Stem in the Classroom - Part 2

After our initial experience with Building a Sail Car (read about it here) my students (and I) were HOOKED with these building challenges! I knew I had to capitalize on their enthusiasm and determination and continue this type of learning!

However, changes had to be made to make sure it was a true and balanced learning experience.  This means starting with a REAL plan.  It just so happened that I stumbled across (while actively searching for appropriate & challenging STEM-type activities) this great resource geared for students in grades 4-8: Bridges: An Integrated Stem Teaching Guide provided by Elmer's in cooperation with STEMfest The Works.    It provided a lot of the structure I needed to proceed: Objectives, Discussion Questions, Research Activities & Hands On Activities.

Activate Prior Knowledge: To begin, I read the story: Bridges Are to Cross by Philemon Sturges with stunning illustrations by Giles Laroche.  This quick but engaging book shared different types of bridges (from ones that carry llamas loaded with firewood to covered bridges that are located in a neighboring state!).  Students were quick to share stories and make connections: "I've been to a bridge like that when my family went skiing in New Hampshire!" "My dad's been to the London Bridge!" "I know that bridge is in California - I've seen it in movies!"

Students also read selected passages from "ReadWorks.org": Building a Bridge (fiction) and it's paired reading text: Building a Better Mousetrap.  Because these were geared for fifth grade, the students used the "Partner Reading Strategy."

Share the Challenge: After reading the book I told the students that they would be building bridges in the classroom!  Lots of excitement, fist pumps & oh yeahs went around the room.  Many assumed we would be using craft sticks.  I waited until after the research to share the news that they would be building PAPER bridges!

Research: Students were asked to discover the different types of bridges.  They were given a handout with 4 different pictures and were asked to identify the type as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each!  Students were given the mnemonic: BATS to further interest them. (Beam, Arch, Truss, Suspension).  I found several websites that provided great information for the students. Some of the students found even better resources and shared with the class! Talk about student leaders!! (This wouldn't be possible without our recently "donated" Chromebooks to help out! If you'd like to help us further please visit my Donor's Choose page - we appreciate any/all donations on our newest project - it makes a difference EVERYDAY especially in activities such as these!!)

The Challenge: The first challenge in the Elmer's Guide is 'Building a Paper Bridge' that can hold 100 pennies! The parameters included using only 2 pieces of paper, no tape only glue (after all this was promoted by Elmer's!) and certain dimensions for width and span. Impossible you say? Students thought so too! 

 


Planning:  Before building could start, students had to PLAN their designs.  Reminding them about the Sail Car Challenge I mentioned how many said they wished they took more time to plan.  I also mentioned that they would be getting 4 pieces of paper which meant that they REALLY had to plan carefully as resources would be limited.  Sharing the "Engineering Design Process" with the students helped them formulate, plan, create, improve upon and redesign if necessary.  Students used this graphic organizer.  One student even made 'secret' Blueprints!! Students were instructed to record their design changes.  (This is where I need help to make it easier for them to do this. I think a journal next time would make it easier.)

The Activity:  The day finally arrived and students began discussing, designing and building. A gentle reminder that only 2 pieces of paper could be used.  Rulers were gathered and measuring began. The bridges' piers were set in place.  More discussion, more measuring...."I think we should make an arch bridge because it's stronger." "How can we make this paper stronger?" "Don't forget it has to be 3 inches wide." "Let's ask if we can use tape!"  After about 20 minutes we had to stop to attend music.  Students wanted to leave things set up and try again after.  We spend about another 20 minutes after music and still hadn't finished. I've learned you can't RUSH these things.   We decided we would pick up again the next day and try again.

Post Activity: After day 2 one student successfully completed the challenge as her bridge held 102 pennies! Unfortunately, students didn't finish before we went on vacation.  So this activity will be resumed.  Students will complete a reflection (using Google Forms) and we'll gather as a group to talk about why the designs worked/didn't work. We'll again go back to our research and discuss the different types of bridges. We will also discuss ways to improve upon the Design Process.  More research will be conducted and other challenges to complete.  The other challenges include: the Bridge Tower Challenge, The Truss Bridge Challenge & the Toothpick Bridge Challenge.  Hopefully, the students will continue to be excited about these different challenges and learning opportunities.

While this activity was frustrating for some (as they wanted desperately to complete this challenge) I saw some wonderful learning happening.  Students from different groups helping each other with their designs - sharing what they thought would work or why the design might not work.  Referring to research websites and using great vocabulary while discussing the bridge in relation to the weight of the pennies.  Lots of measuring was happening during the challenge.  Students working on "attending to precision and persevering in problem solving" (these are 2 of the Standards of Mathematical Practices we've been working on in math!).  So many areas of the curriculum accessed in this one challenge! You gotta love it! WE DO!

Challenge for YOU: What ideas or suggestions could you make to help students record their design changes?

Resources Used:
Easy Science for Kids - Bridge Facts
PBS: Building Big - Bridge Basics
PBS: Building Big - The Bridge Challenge (Interactive)
KidsKonnect - Bridge Facts & Information
eHow: Advantages & Disadvantages of Types of Bridges
IKNS Bridges: A Wikispace - Strengths & Weaknesses 

Resource found by Sarah, a Girl Scout studying Engineering: Historic Bridges

STEM in the Elementary Classroom

Materials Used in Creation of Sail Car

Back in February I received an email from Catherine Logue, Associate Editor, Scholastic Instructor asking if I'd be interested in reviewing a STEM product.  Of course I jumped at the chance!  As I waited for the supplies to arrive, I tried to imagine what exciting materials would be shipped to us.

When the box arrived I couldn't open it fast enough.  Peering inside, I was less than thrilled!  Seriously, I was disappointed!  Inside were about 400 notched craft sticks, many clear straws,  6 inch long, thin dowels, elastics and some large and small cardboard wheels.  As I looked at the lot, I wondered what the students could possibly do with this collection or ordinary items.  Then I noticed there were directions for a "Sail Car" provided by Pitsco Education (Try This Engineering: Sail Car).

 
http://youtu.be/nks-7De7Au8


As I gave my word I to review the product I decided to forge ahead and give it a chance.  When I presented the project to the students the fist pumps and 'oh yeah's' showed their eagerness to begin. Some parameters and basic directions were shared with the students.  They were allowed to work with a partner, small group or independently.  Students were asked to plan/sketch up to 4 designs on an organizer.  In their fervor to get started their drawings were crudely thought out and drawn.  (I purposely didn't give them the direction sheet as it had a picture of a completed car depicted on it.  My thinking was that they might copy this car & not create their own.)

Students worked steadily for about 40 minutes.  When it was time to "shift gears" for other instruction the room erupted with a loud "AWWW!"as students shared their displeasure at the interruption.

During indoor recess almost all the students worked on their cars...not because they HAD to but because they WANTED to! This alone speaks volumes of using STEM type activities in the classroom!  It took some more class time to finish the car (over a couple of days).  It was rather a trying experience as students had difficulty attaching the wheels - had I read the directions carefully, I could have saved them some frustration (but in the process I learned a bit about engineering too - Thank you Nancy F. for helping!).  Of course throughout the building process discussions were being held about things that were working, not working - students collaborated between groups and were happy to share their successes. At one point, we even examined a "lego" car that a student made during recess one day so we could compare the wheel structure! Great ideas coming from these 10 year olds!

The day arrived that we were ready to test the cars to see which one would travel the furthest.  A START line was created and several tape measures were secured to the floor!  Students were only allowed ONE blow through a straw - then the distance was measured.  Each car had 3 tries.  Students all lined up along the start line and awaited their turn.  It really was fun.  You could hear the students discussing why someone's car worked well or didn't work as well.  The cars' distances ranged between 6 inches and 60 inches! Huzzah!

To wrap up the project students all discussed what they learned and wrote a "Sail Car Reflection".  “Awesome! Fun! Confusing! Hard! Challenging!” – these are the words my students used to describe the project.  They loved being able to “create something using their own ideas.” "Next time I'll take time to make a better plan." "I liked the materials because they were simple to use." 

This is only one example of STEM in the classroom (and not a very overly planned activity).  The next activity will involve research - as students need some foundational skills or at least the background knowledge.  What's the next activity???? I'm not sure, but I do know that IT will happen again and SOON!  

I would love to hear your ideas about STEM in the classroom and how you manage it! Feel free to share in the comment sections below!

Elementary Science Resources - Part 2

In part 1 of my series "Elementary Science Resources - Part 1," I mentioned a site that I hope to use this from Mystery Science.  While that alone should be enough, I have found some other notable resources.  Here they are in no particular order.

The Norwood Science Center:  This comprehensive resource for K-5 teachers was created by Mr. Haffey & Mrs. Lockwood, two elementary science teachers. The site includes Lesson Plans with Vocabulary, Powerpoints and Videos. Topics include: Animals, Plants, Geology, Weather, Energy the Solar System and more which are broken down by grade level. Be sure to check out this free site with Creative Commons license!

Singing Songs of Science: I first stumbled upon J.P. Taylor's site when looking for information about the Scientific Method.  His catchy song, Scientific Method Blues,  got my kids learning and moving!  He's got tons of them.  They do cost money but worth checking it out! Listen to the Scientific Method Blues and you'll be singing right along too!






Science Kids: Fun Science & Technology for Kids: While this is geared towards kids with experiments, games, facts and quizzes there are simple lessons and science fair projects for teachers.  The site also has videos and images according to different topics.

Topics in Science Kids

The Ultimate Science Weekly Five:  This Teachers Pay Teachers resource is something a colleague just shared with me.  Geared towards 3rd and 4th grade, this resource organizes the unit using 5 stations.

Stations in each unit:
Station 1- Read and Comprehend (short reading passage with paraphrasing graphic organizer and sentence stems for students to complete)
Station 2- Explore! (hands-on activity to create a model and diagram)
Station 3- Organize It! (using a graphic organizer or diagram to help students organize concepts in a visual way)
Station 4- Center Activity (activity to explore concept more in depth)
Station 5- Vocabulary (cut and paste matching of concept terms and definitions and a Vocabulary Four Square for one important term)

While you can pay for the Bundle of 17 Units, you can also purchase the units you need individually.  

Are there science resources you use that would be helpful to elementary teachers? Do you see yourself using any/all of these resources? Would love your feedback!

Elementary Science Resources - Part 1

My Students' Favorite Experiment: Making it Rain

"Science is a Verb!" That has been my motto for many of the 25 years of my teaching career.  Although, I will admit that recently it feels like more of a noun!  Students need practices that involve hands-on activities which will take learning to new heights.  In an effort to revert back to VERB status, I'm looking for some new science resources.


One new resource (to be launched in September) which I hope to utilize is called: Mystery Science. (See what grabbed my attention below:) The premise of this site is "open and go" (videos and lessons) making it very user friendly.  To start, the focus will be on 3rd and 4th grade (but adaptations could be made for older/younger learners with lessons to be created for 2nd - 6th graders soon).




The first four units are:

• Spaceship Earth (Night Sky, Sun, & Seasons)
• Plant Superpowers (Life Cycles, Adaptations, & Plants in Human Life)
• Animals in Society (Life Cycles, Heredity, & Social Behavior)
  
• Powering Machines (Simple Machines, Forces, & Energy)

Seven to ten lessons are included in each unit.  The key portion of each lesson can be completed in 45 minutes and there are extras (written response questions, non-reading selections & other activities) to extend those lessons. The lessons include guiding questions, videos and experiments (which list simple materials).

This site seems like it could be a great answer for those of us who need to be re-energized or those who don't have science resources readily available to them or those looking for resources to compliment the Next Generation Science Standards.  I'm so looking forward to trying it.

This is sure to be a great site that will inspire and motivate students and get them to really LOVE science!  Can't wait to try it out with my students!

Read the Press Release here and make sure you sign up to receive the units.  Don't hesitate to contact MysteryScience here if you have further questions...they respond very quickly!

End of the Year Activity - Roller Coaster Unit

Desperado, Nitro & Goliath are just a few of the roller coasters students learned about on the last 2 1/2 days of school.   This thematic unit (designed by a teacher, Lovin' Lit,  from Louisiana as a 7 hour plan for subs) included activities that related to all areas of the curriculum from reading non-fiction articles, recording and analyzing statistics, using map skills, to comparing and contrasting kinetic & potential energy.

Videos and pictures of roller coasters were used to engage students.  Sharing their war stories about being on a roller coaster helped them make connections.  Then following directions students slowly created a lap book using the information about the roller coasters.   They made bar graphs, learned about energy through this song.  The final activity was to build their own roller coaster using simple materials.  The designs were unique and many worked.  I believe if we had more time - ALL of them would have completed the challenge.



 As the temperatures remained high during the day, so did the level of engagement.  At the end of the activity, students were encouraged to visit our eBoard site to design their own roller coasters via these internet program:

Build A Coaster - by Discovery Kids

Design  Your Own Roller Coaster  - by Annenberg Learner (Part of the Amusement Park Physics)

Roller Coaster Games - by Roller Coaster Games Online (ads on this site)

It was a great way to end the school year. 

 

Citizen Scientist - It Could Be Your Student!

This tweet from @mbfxc the other day caught my attention for 3 reasons:

• It was sent by my twitter friend
• I know she and her son are spending the summer exploring
  
• I just love Jerry Pallotta, author of the Icky Bug Book and More!

So I clicked on the link and it took me to The Explorers Site, which Marialice created with her son, to keep track of their adventures. The post with amazing photos and a video about lobstering with Jerry is great, and I couldn't help but think of the wonderful summer Marialice and her son were having by making 'exploring' together a priority. Memories that will last a lifetime!

Then shortly thereafter, this tweet came into my feed from @dandanscienc

The word "Project" caught my attention (as it often does!). So I clicked on the link and discovered a wonderful blog called SciStarter, which had 10 amazing summer activities in which to participate. They included counting moths in your area, observing jellyfish, volunteering in parks and observing cloud types. I thought for a moment and sent this link off to Marialice in the hopes that she and her son might find some other science-related activities to try.

Then I reread the blog and wondered about the term "Citizen Science". Although I hadn't heard the term before I had a fairly good idea that it had something to do with the 'regular Joe' contributing/participating in some science related task. Read more about it HERE at How Stuff Works.

Hmmm...could this be something that my students might like/love? Could there be some 'projects' here where my students could be involved? I'm thinking - YES!

The SciStarter site includes a scroll of "Projects of the Day". Today one of the features is titled: Killer Whale Tracker. Basically, participants will monitor Orca sounds and measure noise levels (using software that must be downloaded to your computer). The purpose of the project is to learn more about the migration patterns of these creatures.

This activity is labeled for kids. While some of the activities are not meant for kids a good teacher knows how to adapt lessons to their students. These ideas could be used as a starting or jumping off point.

If the Killer Whale Tracker doesn't interest you, the site includes a "Project Finder" which has a drop down menu with all kinds of activities that could be done at home, at night, on line, in the snow or rain, on a walk/run and more. Or you could choose a topic: food, education, birds, animals, geology and earth science and more.

Making our students part of the "Citizen Science" world will not only engage and motivate students, but it will have them thinking about ways they can relate to and help their world.

What do you think of this site? Do you see other ways you could use it with your students/children? Would love for you to share in the comment section below!

More Citizen Science Resources:

Scientific American - Explains the term Citizen Scientist

Citizen Science Central - A site to find or create projects

Filiment Games: Citizen Science - Play a game that "teaches scientific inquiry and limnology" There is a lot of dialogue but looks interesting.

5 Apps that Encourage Kids to be Citizen Scientists by Hack Education

Citizen Science Can Renew a Child's Love of Nature: Article in Education.com by Mike Mueller.

Taking Outdoor Science-Indoors!

Tadpoles feasting

During a science lesson yesterday about Vertebrates, the life cycle of a frog became a focus.  This of course led to a discussion about tadpoles.  In a weak moment, I shouted "Okay, tomorrow wear your old sneakers and jeans because we are going to go in search of tadpoles in the stream behind the school!"  The chairs went flying as the kids jumped out of their seats with joy. When the cheers died down, I instantly realized what I had done.

My lesson for the day was done as the students couldn't think about anything other than the upcoming science class outdoors.  Then came the questions and comments: "What about poison ivy? Last time I was in those woods, I got a bad case." "How long are we going to be out there?" "I don't have any old sneakers." "Wow, my mom can come because she knows all about poison ivy."  "Where are the tadpoles? Did you see them?"  I realized I was over my head on this one.

As a mom and teacher, I DO know how careful you have to be with your words.  In actuality I really thought it would be so fun to go outside in search of tadpoles.  The reality was that I needed to plan for an outdoor adventure of the science kind.  (Here is a great site that explains how to use the outdoors for science.) To really do justice to a lesson of this type, having a clear objective with careful planning is a must.

Interestingly, last evening on Twitter our elementary science chat group (#elemsci) was discussing "Outdoor Science".  Questions such as: What do primary students find fascinating about the outdoors? How do we tie this into their learning? and, If you can't be outside, how can you bring the outdoors in for a lesson? were discussed.  Little did I know how these would come guide me in the day to come!


I tried to sheepishly avoid any conversation about "the field trip". Some students remembered their sneakers, others were worried they hadn't brought them.  One by one, the students came to me to see if we were really trekking behind the school.  I felt awful about not taking them outside.

Then one child came to me and said, "You know, the third grade teachers have some tadpoles in their room."   I knew if I could somehow have my students observe THOSE tadpoles then I would once again regain their trust.  So I asked my colleague (thank you Deb for sharing!) if we could take a peek...she did better...she wheeled this large fish tank into our room when the kids were at recess.  Well, it was amazing as there were hundreds of tiny tadpoles swimming in that tank.  (Apparently, one of the third grade students got them out of their pool.)   This following video is what it was like when my students returned from recess to find the those little froggies-to-be in the classroom.

This excitement really inspires me to bring science to life for my students....allowing them real world experiences and providing opportunities for authentic learning.   I can't wait for Monday so that the students can really take time to make observations and learn about these creatures!

RESOURCES:

The Teacher's Guide:  Frog & Tadpole Lessons


Thinking Beyond the Classroom: 10 Lesson Ideas


Scholastic Outdoor Activities: Includes Skills and Objectives

Foss Video with Helpful Tips for Outdoor Learning

Teachable Moment-Apollo 7 Splashdown!

Crew of Apollo 7 (NASA photo)

Schirra, Eisele and Cunningham may not be household names, but they are names that are now known in our fourth grade classroom thanks to one 10 year old girl and her Grandpa.  These gentlemen were the crew of Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo space flight!  Our young fourth grader shared a piece of their incredible story, but shared it through the eyes and stories of her Grandpa who was fortunate enough to see the end of Apollo's mission.

In honor of Veteran's Day our class wrote letters thanking a veteran in our family (or neighbor).  My student wrote to her grandfather (who happens to also live with her) and he wrote back.  Not only did he write back but he sent in his yearbook from the ship on which he was stationed, pictures of that vessel and some amazing photos of Apollo 7's splashdown from 1968!

As this young lady shared the photos (via the class document camera) she spoke knowledgeably about each one of them. The photos were taken from the ship (where her Grandpa was assigned) the U.S.S. Essex on October 22, 1968 as they recovered the space capsule from the waters. She fielded questions from her classmates and answered them intelligently.  It was clear that she spent time listening and learning from her Grandfather. 

Splashdown - Navy Frogs

Of course this was not the planned lesson of the day, but the impact this had on the students was far greater than the scheduled instruction.  The class couldn't get enough information and wanted to learn more. They asked questions about the astronauts, the spacecraft, the aircraft carrier as well lots of other questions.  It became a social studies lesson on primary sources, a science lesson on space,  a math lesson on elapsed time, a language arts lesson (we wrote poems) and more! But, perhaps what made it most exciting for students, was knowing that their classmate's Grandpa was really "there"!  It made that instant connection with them.

It is important sometimes to forgo the plans and capture the excitement and enthusiasm for learning that comes from those teachable moments.  What was your last 'teachable moment'?  Please share it in the comment section below!


Learn more with Apollo 7 Resources:
Encyclopedia Astronautica:  Scroll down to see a great timeline beginning in March 1965
Astronomy Top 100: This site speaks about Apollo 7 being broadcast 'Live'
NASA Video of Apollo 7
Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum A brief summary of Apollo 7's mission.

Ski School!

Go ahead and ask my kids!  They'd tell you that I would bring 'school' anywhere.  It just so happens that we are on vacation and indeed school is in session!  Ski school that is....well, really Boarding School. Well, really...we're just snowboarding and skiing!  And I didn't bring 'school' here I just brought the kids to the mountain and the lessons are here waiting to be discovered!    

Okay - so what I mean is that there are ample opportunities for the kids to learn even while they are snowboarding. Take a look at a few of our lessons today.

Lesson 1: Elapsed Time!  What time will you need to wake up if it takes 40 minutes to get to the mountain? Make sure you plan to give yourself time for a 10 minute shower each (so multiply by 3) and grab a quick breakfast.  We need to arrive by 8:30 so you might need to work backwards.  (Elapsed time practice for kids).

Lesson 2:  Money! (at the ticket window)  Throughout the day the kids will be working on money concepts.  First up is to decide which value is better.  A one day ticket for $56 each or buying three 2-day tickets for a total of $270.  What would the savings be if we bought 3 teen tickets for 3 consecutive days?

Lesson 2a.  Money Continued (at the Lunch):  You will be given $20 to spend on food for the day. What will you buy so that you have enough for 3 trips through the lodge?  Will you save any to buy something for the ride home?   Are there any deals where you can combine your money. (Money practice for kids).

Lesson 3:  Geography:  Even though we have a GPS, we like to bring along a map to find our way to the mountain. Once there planning and creating a route on the trail becomes important and involves Reading a Map.  Although there will be no longitude and latitude, paying particular attention to the map key and following signs will be key to getting down the mountain.  Locating the lodges and first aide areas would be a great first step.  Approximate estimate of distance will also be important in the planning process.  

Lesson 4: Science:  From measuring the amount of snow on the trails, finding the temperature at different intervals and at varied elevations, factoring wind chill (and dressing for it), comparing and contrasting conifers to identifying animal tracks, there is a lot of science to be learned on the mountains. 

Lesson 5:  Social Skills: Waiting patiently in line, allowing others to go ahead of you, being polite, courteous and respectful, and taking turns are just a few of the social skills learned during this type of vacation.  This is where a parent's good teaching comes to fruition.  Realistically, this is probably the most important of the lessons being learned.  If your child can handle being in a crowd of people while behaving most pleasantly, then you did your job well!

Above all, even though there are lessons to be learned by all of us - being with family is just the best lesson in itself.  Making memories that will last a lifetime is also a lesson in its own right.  Spending time with family shows your children how important they are and how important it is to be with family.  Hopefully, this lesson will be paid forward in the future when the children grow up to have their own Family Fun!

Tell me, do you know of any lessons that can be learned on the mountain, at the beach or some other vacation spot?