STEM Holiday Connections

Find the ELF Pack HERE!

One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to find a way for all of the 400+ students K-5th grade be able to connect a fun seasonal book to a STEM activity.

Up until this point, we have been able to do some quick Halloween STEM activities, and a few NGSS STEM connections in a few of the classes, however using the FOSS road map that our district has developed is what often drives my theme or lessons. Lucky enough, I have been able to find ways to join some of those lessons together as well as integrate activities using our Ipads...so it allows me some flexibility to add NGSS...STEM...and extra activities that I create that go with our theme.

Find the GINGERBREAD STEM pack HERE!

Here are some tips to integrate any of the fun STEM packs that I have in my TPT store!

Tip 1: Pick a theme

This week's lessons  look like this...

K-weather connections using Three Cheers for Tacky, building a structure for the Penguin to keep him warm using toothpicks and marshmallows and a fun penguin pattern...they sure are Tacky!
1st Grade- How to Catch an Elf...we are learning about size and property words.
2nd Grade-FOSS Solids and Liquids and the Gingerbread Man
3rd Grade-FOSS Water...make a boat to float on water to keep the Gingerbread Man from having to rely on the fox to get across the river
4th Grade-FOSS Human Body and Elf on a Shelf... Mr. Bones style and Elf Traps
5th Grade-FOSS Mixtures and Solutions and Mr. and Mrs. Clause and separating mixtures

 Tip 2: Pick a Picture Book

With the opportunities to integrate some STEM lessons, I always try to find a fun picture book that will help set the tone. Here are some of the books I am using this week.

Tip 3: Find ways to integrate what you are already doing in your classroom...Look at the standards and find a way to incorporate them into a hands-on STEM project! I also challenged my older kiddos to finish something that was in our road map before they could work on a STEM project, and you should see how fast they start to work to get to be able to build!

Looking for some winter or New Year STEM or some Christmas alternatives? Check it out at my TPT STORE. Follow the link HERE.

Hang in there...just a few more days for those of us that have to teach right up until break! Happy Holidays!

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Unwrapping Holiday Ideas Linky: STEM STYLE

The kids are all nestled all soundly in bed...while visions of really excited students go around in YOUR head. Kids love to be actively engaged! I know that can be hard when it gets cold outside or you are needing to test your students, or that our kiddos know there is a break in sight...

Focus On Fifth...a team of teachers devoted to 5th grade...(a grade I taught for over 15 years, until I switched to K-5 science) are hosting a great link up to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas! Here is how we can celebrate along with them...whether you teach 5th or like me anything in between, here are great ideas for the holidays!

A great way to support academics, yet unwrap some holiday fun,  is to read a great book that can tie in Science Stations...STEM engineering fun...or even team building reading...writing...science activities! Let's get started!!!

Here are some easy STEM steps to unwrap some holiday fun:
1. Pick a great picture book to start discussion. For my Penguin stations I like to use...

I use this book because it has great facts about Penguins and I can then go into an anchor chart that allows me to discuss what they would need if they lived where penguins did...and then what we would need if we were penguins. It leads into many STEM station ideas. I also to unwrap some fun with the book...

2. Find a transition with your book as to why students are engineering. This is a fun way to add some science adventure into your day! It is great for students to be themselves...and work as a team! Great transition into engineering when Tacky and his penguin pals can work together, too!

3. Using the scientific process is key to making another key transition...making connections through writing. For each station that  my students participate in...we follow up by drawing... reflecting... modifying...and sharing our ideas with the class(which are included for each station in the packs!

If you want to unwrap some Gingerbread fun...cookie decorating...gingerbread house making...reading and writing...and STEM science fun...Here are some more great ideas for before and after Christmas break!

Again...First, unwrap a great book!

Second...make connections....and predictions...plan...then create...


Finally...reflect...modify...and then share! And repeat with another great STEM station!


Here are some great STEM products or what I like to call Teacher's Little Helpers to get you through the holiday season and beyond...

STEM Penguin Stations on TPT

STEM Christmas Stations on TPT

Gingerbread STEM Station Pack on TPT

Christmas Science Stations on TPT

STEM Winter/Christmas Stations for Littles on TPT

Add some holiday cheer into your classroom day by unwrapping more great ideas over at...

Happy Holidays from the Science School Yard!

An InLinkz Link-up

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School Traditions

I read the same version of the Gingerbread Man this year as I did last year. I started each grade level off today by talking about what a tradition is and the importance of them. I shared my family traditions both holiday and not. I get to see each grade level...each year...so over 410 kiddos are stuck with me for their whole schooling...fortunately for them, I am cool!

I love that I do Gingerbread Man traps both in Kindergarten and first grade. Conceptually, that one year really changes their ability to think outside the box. They have one more year of schema and one more year of engineering know how. I think it is so important to see that as a teacher...that we set the groundwork for someone else at times. That as they add more information to their brains, some of it sticks. Sometimes you don't even get to see it!  Take a look at both kindergarten traps vs. first grade traps....

"Look...he'll go in here"...kinders

"He will walk in here and not get out"...kinders

"He will take the path and as he steps on the one step, he will fall through"...first grade

"This is in a tree and will lower on the gingerbread man"...first grade

I just love to see the development...traditions are important in their growth as a learner. This evidence is so amazing to see.

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Gingerbread Science K-5

Who doesn't love the story of the gingerbread man? I even love gingerbread! This seems to be the week for a lot of different classrooms tying that sassy little runaway into our classrooms. I am one of those teachers.

I personally love to read the story and change my voice. So, this is the version I have been using...


Here is the plan...

Kinders= gingerbread sink and float
1st graders= Build a trap to catch the Gingerbread man
2nd graders= Gingerbread Solids and Liquids
3rd graders= Gingerbread Water Lesson...Engineering a Boat
4th graders= Gingerbread bone connections
5th graders= Christmas Stations

This is my newest addition to my week before Christmas fun! I am using this with my 3rd graders!

I also am using this kit with my classroom teachers. I gave them a copy that they could use...K-2. 

Finally, I am using with my 5th graders...

Check them out at my TPT Science School Yard Store! Hope your holiday is sweet! Don't forget to check out my Gingerbread FREEBIE link here!

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Gingerbread Science

The gingerbread man has made many sightings here at our school. Our kindergartners have made traps to catch him...they are very creative with their building.

However, as the kiddos started to get older and wiser about their design... check out the around the corner so he can't see us design by a second grade team...it works!

Our second graders are learning about solids and liquids so I made some FOSS connection sheets for them to tie in the gingerbread man to FOSS.  

Gingerbread science: solids and liquids

I also connected our 3rd grade FOSS to gingerbread by having our kiddos work with our gingerbread and what would happen to him if the fox had gotten him wet.

Gingerbread Science: Water

Run, Run, as fast as you can...you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man:)

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