Summer is a time for slowing down, relaxing, and STEM! I was challenged by a dear science friend who is teaching summer school this year to find something for her kiddos to do when she needs a little pick me up or has a little time to fill during her summer school day!
Something that could take 10 minutes...could take 30 minutes...but as a science teacher during the school year she wanted to find something that could get her students excited about science during the summer time! I was up for the challenge!
I needed to make these activities affordable as well as the materials needed to be easily set up for her to use when the time came for her to fill it with STEM Summer Fun!
For each pack...I made a booklet that she can print back to back, a center card, and writing connections! I can't wait to see if the kiddos like them! Check them out at Science School Yard TPT Store under STEM Summer Fun!
Finding ways to add STEM into your classroom lessons can be as simple as an end of the year field trip or a smartboard webcam experience. Here is a video link for some Amusement Park Web Cams and ariel views video...
Last week, our fifth graders went to Bay Beach Amusement Park. What a great way to learn about science and have fun in the process. When they are at the amusement park we give them a mini scavenger hunt to look for rides that use simple machines. The Zippin Pippen uses wheels and axles, pulley systems and an inclined plane...
As they continue on their rides they look at the slide...as a simple ride it is an inclined plane: both in the stairs up and the ride down.
When our students get back...we have them review the simple machines used to power the rides. We list the rides that were their favorites: Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Scrambler, Tilt-O Whirl, Sea Dragon, Scat...and we discuss the scientific process it takes for an engineer to build a safe ride. Finally...they get to sign up to design and build their favorite ride as a team.
Stipulations:
1. You must use the scientific process
Question: How will you create a Amusement Park Prototype
Research: Which supplies will work out best to create your ride?
Predict: Predict what will make your ride work safely.
Experiment: Experiment and build your prototype.
Conclude: Did it work? What modifications did you have to make? What problems did you face? Did you problem solve and work as a team? Use reflection sheet to help the process.
Report: Share and report out how your ride works.
We set out at our STEM store simple materials:
toilet and paper towel tubes
pipe cleaners
cardboard pieces
tape
string
trays
egg cartons
scissors
materials that students ask for as they build
Here are some of their rides...
As you can see...making connections to background knowledge let's kids really shine. Going to an amusement park or any other field trip and then making connections lets our students use STEM in a way that makes it real.
Stay tuned for a new STEM pack coming this summer to a TPT store near you...
This activity was a great way to end the year with our simple machines in mind. If you are interested in my amusement park scavenger hunt freebie add a comment to the bottom and your email and I will send you a freebie!
It is hot here in Wisconsin...our students have shut down....what do we do? We find a great way to take them outside and use the environment around them to get them excited to learn! The dandelions are out and the kids are checked out...until we found the dandelions that weren't cut in the field! Here is a simple science lesson for you...
Plan:
1. What can dandelions have? What are dandelions? What do dandelions have?
2. I share my dandelion poster showing them along with a picked dandelion (root and all) the stem, root, leaves, bud, flower, clock, and seeds.
3. We then read our dandelion story
4. Go outside with your station cards and sheets (found in my Dandelion Stations Pack at TPT)
5. Let them work on the activities...I do Adaptations, How Tall, Can, Have, Are...and Tap Roots.
6. I give them a set time to explore and do one sheet...then we meet up and share.
7. I send them back out with rulers...partners...sheets, clipboard...and a tray for a chair. They come back with the joy of learning! From one seed they grow!
Check out this fun end of the year...summer fun pack!
We are in our FOSS Sound Unit right now. This is probably one of my favorites because it is more hands on fun for my students! We use this kit in 3rd grade. Not sure if you use FOSS as well, but there are some great additional activities that I add to make it even more spectacular!
FOSS fun with additional ohhhh...yea!
1. sound discrimination...learn about sign language and Morse code.
2. sound discrimination...make fun sound containers for your students to try to match up to see how good they are at discriminating sound
3. telephone...you are grounded and need to talk to your best friend who is your neighbor. There is a window directly across from you. How can you communicate without getting caught? What could you create or build...STEM!
Here is the typical telephone that is made, however....
Here a group thinks outside the box and makes a conveyor belt system to pass notes along!
4. Xylophone, kalimba, and water bottles...make your own instrument for our rock band! Ask your music teacher to share fun instruments that integrate little=high pitch...big=low pitch. We use boomwhackers and xylophones as well as guitars!
Here is a great link that has a huge amount of sound activities for kids...called Chrome Music Lab. It is a great station activity to extend your sound unit!
Here is a great video to show musical instruments and Rube Goldberg fun, too!
And a great book tie with tons of facts...
Here is a freebie for you! Time to Form a Rock Band! Next week, that is what we will be doing! Can't wait to rock on!
OK...so do you ever have one of those days where your lesson goes just amazing! I wanted to do something with my second graders this week to celebrate the teachers at my school...so I created this Assembly Line Plant Pack to find a fun way to add to our plant unit! Check this fun out!
We started with an anchor chart to find out what positive qualities that they had and could use to do a great job. We compared those ideas with what teachers do each and every day! They are a perfect match...hard worker, positive, team player...the list goes on!
Children and Adults should have these attributes!
Then, they got to apply for jobs...work at "The Plant" and make an adorable plant bag filled with everything a teacher needs (you could do this for Father's Day or Mother's Day...Summer classes...you name it!)
Coloring crew...
A work in progress at "The Plant"!
Soil specialists...no dirt bags here!
Hard at work to make beautiful Teacher Appreciation gifts!
Seed packs ready to go...
Time for delivery!
I was so amazed as to how well the students worked together to show all of the best qualities of a hard worker! Assembly Line Science is a great way to add reading, writing, science to your end of the year/summer fun!
There is still time to sign up for tomorrow's $10 gift card giveaway! Leave your email and I will contact the winner by noon tomorrow! Congrats, Tess for being today's winner!
I am so appreciative of all the teachers out there that have made my job easier through guidance and support. I am so appreciative of all that you do to make learning fun for kiddos all over the world! I am so appreciative off all the teachers and visitors that come to visit me here in the Science School Yard...I sometimes wonder if there is anyone out there...TPT is celebrating you and so am I.
Please help me celebrate! The rules are simple! Leave a comment below this post with your email, and I will randomly choose 2 winners for a $10 TPT Gift Card. One gift card per day for Tuesday and Wednesday's Sale. Easy! Winners will be chosen by noon 5/4. Shop at the Science School Yard TPT Store for great science lap books, FOSS extensions, STEM activities, and more. K-5 Science is what I do best each and every day!
Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget that everything in my store is 20% off May 3rd and May 4th! With an extra special TPT code CELEBRATE that will give you additional savings at the check out!
On Spring Break, my family traveled to the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, WI. I wasn't sure how exciting it would be for my middle schooler, but we all loved it! It was so interesting to see all of the different planes throughout history, how we used planes during war times, and the story behind flight. Lots of hands on activities to make it fun for all ages! Sometimes all you need is a little inspiration! Sometimes it's where you go...or what you can find in your school library...or that special time of year!
Inspiration from the library!
Planes everywhere! Inspiration on vacation!
Wilbur and Orville Write at Kitty-hawk!
War planes from every era!
As I looked around it really started my wheels turning....STEM Flight Activities!
Things that fly...helicopters, parachutes...airplanes...rocket ships! Teaching a flight unit is so much fun for all ages. There are great picture books and simple science activities that can facilitate STEM activities that have flight in mind! STEM is a great way to explore things that fly in a hands-on way!
