These activities are easy for kids to do, with concepts that build their science knowledge.
These sound experiments are fun and engaging! They're perfect science lessons for 1st graders and are aligned with NGSS for teaching sound.
It's Spring! So it's time for a fun Spring learning idea. I created a printable set of Fraction Flowers that includes fractions through 1/10. This can now be purchased in my shop. Fraction Flowers are a
Practice math concepts with LEGO® bricks! These printable math challenge cards will have kids exploring number concepts in a fun and hands-on way. Print them, add a basket of bricks, and you have an instant math center! I created them with 6-8 year olds in mind, or first and second grade. They will be too […]
Start your year out right with 20 STEM Challenges for Kids! We have listed 20 inexpensive activities you can try with your students right off the bat! #17 is by far my favorite!!
Color Puzzles: Fun math and logic puzzles for kids. Build critical thinking and spatial skills! | teachmama.com
LOTS of FREE Printable worksheets for kids to practice math, literacy, science, & history with kids of all ages from 123Homeschool4Me.
I've been teaching gifted and high achieving students for the past 15 years. In that time, I've come to have a great understanding o...
A few years ago I began Genius Hour on Fridays to incorporate STEM into our classroom. STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is an engaging, hands on way to get students to communicate, collaborate, be creative, think critically, and exercise compassion. These are all important skills for life and even your littlest students ... Read More about STEM in the First Grade Classroom
Did you know that our creativity tends to decline as we get older? This is a huge problem since creativity and problem solving are essential skills for STEM careers. Scientists, computer programmers, engineers, and mathematicians all need to be able to think creatively and brainstorm solutions quic
Discover over 60+ free math worksheets and printables for your Preschool-3rd Grader.
Finding missing numbers in an equation can be a challenging task for many students, but some students will also master it quickly. When that happens, often times, teachers are left wondering how they can challenge these students. In this blog post, we will explore some enrichment activities and how they can be used to help students develop their math fluency and problem-solving skills.
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Fact fluency is a big part of math in first grade. You may be thinking, "How in the world am I going to teach these kiddos ALL these facts w...
I love incorporating games into math as much as possible. Who doesn't love playing games, right?! But the problem with games is that they often require quite a bit of prep work for us teachers. I've been trying to come up with some that require little to no preparation to use. I'm so excited to
What is PBL? Project-based learning is an approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges to acquire a deepe...
Games for practicing math facts help students enjoy their learning and have fun. I'm sharing the best games for practicing math facts that...
Fairy Tale STEM Activity - Goldilocks and the Three Bears Try a hands-on STEM challenge with Goldilocks and the Three Bears! This STEM activity is designed for lower elementary kids. I am so excited to share some details about it! STEM tales introduce the youngest budding engineers to STEM, by taking a familiar story and using it to walk through the engineering design process. Do you love telling and re-telling stories with your kids? Do you ever change the ending to spice it up a bit? That's exactly what STEM tales is all about! Integrate Literacy and STEM with Fairy Tales The 8-page book provides an alternative ending to this story. Your students need to help make a bed for Goldilocks. Goldilocks is simply a printed out figure, which you can add weigh to with either small masses, pennies, or washers. Using whatever crafting materials you have handy (index cards and tape are really all that is needed, but feel free to use other supplies as well), create a new bed for Goldilocks. The Testing Phase of the STEM Challenge Is the bed large enough? Will it hold the weight of the figure? You will be surprised at the designs your students come up with! Designing and creating a bed for Goldilocks is a way for students to bring the fairy tale alive. After you have tested out the beds, it's time to introduce the bear family to the challenge (mama, papa, and baby, who is the same size as Goldilocks). You will add heavier weights to mama and papa bear, and then test the designs again. This is a great way to demonstrate why it's important to know your design criteria before starting a STEM challenge! Mama bear may fit on some and not others, or papa bear may fit but weigh too much and collapse the bed. Get the Goldilocks Fairy Tale STEM Challenge Here is the link to the full resource. In addition to all the steps above, the 8-page story book guides students through the engineering design process and also includes a self-evaluation check list. Or pin the idea for later: How to Conduct a STEM Tale Challenge To read more about how to conduct a STEM challenge, visit this post: To see all posts in this series, click here:
When you pass out base ten blocks or linking cubes to Kindergartners for the very first time, what do you expect that they might do? Chances are, it is inevitable that they will immediately begin building towers, structures, and patterns without being prompted. In fact, it is a "common ground rule" that early childhood teachers must ALWAYS give their students ample time to explore, play, and build with manipulatives before attempting to use them as instructional tools.
In this STEM challenge, kids will compete to construct the strongest rainbow. With problem-solving, teamwork, and engineering, this challege is a must-try!
Learn how to play the Kaboom game in your classroom to make practicing math facts, sight words, and more a blast for your students!
One of my students’ very FAVORITE enrichment activities is our monthly STEM Family Projects! In fact, it’s the only homework I’ve ever assigned that my kids actually BEG for! Each month, I send home an assignment sheet like the following with my Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Gifted and Talented students. The objectives are very...
Happy Saturday! I know this is going to sound cliche and all, but seriously....where did the summer go?! August is only a couple of days away and most of my teacher friends are starting school either
Use these free printable pattern block mats to explore shapes and math concepts. So fun for toddlers and preschoolers!
This Must Do May Do System is the HACK to your rotating reading centers! Have smooth-running groups and effective independent work time.
Kids can learn about symmetry with this free printable circle set that encourages creative learning. Thank you for visiting. This post may contain affiliate links...
Do you have a 1st grader looking to move up to 2nd grade? Wondering what he or she should know for this transition? Here is a comprehensive list of 40 skill your child should have
BOOM! Sink the ships in this free printable, Hundreds Chart Battleship math game to help kindergarteners counting with 100s chart.
Squiggle challenges are a fun way to enjoy the end of the year or any time of the year to be honest! Your students will love this.
First grade is a very important year where students are building a strong foundation in their journey for mathematical proficiency. One of the most
I love using interactive lapbooks in the classroom. They are fun to create, engaging and can be used throughout the year to review skills taught. I finally completely my Lapbook Bundle and I am happy to share the lapbooks included with you. Whether you think your learners will enjoy creating all of the lapbooks, if you
These light experiments are great science lessons for 1st graders! Aligned with NGSS, the resource also includes books and related activities.
See how Newton's Third Law of action and reaction explains why airplanes fly in the sky, ships move through water and rockets launch into space.
What is PBL? Project-based learning is an approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges to acquire a deepe...
Lots of fun 1st grade math practice with first grade math worksheets that can be used to play Mad Minutes Math Game. Print pdf HERE!
