Explore Zoo animals with this fun and easy to prep STEAM challenge for Preschoolers! Build a bed for zoo animals with craft sticks.
Learn how to create a plan for using your classroom makerspace, by using 3 types of makerspace challenges across the kindergarten year.
Preschoolers explore stacking with this engaging steam challenge using materials from your home.
Roundup of Montessori-inspired cloud printables and activities for a variety of ages; perfect for homeschools or classrooms.
15 awesome engineering challenges for kids using a variety of materials (most of which you probably have at home already!)
Lots of hands-on heart and circulatory system printables and activities for classroom or home; Montessori-inspired activities for a variety of ages!
International Dot Day Center Ideas with STEM and Art (STEAM) Have you heard of International Dot Day? Dot Day takes place on September 15th. The inspiration for the day comes from the book, The Dot , by Peter H. Reynolds. In the story, the main character, Vashti, doesn’t believe she can draw.
Next time you need hands-on plant activities, check out this post where I walk you through a variety of activities for teaching the needs of plants, the parts of plants and their functions, photosynthesis, a plant's life cycle, pollination, plant cells, chlorophyll, plant adaptations, and so much more! Click through to learn more!
This Free Fathers Day STEAM Activity challenges children to create a unique gift for Dad. Free printables are included!
I created this maker space in my classroom almost two years ago. I am soooooo glad I did. We use it for really cool STEAM projects. It makes it so easy to do one anytime I want. It is always there, stocked and ready to go. I originally envisioned this as an independent activity in my classroom. But, the reality of the mess isn't always possible during a busy kindergarten day. So, I use it more often as an adult supported activity. The kids are still working independently, but an adult is there to remind kiddos to keep it tidy. That, and having a low heat hot glue gun makes creating so much easier. The adult uses the glue gun, but the students are the design directors. It works perfectly that way. So, yes, you will need an aide or parent volunteer to do this with kinder kids. In an older grade level, this would be easier to manage as an independent center or station. Here is how I set it up. Maker Spaces are as individual as the makers who make them. So, when you set yours up, get some inspiration and then do what works for YOU using your available resources. I have three big drawers for the kids to pull materials from... above is cardboard. Below is plastic and paper. It is actually easy to fill the space when you get in the habit of saving cool recyclables and scraps from other projects in your classroom. You can also ask families in your class to donate materials. I use a fourth drawer for storage. I change up the materials in the little bins, so it's nice to have a place to save things like corks hardware, twigs, etc. I like to provide special materials that will aide in making each project. Here are just a few of my bins up close... OK, let's move on to some great projects... Making bridges is usually one of my first projects of the year. We do it as a part of my Fairy tales/ Folk tales unit. I use a comprehension assessment for The Three Billy Goats Gruff , so we spend some time to go in depth with that story. Creating a bridge makes a great extension activity. Here are few more kindergarten kid designs. And of course we had to get out the plastic goats to test them. Don't you love the "No Crossing" sign? Written in Kinder writing of course! At the end of that unit, we also make boats for the gingerbread man to create a safe way for him to cross the river. Here are a couple of those... The tests on the boats are fun, but you have to prepare your kids for disappointment. I read Rosie Revere, Engineer to my class this year when we tested our boats. It was the perfect prime for accepting failure as part of the designing, learning, re-designing process. We use the little Pepperidge Farm gingerbread cookies in each boat for the test. So, of course I give a cookie to each of my little makers too! That book cover is an Amazon affiliate link for your convenience. You can grab it by clicking on the image. It's a must have if you are doing STEM projects in your classroom. For the boat tests, I use a large plastic storage container that I fill with water. We sit in a circle around it and each child gets to put a cookie in their boat and float it (or not) across the water. It's also a great idea to give your kids time to look at each design and talk to each other about how it was made. It's a little makers' convention. It only takes about 30 minutes. I think it is time well spent. Here is a precious video of one or our boat tests: Here are some adorable kid made leprechaun traps. This is the original STEM project. I have been doing leprechaun traps in my classroom for years. I like to have the kids make them in the classroom better than doing it as an at home project. The one year I had kids do them at home, I could tell that parents helped too much! You can tell these were made by little learners... It was great to hear my sweet students explain how each trap was going to work. We usually leave them out around the classroom on March 16th. I put some Rolo candies inside each one. (They are chocolate caramels wrapped in gold foil). I also sprinkle a little gold glitter around. It's lots of fun when students come into the classroom on the 17th and find the GOLD! Things can get pretty messy when the kids are working at the Maker Space. Here is the table during leprechaun trap production. There is a place for everything and we put everything in it's place when its time to clean up. The kids love using the space, so they are usually very willing to help clean up. We have little recycle and trash bins in the space so it is easy to put scraps where they belong. We also made bird feeders last year as a spring project. We had been learning about the season of spring and animals that lay eggs, It was a great extension for our unit. Plus, we have windows in our classroom where we can see so many birds outside. Those little tubs have bird seed and Cheerios cereal. You can also see the big jar of peanut butter. We spread the PB on to the cardboard pieces and then dipped them in the seed. I love this little engineer's design. Those are just a few ideas for your little makers. You don't have to have a Maker Space in your classroom to do these projects, it just makes it easier for me. If you haven't already, I hope you will try some STEAM projects with your kindergarten class. Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy teaching!
Engineer a tent for a figurine using marshmallows, toothpicks and tissue.
Teaching students about earthquakes can be interesting! There is so much to teach them about the science around earthquakes.
Cute, printable Letter Recognition Worksheets are a great way for kids to practice their ABCs. Each page from A to Z has a different theme!
When my children were little we had this fabulous game called "Domino Rally". They would set it up in our foyer where there was a wooden floor and play for hours. They meticulously set up the line of dominoes and watched the tumbling blocks knocking into structures and cheer when it worked. If you have
Earth day is this Monday! Right around this time every year it's time to put on our geologist hats and start our unit on Rocks and Minerals. This is also a fun time to tie in Volcanoes and Earthquakes as we learn all about our Shakin Quakin Earth & Rocks!!!We do a lot of fun hands on activities during our rocks unit, but I think our Jello Earthquake simulations have to be everyone's favorite! This activity comes up near the end of the unit, after we have learned all about rocks, minerals, and the inner layer of our earth. I...
Ensure seamless instruction even when you're away with this comprehensive bundle of STEM emergency sub plans! This bundle includes two sets of 5-day emergency sub plans designed to engage students in meaningful STEAM activities using just paper: STEM Emergency Sub Plans: 5-Day STEAM Sub Plans Using Just Paper No-Prep Emergency STEM Sub Plans: 5-Day Elementary Substitute Teacher Plans These plans are perfect for elementary classrooms and require minimal preparation, making them ideal for emergency situations. Each day includes a variety of engaging activities that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Keep your students on track with their learning goals, even when you're not in the classroom. Download now to have these emergency sub plans on hand whenever you need them! Would you like to know when I post new resources and they are 1/2 off for 48 hours? Simply follow me on TPT! ___________________________________ Copyright © Design Education Permission to copy for single classroom use only. Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.
Summer time means there will be a lot of free time for your kiddos. In between all the vacations and pool parties, try one of these STEAM projects!
International Dot Day Center Ideas with STEM and Art (STEAM) Have you heard of International Dot Day? Dot Day takes place on September 15th. The inspiration for the day comes from the book, The Dot , by Peter H. Reynolds. In the story, the main character, Vashti, doesn’t believe she can draw.
When my children were little we had this fabulous game called "Domino Rally". They would set it up in our foyer where there was a wooden floor and play for hours. They meticulously set up the line of dominoes and watched the tumbling blocks knocking into structures and cheer when it worked. If you have
These free rock cycle worksheets are spectacular for simple science fun for your kids. Get creative ideas for using these rock activities for learning fun.
We have been talking second grade science! Specifically, we'll chat about the Next Gen standards on landforms and how to implement hands on activities,
Are you looking for (or wondering about) STEM or STEAM activities for kids? If so, you are in the right place, my friends! This is the ULTIMATE resource list for the best of the best Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art), and Math (STE(A)M) activities. My boys have always loved STEM challenges. And I completely understand why!
We had so much fun with last year’s egg drop challenge that we had to do it again this year! The egg drop project is such a fun way incorporate critical thinking and problem solving into a fun science activity for kids, and it’s great for a wide variety of ages. Both my kindergartener and my …
A great picture book study for "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel". Lots of fantastic extension activities. This book companion has a variety of resources and can be used for preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade. These resources include crafts and activities to help practice coloring, cutting, and gluing skills as well as opportunities for reading and basic writing. What You Get - 2 "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" coloring pages - Cut out Mike and Mary Anne stick puppets - Trace the Steam Shovel template - Mike and Mary Anne Maze - Help Build a Town Hall Template (3-D, fold the corners neat and square!) - 3 letter "S is for Steam Shovel" handwriting practice pages - Make a moving Steam Shovel (cut out and use brads to attach) - Mini-Booklet of "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" for students to color and staple. - Fill In The Missing Story Word - Design Your Own Cover template - Label the Parts of the book (cut and glue) - Story word and picture sorting activity (cut and glue) - Finish the Words From The Story (cut and glue the missing letters) - Sight word worksheet (DAY and WEEK) - Digraph worksheet (ST) - Words in the Story worksheet - Sounding out words cards - Sight Word cards - Story Elements worksheet - Trace and write words from the story - Cut-apart sequencing strips - Draw and Write "How Would You Get Out of the Cellar Hole?" template - Template for students to write (and an option for tracing) and illustrate their own version of the story
Plan these simple and fun Paper bag STEM challenges for kids! Easy STEM activities that use what's around to encourage invention and design.
Teach kindergarten science students to explore the world around them with these hands-on experiments, projects, and activities.
Make a density column with different liquids. Have students experiment with a variety of liquids to discover the density of those liquids.
Teach children about water pollution and clean water with this hands-on clean water experiment for kids. What will your filter look like?
Lots of free Inuit printables along with ideas for preparing Montessori-inspired Arctic and Inuit activities using free printables.
6 simple STEM activities for little learners. Hands-on exploration for kids ages four to six.
Have fun exploring star patterns with this fun, Constellations Printable Wheel. This hands on constellations activity is great for kids of all ages!
STEM activities are a lot of fun and educational, but the best kind of STEM activities are open-ended, allowing children to think for themselves. In this umbrella STEM challenge, kids are challenged to make an umbrella from household supplies. They must follow all elements of a real design process, including brainstorming, blueprints, prototypes, tweaking, and
Switch imaginations into gear with our 24 piece Motion Pack. Featuring two car bases with REAL rubber wheels and our unique bevel design, this pack also includes a variety of tiles and is the perfect gift for vehicle enthusiasts. Fostering creativity, imagination and STEAM learning through PLAY, our Motion Pack provides endless possibilities as a standalone, starter or expansion pack and encourages children to explore concepts of movement and motion, magnetism and colour while they build limitless vehicles – from cars to trucks, yachts to boats, buses to fire engines, roving creatures, and so much more! As an open-ended quality toy, Connetix will grow WITH your child as they learn and their play becomes more complex. Expand your collection and complement your Motion Pack with our 62 piece Starter Pack and 40 piece Expansion Pack to take your vehicle creations to the next level! Recommended Age: 3+ (contains magnets and small parts). Specification Weight 1.02kg Dimensions 24 x 21 x 6cm Age 3+
Download 19 worksheets on 3D or solid shapes (i.e. sphere, cone, cylinder, cube, rectangular prism or cuboid and pyramid) suitable for kindergarten class.
The first week of school sure is a busy one! I work hard to balance the mandatory paperwork with games, hands-on activities and team-building fun. Even with bigger kids, it’s important to keep them moving throughout the day and providing a variety of activities. 1. Marshmallow Tower For this activity, you’ll need the following materials […]
I was at a charter school recently and saw this really cool display of projects. Each student’s project was on one side of a box. Rope was strung through each box (with knots and washers to s…
Tangrams are a learning tool that helps build a variety of important STEM skills. Tangrams puzzles build math skills, geometry knowledge and confidence.
Huge, FREE Weather Unit has lots of worksheets for kids, fun activities, and science experiments for teaching preschool and K3 students.
Free mammal songs and educational videos for a variety of ages; perfect for homeschool or classroom for a mammal or animal classification unit - Living Montessori Now
Reuse an old CD to make a spinning top- an easy craft for kids and a great science lesson on physics! This STEM / STEAM activity if perfect for kids of all ages and meets the NGSS for Kindergarten on pushes and pulls!
This collection of toddler and preschool sponge activities are not only fun, but also build a variety of skills! Perfect for home or school.
