Christmas and Winter STEM Wishlist

What an exciting time of year. It is time to add some items to your Christmas Wish list! For two days TPT is holding a sale for you to save big this holiday season! This means a SITEWIDE SALE on Monday and Tuesday! These amazing sales don't happen very often, so it's no surprise that we all ge a little excited when it does happen! For a great reason...EVERYTHING in my store is 28% off! Don't forget to use the code SMILE at checkout!


The kids are ready for ways to add joy and holiday cheer to your classroom...but keep the academics alive! Why not try some great STEM activities to do just that!

 Why not add some simple science activities that get your students actively engaged. Here is how to  make STEM simple by easy activities with simple materials...

Kids love penguins! How about creating a penguin ice skating rink...a penguin playground...or marshmallow tower for penguin????

STEM Penguin Winter Antics Pack on TPT

Quick and easy STEM stations such as gumdrop chimney...treats for Santa table...and packaging presents...

STEM Christmas Stations on TPT

Another pack I use each year with my 5th graders is the Holiday Science pack filled with activities that include mixtures and solutions because that is the FOSS unit I am working on. I try to keep up with my road map by adding some activities that can really fit both needs!

If your looking for other ways to continue the winter...Christmas...holiday science scene...I also gave my teachers the Gingerbread STEM Pack which I love to do with my students after Christmas because it breaks up the winter blahs!  Try this quick and easy STEM pack...

My new pack I made last year for my classroom teachers that incorporates reading, writing, math, and science really incorporates each letter in S...T...E...M! Winter/Christmas STEM Stations that include candy...cookies...mittens and more!

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Currently November

I have been very busy in October. We are working hard to add NGSS and STEM into our science lessons....we gutted our school garden and redesigned it to make it more user and mower friendly...harvesting everything we could so that our kiddos could eat it in the lunchroom. Organized the Great Lakes Apple Crunch Day...and finished four products for our STEM classes and our teachers to use for our special PAW celebrations twice a month! They are more seasonal for our kids K-5 to enjoy. I am finishing two more today...my goal was 100 products by November...and I have one more to go. Currently it is NOVEMBER and so I have to make sure it is done today so that I meet my goal. I am connecting with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade to share with you what I am up to!

Listening...We are up north. Setting out corn and apples for the deer...checking the deer cam...and whoa...take a look at what we saw...

So now we are back at the cabin talking fantasy football! I love when he shares what he is up to.

Our district is proud of all of the great things that are happening in our school garden. Our food service administrator is 100% on board to wanting every child in our district being positively affected by our school garden as well. We make videos for schools to share our Wisconsin Wednesday's food that is served in all of our schools...and with that they literally gave me a clean slate. This week, while kids were gone, and teachers had in-service...the district cut all of the sod out of the garden...cut down two trees that were causing safety issues...ground all the stumps down...dug out all of the overgrown flowers to make way for our large scale pumpkin patch...started to build new raised beds...took our 5 benches to redo over the winter...and will be cementing a new area for our picnic tables within the garden! I am sooooo excited for a chance to really make this garden special.

They saved our asparagus...but take a look at my clean slate...The Kindergartners will be so excited about their pumpkin patch next to the school. Blueberry bushes...raspberry patch...three large  raised beds...any suggestions???? 

Thinking...my kids need to get me their lists...I hate waiting until after "black" Friday.

Loving...someone on TPT made a large purchase yesterday. I wish I could thank them! I am so appreciative!

Needing...to finish new STEM stations for our teachers. We just implemented a new PAW award celebration for students making good choices. The teachers are in need of quick and easy...fun...and educational ideas that they don't always get to do. Here is what I made this week for them...

STEM Christmas Stations on TPT

Bird Beak Stations and STEM Connection on TPT

STEM Halloween Stations on TPT

I am finishing STEM Fall Into Thanksgiving Stations and STEM Candy Stations tonight! I will meet my goal if I can finish it today...Thanks for stopping by! I can't wait until I can eat pie...and see all of my kids around my table again! I miss my two college kiddos...it isn't the same without them...

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Santa's Workshop In Science Class

Next week, is obviously a busy week before we are on vacation! HOOT! HOOT! So, why not take a little break from the FOSS lessons or kits to use the concepts in a holiday way!

Our Kinders, firsties, and 2nd graders are going to be using a great freebie from Smart Chick that has the students building a gingerbread man trap. Great for STEM engineering activities. I will be reading this great version 
In third grade next week, I will be working on an extension of the FOSS water unit by seeing what would happen if gingerbread got wet. I am using the idea I got from Amy Lowe that will help extend what they are doing. I will also be adding a liquid activity that combines their slope activity. I have included it for you... My fourth graders will be working on gifts that santa will bring that goes with bones...

While my fifth graders are working on the stations I created for mixtures and solutions... Christmas Holiday Science Stations


Here are some pointers, pictures, and tips to make this station activity work perfect. First, with the chromatograhy... you can use vis-a-vis markers, that's what I use, that seems to work really well. They do the best in separating out.You can also test other markers to see if they would work, too. Check it out:

I then set up buckets for each station...

Reindeer QR code research

Chromatagraphy lights

Santa's Sleigh

Cups for each group to test for Mrs. Claus' Mix Up

Stations are ready to go! Each group has 3 cups ready with prepared powers.

Enjoy your holiday fun!

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Just In Time For The Holidays!

I just finished a Holiday Themed Science Stations pack for TPT. In this pack I created activities for the FOSS mixtures and solutions unit. I included a holiday chromatography activity which separates the mixtures in a marker. I also included a Mrs. Claus mixture activity that has the kiddos figuring out what mixture is the right one for her to make cookies. Also, there is a QR code activity allowing students to use a smart device to answer questions about reindeer. Last, but not least I also included a STEM activity that has students building a sleigh for Santa. Hope you enjoy!

                       Happy Holidays!

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