I’ve mentioned before, I hate ice-breakers so much! I acknowledge they’re hard to avoid, but I prefer finding interesting alternatives to interviewing you partner and reporting to the class. One I think is a lot of fun for back-to-school is Apples A-head — get-it? A-head! hahahaha! I love a punny title! It’s a STEM challenge combined with […]
Back to School STEM Challenge: Apples A-head Read More »
I’ve been giving some thought to what the most important keys are to any successful STEM challenge. I’ve summarized my thoughts below, and the video you see here explores each key in greater detail. However, if you prefer to read, you’ll find the video transcribed at the end of this post. Key 1: Criteria & Constraints
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I’ve been working on creating a YouTube channel for the last couple of weeks, and I’ve just posted my first video! Well, I guess it’s the second if you count my Trello tutorial, but this is the first with my face in view. 🙂 It’s definitely harder than I anticipated, but it’s getting easier with
Intro to STEM Challenges Read More »
Testing is over and as we inch closer to the end of the school year, summer is on the brain! It can be so difficult to keep kids engaged in ANYTHING, let alone meaningful and rigorous lessons/activities! You don’t want to waste instructional time, but you’re a little burned out from fighting the good fight
Summer STEM Challenge Events Read More »
Are you guilty? – of being a scientific method side-stepper? – a latter-steps neglecter? – all flash, but no bang? I’m a recovering latter-steps neglecter, and I want you to know there is hope & the grass is so much greener on the other side! Background I spent most of my ten years teaching 5th grade.
Scientific Method: Neglect & Regrets Read More »
Spring is HERE! I am always happy to move on to a new season, because each new season provides inspiration for STEM challenges! I’ve got some super-engaging & fun ways to bust through that spring fever — five collaborative, super-charged critical thinking & problem-solving STEM activities: Nice Nest, Egg-hanced, Basket Bounce, Carrot Carriage, and Bean
Easter & Spring STEM Challenges Read More »
Luck is in the air! Being Irish, I’ve always loved St. Paddy’s Day, but it is often a holiday that comes and goes in the classroom without much notice other than wearing our green. Now, I’ve created five St. Patrick’s Day activities using new STEM design challenges that will be a fantastic way to pay
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If you’re like me, then you hate to waste a second of precious instructional minutes. On the other hand, you also loathe feeling like the “mean” teacher when all the other classes are having Valentine’s Day parties. The perfect solution to your problem is here! Valentine’s Day STEM activities are challenges that push your students
5 Valuable Valentine’s Day STEM Activities Read More »
In my last post, “In a Test-Weary World, Design!“, I laid out a chart comparing and contrasting STEM Design vs.”Traditional” Design. You might wonder why the “Traditional” is in quotation marks. Many people would consider traditional design in line with project-based learning (PBL). In a PBL approach, a content is typically taught through formal lessons
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If you’ll be rolling out NGSS this year, you might be unsure where to begin. Below are 7 steps to get you started. 1) Gut Check You have been told you will be implementing the Next-Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and you have seen a few examples of these standards. The changes from your previous science
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