00:00

Kids love to create in STEM, and this is by far their most favorite stage in the Engineering Design Process. In this episode, I'll be sharing with you teaching strategies to help student projects so you can have control of chaos in your classroom. 

00:50

I wanted to start off this episode by reading another review that was left on Apple Podcast for this podcast. Here's what brownie 819 had to say. “I am looking forward to hearing your podcast. I am a K through two STEM teacher and love all your work that you do with engineering challenges. So many times, I put together an idea and hope children will have some success with it. I can't wait to follow along.” Thank you so much for your review. I am so appreciative of that. Speaking of engineering challenges, for this episode, I have a free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that you can download for your classroom. You can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/podcastEDP. I'll also link it in the show notes. 

01:41

Now let's jump into the Create stage in the Engineering Design Process. Not only is this a favorite stage of my students, but secretly it's one of my favorite stages as well. When I am planning and researching lessons for my K through five STEM space, I have a vague idea of what the project should look like in my head. My students always surprise me with their creative and innovative designs when it comes to solving the problem. Over the years, I've also noticed that my students have been paying more attention to the details they've been adding to their designs. Not only are they solving the problem, but they are adding intricacies to their designs that make them even better and look amazing. I always joke with my classes that, yes, I am their STEM teacher, but there's a little bit of a, a little bit of art. In the top corner of my whiteboard, I have a giant whiteboard sticker on one of my walls. So the entire wall is a whiteboard. In the top right corner, I have the letters STEM cut out in paper, and, in between the E and the M, I literally have a little a written. So I'm their STEM teacher with a little bit of a literally. I tell them that it's always good to have an element of art within your designs, add the beautifying piece and a little bit of style because your project should not only solve the problem but also look good. 

03:17

If you're an inventor selling your designs, people are going to want to buy them. I always give them the example of the car, the PT Cruiser, because, yes, it's probably a quality car, but it is super ugly. I'm sorry if you drive this car, but it's super ugly. It's not super popular because, well, people don't want to be seen driving that, at least I don't. Anyway, let's dive into these strategies that you can use within your teaching during this create stage in the classroom. The Create stage is right after the plan in the Engineering Design Process. We talked about that in the last episode, episode 18. So if you haven't given that a listen, make sure to go and check that out to get some ideas for enhancing the planning stage before the kids dive into create. 

04:27

The Create stage can get a little bit crazy very quickly. So let's talk about ways you can have students create within controlled chaos. I definitely thrive in a classroom when there is a lot going on. My ADHD kicks in, and it becomes my superpower because, for some reason, I know exactly what is going on with all the kids in all of their projects. Also, being the oldest of five kids, I am used to being in loud environments with a lot going on. So these two things definitely become an asset during this create stage and the Engineering Design Process. When students come in for the day, so this is typically day three for me after we have asked the question and did some imagining and planning, the students still come in and meet in our group meeting area. I still have a mini-lesson for them before they tackle their projects and work the entirety of the class. This is the time when I will review where supplies are located in my classroom. This depends on how long you have known the students, if things have changed, or if you have set materials out in a specific part of the classroom, which I will do for certain projects. 

05:32

This is also the time when I will talk about the Makerspace menu, how that process will work for the day, and where all those materials are located. If you're interested in this whole process of the Makerspace menu, I talked about this in episode six. So go back and take a listen. This management system helps with the controlled chaos. During this create stage, I let students build on the floor and at the tables by choice. I typically don't have assigned seating for this stage of the process; however, you know your students best. So if you do need to have assigned spots, don't be afraid to do so. When students are creating, I let them create in groups of one, two, or three. Sometimes they want to create groups of four. However, that gets a little bit crazy, especially since the projects are so small. There isn't usually enough for kids to do when they are in a group of four. So when that's the case, I tell kids to split up in two groups. They can work side by side and share ideas, but they're creating two different projects so that all the kids have a chance to work on something for the next few days. 

06:44

I also remind students that projects will need to be cleaned up at the end of class, and they will be put on our grade-level shelf. This is especially important to tell kids because sometimes they might want to glue or tape things to the tables. Then when the end of class comes, they're sad because they have to take it all apart. So this really enhances their designs because this helps them be mindful of creating things that can be moved back and forth over the next few days. I also like to have a timer up on the screen that all students can see during their work time. I did this as a classroom teacher during their independent work time just as a time management strategy. It's so interesting when I started implementing this with my K through five STEM students. Many of them started getting freaked out by the timer. I did have to have a whole lesson about the timer, and is that me making you rush through everything. The timer is more, for me as a teacher, to make sure that I am giving you enough work time and that when it's time to clean up, we have enough time for that. I tell them I have more students to teach throughout the day. I teach six classes a day, and I wish I could keep them all day. I need to have a timer so we can stay on track and clean up, and then the next kids can come in. 

08:10

Also, a little tip about the timers: remind students that it's not New Year, and they're not counting down when it gets to 10 seconds or less. For some reason, this has become a pet peeve of mine. When it happens 24 different times, you get annoyed pretty quickly. So add that little tidbit in there when you use a timer. My favorite visual timer to use in the classroom is the one from classroomscreen.com. If you haven't checked it out already, pause this podcast and go look at it. The website is named classroom screen.com, and it has all of these widgets at the bottom. There's not only a timer that you can pull up on the screen but there is a clock you can add. You can embed images, and Google slides that you can click through. All of these different widgets are up on the one screen. So you don't have to minimize and move different website tabs around so you can fit it all in. You can fit it in on this main platform. It is a freemium. So the free version won't save all the stuff that you have up on the screen unless you leave the tab open and don't shut down your computer. I believe the annual subscription is a pretty reasonable price. It actually might be worth the investment, especially if you are teaching many classes a day like I am during this mini-lesson. 

09:34

This is also the time where I will teach strategies to help them with their projects, but not necessarily teach them step by step how to do everything. I really want my students' projects to look different. They might have some similarities just because those similarities might all solve the problem. However, this isn't a step-by-step craft. It is a STEM activity. So their inventions should all look different. So here's what I mean about teaching a strategy. When I was doing a lesson with cardboard, students wanted some of their designs to stand up on their own. I noticed that they wanted to do this. So during my mini-lesson, I taught students how to create an L brace using cardboard. Some students wanted to use the strategy, some didn't. But it was just another way to enhance their designs and make them better without me showing them. Oh, you all have to do this, you all have to use this strategy. Another way that I like to do this is posting up on my screen. With classroom screen, I will add images of students' work from the past that I have taken pictures of, and also real-life examples, if it's applicable. These are just as guides as inspiration. The students probably have even seen them before when we were in the Imagine stage. But this is just a great jumping-off point, especially for students who are having a hard time visualizing what their projects should look like. So break out your camera while students are working, take pictures of their work, and save it to a Google Drive folder. This is a great way to store all of those examples and help you reflect as a teacher on how you can improve the projects or even notice which strategies you can teach the students in the future. 

11:25

The second teaching strategy to help manage the projects in your STEM classroom is managing the things that stick, and I'm literally talking about the things that stick: glue sticks, tape, and hot glue guns. It's kind of funny that I'm talking about this, but this is a hot topic in the STEM space and let me tell you. First are glue sticks. I like to buy the Amazon Basic brand, which is so similar to the ‘s glue brand, but a little cheaper. I will link these in the show notes for you. In Episode Five, I talked about the organization of materials in your STEM classroom. So go back and listen if you're unsure how to get things going in your space. With glue sticks, I like to have these in a simple plastic bucket on the tables and have a collection of scissors for students to use. I have a separate bucket for pencils and large erasers. At one point, I had caddies with all the compartments I would set out on the tables. However, I felt that having all those supplies available all the time was quite a distraction for kids, especially when it came to pulling out the scissors and cutting things that aren't supposed to be cut, like hair and pencils. So I like keeping the pencils out all the time. Then I pull out those buckets of glue sticks and scissors when needed. 

12:54

I actually don't use the white Squeezy glue in my classroom because with that many kids coming into my room, I feel like that would get messy really quickly. I know that the tops of the glue bottles get clogged, but there is a way to unclog them. That's just something I don't want to be doing with my time. So glue sticks aren't for me. I also have a little collection of glue stick caps that I keep available for kids if they happen to lose their caps. So that's really helpful as well, so we can keep those glue sticks as long as possible. When it comes to tape in my classroom, I am a masking tape-only girl. I do have clear scotch tape on the side when it comes to specific student requests. They might want the tape to not show in their design. But overall, we are here for the masking tape. There is a bundle of tape that I like to purchase on Amazon quite regularly. So I will also link that as well. Now, one of my favorite things to do when it comes to tape management is to create baby tape rolls. This is something that I started during COVID but has carried on because it's been quite a success in my classroom. What I do and also what I have also taught my students to do is to measure about 24 inches of tape on a yardstick, rip that off, tape it onto a popsicle stick and hold the side and roll it up to create a baby tape roll. This is great because this is all the tape that students can use for their projects. So it really helps them be mindful of how they use the tape. Then, in between those days, their tape is in their supplies throughout the week. So then they can have it readily available for them. 

14:40

As a review, here are the three main teaching strategies to help students with their projects during this create stage in the Engineering Design Process. First is create with controlled chaos. Next, manage those things that stick, and third, have strategies when it comes to the cleanup and storage. There are two stages left in this mini-series about the end scenario design process, and I really hope that you have been enjoying it. If you have any successes from these episodes, definitely tag me on Instagram or send me an email because I would love to see how I am helping you and your students in your classroom. Before you go, make sure to grab your free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that can help you thoughtfully plan all those amazing ideas you have floating around in your head and implement them in your class. You can grab them in the show notes for today or use them using this direct link: Naomimeredith.com/podcastedp

14:40

Last is the hot glue guns, and this is a specialty item that I have on my Makerspace menu. I don't use hot glue guns all the time for all projects. This is something that we work up to the second semester of the year for second through fifth grades. During that mini-lesson, I will teach kids about the expectations and rules when using hot glue guns. Your school might also want you to have a permission slip when using this type of tool. So ask your admin if that's something that you need to implement. We'll go over hot glue guns, how to use this inner space, and where they're located in our classroom. I do have a list of those safety rules up in my TPT shop and a simple, organized poster, which, again, I'll link for you in the show notes. The hot glue that I like to use is low temperature, and they are made for kids. So there are fewer safety concerns when they're used this tool, but it's also great for them to learn to use that as well because it does have some stronger capabilities. Then my sad little glue sticks. 

15:44

Finally, at the end of class, during this create stage, students have to clean up and store their projects. Again, this is why a classroom timer is super effective because this helps students manage their time and even work a little bit quicker since they know they're going to have to clean up at the end of class. I am really big on transitions, boundaries, and setting up systems and routines in my classroom. So make sure to go back and listen to episode nine because I talk to you about those tips and tricks that I like to use, especially when you teach six classes a day. When it comes to cleanup time, some classes are going to need more structure and routines than other classes. This also will depend on how long you have known the kids and the dynamic of the classroom. Over the years, most of my classes have been able to clean up independently. When the timer goes off, they clean up their supplies, and then they sit at their clean table. Here and there, I have to go over those expectations and break down the cleanup step-by-step. This also comes into play when you think about who their classroom teacher is and what types of systems or routines they have in their homeroom. That will be reflective within your STEM space. So keep that in mind that you might have to change it up for certain classes to help them be successful during this cleanup time. 

17:07

For classes that need more structure, I will actually have them pause, leave their materials on the table and then come join me in a group meeting area. I'll talk about what it looks like to clean up, physically model where those supplies go, and then send them back out to their seats. For classes that need even more structure than this, I will still have that tiny little mini-lesson. So about one minute long, they go back to their seats, and then we will clean up step-by-step-by-step. I just did this with first grade with their fishing pole lesson where the timer went off and it was time to clean up. I showed them how we're going to clean up and then we did each step together as a class. So I said okay, everybody put their fishing pole and their fish in their grocery bag and hold it in the air. So they did that and they had their bag in the air. I'm all great, good job. Okay, put your bag down and throw any trash in the trash can. So they did that. Then after that I'm like okay, check your glue sticks and scissors and then sit at your table. So some classes will need more guidance. Over time, hopefully they can be more independent during that cleanup time. Also, setting a timer during cleanup can be very helpful for classes that move slowly. Some kids do get sad when it's cleanup time. However, that's how it is. You don't have them all day typically, and so it's just part of the process when it comes to this create stage. 

18:35

Like I mentioned with that fishing pole, I have students put all their extra supplies in a grocery bag, along with their plan from the day before. I don't have them write on the bags. I don't pull out sharpies because their plans have their names on them, and they know which bag is theirs. When they grab it the next day, all of their plans will go into a big fabric box from IKEA. I click on the name of their classroom teacher, and then all of their projects that they're continuing to build go on their grade level shelf. The projects are fairly small, so everything fits pretty well throughout the week. When students are done cleaning up all their supplies and materials, they have to go back and sit at their clean table so I can double-check that everybody did their part and cleaned before they line up in the hallway and wait for their classroom teacher while they're sitting at their tables. This is a great time to review the objectives for the day and the next steps for this project.

19:45

As a review, here are the three main teaching strategies to help students with their projects during this create stage in the Engineering Design Process. First is create with controlled chaos. Next, manage those things that stick, and third, have strategies when it comes to the cleanup and storage. There are two stages left in this mini-series about the end scenario design process, and I really hope that you have been enjoying it. If you have any successes from these episodes, definitely tag me on Instagram or send me an email because I would love to see how I am helping you and your students in your classroom. Before you go, make sure to grab your free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that can help you thoughtfully plan all those amazing ideas you have floating around in your head and implement them in your class. You can grab them in the show notes for today or use them using this direct link: Naomimeredith.com/podcastedp