Build a Catapult in this STEM Challenge and learn about the engineering design process, math and physics. Includes design challenge games.
Teach communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more to set kids up for their future.
Service and leadership opportunities not only abound in homeschooling, but they can go a long way in building strong character, too!
A metric conversion chart put together by Jenny Jones to help international cooks with her recipes.
Music is organized sound. I like to give students opportunities to organize sound and icons for sounds before we work with organizing notation. One of the ways I do that is to create sound songs. We take a basic grid and brainstorms sounds we can make with our bodies (APPROPRIATE sounds *giggle*) and then draw shapes and simple picture to represent them. We draw them into the grid so that they are organized and then perform them for each other. FUN! Another thing I like to do is work with ready icons for body percussion. I introduce this in Kindergarten, but we review it in 1st and 2nd grades and add a composing element to it. Until recently I used a pretty old set of body percussion clip art to create a slide show. Here's what the new version looks like: I used this with some classes this week and they loved it! We talked about one sound to the beat means a quarter note and one picture in each square. After we add barred eighth notes or two sounds on one beat we'll take some time to compose our own. I'll print out little copies of all the body percussion actions and they will place them on the squares in the grid and perform. When we finish or as we begin to use this activity just to review or as a warm-up I'll add some body percussion worksheets to the end of class or to workstations. I'll be using these: Quick enough to do in the last ten minutes of class or at a workstation, I really like making connections to reading and writing AND music. Check out the Body Percussion set HERE.
My kiddos are always asking for hands on science activities, even if it’s one we have done over and over like this Hovercraft Science experiment project.
I almost forgot that I had scanned these to share with you! A few weeks ago we listened to "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven. First graders discussed tempo, mood and dynamics and then created these written/drawn responses. They had some pretty heavy thoughts about the song. It was a great opportunity to talk about how music captures emotions. We discussed music that is used for weddings, funerals, parades, parties, etc... What insightful young men and women I teach! UPDATED: Just to answer a few questions that I've recieved in the comments or via email for teachers wishing to teach this lesson: To introduce the piece I talked about Beethoven and explained that sometimes (not always!) but sometimes composers like to tell stories with their music the way authors do with books. I asked them to listen to the piece and then asked them to label it generically by asking them what the tempo was, what instrument did they hear, what was the "mood" of the piece. Then I asked them to imagine they were creating a movie. What would be showing on the movie when they heard this music. We shared two or three examples and then went to the sheets to express our ideas. Too many examples and students don't think about their own response, but on which response they heard that sounded the best! This sheet is part of a Primary Writing Prompt Kit that you can find HERE.
Students can travel across the globe without leaving the classroom. Check out these fun geography lessons for any grade and curriculum.
The Month of December is such a busy and fun time! I don't want learning to take a backseat, so I made some FUN-filled NO PREP Packets for the month of
Do you want to know how to teach STEAM in your school or homeschool? Learn why STEAM education is important and how to incorporate it!
This fire breathing dragon made from a toilet paper roll is an easy kids craft that uses simple craft supplies. When you blow into the end of the tube the tissue paper looks like flames coming out of the dragon's mouth! Fire Breathing Dragon Craft Add this activity to your crafty bucket list, because it's SO MUCH FUN! And it's ridiculously simple to make. Kids, toddlers and preschoolers will love to see the dragon blowing fire! The photos make me smile, just looking at them. Watch the Video Tutorial Here: (Or scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial and printable
Make a straw rocket with a free printable file! This STEM activity is for kids of all ages and they will love playing with their creation!
"Julius Caesar’s assassination was the last time everyone in a group project did their part."
Are you and your students ready to explore space and the solar system? This is by far one of my favorite Science units to teach in second and fourth grades!!! I’ve compiled a list of a few of my favorite activities and FREE downloads for you to use with your students. Students love the mystery […]
Lots of EPIC Simple Machine Projects for students to make using things around the house! Learn about simple machines for kids!
My STEM students all have their favorite challenges! Fourth graders love cooking pancakes and building roller coasters. Fifth graders love catapults and Newton's Cradles. The hands-down favorite challenge for third graders is WATERSLIDES! When I first started working on this challenge a few years back I knew kids would love it. It's messy,
Learn how to make both a basic homopolar motor and a tiny dancing motor! Great science fair project for older kids!
It's time for some fun geography hands-on learning! I love mapping activities and have put together a fun printable set to build a city map. This fun printable set is 15 pages long and includes 5 different
Learn what plants breathe through with this easy leaf & tree science experiment as kids get hands-on with the process of photosynthesis!
Are you looking to elevate your Ecosystems and Biomes unit? This 4th or 5th grade project based learning unit for ecosystems incorporates science, nonfiction reading, research, writing, and the arts! Read to find out how I organized the research project, what our launch activity was, the driving que
Our favorite 2nd grade anchor charts for math, language arts, and beyond. You'll definitely want to use some of these in your classroom.
Five engineering challenges for kids – with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It’s a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love. Move over, expensive building sets! These simple materials were a huge hit with my boys. The first time we got them out, Owen (almost 7) spent well over an […]
STEM Earthquake Challenge - students experiment on cardboard houses & different materials to create the best structure to withstand a simulated earthquake.
Learn how to make a kaleidoscope in this fun STEM/science activity and craft for kids. It’s such a fun way to explore light, reflections, and symmetry! Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board! *This post was originally published 2/2/16 and has since been updated. Last week I made these super fun kaleidoscopes with my …
10 hands-on ideas for teaching earth changes and landforms in 2nd grade science with engaging STEM earth changes activities kids love!
Learn how to make both a basic homopolar motor and a tiny dancing motor! Great science fair project for older kids!
These handprint lilies are so beautiful and surprisingly easy to make! They'd make such a thoughtful handmade gift idea for Mother's Day if you make a small bouquet and tie them together with a ribbon. Or you could make a bouquet of handprint Easter lilies if you use white paper. Can Easter lilies be pink? I think they're just white? Either way, they're adorable for spring and they're a wonderful low mess craft to make with the kids! I had such an awesome helper when I made these paper handprint lilies! My spunky 5 year old loves crafts, and she
Use our free printable yahtzee score card so you can have a fun game of yahtzee with friends and or family. Easy and cheap family game night.
Use your bricks to teach kids LEGO coding. Fun and easy ideas for LEGO coding activities include binary code and algorithms.
An Upper Elementary Collaborative blog written by 13 teachers. Includes teaching ideas and resources for grades 3, 4, and 5.
STEM Elevator Challenge- Build a cranking elevator to lift a heavy load. A perfect challenge for Halloween, Easter, or any time!
Book reports don't need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun! Here are 10 creative book report ideas to use in your classroom.
How can you stand on a paper cup without breaking it? The secret is in how you place the cups. Paper cup STEM Challenge for kids.
Pick something off this list of family-friendly volunteer opportunities to spread kindness and participate in community service projects with your kids.
Simple first robot project for kids. Make a fun car with a motor, battery pack, and switch. Great for budding robotics enthusiasts!
So many ways to help learning stick!
Free posters to show "hot dog" and "hamburger" folding; Free NOISE management cards; Free signs for rotating classes; Free Point sheets for tracking student behaviors
STEM learning made fun! 27 super easy hands-on sensory science experiments and projects for kids in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school!
A list of little to no-prep, hands-on activities allowing students to experiment and learn Earth Science without relying on a textbook.
Learn how to make both a basic homopolar motor and a tiny dancing motor! Great science fair project for older kids!
30+ engineering STEM challenges with simple materials. Kids can tinker with bridges, catapults, boats, and more using recycled and inexpensive materials.
If you (or your preschooler) has ever asked the question, "what is blood made of?", you must check out this fun activity to learn about the parts of blood.
This fun and simple science experiment is perfect for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Find out how in this post.
A Blog for Moms of Boys: Activities, recipes, DIY, Science projects and Crafts for Boys.
It’s back to school time! So today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday
I know I need to make black powder, but which one? Which BP Should You Make First? At some point fairly early in every pyro career, we realize we need to be able to make our own black powder (BP) from scratch in order to make fireworks. BP is used in aerial fireworks shells as lift and burst powder, in rockets, fountains and in almost every other pyrotechnic device and component–mines, stars, black match, and the list goes on. And since sources of commercially manufactured BP are becoming harder and harder to find, it just gets clearer and...
This simple melting ice science experiment allows students to discover what variables affect the speed at which ice melts. The materials needed are in your kitchen.
