as well.  I love to share videos along with the activities.
Here are links to the two main videos that I used as well as a You Tube playlist
Fall Play List
Fun Science Demos
Leaf Explanation - the kids are not native English speakers but the information is good!

Leaf Person

Leaf creation

Surfer, surf board

Sun

Snake

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes

I am working hard to create a curriculum not just a random collection of meaningful learning activities.

I want to offer educational opportunities not just craftivities,  I want to develop a great STEAM program.

Where do I start?  How do I find ideas?

I really heavily on Pinterest, twitter feeds, facebook group posts (like Future Ready Librarians), I attend conferences, I read books, and more...

Is this enough?  I do not know, but I feel that every activity has the ability to teach and reach a student.

So I must press on...

One topic that I focus on in the fall is shapes.  It is part of the kindergarten and first grade math curriculum and has so many options in STEAM.

Here are a few of the activities that we do in a variety of ways.

First grade, watched and created tangrams with a new You Tube video that I found.  We created three of the five tangrams with the video.

Next, students explored how to do tangrams online on ABCYA since the one on PBS Kids is no longer available.  Tanagram game


My Kindergarten used Cat and Bat tangram sheets that I have in sheet protectors.  They use them like a puzzle.  Tangram
The students did this as one of their math centers during STEAM.

In addition, I changed the pattern shape sheets for November.  In October, I have pumpkins, apples, spiders, and more...  For November, I add in two turkeys, a pilgrim, and a mayflower.    Here are some resources to print your own sheets.
Jessica's corner
Pre-Kinders
This Reading Mama

Finally, we read "Perfect Square" by Michael Hall.  Students in first grade made a square from a rectangle than tried to create an image inspired by the story.  Kindergarten was given a square.



Happy Shape Creating...

Robot

Person, pumpkin patch, and barns

Tree

Beak

Turtle

Pizza

WHY STEAM?

I get asked frequently "Why is it STEAM not STEM?"  and the answer is simple...it is the latest educational trend.

As I watched a video on the use of the Rubix cube in high school geometry.  He mentioned the bill by Congress which I then had to look up and include in my post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXvSXNuXmsg 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3344/all-info

Plus when I designed the original class, my assistant's strength was in art.  So I felt that this would be an important component to include.  I could have picked my different acronyms including STREAM which adds writing or reading.

I am on a hunt for additional resources, links, case studies and more... Visit this list as it grows.

STEM to STEAM

Watch for more information as I update this post!

Update 12/16/18 - these focus on the importance of play!

Article about play in the CS classroom from Beanz
Article

Second is a new quote from Fred Rodgers:

Thank you

This summer, I applied for a Donor's Choose grant.  My request was for six new STEAM kits.

It was quickly filled.  I used the first kit to coordinate with Johnny Appleseed's birthday.  The students read a non-fiction text about him then followed engineering design process to create an apple orchard.  The book was read from Book Flix on Power Library.   Power Library is available through your public library in Pennsylvania with a library card OR through a school that purchases Power Library. 

Then the students divided up into pairs to design an apple orchard using a Lake Shore Learning Kit that we recieved from our Donor's Choose grant.

To follow up, students in third grade wrote thank you notes.  I will post several of the letters below as well important links.

Donor's Choose project link

Power library homepage

Book Flix 

Lake Shore Learning


Here are links to a few of the students "Thank You Letters"

James
Emily
Megan
Graden
Graci
Hailey
Gavin