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a lesson from ms. frizzle

A Lesson from Ms. Frizzle [ep.100]

by Naomi Meredith

A Lesson from Ms. Frizzle [ep.100]

a lesson from ms. frizzle

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Episode Summary

Oh my goodness! We have officially hit 100 episodes on The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast! To celebrate this incredible milestone, the audio for today’s episode is the keynote speech I gave at Wonder Workshop’s spring 2023 International STEAM Summit. During this episode, I share a lesson from Ms. Frizzle and the many lessons I have learned as a STEM teacher. It is my hope that this episode will inspire you this summer and as you gear up for the new school year. Also, to celebrate hitting 100 episodes, I am hosting a giveaway! One lucky winner will win a FREE 30-minute coaching session with me. Check out the resources mentioned section to learn more.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Lessons from Ms. Frizzle and how I have applied them as a STEM teacher
  • The importance of modeling a growth mindset for our students
  • Why your students need to see you make mistakes 
  • Stories of mistakes I made as a STEM teacher and how I handled them

Resources Mentioned:

  • 100th Episode Giveaway Details: 
    • Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, take a screenshot before you submit your review, share your review to your Instagram stories, and tag me @naomimeredith_. If you don’t have Instagram, email me the screenshot of your review at contactnaomimeredith@gmail.com
    • The giveaway ends Saturday, July 8, 2023
    • Prize: A FREE 30-minute coaching session

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith [00:00:00]:

Oh my goodness. I cannot believe I am saying this, but today's episode is Bonu mental. We have made it to 100 episodes here on the elementary STEM Coach podcast. I wish I could say that this lined up perfectly with the release of my first episode of the show, but not quite. The first episode was released on July 18, 2022. However, this 100th episode is actually more closely aligned with when I release my trailer. Back before this podcast actually was introduced, I was actually preparing to go to the InEDCO conference in June 2022. My goal was to get my podcast trailer set up and published so that it would hold me accountable when I was talking to people at the conference that I had a podcast coming out, and I didn't want to lie. And, actually, funny enough, I even made business cards with the name of my podcast on it, so then I definitely had to get this show published and make it happen. And funny enough, this is totally a testament to this podcast needed to happen. I had bought all of the materials for the podcast. You don't need a whole lot to get started, but I did get all the tools and the microphone purchased, went up to the conference, and then I actually put my name into a drawing, and I'm not kidding you. I won a podcast microphone, and it is the same microphone that I am using right now, and I absolutely love it. So It was definitely meant to be to have this podcast, and here we are a 100 episodes later. I wasn't even planning on staying with 2 episodes a week. However, you are all listening and chatting with me about how much you love the show and what kind of content you want to hear. So I'm continuing to pump out the episodes. I'm definitely not at a loss for episode ideas. The most random things will pop up and I will put them into my online organization. So I have a whole list of things and things to come all ready to go for you guys. To celebrate the 100th episode, I'm also doing a special giveaway for you. One lucky person will win a free 30-minute coaching session with me. Absolutely free. Again, to enter, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is write a 5-star review of the podcast. Take a screenshot before you hit submit. It can take a while for it to process. So take a screenshot before you click submit. Post a screenshot on Instagram stories and tag me at NaomiMeredith_. If you don't use Instagram, you can also send me an email with that screenshot so you can send me the email at contactnaomimeredith@gmail.com. This will not only let me know what you are loving about this show but also help other teachers know if this show is the perfect fit for them. This giveaway will end on Saturday, July 8, 2023, and I will let the winner know shortly after if they won the session with me. To honor this podcast achievement of the 100th episode, this episode is a special one. I was asked by Brian Miller from Wonder Workshop to be their closing keynote speaker for their spring 2023 International STEAM Summit. Side note, Brian was an awesome guest on the show, and you can go and listen to his interview on episode 32 and another collaboration I had with him in Wonder Workshop where I interviewed a NASA engineer in episode 57. I have never been a keynote speaker before, and this is something that has been on my vision board for the way off future. But we don't always get to decide when things come to us, and this happened to be the right time. So it's not always our timing. I actually presented virtually, and I wasn't able to see anyone's faces. So before you're gonna hear the recording. But before I actually make a joke with everybody to take a selfie with them, which was funny because I actually couldn't see their faces. So I said, get in closer. Let me get a picture of you. Oh my gosh. Your smile's so nice. I couldn't see their faces at all. And, by the way, this was live. So if I mess up, I mess up. I was also navigating the slides and the technology at the same time, and you'll also hear me mention saying things about adding comments in the chat. I was able to interact with the participants live and talked with them throughout. So that's what I am referencing throughout if you hear me say put something in the chat, add something blah blah blah. Enjoy this keynote speech for the 100th episode from me to you to help inspire you for summer and kick off your brand new school year!

Naomi Meredith [00:05:39]:

The moment right after I got my job interview for a K through Five STEM position and coach, I started to cry. I called my teacher honey, and I told him that I messed up the interview and there is no way that I got the job. I had extra time before I needed to go back to school to my classroom teaching position for 6 years, so I went and got a pedicure to calm down and then went back to teach for the rest of the day. I had no clue what the outcome of my interview would be and figured I'd be teaching 3rd grade for another year. which was totally fine. I loved my school and the lessons I was teaching and could definitely stick to teaching what I knew. Growing up, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl and that I would go to school, then I would come home, and then I would teach my not-so-willing siblings when I got home. Teaching was my goal in life, and, boy, did I achieve it. But my dreams also took another turn that I had never imagined. Shout out to all my millennials out there, so put some things in the emojis or in the chats that shout out to you. If you watched countless hours of Bill Nye, the science guy, and the Magic School Bus growing up, I would put all of the like buttons on that one, or maybe you still watch them for fun or show them to your classroom. I know there's a new Magic School Bus, but it just doesn't hit the same, just not the same as the old version. And when you think about it from a teacher's perspective, Miss Frizzle was definitely innovative for her time with all of the crazy antics and experiences she provided for her students. She constantly spouted out those words of wisdom, and you might even say it out loud with me. Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. Also, when you are watching, feel free to take pictures or screenshots of me talking if there's anything that you wanna remember. Side note, I totally dressed up as Miss Frizzle for Halloween a couple of years ago with my little dog, Frederick, and he was Liz the lizard. And this was totally worth our time because we won the Halloween costume contest at doggy take care that year. So a fun fact about me. As educators, we can take heart this message as well. How are you taking chances? how are you making mistakes? Are you having moments where things can get a bit messy? It's so easy to stick to what we know, what's comfortable, what works, and what we like. It's safe, and it feels good. But those times, we jump out of our comfort zones and try some of those new things even if we don't always know the outcome. It can be even better than what you think. So feel free to type it out in the chat. So think about something that you definitely wanna step out of your comfort zone and stir up your inner Miss Frizzle. You can feel free to type that in, or maybe you write it for yourself. Something that I tried this past week actually was having my students build their own robots. So that was very exciting. Something I had no idea how to do, and we were cheering each other on today when one of the students was able to light up a light. So there are always lots of things that we can step out of our comfort zones. Lana wants to explore AI. That would definitely be a really great topic to explore with your kids, especially how AI is changing our world. And there are a lot of different avenues with AI as well, so that would be a really interesting lesson. Take chances. The next day, I got a phone call from the job interview committee. I got the job. Not only did I get the K through 5 STEM teaching and coaching position, but I was going to be teaching at a new to me district and school. I didn't know a single teacher or student in the building, and I would be teaching over 500 kids with limited supplies and 0 curriculum. Sounds like the ideal position. Right? Could explore some more of that AI that Lana was talking about. I clutched onto my 6 years of teaching experience. In all the trainings, where I talk about innovative practices, the books I had read, the conferences that I attended, like this International STEAM Summit, and I used these experiences to help me build a foundation and create a program that I dreamed of having. While overwhelmed at first, over the course of the next 5 years, I planned cross-curricular lessons that were rooted in grade-level standards. I took inventory of the supplies I had, found creative ways to get things and plan long-term for future purchases that would enhance my curriculum. Lessons were taught, retaught, and some were thrown out the window, but there were others that got to come back for a second round. And my students and I were loving STEM together and found passions that we never knew existed. Another big thing when stepping out of my comfort zone, and you probably can relate, is teaching during COVID, and that was definitely an interesting time. But it allowed me to get my Master's in STEM leadership to further my teaching practice. And I always like to tell my students when they were learning, I would learn. So a lot of learning was happening during that time. So you can definitely like or add an emoji if you can relate. If you remember those COVID teaching days, It was an interesting time, for sure. That was a weird day. I actually did a balloon launch that day, the day we found out we worked coming back to school. And it was a whole school-wide event. All the kids were lined up outside and then had to go chase a balloon, and then I never saw my students again till the fall, so that was a very weird time. In turn, I've been able to help support teachers and students all over the world in their stem spaces with my resources, podcasts, and online courses. So when it comes to change, change can be a good thing. and it doesn't always have to be a life-altering job switch or getting another degree, which totally can be those things too. Start small. Just like that little seed, start small. You've learned a lot of great ideas from educators this week, and let's put them to good use. Think about a routine you might already have in your class. How can you spice things up and implement an innovative tool to make the routine more engaging? Are there teachers in your building or district that you can collaborate with and bounce ideas off to get a bit of a refresh in your content area? What about a lesson you always teach each year? Can you modernize it a bit? For example, when I was helping my 4th-grade teachers with a unit about ecosystems, they were having their kids make brochures all about ecosystems for years. The content and the way that the teachers were teaching were amazing, but the final product was a bit outdated. I don't know about you, but I'm not typically sitting around reading brochures to get my information. Maybe when you go to one of those hotels on the side of the road, you might get a brochure, but that's not typically my go to resource. Instead, I help the teachers teach their students how to create a website to share their work with a bigger audience while also refining their word processing skills, creating engaging text features, and also capturing what they had been learning throughout the year. Take a moment to write down at least 3 new things. You don't have to overwhelm yourself, but write 3 new things that you want to take a chance on and that you'll commit to trying this next school year. Even the end of the school year is also a great opportunity to try those new things, even though it might not feel like it. You can definitely put that in the chat. It could be one of those things too that you talked about before. Some people wanna start an after school club, like Cheryl said; Kristen wants to do more with games, but think about those lessons that you learned throughout the week and what is something that you could try out in your classroom. So thinking about those things, this definitely ties into Miss Frizzle's next lesson, and is all about making mistakes. I'm the kind of teacher that loves to host after school clubs, so Cheryl, this one's for you. And as a kid, I always involve was always involved in sports and extracurriculars and saw the benefit in my own life. And as a teacher, that's something I've always implemented for my students to help them explore the world in new ways and find new passions. Clubs are also a great way to test out new lessons with less pressure. And this can help you with that thing that we just talked about. So if you're a little bit scared, just try it within your own classroom. Think about an after school club, and you can explore in a less scary setting. This past school year, I hosted a robotics club at my school for 2nd through 5th graders, and we were coding with our fave, our guy Dash the robot. And there was such high interest for this club over 60 students signed up, so I had to get a bit creative with my scheduling so all the kids could participate, and it was so exciting. I was able to figure out how they could all participate. My district has given us had given us challenges that they wrote, and we would work on those with our teams. Then we brought our completed challenges to our district event. There are a ton of steps in each challenge. Technically not too hard, but just it was a lot to get through. I also highly recommend what Brian was talking about it. But if you're looking for any ideas for after school clubs, the Wonder League Robotics competition challenges are awesome. So when that comes out again, definitely sign your kids up. I've done these before in the past, and they are a lot of fun. So with these challenges, the kids were so excited to attend our district event and see kids from other schools and how they tackled the challenges through creativity and coding. I rolled in my trusty wagon. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love my wagon. Full of their built designs and our class set of Dash robots and organized our parent volunteers and the groups for the day. When it was finally our schools trying to compete, the kids were so ready. Or so I thought. The kids showed their coats that they had been working on for the past couple of months, their loops, their functions, and their variables, but it was wrong. Wrong; the judges kept saying that their codes weren't right. The challenge wasn't correct. I was so confused, and then I read through the directions again. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I could not believe it. I told my students sorry. My students were amazing listeners and listened to me correctly and how I explained it, but I explained it wrong. Yep. You heard it right. This is even recorded. I explained the challenge wrong. I missed one crucial step, and thus the amazing codes that the kids had collaborated on and worked hard to complete were a bit off. And at that moment, the parents could see how horrible of a teacher I was and how I taught all of their kids wrong. The kids were a bit bummed out, but they were okay. And luckily, there was a day of challenge that they would be able to complete as a team and show off what they knew, and they knew a whole bunch about coding. I had just happened to teach them a little bit wrong. I totally unowned up to it, and I used this as a learning experience, the inner teacher of me did, and modeled how this could work for them. I said something like this that mistakes can help us grow and learn. It's quite alright, everybody. Look how much you have learned with your coding, and collaborating with your whole team, this is a terrible fail, and feeling can be a good thing. In fact, it shows me Miss Meredith that I needed to slow down, and I just got too excited about teaching this challenge to all of you. It's quite alright, and we have a new challenge that we are going to try and show what we know. And, of course, I like we know kids, they did great. The parents were impressed with their coding skills, and the challenges of the day were a success. Miss Frizzle says make mistakes while and we often tell that to our students as well. growth mindset and persistence is something that we're constantly trying to instill in our students, and we should be. However, Are you afraid of making mistakes as an educator? Are you trying to be picture perfect for your students at all times? That is so stressful. Spoiler alert, I make mistakes all the time when I teach, and I let my students see that. We talk through it. We learn about it together, and it all works out. Especially in my k through 5 stem space, I came into my room not really knowing how to use any of the tools that were in there. Robotics, coding, 3 d printing, but I learned right beside my students, I even told them that I wasn't born knowing to use all of these tools. And Neither were they. You can like if you agree with that. We weren't born learning to know all of these things, but it's so exciting because We get to learn all of these amazing things. Making mistakes is so powerful and how often when you really think about it, how often do kids get to see that in their lives where mistakes can actually be a positive experience. Think about some mistakes, and you probably when I was talking, think of these already that you have made in teaching or even lessons that you have taught. If you feel brave enough, you are welcome to share those in the chat. And there are many times that making mistakes are okay and you probably are so embarrassed in the moment, and then then it's all okay in the end. And even collaborating with others is a great way to talk through those mistakes. Like Lana is saying in the chat, how the Wonder Workshop Facebook group is a great way to collaborate indefinitely. Having those opportunities to share your mistakes with your students, but also with each other with educators can be a great way to learn from each other. Definitely. And Miss Frizzle also says, well, get messy. I was so excited about a new I get excited about projects all the time, but so excited about a project that I was going to do with my 5th graders. and we were talking about GIS data or geographical information systems data and how we can use this information from the land to help us built a cohesive city. Students were given fictional data about an area and used the coordinates to color a grid. The colors represented different areas of land, grassy fields, a muddy patch, a lake, and a river, And then they were given another set of data to build up land on this grid to with using clay. Once the clay was dry, the students would have a landscape that they could visually see where they could plan their city and build their design as a team. So you could see some of the student examples up on the screen. Buying supplies for your classroom is definitely tricky on our teacher budget, and I know we're all millionaires out there. You can like if you agree. Yep. We are all teacher millionaires, and we have a ton of extra cash lying around, but Sometimes we do need to get a little creative on how we gather supplies. I am a d o DIY kind of girl and remembered when I was younger, my mom would make us Play-Doh that smelled like Kool-Aid, and I figured, hey. I have a kitchenette mixer. I can channel my inner mom and make this. It's so cheap, and I'll have Plano for everyone. like or put an emoji if you are one of those DIY types of teachers and think that you can make everything. because that is definitely me. The next day in STEM, I brought in my homemade dough, and the kids were so excited for the next part of their challenge. They were going to build their landscape, and They did. Let me show you what ended up happening.

Naomi Meredith [00:23:11]:

And nothing can go wrong.

Naomi Meredith [00:23:14]:

Oh, no. No. It ro — Yep. That's exactly what happens. Not only, was dough all over the grids. It was all over everywhere. The floor, their computers, their hair, my hair. Apparently, the dough didn't dry out enough, and it was extremely sticky. Kids were screaming. Someone had gloves. This was during COVID time, so kids knew I had gloves. somewhere over by the trash can, scraping the dough off of their hands into the trash can, and it was an absolute disaster. I have a video of this somewhere. I will search for it, and I will repost this because it was an absolute mess. And I started to laugh. The kids started to laugh. It was so funny how disastrous my room was and how one turn of events could change the whole project. Once we cleaned up, I let them know that I probably won't be bringing any more dough for the next day, but we will problem-solve and figure it out for the rest of the project. I really could have gotten mad in this instance, super mad, but I didn't. You have to remember. We are working with kids. These are kids that we are dealing with. and these experiences are good for them. Sometimes things in our classroom can be a bit too clean and precise. And this also goes back to that make mistakes part. We, as humans, learn by doing. And in fact, There is some actual science on this, and you probably already know this, but this is really great to keep in mind. So according to the hands on approaches to science teaching questions and answers by David, Harry, and Peter Real Realo. I'm sorry. They say that students in a hands on science program will remember the material better, feel a sense of accomplishment when the task is completed, and be able to transfer that experience easier to other learning situations. And you can even substitute where it says hands on science program. You could substitute that for hands on reading, hands on math. So think about those subjects that they teach. It doesn't just have to be STEM. It doesn't just have to be science. That hands on is really, really helpful. And I see a lot of people already in the emojis liking that because we know that. We know that they're kids. They like these hands on things. Well, I don't recommend making your own Play-Doh. I do think that you should add an element of mess to your lessons. Take the kids outside and explore nature. Connect it with your math lesson. Have students build the setting of the read aloud book that you're reading. as a class. Maybe you could even do that science experiment that you have been putting off that has a lot of materials and takes a lot of your time. Maybe actually do that science experiment. The kids would absolutely love it. The messy experiences are the ones that kids are going to remember. not that cute worksheet that you printed out in Color Inc that day. Think about those hands on things. Just ask my teacher, honey. The one thing that drives him nuts about me is how I can be messy. And I don't think he just understands that Miss Frizzle has been telling me to be messy all of these years.

Naomi Meredith [00:26:55]:

Thumbs up to my messy people out there.

Naomi Meredith [00:26:58]:

Teaching is hard. It's really hard. No matter what subject or grade you teach, it can be easy to stick with the stuff that you know and just get through the day. Do you really wanna just get through the day every day? You are here at the summit to get ideas. Whether you are watching this live or you are watching back the recordings, you want to get some ideas to try something new. So actually do it. Instead of closing your notebook full of ideas and never opening them again, use this as a jumping off point to feel energized for the rest of this school year and also the new school year coming up. And don't take it from me. Miss Priscilla said it best. Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. Thank you so much again for being here and listening to all the episodes so far and also for my first keynote speech. And, also, don't forget to enter my giveaway in honor of this 100th episode. So before you listen to the next one, Make sure to go and write that 5-star review on Apple Podcast. Take a screenshot before you hit submit. Post that screenshot and then Instagram stories and tag me at Naomi Meredith_. Or if you don't have Instagram, you can send me an email at contact Naomi Meredith@gmail.com. Thank you again for being here, and I will talk to you all soon.

a lesson from ms. frizzle

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

cross-curricular connections

Cross-Curricular Connections: Robotics & Elementary Lessons [ep.99]

by Naomi Meredith

Cross-Curricular Connections: Robotics & Elementary Lessons [ep.99]

cross-curricular connections

Check out the full episode on Cross-Curricular Connections: Robotics & Elementary Lessons:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Have a STEM question? Leave a voice message for the podcast!

Episode Summary

When it comes to incorporating robotics and coding into your STEM curriculum, it’s important to be intentional about connecting them to the curriculum we are teaching. In today’s episode, I am sharing the audio from the presentation I did at the International STEAM Summit hosted by Wonder Workshop. In this episode, I am sharing cross-curricular connections for robotics and elementary STEM lessons.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How to incorporate robotics and coding into your STEM curriculum
  • An overview of some of my favorite robots 
  • Examples of cross-curricular connections I’ve done with robotics, coding, and STEM lessons in my classroom

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith [00:00:00]:


Robotics and coding is such a great element to add to your elementary STEM curriculum. However, there is a major difference between using the tools and integrating them into your curriculum. In fact, there is a lot of great insight about this topic that is in the book for June that we are reading in the STEM Teacher bookshelf membership, which you can join in at any time. Join us at naomimeredith.com/stemteacherbookshelf. While there is room to have students to explore and see what the tools can do. You want to be purposeful about your coding and robotics and how they relate to the curriculum that you are teaching. Well, the audio from this episode has never been heard before on this podcast. This is a presentation I did in a past International STEAM Summit hosted by Wonder Workshop. I'll be sharing with you examples for integrating coding and robotics in primary and secondary along with some fun bonus challenges.


Naomi Meredith [00:01:34]:


Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for joining me in my session today, and we are talking about cross-curricular connections, robotics, and elementary lessons. say that three times fast because I did, and I had to keep rerecording that part. Now this is intended for teachers who are interested in adding robotics into their classrooms at the elementary level. So whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher, or even a homeschool parent, this session will be perfect for you. Also, if you teach in older grades and you are looking for ways to differentiate for your students who might be more at an elementary level when it comes to their coding and robotics skills, definitely jump in. We would love to have you here. If we haven't met before, I am Naomi Meredith, and I have a lot of different roles in my life. I am a K through 5 stem teacher and coach, So I teach over 500 students in my building while also supporting school-wide technology in my stem role and also have had the opportunity to co-teach with teachers in my building to help them implement STEM and technology. When I'm not busy teaching, I am also a business owner, so I love to help teachers like you implement, well, some technology and not feel so overwhelmed by that. You can find me in a lot of places, but I love to share a ton of ideas over at my podcast, The Elementary STEM Coach podcast. And at the time of this recording, I am a fiance, but by the end of the summer, I will actually be a wife, which is so crazy to me. I also didn't share the little guy with the big ears, not my fiance, but that little furball, That's Frederick the dog, and you can always check a little sneak peek of him over on my Instagram. So what we are exploring today is different options for how you can implement robotics into your lessons. So I think that one of the best ways to do that is just sharing a lot of different examples of ways that I've done this with my students over the years and just get your wheels turning on how you can make this actionable and usable for your students. So we'll talk about primary examples, secondary examples in the elementary space, and then also some bonus challenges. So other ways that you can add robotics to your content. So this is way different than just throwing robots out there into the space where “Okay. Cool. Well, here's a robot. Good luck.” That's a great place to get started, but all of these lessons that I'm going to give you a snapshot of they are really, really intentional. So when you're thinking about how robotics can fit into your curriculum, you still need to plan with the standards in mind. So like I said, I'm going to give a snapshot of these lessons, but all of these lessons except the bonus challenges, which are a little bit different, and you'll see why when we get there. But all of these challenges took about a week, depending on what they were. So all of these were planned with the engineering design process, which we'll also talk about. But all of these lessons were very intentional for the grade level that they were taught to. So they were researched and prepared with common course state standards, ELA, and math. Even thinking about those mathematical practices, which there are some excellent ones, as it relates to STEM projects. So definitely check those out. Then they also integrated the Next Generation Science Standards. Whether it came to the engineering design process, which is the Next Generation Science Standard, or if it was even more content specific when it came to specific science standards. So I have a mix of those, and we'll share those in a little bit. And then, also, the ISD standards for students are another way to integrate that innovation and really be thoughtful in your planning. So I highly recommend checking those out if you haven't already but really thinking about how your students can be innovators for today and our world tomorrow. So there are some really great technology ones in there, but also just the way they're collaborating with a bigger community and sharing their ideas. So as I just mentioned, the engineering design process is a process that real engineers use to build and solve a problem. So this is my interpretation of it. Say, you might see similar words or some steps that are combined or not, but it's generally that same process, and it is a Next Generation Science Standard. I know for sure in kindergarten, 3rd, and 5th, and I bet there is a version of it for the older grades. And so when you're thinking about this when you're planning your lessons, not all of your lessons have to follow the engineering design process. But if you want the students to build and solve a problem, this is a great method to think about. Not all of my lessons in my STEM space, whether it's robotics or not, use the engineering design process. But, again, it is a great model for students to really think through those things. So we start with our ask what is the problem. You could develop that with your students, or you can have that question already prepared for them. Give them opportunities to imagine ideas, what are possible solutions out there, different types of research, how can students plan their designs thoughtfully, and creating, which is always their favorite part and wanna jump into, but really having those first three steps done can actually help design better things in that create stage. And then also giving them chances to experiment and improve. It's not a one-and-done kind of thing. How can you experiment and make it better? And especially with robotics encoding, there is a ton of integrated experimenting, improving, and moderate modifications or a word that you hear very often iterations. and then giving students an opportunity to share their work. And so, how do you do that with robots? Well, I'll share how I have them share. A big thing I like to use is Seesaw, so I have students take a video or take a picture. I said you can't take the robots home, but you could take them home by taking a video or a picture. So some platform like that is really great because a lot of kids don't have robots at home. They can get pricey. And so it's really cool that students will have this experience in your classroom. And then, if they take a photo or video, they can share it with their families and really explain what was happening in their class. Alright. Before I get into the specific lessons for all of the grade levels, I just wanted to show you a variety of robots that are currently out there at the time of this recording in 2023. These aren't the only robots out there. These are the ones that I have an experience with in my K through 5 STEM role, and they all do different types of things. So, really, think about what your budget is and what types of things you want your students to learn. So I categorized these robots as out of the box and ready to code. So once you literally unpack them, they're ready to go, maybe download an app, and you are coding. Of course, we have our cute friend, Dash, which, of course, we are here in the Wonder Workshop summit, so had to include Dash. If you don't have any other budget and you don't know where to begin, just get Dash. You will be very happy you did. You can use Dash with K through 5. I made Dash really big because if you don't need to get anything else, get Dash. And I'm not being sponsored by this, but I love Dash very much. He is my favorite, very favorite robot. Then we have the little sibling that I like to call them. We have Dot, and they can interact with each other, so Dot is a great addition. I didn't add on here, but CUE is a little bit more robust robot when it comes to the Wonder Workshop families. So, definitely, those are some great out of the box ready to code robots. Some other options if you're thinking about screen-free options, so you do need an app for Dash and Dot for them to perform their actions. They also have the virtual Dash as well, so that's a really awesome feature. Check into that their class connects. But if you're looking for something that is screen-free and very durable, I highly recommend the Bee Bot or the Blue Bot. The difference between the two, the Blue Bot has the capability of connecting to an iPad. It does everything that the yellow robot does, so it codes with directional coding so you can kinda see the arrows on top and it will perform the action. It's been hit or miss when it comes to the Bluetooth capabilities. It might be my iPad. It might be the robot, but overall, super great robot. For a cheaper price, if you really, really don't have a budget at all but you really want a robot in your classroom, the Code and Go Mouse does everything that the Bee Bot and Blue Bot does. Just not as durable. So think about that and how many students you teach at a time. But, again, if you need something for your younger learners, that is a great place to start. Especially if you're a classroom teacher, you don't have as many kids as 500 as I do filtering through the month, so I would definitely get a Code and Go Mouse. Then we have this cute one, the Code-a-Pillar. Super fun. So the Code-a-Pillar has different segments on its body. And when the student presses play on its back, it will read the segments in order and light up as it's performing the action. So, again, it's showing that sequential code and making it even more concrete than the Bee Bot. So the Bee Bot will remember everything that they do, but they don't have a list saying, oh, what code did I do? The kids have to remember it. And so the Code-a-Pillar is even more simplified where it has those same types of movements and also has songs and sleeping mode in the segments, but students can actually visually see their code and as their robot is doing that. Another fun one that is new that's good for, I would say, younger learners, but also, kKthrough 5 really like this one too, is the Sphero Indi, and it reads the code by the color combinations on these cards. So each card performs a different action, and the cards don't have to be lined up, so Indi can read the colors and then zoom across and go to the next one depending on how you line up the codes. Very similarly, a lot smaller. I know it looks bigger in the picture. Probably on my computer, this is actually what the real size of this robot is, is the Ozo Bot, and so this one, depending on the model, you can actually code with the iPad, but this one will read color codes on the paper. So each code and the pattern that you write performs in action. So a little bit more complicated than Indi, but super fun. And then, in the bottom corner, we have the one that's shaped like a tennis ball, and it is about the size of a tennis ball, which is the Sphero Bolt. It rolls completely like a bob. The company is based here in Colorado, where I live, which is super fun. But that one can have some more complicated coding opt options. There are some other models as well. There's also a Sphero mini that's about the size of a golf ball, again at a cheaper price. So if you're looking for an affordable option and wanna add a variety, you can check that out. Then there are some other types of robots that I would categorize as build and code. So over the past couple of years, this isn't a new concept, by the way. But when it comes to, like, the elementary space and thinking about how to take your learners to the next level, maybe you wanna add in an element of building and coding. So these are the, again, the only options, ones that I have experienced with or know at friends who've had been using these and just taking that coding and that manufacturing to a different level for your younger students. I did put Dash on there. Dash is a building code option, or I'm sorry. out of the box option, as I talked about. But there are some attachments that go on Dash and Cue, and you actually can build things, and Dash can use those things that you build, and there are other cool attachments you can put on Dash. I'm gonna show you later in this presentation something that my students built for Dash, And so that's why I included Dash on here because there are some building elements that you could put on Dash to take it to the next level. At the very top, under the word building code, there are different options for VEX, VEX robotics. This one in the picture is the Vex Go, so a younger version is probably more appropriate for elementary. Just getting started with building and coding a robot. So similar to a LEGO kit, but not exactly. They do have the VEX IQ, which is a little more complicated. A lot of times, people will use VEX IQ in elementary but as an after school club. So Vexico might be a great option in the classroom, but Vex IQ, and you can check out their website. There are opportunities with competitions and all that. So definitely look into that. Dash also has competitions, by the way, the 1 or late robotics competition. So there are some building challenges and some creativity. So if you're looking for another way to extend their learning. I also have the Lego Spike essential kit on there, and then Lego Spike Prime would be for the older students. We have Bird Brain Technologies, the Humminbird kit, which I just got some of these this year, and I'm gonna be collaborating on a project with my art teacher. So they're gonna create something in art. And then, in STEM with me, we are going to build in code. And then a similar but different model, a different brand is the Sphero little bit kit. So lots of different options just when it comes to all of that. The examples that I'm going to be sharing are more when it comes to the out of the box types of robots, but think about how you can implement this with any type of robot. So that's funny. In the picture, right there are kids with the Lego wedo's. So that's not the one I'm gonna be talking about, but I love some Lego wedos 2.0. Okay. So here are some fun examples is what you came for. All the stuff. But wanted to give you some background in case you didn't know where to start. So we have right here an example with Greek. We were talking about communities, and teachers in their classrooms were talking about communities. And so, students were assigned a different part of the community and had to build that part then they had to label it with the predetermined labels. So when they rolled a die with those labels, they would code their robot to follow the pathway to get to those locations. So it was a really fun and collaborative activity, and it brought that building and coding to life and their classroom. And I am gonna explain these pretty short. As I said, all of these are literally a snapshot. These were more than a one-day challenge. These took at least 3 days to complete. So you get to see all the I'm doing the shared piece of the engineering design process. In a kindergarten example, is a new one that I did this year, but we were talking about animal habitats, and we zoned in specifically on the Arctic. And students were given a collection in epic books to research more about an animal of their choice, and they picked one of those animals to create and build using cardboard and paper, and they were thrilled that I taught them how to create an l brace. that will stand up their design and also the signs. And then at the end of the week, after all of their Arctic animals were created, we put them all on a grid. and then they coded their robots to visit all of the animals in the Arctic. So it was a great way for them to share. And then while they were coding and talking. They're talking all about their animals and all the things that they learned that week. Another fun kindergarten example was connected to the very hungry caterpillars, so a great literacy lesson. This was actually one of four stem stations that I did in my classroom. after we read this story, that's something that I like to implement. So I have a lot of resources to help you with that. But after reading the story, the students had the different items that the caterpillar ate in this story. They rolled the dice, and then they had to code to the thing that the dice landed on. You notice in the picture there are 2 dice. So if they were getting comfortable with the 1, then I added in the second dice, and they would have to code to one item and then code to the other, but their code had to play the whole time. So they couldn't just code to one stop and then code to the other. They had to code the whole thing. You noticed in that back corner there's the hungry caterpillar, but I disguised a bee bot. So the Bee Bots wearing a mask. So that's fun too. Kids like to dress up these robots, so that can be a challenge in itself. In 1st grade, this one was very similar to the Arctic Animal one, but instead, we were talking about animal parents and how they care for their young. And so we talked about the main things that animal parents do for their young, the ones that do take care of their babies. That was a whole discussion too. Not all animal parents care for their young. Some just lay the eggs and leave, but the main things where how they feed, protect, teach, give them shelter, and give comfort. And so they studied, again, great books and epic books that they were able to explore. It showed 1st graders how to search. and also use the collection that I sent them. And then you can see they made the baby animal and their adult. They had to circle the ways that the parent takes care of their young and then very similar to the Arctic animals or habitat 1. They put them in a zoo, and then the kids got to cover robots to visit all the animals. This one was actually a one day challenge, again, another stem station, but this connected with the 1st grade standard. about day and night, and what are the things that we can see in the sky during the day, during the night, or tricky, tricky, both? So students had some of those pictures that you can see on there on a grid. They were printed in colors since it makes it a little more engaging, and also they can under and what they're looking at. And so we talked about throughout the week, what are these different things? Like, what are stars? What are rainbows? So they had that background knowledge going into it when they went to that stem station, and then they would roll a die. And the dice said day, night, or both. and then they had got to choose where they coded their robot to travel to. So what item could they see only during the day? only during the night or both. Fun spoiler alert, moon goes with both. Okay. Moving on to 2nd grade. I know you only wanna hear all these things, but gotta move on everybody. Okay. So for 2nd grade, we were talking about and, again, these are things throughout the year, so don't think, oh my gosh. I taught all of these in 1 week. These are things, like, through co teaching and other units. This isn't, like, one thing I taught all the time. Okay? So this is a snapshot. Something I've done in 2nd grade is we talked about animal migration pathways, and so students research based on the articles that I wrote for them They were researching about different types of animals and why they migrate. And the reasons why they migrate aren't always the same but there are some similarities and differences. And we use Ozo Bots for this one, but you could use whatever robot, and students were given a map that matched the animal that they wanted to learn more about based on the articles that were given to them, then using the codes that Ozobot reads, they had to create the migration path for the robot to follow, and they had to go to their migration spot and come back where they started. So the map did have some you can kinda see some stars so they knew where to go and numbers, but then they had to figure out the code. Another one is super fun. This is what I've always wanted to do when I taught third grade, and I didn't have robots. But then I made it as a STEM teacher. So this one was fun. We were talking about predator and prey. And for this example, their robot was representing the baby grab it. So the baby rabbit on the grid and there is much more cards than this than they were cut out on a grid where the robot could travel to each of the spots. and their robot, their baby rabbit, had to get back home to its mommy. But the path for the robot wasn't very very easy, so there's different obstacles, but also good things along the way. So, you know, if there's wildflowers that the bunny can baby bunny go through dandelions, go chat with his mouse friend, but he definitely wants to avoid the fox. So students had a fun time creating these pathways, so they had the chance to move the cards around and create a new path. I did tell them you can't make it too difficult. It can't be all predators and just, like, blocking because then the baby can't go anywhere, which it is the circle of life. But this was a fun one. So you could do this for other types of animals. So talking fast, we just wanna make sure to get through all these again. Hopefully, you're writing down good notes and getting lots of fun ideas. This is the stuff I love you. guys. I love creating lessons. Okay. So, count going into secondary, not much different, but more things to think about and things that are more content specific for them. So as a whole, this is just in general if you're thinking about how to integrate robots with what you're doing. Any grade, you could do use this as a practice tool. So in this picture, you can see that there are different math facts and whatever they land on they have to solve, and then they have to collect all of the math facts. Think about how you can integrate vocabulary or any skills that you want them to work on, maybe some social emotional skills, maybe putting things in order, a matching game. So You might even have flashcards already, but you can reuse them in a different way and add an element of coding. So you're really making this more engaging. Our students want more engaging things. So what a great way to integrate that. So I just added that as an aside. This is a really good way to get started. For 3rd grade, we talked about the Winter Olympics. We also use those robots, but, again, you could use whatever robots you have. And we talked about how with the Winter Olympics, everything is above the equator, and you need to think about why. Why are they all above the equator? So we talked about that, and then students had to code the pass I would say, past 50 years, maybe not that far back. But past whatever years, in order of when they happened. So they really had to think about their mapping skills. And before this, they did actually go into Google Earth. and we learned more about those places and showed them how to use Google Earth. So integrating some other stuff in that lesson. With 4th grade, we were talking about lines, angles, and symmetry, and how snowflakes have all of those elements when it comes to those math standards in 4th grade. And so students used chalk to draw sketches of their snowflake on the floor, and they were absolutely like, enthralled by drawing in the flow of chalk. And then they taped their snowflake. They put tape over their chalk design, And then throughout the week, they had to figure out the code for their snowflake. Now I really made sure with this. They did use measuring tape measuring tape to measure their tape. Because if you really had a symmetrical design, you could add elements of your robotics with looping. I don't have the video on here, but I did have a student who measured so precisely that their code was absolutely flawless, and it was on a forever loop. So the robot was tracing the Snowflake forever perfectly because the Snowflake was made perfect, and the code was very. So that was just a really cool way to extend this lesson, but also give a concrete way to apply their math vocabulary. Similarly, another winter slash spring because the Iditarod happens in, actually, the springtime. We added in that element of maker space. So we were learning a lot by about the Ididderad. And here in Colorado, students really don't know what the Ididderad is. So it's very exciting. It's an engaging topic. They don't know a lot about, and so you can see from the student plan that they were designing a plan for their robot to pull their sled throughout the Iditarod race. So we didn't use a whole lot of materials, and they did have a pathway. So I did create the whole Iditarod track, where it had all of the stops along the way, and it was the track that matched that year because it changes every so often. And so students had to code it down the retroist treacherous pathway of the Iditarod. So a super fun lesson, and they were so proud of their designs. And then at the end, they did to race their robots because, let's be honest, who doesn't wanna do that? So, hopefully, those ideas just are getting your wheels turning in just some fun and engaging ways where robotics just aren't an add-on. It's something that's integrated into what you're doing. And that's what we really wanna do. It's it can be a natural part just like having a laptop in your classroom. It's another manipulative. Yes. It moves, but it can do so many things. So it doesn't have to be so scary and overwhelming. Think about lessons that you already have, maybe are a little bit boring. How can you add robots to make it more interesting? These are some bonus challenges that I'm going to be talking about. These were more so an after school club that I did, but If you're scared to try robots, but you do have the opportunity to do an after school club, this is a little hack that I like to do as a STEM teacher. because it is a little more low key in a club where you have less students. It's more laid back, and then you can try a challenge. This one is from an event that I co-planned in my district. Me and another teacher were in charge of our Dash robotics competition that was district led, so something that we did with the other STEM teachers. And he and I had plans for our whole side of Dash to be all about the Olympics. So there were all of these different challenges more than what is shown, but all of these different challenges that students had to apply their coding skills that they were doing after school with all of these different fun challenges. They kinda knew some of the things ahead of time. They had similar practice things, but they didn't know it was going to be Olympic themed. As you can see on the left, they got to use the launcher to launch the ball into different basketball hoops and score different points. On the top right, they had to create a foot attachment to shoot the ball into the goal, and they got different points, of course. with that. And then, on the bottom, they had to create an attachment for Dash to carry an Olympic torch, so they had to make the Olympic torch and then code Dash to go all around the Olympic stadium. So this was super fun. It was a great event had a lot of fun planning this with that STEM teacher, and I even had some of my students help me make all of the little setups too. So that was just, like, another fun way. So even think about how you can collaborate with other teachers in your district. You could do something like this in person Or, again, Wonder Workshop has their Wonderly Robotics competition, and they have really great challenges every year, and you can implement that. And you can share your ideas there. So overall, I hope that you gain a lot of different ideas when it comes to integrating robotics into your lessons in the elementary classroom that are cross-curricular, but don't let this session stop you there. I would love to connect with you after today's session and also at my keynote speech. So definitely go and check that out at the closing keynote for the summit. But I would love to connect with you, and you can connect with me in a lot of different ways. As I said, I have a podcast, the elementary stem coach. I had Brian Miller, who you heard throughout this summit. On my podcast a while back, he had a great episode, so definitely go check out episode 32. You can email me or find me on my website, NaomiMeredith.com. I'm very active on Instagram, so you can check out all the things there and get inspiration at@naomimeredith_ And then you can also find me on YouTube or my tpt shop, teachers by teacher shop, and just search up Naomi Meredith. So definitely reach out. I'd love to help you on your journey with robotics, but for all things elementary STEM, I'm your go-to girl. But thank you so much again for your time, and I hope that I get to talk with you soon. This presentation had a ton of visuals, and I bet you are dying to see all of the examples and handouts. You can grab the video recording of this episode, the video slides I referenced throughout, student examples, and bonuses for only $5. That's less than a fancy coffee drink. This will all be linked in the show notes, and you can check it all out here at naomiemeredith.com/pdreplay.

cross-curricular connections

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

free STEM PD

How to Use this Podcast as Free STEM PD [ep.98]

by Naomi Meredith

How to Use this Podcast as Free STEM PD [ep.98]

free STEM PD

Check out the full episode on How to Use this Podcast as FREE STEM PD:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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Episode Summary

Are you looking for creative ways to get free STEM PD or professional development? In today’s episode, I share three ways you can use this podcast as free STEM PD. I also share about the free resource I created to help you track your STEM professional development hours as you listen to this podcast.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 ways to use this podcast as free STEM PD
  • How to use the STEM PD spreadsheet tracker I created for you to keep track of your hours
  • Tips for effectively using this podcast as STEM PD

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith [00:00:00]:


Listening to podcasts is a great way to learn about a topic on the go. You're already listening, and I know I don't need to be telling you that, but instead of having your listening time be a passive activity, let's put your learning into action. In fact, you can also use what you are learning here and get credit for it, which I'll explain in this episode. Today, I'll be sharing with you three ways you can use this podcast, the Elementary STEM Coach, as free PD or professional development for your learning.


Naomi Meredith [00:01:08]:


I've always listened to audiobooks during my college days, especially when I was student teaching with my teacher program. I actually didn't get a choice as to which school I got to student teach at, which is fine. That could actually be really intimidating, actually picking a school, so I was okay with that. But my college had partnerships with local schools in the area and then placed us, which in turn helped me get my first teaching job, which that was pretty cool. I was living at home at the time, and my student teaching school was actually 45 minutes away, so I would be driving 45 minutes there in the morning, really early in the morning, and then 45 minutes, sometimes an hour, back home. I listened to a lot of fiction audiobooks at the time. I was listening to a book series that I really loved. Also, I hate it in book series when you're listening, and then they have different readers for another book in the series, and it totally messes up how you interpret the characters.


Naomi Meredith [00:02:15]:


You get really confused. So that was a fun journey, but at the time, a lot of those were actually on a CD. Later on, the first podcast I actually got into, which is probably like most of you, was the whole series Serial. And it's not like cereal that you eat. It was like a serial, like serial killer. Not that I shouldn't be laughing at that, but sorry. I'm not too surprised I got into that.


Naomi Meredith [00:02:46]:


It's really, really well produced. It's a great podcast. From there, I got more into True Crime, and then I was obsessed with that for a while. I really got into crime junkie when I had my townhome. It was a fixer-upper, so I had a lot of time to listen. And then, during that time, I don't know how it happened, I started getting into more business podcasts and learning while I was doing so, I've had a lot of inspiration for podcasts, and I've always dreamed of having my own. And in fact, this podcast, the Elementary STEM Coach, is actually my second podcast. Some of you here listening, I know, followed the first show that I co-hosted.


Naomi Meredith [00:03:31]:


I believe it started in 2020 with Spencer Sharp, the innovative teacher podcast. And I believe you can actually go back and listen to that one so you can hear early podcasting days, and it is different when you're co-hosting. So I've always really enjoyed this whole platform of podcasting and learning through audio and taking advantage of those moments of time where you don't have to be necessarily so focused. You can free up your brain. Well, you should be focused when you're driving, but you know what I'm saying, you have that time when you can be learning on the go. So how can we maximize this time that you're listening to me each week? I appreciate every single one of you that you are choosing me to listen to, which is so kind, and how can we maximize that time listening to this podcast and actually making meaning of that? So I have three creative ideas on how you can use this podcast for free, meaningful, professional development. So we're taking that time that you're listening and putting it into other ways that you can use all the information. The first way that you can use this podcast as free PD is to take notes as you listen.


Naomi Meredith [00:04:53]:


And this sounds like a simple idea, but I know, again, a lot of you listen on the go, and you're like, oh, I'll do that later. Oh, I'll do that later. And then you forget what you learn. And also, you don't have to do everything that I say you can, but you don't have to. So a big way that you can make meaning after you listen or when you're done with an episode, or let's say you listen halfway before you get out of your car, or once you get home from walking the dog, is think about at least one major takeaway as you listen. If you're on the go, you can actually create a folder on your phone in your Notes app, or if you use a similar platform like Google Keep, Asana, or anything like that, type down one or two major takeaways as you listen. And when you are ready to work on things for your classroom, you can pull out this digital record of those things that you listen to, and then that way you have some inspiration, and then you don't feel like you're scrambling, you have all those ideas. So I like to do this.


Naomi Meredith [00:05:59]:


You can even create a little folder for each podcast that you listen to if you want to keep everything sorted and organized. But that way, you are reflecting on the things that you're learning, like what we do with our students really, we have them write down a major takeaway or the biggest thing that they learn. And so, for you as a podcast listener, this will help you keep track of all of the things that you're learning. Another way that you can use this podcast as free PD is not only to keep the podcast and learning to yourself, but you can share it with your teacher besties. And there are a couple of ways that you can do this, like a book club. So think about like a format of a book club. You can decide together with your group which episodes you're going to either listen at the same time. So you could do this in the same room.


Naomi Meredith [00:06:54]:


So maybe you have a time that you are meeting up together, maybe it's in person, or it even could be virtual. You could have somebody play an episode, one person's in charge of playing it off of their computer, and then you could all listen at the same time. Or let's say okay, this week we are listening to the two newest episodes from this podcast, the elementary STEM Coach. And then we're going to come back and talk about it together. So it is really taking ideas from the first way. I said you could share key ideas and then discuss the topic. This is great for the summertime especially. So let's say you guys listen to the episodes, and then you come together. Maybe you're texting about the episode.


Naomi Meredith [00:07:40]:


But also, if you are needing an idea for a committee to run, this would be a fun twist on a shared book reading. I actually talked to a teacher recently at a conference that I attended here in Colorado, where I'm from in EDCO Innedco, and they actually said this is how they're using my podcast at our school. I felt so honored that there are teachers who are meeting up and then they're talking about the things that they are learning. This is a fun way to not always have to be forced to read a book, especially if you are the only STEM teacher at your school or you feel like you're only doing innovative things that you can choose your own adventure. So learning, of course, isn't just through reading. We know that, and we tell our students that, but then a lot of times, our professional development for teachers isn't that. So it's just a cool twist that you could use this podcast in a creative way. If you're doing this, if you are using this as PD as a group, take a picture and tag me on Instagram.


Naomi Meredith [00:08:46]:


I really want to see @NaomiMeredith_. Show me what you're doing now. Also, on the side, if you do need a book club idea, there's something I am not bashing reading. I love to read, I love to learn. I'm always learning in lots of different ways. But if you do need a book club idea, you can actually check out my STEM teacher bookshelf membership. And there's a new book every month, which is definitely doable, especially with the books that I'm choosing. And every book gets its own guide.


Naomi Meredith [00:09:14]:


So whenever you join, you get access to all of the past guides and all of the content. So if there's something that in my book club, you saw a book, you're like, oh my gosh, that looks really great. It was in May, you could still get all of that stuff as well. So that's another idea. You could do both. You could do the podcast, and then you could do the book and mix it in as your professional development. And the last way that you can use this podcast as free PD is you can pick specific topics that you want to learn. Now, I know when you first go into this podcast, the elementary stuff, because you look at it on your phone, you're like, oh my gosh, that's a lot of episodes. I'm overwhelmed.


Naomi Meredith [00:09:57]:


But you can actually just pick and choose the episodes that you want to learn about. You don't have to listen to them in order. You definitely can. You can even go back to episode one, especially if you're listening here in the summer. If you're new here, I encourage you to actually go back to the beginning because a lot of that content is actually relative for back to school time. Because this podcast came out. If you're listening to this live almost a year ago, July 18, I believe it was 2022. So if you go back to the beginning, you're going to find stuff for back to school anyway.


Naomi Meredith [00:10:31]:


Also, I often record little series throughout, so there are multiple episodes in a row that apply to the same topic. So sometimes, when I'm talking about something, there are a lot of different ways that that conversation can go. So that's why there might be a lot of episodes in a row that will go together. So you could definitely listen to those miniseries. Now, I know this podcast like the back of my hand. I often know what episode numbers are pretty close to. If someone's asking, hey, do you have an episode about blah, blah, blah? I almost always can refer to it, or I can find it really fast. And so, with that in mind, I created a free podcast playlist where I already organized all the episodes for you.


Naomi Meredith [00:11:20]:


This podcast is free. The playlists are free. So this will be linked in the show notes. It's at Naomimeeritis.com podcastplaylist. All one word, no spaces. So what it is, is it's a spreadsheet where I have on the first tab of the spreadsheet all of the links to the playlist. So it's really cool. And I was working with my podcast manager on this the best way to do this.


Naomi Meredith [00:11:45]:


So. Thanks, Andria. It works like the podcast here. So you're going to see all of the categories. So coding and robotics maker space and STEM supplies, community engagement, different main categories that the episodes fall under. Now a lot of them fall under multiple things, but I try to pick the category that best fits. So you will see all of the different playlists, and then you could access all of the playlists. There's no time limit on these as of now, so access the playlist that interests you.


Naomi Meredith [00:12:20]:


You'll click on the link, and then it will prompt you to add the playlist to your podcast player, and it will pop up in your podcast player just like how this one does. So then, any new episodes that I add to the playlist they're not exclusive episodes, by the way, so it's all preexisting episodes. They're just organized into categories. So whenever I am organizing other episodes that are new on this main podcast, they will go into the playlist. So then, you don't have to read down those playlists if that makes sense. So you'll have links to all that. You can add all of them. You can add some of them. So if there's a specific topic that you are wondering about, you can grab that playlist.


Naomi Meredith [00:13:06]:


And then, the other tabs on the spreadsheet have all of the titles of those episodes in the playlist listed in order of when they were released. So you can see what episode number it is from the main podcast and then the title. And then, it also has the length of the episode rounded to the nearest minute. There's also a checkbox you can click if you have listened to that episode. And then you just type in on the side how many minutes you listen to that episode. It could probably be the full thing. And then you'll see that all of those minutes will actually start totaling up the amount of time you spent listening. So you're like, well, why does this even matter? I have teachers all the time talk to me about how can I get credit for the work that I'm doing. I have to turn in these hours for this professional development that I'm doing.


Naomi Meredith [00:13:58]:


Not for college credit, but just recertification hours. You can keep track of all this time you're listening on the podcast as recertification hours. So when you're adding up all those minutes, you'll have the minutes for each podcast for each playlist. Sorry, you'll have the minutes from each playlist, and then you can total those up in a way that works best. Convert them to hours if you need to. And then inside of this whole freebie, there's also a certificate where you can type in the total amount of time you spent listening to this podcast, the Elementary STEM coach, and then turn that in for your free professional development hours. So this is something that you are going to do anyway. But I know for you, sorting my own podcast in categories is going to take you much longer than I can because I'm like, oh yeah, it's blah blah, blah, blah, blah.


Naomi Meredith [00:14:49]:


So I already did that for you. It will be updated every so often with the new episodes when they come out. So I will say when you make a copy of it, it obviously doesn't update with the new episodes, but you can always type it in, too, if you see it pop up in your podcast player. You could just type in those minutes as well. So this is just a fun, creative way to earn those hours. And as I said, podcast listening is one of them. Reading is one of them. Actually, in my STEM Teacher Bookshelf membership, I give them a spreadsheet as well to keep track of the time that they are reading and participating in the STEM Teacher Bookshelf membership. So if you're looking for a couple of ways and easy ways things you're going to do anyway, use this podcast and track all of that time this summer or whenever.


Naomi Meredith [00:15:40]:


And then you can also join in on the STEM Teacher Bookshelf membership and track all of that time too. So both will be linked in the show notes where you can grab both of those, but definitely, just a fun way to keep track of the time and the time that you're hanging out with me. Make meaning of it as a recap. Here are the three ways that you can use this podcast, the Elementary STEM Coach, as free professional development. First, take notes as you listen. Next, share with your teacher besties. And third, pick specific topics, and you can record that with the podcast playlist. Again, grab those free podcast playlists and the spreadsheet.


Naomi Meredith [00:16:25]:


I will keep it free for you to save you time, but grab that free podcast and playlist, and spreadsheet to track your minutes by going to Naomimeredith.com/podcastplaylist. Again, thank you so much for listening. I can't believe we have made it to episode 98. It has definitely flown by. I never thought I would keep doing two episodes a week, but you guys are listening. I see the numbers, and I've been talking to people who listen. It's so incredible. I love, love, love the emails that you guys send me, and I've even met some people at the conference that I just went to who listen.


Naomi Meredith [00:17:08]:


And I love being able to put a face to a number really of those who are out there listening. So I appreciate all of you spending time with me each week and letting me be your guide and your Elementary STEM Coach. So thank you so much again; grab that free spreadsheet and all the playlists, and I will talk to you soon.

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

creating engaging stem projects

Creating Engaging STEM Projects Using the Engineering Design Process [ep.97]

by Naomi Meredith

Creating Engaging STEM Projects Using the Engineering Design Process [ep.97]

creating engaging stem projects

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Episode Summary

I have talked about the Engineering Design Process a lot on this podcast in episodes 15 and 17-21. In today’s episode, I’m talking about the Engineering Design Process again, but in a different way. Today’s episode is the audio recording of an online summit I presented at in the past. In this presentation, I share all about creating engaging STEM projects using the Engineering Design Process.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What is the Engineering Design Process?
  • How to plan your STEM projects with the Engineering Design Process
  • Examples of students’ projects that were planned using the Engineering Design Process
  • Helpful tools for creating engaging STEM projects using the Engineering Design Process

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith [00:00:00]:


You've heard me talk about the engineering design process before on this podcast as a way to plan and also have students problem-solve through their projects. If you are curious to learn more about this process, I encourage you to go back and listen to episodes 15 and 17 through 21. While the audio from this episode has never been heard before on this podcast, this is a presentation I did in the past at an online summit. I'll be sharing with you how to plan with the engineering design process, share student examples that are planned with this process, and helpful tools that you can use for planning.


Naomi Meredith [00:01:07]:


Hey there, and thank you so much for joining me today in this fun session where we are going to be talking about creating engaging Stem projects using the engineering design process. This session is geared towards teachers who are in the elementary space. Whether you are a classroom teacher, a specialist, a Stem teacher, or even if you are a home school teacher, this session is perfect for you. Also, for teachers who teach older students who are needing content at the elementary level, you can definitely gain some insightful information that you can definitely take back to your classroom and your students. If we haven't met before, I am Naomi Meredith. I am a former classroom teacher turned current K through five Stem teacher. And my goal is to help teachers like you creating Stem amazing experiences in your classroom that are highly engaging and centered around standards. So definitely in the right place.


Naomi Meredith [00:02:06]:


We do some really cool things in my classroom, but they are very purposeful, and I'm hoping that you love to do those same things with your kids. So the goals for this session, there are four parts. First, we're going to talk about what is the engineering design process. So maybe you have heard the term but are not quite sure what it is, or maybe you have an extensive background. We're going to have a common understanding of what the engineering design process is. Next, we're going to talk about ways that you can plan using this process. Then the fun part, well, it's all fun, but extra fun. Student examples and then some tools that I have for you to help you with your planning. So, first of all, what is the engineering design process? Or maybe you have heard the abbreviation since we love acronyms as teachers, the EDP.


Naomi Meredith [00:02:58]:


Well, it is a real process that real engineers use to ask questions, find solutions, and iterate ideas. So this is a real life thing, and this is something that I tell my kids all the time when we use this process for most of our projects, that this is a real life thing, this isn't some random thing that I made up that I'm teaching them. This is how projects are created in the real world. And sometimes, we go through that real process, and sometimes we don't get through all the steps. Sometimes, we go back to other steps. But these are things that it's a whole process that engineers are using to design these solutions, which is really applicable to kids, especially since they might ask you why are we doing this? It's important for them to realize that also there is a big reason why to teach it. So yes, we know real engineers use it, but why should we even teach it? Well, first of all, a lot of us, and most of us, use the standards. So the next generation science standards actually have in K through two and three through five the engineering design process. So go and check those out.


Naomi Meredith [00:04:08]:


They are different than the content level standards, so they actually have their own categories. So definitely recommend going to see those. And the cool thing about it is that you can actually apply this to any type of content, so they're not tied to just one specific thing like earth science or space science. You can use the engineering design process with any content area, which you're going to see when I talk about the student examples. Also, the engineering design process is different than the scientific method, and in my opinion, both are good in different ways. When you read through the standards and when you're thinking about your content, not every standard works well when it comes to the engineering design process. Not everything can be solved through this method. Likewise, there are times when you do need to conduct a science experiment where you do need to go through those multiple trials to compare solutions to have a sample that you are comparing to that is definitely appropriate for certain topics that you're studying.


Naomi Meredith [00:05:14]:


And then there are times that you do need to dive in deeper and think of multiple solutions. Again, we're going to talk about keywords and how you can actually pick out those standards that can work well for your projects when you're planning these creative projects. And, of course, how it is different than the scientific method. And it's very straightforward, and you have to draw conclusions in the scientific method. But with the engineering design process, you're definitely promoting creative problem-solving. So yes, you have a solution, but there are multiple solutions to get to that answer, and you can even improve that solution you come up with. So it's really cool to see when you do projects like this that all of your students' work is going to be different. If you are really truly planning an open-ended project, the solutions are going to be different, and you're going to want to encourage that.


Naomi Meredith [00:06:05]:


Yes, there will be similarities, but it's not a cookie-cutter thing, which is so relieving in some ways because it can get boring to see all the same stuff. So it's really great to pull out that creativity when you plan in this way. So, speaking of planning, how do you plan using the engineering design process? Well, it's not as complicated as you might think, and it actually is a whole lot of fun once you get into it. So I went through the next generation science standards, and again, if you use different standards, you can definitely use this process, but you definitely want to become familiar with those. And especially for me, when I teach K through Five, I'm in the standards all the time because there are so many different content areas that I need to know about. But when it comes to your specific science standards, look for keywords. When you are planning with the engineering design process, you want to be thinking about those keywords. Like this kindergarten one, use a model to represent well, and you could definitely have students.


Naomi Meredith [00:07:09]:


Yes, they could use a model, but they could also create the model to show the relationship between the needs and different plants that it talks about in this standard. Another keyword you could look for generate and compare multiple solutions. Generate can be a physical model, and it could be a digital model, it could be a video, that could be the solution, it could be a drawing. So there are a lot of ways to generate a solution. It doesn't necessarily just have to be writing out a paper, which it could be, but it can be more creative and fun than that. Also, another good one uses materials to design a solution. That right there definitely shows me I could definitely do a maker space project when I am teaching an engineering design process lesson. So, definitely become familiar with your standards.


Naomi Meredith [00:07:58]:


They aren't a bad thing. And obviously, coming from somebody who was given a brand new classroom with a brand new to me district with zero curriculum and minimal tools. The standards have always been my base and my go to and along with the engineering design process, to really create high-level lessons out of nothing, and you definitely get used to it and really go through that planning process. So, as a snapshot, here are the different stages of the engineering design process. You might see them name different things or label them in a different way. This is how I break it down in my classroom. They're similar words, different. But this is basically what it is.


Naomi Meredith [00:08:38]:


So first, you have an ask. So what is the problem that you are trying to solve? And there is a way that we'll talk about how you should phrase this. Ask this problem, and you could definitely have pre-made as a teacher. So you could have this all ready to go. And so you could dive into the topic, or this could actually be created together based on investigations. Maybe you did do the scientific method the week before, and then you use that data to create an engineering design process flow. So what is the problem? Then you go on to the Imagine Stage. So what are the possible solutions out there? So, using a lot of different tools to research, multimedia tools to really gain information about the topic, this could be short video clips, infographics, ebooks articles, paper books that you have, real life research, a guest expert, so gathering lots of ideas to inform your decisions. And when it comes to the plan, you notice that the Create Stage isn't the first stage.


Naomi Meredith [00:09:38]:


And the kids, of course, love that. Yes, we love the building, but even when I first started teaching Stem, the kids wanted to jump into the Create. And I'm all, yeah, that's cool, but we can actually have a better project if we do all these other steps. And it did take some training along the way, and they're so used to it, and their projects are so much better, and they make a lot more sense. So really, going through this process is super helpful. So using all those things that you find in the Imagine Stage that can help inform your plan. So what could your solution look like? It could be multiple solutions. What are all these different ideas that are buzzing around in your head that could help answer that ask? Now the arrows really should be going back and forth.


Naomi Meredith [00:10:20]:


You can go back to the stages at any time. But once you have a plan in place, a thoughtful plan, then you can actually bring your plan to life. And sometimes we always get stuck up on that Create. But yes, you do get to create. And through that creation, you want students to be experimenting, improving, so testing and making those designs better through different avenues and then giving them the opportunity to share. And that could look in a lot of different ways. So you could teach each process day by day. There really isn't any rhyme or reason as to how long you should have an engineering design process.


Naomi Meredith [00:10:55]:


But I can go through the process all within five days, typically second through fifth grade. But sometimes, I even pare down those lessons even more for my younger students. So it definitely can be differentiated based on the needs of your students. So when we think about the Ask stage, so that is that first stage in the engineering design process; what is that problem? A great way to phrase things when you really want to have kids have multiple solutions, think about how you word the question. Instead of saying can you create blah blah blah, shift your question to how can just by changing those two words can really open up the problem. And again, open it up in a way like, can you? Yeah, I can do it. But how can is like, oh well, how can I do this? What could I do to solve this problem? So thinking about the way you word the question will really help out from there. So when you are planning out these projects, there are different project types.


Naomi Meredith [00:11:58]:


And these aren't all of them, but these are really popular ones in the elementary Stem space right now. And I broke them into categories based on your experience level and where you might be, and what you might want to try. So if you're just getting started with Stem projects in general or with the engineering design process, here are some places that I would recommend starting. So, of course, digital citizenship is super important. This is a lifelong skill for every person out there and how to interact in the online space with so many different things. And so you could even think of some Stem projects that could relate to the digital citizenship lessons that you are doing. And the engineering design process can fit within that. Then, of course, we have maker space lessons, in which you could use any materials that you have on hand, recycled materials.


Naomi Meredith [00:12:49]:


So building to solve a problem. And along with that, if you have Lego builds, this could include having a mixed bucket of Legos to build and solve your problem. Or maybe you have Lego education kits. There are a lot of open-ended projects in there and getting started lessons. So one or the other is really great. But if you're just getting started, I would definitely start with these topics. Now, if you're needing an extra challenge or want some more inspiration, the next great step for you, in no particular order, is adding an element of robotics. There are a lot of different robotics you can use with various grade levels, and you could tackle those projects.


Naomi Meredith [00:13:28]:


Then you can do some computer coding. There are a lot of great free programs out there. So definitely recommend checking out the hour of code, website or code. Then you can do some 2D design, say that three times fast. Two d design. And maybe you want to cut out their designs using some sort of cutting feature like a Cricut machine or a flashboard. Maybe they're designing using things like Canva or Google Slides, things like that. So thinking about that digital, 2D design.


Naomi Meredith [00:14:01]:


Then if you want to move into some elements of animation, stop-motion animation is great. There's a great free tool out there, stop Motion Studio. I almost got the name wrong. That's another one to say. That's really hard to say. Fast and then the green screen is also another great option when it comes to video production is you can have students present their work. So those are some great extra challenge pieces. And for the most part, most of that actually is not too bad to get materials.


Naomi Meredith [00:14:31]:


And then, if you want even more of a challenge, this might even come with what kind of materials you might need. 3D design is awesome and definitely can integrate with the engineering design process. You don't necessarily have a 3D printer, and you can do all the design without it. But if you have a 3D printer, yes, you can do it. And when I say 3D design, I do this K through five. So even kindergarteners are designing something for the 3D printer so it can be done. Guys. Video production, which is a whole big thing, is a great skill for anybody to have as well.


Naomi Meredith [00:15:05]:


So that could be just recording on camera and or video editing. So they could edit those recording things or even add animations to those videos. Or maybe the whole video has different animations, and they have narration on top. So video production is a huge thing that can definitely level up anybody in our modern world. And then podcasting along with that. Podcasting can be a great tool. Not every kid loves being on camera, but they have a great voice for podcasting. So not to toot my own horn, but I have a podcast, the elementary Stone Coach podcast.


Naomi Meredith [00:15:43]:


So again, another great skill. And then this only thing on this list I haven't experimented with yet would be drones. Drones are a huge, big thing, and that could be a really great addition to the types of lessons that you plan. So next, I'm going to talk about student examples just to get your wheels turning. And all of these examples that I'm going to share for you are kind of random. I picked a lot of different projects. I have one per grade level because I wanted you to see various projects that you can do with the engineering design process. I'm going to give you a snapshot of each lesson.


Naomi Meredith [00:16:20]:


Again, these don't come together as a cohesive unit. So don't judge, be like what? This doesn't relate to the next one. Yes, they don't. They don't relate at all. They are just a collection of things just to give you some ideas. So as you are looking through those standards, then you can say, oh, I could do a maker space with this, or oh, I could do robotics. So just giving you a feel of how you can do that. The way I do plan my units I do use these project types. So if I'm doing digital citizenship, everybody's doing digital citizenship.


Naomi Meredith [00:16:51]:


If I'm doing maker space, everybody's doing maker space. So just keep them in mind when I'm explaining this. So if kindergarten is doing this type of lesson, everybody else is too, in their own way and with different content. So speaking of kindergarten, this lesson, went along with my Stem Museum park. So a hand on maker space unit where all of the grades were talking about things that had to do with force in motion. And for this one, students were creating one section of the Stem Musement Park, and they were talking about force and motion and how they can change the motion of the ball. And I'm going to be explaining the standards, but don't judge if I get the standards wrong. Again, I'm giving you a snapshot.


Naomi Meredith [00:17:31]:


So students design their very own Walmaze using materials we have on hand and then see how many marbles they can collect in the bucket. This is really good for their fine motor skills, even when it comes to just ripping the tape and putting it up, but also thinking about what materials they could use and add on to their design throughout the week. So this project, I would probably say, takes about three days with kindergarten. And we go through that whole engineering design process for all of these. For this project, for first grade, we talk about the elements of 3D printing and how animal babies and their adults have similarities and differences when it comes to their physical traits. So a lot of times, the parents will pass down those traits to their babies, and it's very apparent when they're born, and other times, as they grow up, those traits seem to appear later on. So as we research these things, students pick their favorite animal through their research, and then they design their own little family, baby animal, and adult with our 3D printing software. And then once they're done printed a month later, it does take some time.


Naomi Meredith [00:18:39]:


Then they color in their animal character with some Sharpies we have on hand. So this was our 3D printing unit for Earth's Engineer, a different maker space unit. So students are taking on the role of an Earth engineer. And in second grade, we were talking about how there are different things that can shape the land, and we were talking about one specific way, and that was erosion and specifically more of that water erosion. So there are a lot of different types of erosion, but we specifically talked about water erosion. And students researched different types of solutions that are already out there to help slow down the effects of water erosion. And then, using those ideas, they thought of an original idea or progressed off of ones that they saw to create a design that will help slow down the erosion that is caused by the water. So you can see in the image that students were planning their designs thoughtfully using a digital tool.


Naomi Meredith [00:19:35]:


I love Seesaw. If you listen to my podcast, you know that I talk about Seesaw a lot, not sponsored. And then they use different materials, maker space materials, to design their solution and then test it, which there is some of that scientific method in there for a third-grade idea. If you're thinking about getting into more of that digital production. This was a three or, sorry, not 3D. This was a green screen project. So the whole unit was about video and audio production. It was Earth and space science.


Naomi Meredith [00:20:05]:


And third graders were taking on the role kind of like a travel agent. And they were explaining more about the weather and climate and a location in the world and to get people excited to travel there and talk more about what it's like during the different seasons. So students research. They wrote a script about their different location, and then they edited their background to match the words that they were saying. So you can see me there on the screen. I was very excited to do this. I didn't give you the screenshots of the video that I made that it looked like I was messing up on purpose, but hopefully, you enjoyed that. This is all about Costa Rica, by the way. If you were wondering, for fourth grade, actually, a similar unit to that water erosion one that I was showing you.


Naomi Meredith [00:20:51]:


But the students were Earth engineers, and they're taking on the role of a civil engineer and using GIS Geographical Information System data to create a landscape. So to create a map of the landscape that they were built to build their city on. So you can see on the right that students were using the data to color their grids. So there were grassy areas, there was a river, there were muddy areas. And then using that information that would inform their decisions on how they would build their city design, which included different elements. So they were shopping for their supplies, and then they started to build their city from there. I'm giving you a lot of maker space ones because these are a great way to get started. And then this one was the first unit of my year.


Naomi Meredith [00:21:34]:


So the first unit that I do with my students is actually about introducing the engineering design process, and that is Stem Survival Camp. So students come back from the summer ready to go in my class, and I decorate the classroom, all for Stem Survival Camp. I wear a different camp shirt every day. And for fifth grade, we were talking about different weather hazards, and that their challenge was to design a shelter to withstand the elements so you can see a student's plan. They were thoughtfully planning that by drawing different angles, and they were also explaining different parts of their design and then using some materials that I provided them and also things that they collected from the outside. They had to build a shelter where they would actually test the different elements. So we tested the wind, the rain, and the snow. And the snow was glitter, which I know not everyone's a fan of glitter in the classroom. I don't mind a little sparkle on the floor.


Naomi Meredith [00:22:27]:


It's like a unicorn ran through there, and I'm all for it. So this is a great way to start off the unit. All of their projects again were more simple and more basic, and get them accustomed to the engineering design process as a refresher and use some elements from the outdoors so they can even think about it for the end of the school year. How can you take some of that learning outdoors as the weather gets nicer and use it to your advantage? So I talked about a lot of different examples for you. Again, a lot of different hands-on and maker space things to help you really wrap your hand around all of these fun different things you can do in your classroom. As I said, most of my projects will take about five days. So if you're thinking about your schedule, just leave yourself enough time when it comes to planning things with the engineering design process. Now I wanted to mention some resources for you that definitely you should check out to help you with this process now that your creative juices are spinning.


Naomi Meredith [00:23:24]:


Definitely check out the bundle pack that is part of this conference. There's a whole session I contributed in that pack, so you can have a resource where I'll walk you through how to exactly plan an engineering design process lesson. From start to finish, you will get planning templates, you'll get planning slides, and then you can definitely tackle and really dive in deep into those engineering design process lessons. Also, you can check out this free podcast playlist that I put together for you. It's all about the engineering design process. So I pulled from my regular show, the Elementary STEM Coach Podcast. But I put together all of the lessons from that show that talk specifically about the engineering design process. So I go more into depth into all of the different stages of the engineering design process.


Naomi Meredith [00:24:17]:


So the ask, imagine, plan, create, experiment, improve and share and then there are also some cool interviews in there. So definitely check that out. The link is up on the screen, or you can get that free playlist@naomimeredith.compodcastplaylistEDP or Engineering Design Process. And then also, if you just want to see how I plan with this throughout the year, you can download a free year-long plan. You can grab that at Naomimeredith.comyearlongplan and see how everything groups together using this process. Of course, I would love for you to reach out, so if you have any questions, let me know. I'm most available on Instagram, so at Naomi Meredith, you can definitely send an email my way contactnaomimeredith@gmail.com. Definitely check out my website Naomimeredith.com, and you can even find my podcast there.


Naomi Meredith [00:25:08]:


Like I said, the elementary STEM Coach Podcast. So thank you so much again for joining me today. I so appreciate your time, and I hope that you enjoyed this. I was well and have a great time getting started with creating engaging STEM projects using the engineering design process. This presentation had a ton of visuals, and I bet you are dying to see all of the examples and handouts. You can grab the video recording of this episode. The video slides I referenced throughout, student examples, and bonuses for only $5. That's less than a fancy coffee drink. This will all be linked in the show notes, and you can check it all out here at Naomimeredith.comPDreplay.

creating engaging stem projects

 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

 

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

 

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

video and audio production in STEM

Video and Audio Production in the STEM Space [ep.96]

by Naomi Meredith

Video and Audio Production in the STEM Space [ep.96]

video and audio production in STEM

Check out the full episode on Video and Audio Production in the STEM Space:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Have a STEM question? Leave a voice message for the podcast!

Episode Summary

More and more, we’re seeing the use of video and audio production to share information in tangible ways rapidly grow in our world. For this reason, it is important that we allow for opportunities for our students to communicate their ideas through video and audio production.

Today’s episode is the audio recording of my presentation from the Wonder Workshop International STEAM Summit. In this episode, I share ways you can introduce video and audio production in your STEM space.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 5 ways to integrate video and audio production in your STEM classroom
  • Examples of video and audio production lessons you can implement in your classroom
  • My favorite video and audio production resources

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

The use of video and audio in our world is rapidly growing to help us share information in more tangible ways. Just like this podcast, this type of production is vital for our students to learn, so they can effectively communicate their ideas. While the audio from this episode has never been heard before on this podcast, this presentation is from an online summit I did in the past, at one of the Wonder workshop international STEAM summits, I'll be sharing with you five different ways that you can integrate video and audio production into your classroom, and some examples of lessons you can try. 


Naomi Meredith  01:09

Hey, everyone, thank you so much for coming to my session today. And we will be talking all about video and audio production in the STEM space. There definitely is a place for this in the classroom and no matter what grade level you teach, you can definitely level this up, level this down and make it work best for you. Now, if you don't teach STEM specifically, and you're a classroom teacher, or you teach other content areas, you definitely can find a lot of valuable information in this presentation. So don't feel like you just have to be a STEM teacher to be in this presentation. I was a classroom teacher for six years before I became a K through five STEM teacher. And you can still do these awesome things in your classroom. So a little bit about me, I am Naomi Meredith, and I am a current K through five STEM teacher and coach. And when I'm not teaching and through different various parts of my day, I am a business owner. And that little guy with the big ears is my dog Frederick who is spoiled as can be. And then along with my business and to incorporate all my teaching and experience. I'm also a podcaster with my newer podcast, the elementary STEM coach podcast. So definitely go and check that out if you need a new podcast to listen to. And I am also a fiance, I have my wedding in June 2023. So a lot of different hats that I have. Today, I'm going to be sharing with you five video and audio formats that you can incorporate in your classroom, whether it is STEM or other content areas. I also have a bonus option for you that I will be sharing as well. Also, linked in this presentation will be a free guide where you can view examples of the things that I mention throughout my presentation. I'm going to have pictures like action shots of the some of these examples. But in that free guide, I'll actually link specific student examples so you can actually get a deeper picture and see where you might want to take this in your own classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  03:21

So the first type of video format that you can implement in your classroom. And I would say that this is the easiest way to get started. If you're not doing any video at all, none at all start with this is action videos. And what I mean by this is really videos that are in the moment. So this is really capturing the things that are already happening in your classroom, but bringing them to life through the use of video. These can actually be scripted or not scripted. So I have some examples of that. And this is again, a great way to capture the learning from the day. The parents aren't typically in your classroom, and they don't get to see the great work that you're doing. And typically you might be using tools that the students can't take home. They go home and tell their families about it. But it might be just there's so much going on in their explanation that a video can really capture what they're trying to say. And again, this is a great way to bring those projects to life. And kids really can have that ownership over their work and relive those learning moments. The top tools that I recommend and that I love using in my classroom is number one, I absolutely love Seesaw. This is a tool that I used as a classroom teacher all the time with my third grade students. And then I still use it today with my K through five STEM students. K through five, yes, all of them because it does so many different things, especially having that video component is so powerful are filled with the students work. Now I know I'm talking about action videos, but Seesaw also has the option where you can take photos of anything, and you can add in a voice recording. So that is also a another great option to capture the learning of what is happening. Another very comparable tool. And this also depends on the licenses that your school has or the direction they want you to go is Flipgrid. Very similar, but this is mainly video based anyway. And students can definitely take video of their work and even respond to each other in the platform, you can definitely use Flipgrid with any grade. I have found that there's more buy in with my older students. But again, you can use it K through five or even beyond then. Another option if you don't want to create accounts or you don't have the option to create accounts is if you have at least a Google account as a teacher, you can use Jamboard. And this is a newer tool made by Google. And think of it like an upgraded tablet/digital interactive whiteboard. So you can have unlimited boards. And there's different ways for students to respond, they don't have to log into an account. So you could create a share code or a QR code for students to access your board. And then on this side, there's an insert image icon. And within that there's webcam as an option. So students could actually take a video or photo of their work and share it to the shared board. And that could be a way to capture the learning for the day. And then maybe you email that board out to parents in a classroom newsletter. So lots of great options that are great entry points for really thinking about ways to capture the learning those action shots and those videos. So here are some more specific examples of how I've used those tools. On the far left is a screenshot of a student's recording and first grade, we did 3D printing. So we were talking about animal babies and their adults, and how are they similar? And how are they different. After the students got their 3d prints, they colored their design using Sharpies, and to add all of those traits. After they color those images. We went over as a whole class a script that I wanted the first grade students to rehearse. So we rehearsed that as a group, we went over it many times. And then they had that same script as well, where they recorded, they took a picture of their 3D print, they drew the habitat that those animals live in, and then they recorded their script on top. Some students even chose to take a video, so they wanted to make it more live. But this was just a great way to capture that in the moment learning. And instead of just bringing a random 3d print at home that will sit on their shelf that the families and the kids understand the reason why behind it and get to hear their boys. I also love using these tools when students are using robotics and or LEGO education kits, especially using Dash from wonder workshop, one of my most favorite robots to use in the classroom. But we know students can't take these home. So giving them the opportunity to film their work and show it in action is a great way to share the coding at home. And really, and students can explain what is going on and show how their coding worked. On the far right is something that I recently did with my second graders, and they created with our Makerspace materials, an invention to help with water erosion. On the last day students took their inventions outside and a big cup of water with them. And once they got their invention set up out in the dirt, they were able to pour the water and see how it was able to slow down the water on the erosion and implement students getting water or dirt over the iPad. So I actually ended up taking a after photo and a video of it in action. So and I ended up adding it to their Seesaw for them. And they took the before picture in class before we went outside. So that's also an option too. If you have limited devices, you could use a tablet. If you have one tablet in your classroom, that's all you need. Or if you feel comfortable using your phone, that's a great way to upload things. And the kids are so proud of their inventions. And since it did get dirty and wet, we didn't actually end up keeping them they went in the trash outside. So again, another great way to capture the learning where it doesn't always have to physically come home. 


Naomi Meredith  09:31

Another way that I love to use video in the classroom is actually a very old filming technique, but it's still very relevant today. And that is stop motion animation. I could do a whole presentation about stop motion animation and I have in the past because I love using this type of resource in the classroom. Basically if you don't know what it is, it's tons and tons of pictures with very, very tiny movements. So think of Gumby a year without a Santa Claus those Stop motion animation videos. Fun fact, The LEGO Movie is not a stop motion animation, it is made to look like one. So they made it kind of glitchy on purpose. So fun fact of the day, it really actually has very minimal supplies and tech, you can just do this with a tablet or a webcam. And with my students, I often just use paper as the prop. So I have a couple examples of that, because I know that can be hard. But having a bunch of clay having a bunch of small figurines, I actually use paper, and it works just as Well. The cool thing about this tool is that more happens in front of the camera instead of behind it. So what I mean by that is students are really collaborating and problem solving and thinking about how they can get their objects to move in a way that is fluid. And is that choppy. And all they're doing behind the cameras clicking the shutter button and taking pictures. So it's really about the movements. The stop motion part is very, very simple. It's more about the planning and how to get their props to move. Some of my favorite tools when it comes to stop motion is on the far left is a app called Stop Motion Studio app, there is a free one, if you don't have a budget go with a free one. It's great, it does everything you need to do. If you have a little bit of wiggle room, feel free to upgrade has a little bit more editing options and some templates. But it isn't necessary, the free one does well. I happen to have the paid one that was just something already on our tablets, we use it but you don't need it. If you have laptops or Chromebooks and you don't have a back facing camera, and it just depends on your devices. The HUE Document Camera is a very affordable option. That again, you can use the.as, a document camera, but it basically is a webcam. So it has that bendy arm, which really makes it great for stop motion animation. And they do have additional software. If you want to add that on as Well. Maybe you have a computer lab and you could download the software on there, that could definitely be an option for you. This one on the far right I haven't played around with personally, but I'm definitely going to try it this fall. And this is a web based stop motion animation software. So it looks like kids sign up with their Google account or email. So you could think about that, it doesn't look like it's a Chrome extension. But if you don't have tablets, this could be another good option as Well. Maybe you have the HUE Document Camera, and then you want to use this software, it looks like it has really good reviews and a lot of potentials. So three different options, just ways to think about how you can do this, besides just using the camera roll and scrolling through it really fast. Here's some ways in my classroom that I have done stop motion animation. With my favorite, fifth graders, we were talking about parts of the human body and they had this pick a specific part and explain what it does. I am not kidding you, the kids drew this heart and I don't expect them to be perfect artists. But this is incredible. I will link this in that free guide because the way that they did this was amazing. Now it's cool with stop motion because you can add in other elements such as audio, you can add in more sound effects, depending on the time that you have. So there's even more potential when it comes to the video editing skills. For this one, we just didn't have time, but they added in words, and it definitely explains what the human heart does. And the middle a great way I love to get started is students pick a favorite fairy tale or fable. And they create a stop motion about that using paper props, whatever. And then we play the videos. And then we have to guess what the story is. So we tried to pick things that most kids now and this is a great introduction, because then they learn how to do stop motion in the moment. But they're also applying it to literacy and story retell. With my third graders, I have them take on the role as a paleontologist and they research about different fossils and the stories that they tell. And they have to use their inferencing skills to actually write a story about the fossil that they learned about and then put it in the form of stop motion. Again, I add in I use paper as my prop. You can even have kids pick out some pictures, put it on a page and have them you print it especially if it's things like fossils or the human heart. Apparently that group didn't need me printing it. But that's also a good way to if you want to save some time you can have some prompts pre printed or students can do an image search and create that for you. 


Naomi Meredith  14:46

As another great way to add in that audio option and video as an option too is podcasting. It's so interesting because some kids know about podcasting and some don't and you probably hear it in your classroom. When I grew up, I want to be a YouTuber. Totally fine. I wanted to be on camera too as a kid, but my YouTube was I wanted to be on the Barney show. Selena Gomez did but I did it. So anyway, so I'm kind of know about podcasting. And podcasting is getting as big as YouTube. So it is typically audio only. But there is such a big growth with video podcasting. So that can be an option, but it doesn't have to be. And it is really good for the kids who are camera shy. It's been super interesting doing podcasting with my students, because the kids who have a hard time just being on camera are excellent at podcasting, and they feel very successful and they start creating their own at home. So it's a really great thing to start using in your classroom. Some of my favorite tools for this, you're gonna see these tools a couple of times, because they can do a lot of things we've video is an excellent option. You can record audio, add their music transitions that are already there. And there's the multiple layers that are tracks that students can edit. So it can make it a little more advanced. But they've also had some recent updates where it's more visual. If you haven't done any video or audio editing at all with students and you have the option to use Wii video, I definitely would go that route over iMovie because it is more made for kids. But iMovie is a great option too. I do like it as well. The difference between when we video and iMovie is that we videos actually web based, you can get the app for it, but it will connect to the internet. So you can actually see all of your stuff you do on the tablet and on the computer. So that's really great too, because it makes them more collaborative. And kids can work on things at home if they would like and they're not tied to one voice. But with iMovie, you are tied to that one device. So that can be very limiting, limiting. And iMovie doesn't always have the stock music or photos as well that Wii video offers. Screencastify also has the option of class accounts now and you can create assignments a lot like Google Classroom and any video you can create, you can actually export the audio, they have very simple editing tools, so not as robust as we video in iMovie. But that's another option if you're looking for different tools. A way that I've done podcasting is specifically it's hard to actually capture taking pictures of podcasting. But I had my fifth graders, we were learning about light pollution. And they didn't know anything about it, which was perfect because they had to do some research about it. They did some research in a group about light pollution using the resources that I provided. And then they created a script using a template. And from there, they created their podcast. Now you can see in this picture that there is a big fabric IKEA box laying on its side. And there's two devices, they haven't quite setup everything, but you're going to be able to get a picture of that. inside of the box is the script. So students will put the script and the microphone inside of the box because it'll help drown out the noise. I try to spit out students as far away as possible, put them in the hallway, if it's a quiet time of day in the library, I really try to spread them out and having a microphone is great if you can get it. Some students have microphones built into their headphones in their classrooms, some might even have gaming headphones that they can ask to bring in. You might even have some microphones in your classroom. So definitely check out those ways it's not necessary. But it does make a huge difference. Especially the whole point is audio. And then on the outside is there's a student so it's great when they're collaborating it. The other device has the actual recording software. So the the microphones hooked up to the device outside of the cube, but they actually placed the microphone inside of the cube. So someone is on the outside. And they can always pause and switch spots with someone on the outside, making sure that the technology is working and everything is good to go. Though I will say about podcasting, even based on experience is the prep before and after a podcast actually takes longer than the actual recording. And students are very surprised by that even when they do other videos. There's more work before and after than the actual being the star of the show. So this is a great lesson as well. Along with that just basic video editing skills is just an excellent skill for kids to have in their back pocket. I have definitely even found that as a teacher, self teaching myself how to video edit has been quite an asset for all sorts of things. It's great for students to add in multimedia. So whether it is those audio things, they can layer in pictures, they can layer in videos. It's just a great overall skill to have. It can be very, very simple based on the tool that you use or the project and it can be very, very complex. So there's a lot of room for that. differentiation. Again, you'll see two of my favorite tools. Again, I love Wii video and iMovie. So those are the top two that we think of when it comes to adding music, audio, all those transitions. Another one that is a simple one that I have played around with that has actually been really fun. And they have, it's free for teachers, and you could set up a classroom is Canva. You can embed some videos, they have some slides, and they have some fun things to play around with. So very, very simple, I wouldn't say has tons of layers, but you can do some basic video editing and there so it could be like a little commercial or things like that. And then Adobe Spark, I'm not 100% Sure, I think you have to pay for it. But I'm not exactly sure. But Adobe Spark, Spark has an app and also web based versions, where you can do very, very simple editing as well. I actually use Adobe Spark with my fourth graders. So when my fifth graders were doing podcasting, the next group did their fourth grade did their videos in Adobe Spark. I do like having all of my video and audio projects going on at the same time. So then I can get all of the materials ready, and it just repeats. But the projects are completely different. Again, the same setup. So students were researching about space junk. Again, another topic they didn't know about, what is it what is why is it a problem. And then they also were thinking of their own possible solutions. They didn't actually build these solutions. But they thought of some that could be a possibility, since it is a newer problem and a way that we are polluting around the Earth. So they created a simple video in Adobe Spark, and they added some moving elements, and then they recorded their voice on top. Another way that I've used Adobe Spark, and really you could do this with anything is that when I was co-teaching with teachers, first and fifth grade created commercials for something called their sale day. So first grade had a sale day they had a product that they were going to sell. And their older buddies helped them create a commercial. So they filmed their little bodies saying things about their product. And they were adorable. One kid I helped with was had a massage station, it was ocean themed. And he had a sea turtle and some shells he brought in, it was so cute. He's in. He's in fifth grade now, actually, so I have to remind them of that. But they helped them create some commercials. And then they added some other features with Adobe Spark. And it was great with the templates that they had. And it was a really fun collaborative experience. Of course, you can see all of these you can layer in together, so they don't even have to be isolated projects. But green screen is way more simple than you think. And it has very stunning results and students are get very excited, you can also add in blue screen. And it just adds another perspective to your videos. Now you see we video in iMovie on there, they do have the capabilities to edit green screen, you can just film using the camera app on whatever device, save that video and put it in one of those platforms. But over all of that I highly, highly recommend investing it's not very expensive. It's worth like if you don't have any money for anything, and you are you have a little bit by this. Okay, that's all you need. This is Green Screen by DoInk. And it just explains what green screen is very visually to students. And it has those layers. It's super easy to edit, it is super straightforward. You can choose the green, you can really have any background beer green screen, we typically use blue and green because humans aren't naturally those colors, they shouldn't be blue or green. So that's why you see those colors. So if some ways I've done this, I'm not going to show my students videos, I don't want to show their face. But you can see here I am in the middle in front of a green screen I had a pop up green screen tripod that I bought a few off of amazon for my classroom. One side has green one side is blue. So they're the perfect shades. On the far left. It was with second grade they were researching about a location and oh sorry, third grade, and the climate and the weather at all times of the year. And then they created a video about it. Mine was about Costa Rica. And then on the far right was second grade and they were researching about different natural disasters and they had to report about it and let you know what are the causes and where do they happen. 


Naomi Meredith  24:32

Finally as the bonus, this is almost like incorporating all of it. You can do your school wide news using these tools. I actually don't do mine live because I don't want to deal with any huge technical difficulties and especially here I'm in Colorado. We have weird weather I don't want to deal with that. I don't know when else I would do it live I do a lot of clubs after school and my plane times in the morning so one of my clubs will two of them. My club on Monday. is the pre recorded news. So I have groups of students who record the news five days out. So we have scripts that they read account or and all of that. Then my editing team, the next day different set of kids, we get those videos, they edit them to where they're cleaning them up, and they use the video. And eventually they start adding in those transitions. Like, here's what the weather forecast is. And they'll add in little things. Soon, the second semester, my recording team will eventually use green screen. But right now we're really working on reading those scripts and being on camera. This is something that's the teachers in my building watch every single day, and their classrooms are about five minutes. Super engaging. This is the second year that I've done it, and the little kids can't wait, like when can I be on the news. So they're literally obsessed about it. So you can see I have some kids who are recording at the time we were doing green screen then. Then it goes to my editing team. on one screen, we have the script up. So I share the scripts with all of my news team. And then on the other computer is we video. And then they have a headphone splitter in their partnership, and they're able to hear what's happening on the video. But then they use the script so they know what is supposed to be said. And if it's being set in the right order. Then I'll also add in some fun special features. One that I'm doing right now is called crosswalk questions with Miss Meridith. So while I'm on Crosswalk duty and there's no cars around, I have a question of the day and I will film kids with their answers. And then I'll randomly put these video ends, videos and and it's just a great way to incorporate some fun things. We also have a joke box in our library. So students will submit their jokes and they think they're very funny, but they're totally bad jokes. And we always have a joke of the day that's always part of the script that they'll read a joke from there. 


Naomi Meredith  26:48

As a recap, here are the five plus the bonus video and audio formats that we talked about in this presentation. We have the action videos, stop motion animation, podcasting, video editing, green screen, and the ultimate one, the bonus school wide news. I will again have that free guide for you in this presentation. So you can see some video examples of these in action to get a more clear picture of how this works. some links to some resources so that you can try at least one of these in your classroom, whether it's STEM are something else.


Naomi Meredith  27:27

Thank you so much again for coming to my session. You made it this far. And if you would like to connect with me further, here's all my information you can definitely find me by way of email at my website naomimeredith.com. Again, check out my podcast, the elementary STEM coach Podcast. I'm currently have episodes twice a week, and some fun special guests have been popping up in my agenda. Some of you might know from wonder workshop, and then YouTube, definitely check the out and then Instagram I love being on Instagram @NaomiMeredith_ and then my TPT shop Naomi Meredith. So lots of ways to connect and find me. And I hope you found some good takeaways from this session. And I appreciate you being here. And definitely have a great rest of yours semester. I'll talk to you later. This presentation has tons of visuals, and I bet you're dying to see all of the examples and handouts from this presentation. You can grab the video recording of this episode and the video slides I referenced throughout student examples and bonuses for only $5. That's less than a fancy coffee drink. This will be linked in the show notes and you can check it all out here at naomimeredith.com/PDreplay. That's P D replay.

video and audio production in STEM

 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

 

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

 

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session-Part 2 [ep.95]

by Naomi Meredith

Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session-Part 2 [ep. 95]

Check out the full episode on Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session-Part 2:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Have a STEM question? Leave a voice message for the podcast!

Episode Summary

Today’s episode is another behind the scenes inside the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program. In this session, I am coaching Miranda B., who teaches pre-K through 5th grade STEM. Miranda sees students twice a week and teaches all of the pre-K through 5th grade students in her school. I know that many of you will be able to relate to Miranda’s story. During this STEM coaching session, we looked at what Miranda is currently doing in her STEM classroom and discussed what’s working and not working. I also shared some strategies she can implement to simplify her current processes, and we talked through her goals for the upcoming school year and how I can best support her in achieving those goals.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Miranda’s STEM teacher journey
  • The lessons she’s currently implementing in her STEM classroom
  • Strategies I recommended to help simplify Miranda’s STEM lessons and structure
  • The level of support I provide each teacher that joins the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program

Resources Mentioned:

Some items are linked to my Amazon Affiliate account. When you purchase through my link, there is no added cost to you, but I receive a small commission in return.

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

The elementary STEM coach podcast is almost a year old and this coach is coming out of the podcast and is here to personally help you. Well, this podcast is a great resource to help you learn and grow on the go. There are times when you need more personalized attention. What does it actually mean to have a STEM coaching session with me, Naomi? Well, I'm taking you behind the scenes in part two of this type of episode, where I actually recorded another coaching session with a teacher in the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program. As one of the bonuses in this group coaching program, you receive a free one on one 30 minute video coaching call with me, where we get to know one another, your STEM program, and the goals that you have for it to set you up for success for back to school. If you go back to Episode 93, you can hear a different coaching session that I had with a member of my program. In this session, I'm talking with Miranda and she teaches pre K through fifth grade STEM in her building. She teaches two days a week and sees all the students in her school within those two days. I know many of you listening can relate since you also see the whole school within a week. This is a very common schedule. Miranda has many years of experience teaching and is in fact retired but found this awesome STEM role. She has a few great units already in place that were really successful, but wants to nail down her whole year long plan so that it can go smoothly, and she can adjust as needed. She has also noticed that her students have been needing support in specific tech skills and wants to integrate that content into her curriculum. Together, Miranda and I set up a plan of action of next steps to take now and what to expect going into the STEM Into Summer group coaching program. During this session, I'm sure you're going to find similarities in her program and the struggles that she is facing to what you're experiencing in your STEM space. If you're interested in joining forces with me and other teachers who are building their STEM programs, there's still a few spots available, you can jump in at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer, our kickoff call was recorded for June and you can still catch up and access all the pre-work you'll need to complete as you set up the foundation that will build up your success for July through September. Likewise, if you are unsure about this program, and if it's a right fit for you, let's talk about it face-to-face. Schedule a free live call with me at Naomimeredith.com/call spots are limited in June, but more times will open up in July. Now let's get into this coaching session. 


Naomi Meredith  02:45

I'm so glad that you signed up. I remember I saw your email when I was driving to the airport and it pops up on my watch. Like, oh my gosh, I'm so happy to work with you this summer. 


Miranda B.  03:29

Yeah, me too. I'm excited.


Naomi Meredith  03:31

Yeah. So remind me your schedule. So you teach STEM twice a week. All the kids in this school. So you have small class sizes. 


Miranda B.  03:39

Only once a week, I only see them once a week. 


Naomi Meredith  03:42

You see them once a week, but you teach twice a week.


Miranda B.  03:45

I teach two days. Yeah. 


Naomi Meredith  03:46

Okay. 


Miranda B.  03:46

Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And yeah, I see preschool, Kindergarten, fourth and second on one day, and the other day is first grade, third, and fifth.


Naomi Meredith  03:57

Okay. And then you just got that which and then you see him again. You said there's one of each class, right one of each grade level. Yes. That's so crazy. So how did it go? So last year was your first year so you're telling me a little bit when we were talking? So it was your first year in STEM, but you have tons of teaching experience? You kind of mentioned a little bit but what were you doing with your lesson plans before like what were you doing for lesson plans? Are you picking and choosing or were you making your own? 


Miranda B.  04:28

I was doing a lot of like storybook STEM because that's what I was used to doing from the library. Yeah, because that's what I did in the library. I did a lot of yours like I looked at your year long plan. I did a lot of those. I would do some Carly and Adam lessons. I did some vivify STEM lessons at the beginning of the year they have some really good like icebreaker kind of lessons. I just did those but yeah, I mean, I had some units like we did a 3D printing unit where everybody except preschool and Kindergarten did that district As Kindergarten doesn't have one on one, everyone brings their own devices. They are okay to bring from home. But yeah, Kindergarten and preschool, so they couldn't do it. But everybody else did a 3D print. We did coding, like in December, we did Hour of Code, but I did for the whole month. Yeah. We did a lot of tinker with the older kids. And then we did doodle 3D with the younger kids. Different coding. Let's see we did robot's. I don't know how many dashes we have.


Naomi Meredith  05:29

I saw one hiding back there yesterday.


Miranda B.  05:33

Because Maverick was afraid of it. Yeah. And it was going on. So I had to pick it up. I had it sitting behind me. And I had to pick it up because he was afraid of it. I brought it home for my niece, because I watched my niece this week. And so she wanted me to bring it home so she could play with it. 


Naomi Meredith  05:47

Oh, cute. 


Miranda B.  05:49

But yeah, now he's down here asleep. And I'm like, where to go? Yeah, he was afraid of it growling.


Naomi Meredith  05:55

I don't know why dogs don't like that. 


Miranda B.  05:56

No, they don't like it. I have code and go mice, those. So we do that for robotics. I have some oh, what are they called? What are the ones that follow the lines?


Naomi Meredith  06:10

Ozobots. 


Miranda B.  06:11

We have Ozobots I have I think six? Six of those. That's kind of about all we have for robotics things. So I did those units. And then the rest of the year was just kind of yeah.


Naomi Meredith  06:24

Would you say? So? Like when you did 3D printing or your robotics? Just an hour? Could you do with everyone? For your 3D printing and robotics? Did you do that all the same month? Or did you break it up throughout the year?


Miranda B.  06:38

At the same time. 


Naomi Meredith  06:39

Okay. 


Miranda B.  06:40

So everybody was doing 3D printing. They were doing different projects. 


Naomi Meredith  06:44

Yeah. 


Miranda B.  06:44

But they were all doing the same. It was all 3D printing. Yeah. 


Naomi Meredith  06:48

So that's good. And then do you think it took about a month for all of those? 


Miranda B.  06:55

Yeah. Because I didn't see them  like, even my like, so K-2 I just see 30 minutes a week. So you know, it took us, you know, a week or about a week just to learn how to use it one time. And next time, they kind of played around and started on it. And then you know, so yeah. And then yeah, about a month for that.


Naomi Meredith  07:14

Okay. Well, that's good. I mean, and once we take a deep dive into that tonight, with our live call, you're gonna organize all the lessons that you did. And if you hear me typing, I'm typing what you're saying. So and I have my screen to the side, but we'll you'll organize everything based on what you did. So this won't necessarily be the year long plan, but really auditing what you've done so far. And the types of units because it sounds like you have like good units and they were successful. Did you feel like the times that you did like the 3D printing, the robotics, the Hour of Code, did you how did it feel compared to like the hodgepodge? 


Miranda B.  07:56

Much better! 


Naomi Meredith  07:56

 Okay. 


Miranda B.  07:57

It's been nearly the time on lesson planning, because I know where it's going. 


Naomi Meredith  08:01

Yeah. Yeah, that's good. Okay, good, that's good, okay, so that when that will set up your rest of the year like that, too.


Miranda B.  08:07

That'd be great. Because I do want to include, like something I do want to put to Makerspace in because we're going to use that query, because I got approved to use that. So we're going to do that. I want to put that in there. And I also need to put my kids have no computer literacy, like they don't drop down menus, they don't know how to copy and paste, they don't know how to do those things. So I want to do that at the beginning of the year. So we're not gonna have so much of our time when we're doing our units, trying to figure out how to copy and paste. 


Naomi Meredith  08:35

Yep, that is something that my first year in STEM, I definitely had to do that. I only saw the kids three days a week and we did a lot more computer literacy based things just based on the same thing you're saying. And I normally don't do STEM stations for my older kids anymore. But that was something that I started implementing is I would do some stations and one of the stations was me. So like when you're a classroom teacher, you have them rotate through and one can be you and just teaching those skills so it's not chaotic, and everyone's like, “I can't, that's hard!”


Miranda B.  09:16

That's what I hear. And I'm going around to every single person trying to show them Okay, here it is. Here it is. Yeah, and I even have a to make things easier for them to find links. I made a Weebly. 


Naomi Meredith  09:26

Oh, good. 


Miranda B.  09:27

And then I've made on that Weebly, we have a oh, what's it called? But I have all my links. Hold on, what's it called? Oh, a Symbaloo. So I made a Symbaloo with all their links. So once they bookmarked that, Weebly page, then it popped up with all their links, so they don't have to search for them. So that does help and they are getting better. They were getting better at that even good. There's a finding that they'd say, Oh, I didn't bookmark it. I'm like, Yes, you got there. This YEAH. OKAY. Good, teach them how to bookmark. Bookmark that. So I would like to have a lesson to, you know, some lessons that use those skills. Not only not just okay, let's let's type something and copy and paste, you know? Yes, I'm purposeful using those things.


Naomi Meredith  10:18

Yeah, we can definitely do that. What do um, do they use Google Docs? I have a couple of questions. What platforms do they use like Google Docs, PowerPoint? And are all their devices the same? Or are they all different? 


Miranda B.  10:32

Most of them are Chromebooks. But I do have a few kids that have a apple, whatever it is. 


Naomi Meredith  10:39

Oh, really?


Miranda B.  10:41

So yeah, because they all buy their own devices. So some parents buy what? I don't even know the word I'm looking for. Because I don't have one.


Naomi Meredith  10:49

Like the MacBook Air?


Miranda B.  10:51

Yeah, I guess. Yeah. So yeah, they have expensive computers, but most of them have either a Google Chromebook or PC or just a regular PC. Okay. I just got a couple kids that that have the apple.


Naomi Meredith  11:05

And then are you guys allowed to use Google Docs or anything? Do they have accounts?


Miranda B.  11:10

We have Google Classrooms. Yeah. 


Naomi Meredith  11:11

Okay. Yeah. 


Miranda B.  11:12

Yeah.


Naomi Meredith  11:13

Okay. So you do that's good. That'll help too. I do have some scavenger hunts for Google that I can give you can use. But it really it actually teaches them the actual tools of how to do things. Yeah, so there's a Google Docs one, and then you could do Google Slides. I'm thinking probably this first year, you might be doing a lot more of the same skills, or your older kids might move through a little faster, kind of creating that base. And then, as we do it, yeah.


Miranda B.  11:49

Yes, yeah. Sometimes my fourth and fifth graders were having issues. And I talked to my principal, and she said, that would be great if he would do that. Because I think just a lot of times the classroom teachers don't have time. 


Naomi Meredith  12:03

Yeah. Yeah. 


Miranda B.  12:05

But I'm thinking they're wasting all their time going to every single student doing it for them.


Naomi Meredith  12:10

Yes. Yes, exactly.


Miranda B.  12:13

I know when they get in here, they look at me like I'm talking a foreign language, “right click, copy.”


Naomi Meredith  12:18

Yes. Yeah, I know. But that's something for, we don't have to plan the lessons quite yet. But something as it's coming to your mind, throughout the month, I would make a list of the tech skills, and maybe you already have one, make a list of those skills you really want them to work on or things you've struggled with. And I can take a look at it to like give my suggestions like, oh, make sure you add this. And we can even talk about like how to teach those tech lessons. Because yes, like, it's just like with any tool, like when you're using Dash or 3D printing, all those things, you're teaching them, here's how to use the tool if they've never used it before. Okay, now we're going to like implement this in our authentic way.


Naomi Meredith  12:19

Right? Yeah. And I think that's why the 3D printing like took it took the whole month, because like the first couple of weeks, in the month, it was, here's what it is, here's how we use it, they kind of played around with it, then we got to the stuff we were actually going to do with it.


Naomi Meredith  13:21

Yup, you're gonna be so excited when you do 3D printing this year, because the kids are gonna be better at it. 


Miranda B.  13:27

Yes, I'm hoping. 


Naomi Meredith  13:29

No, they will. Well, if I like try like this, this, what you're saying is very, very, very common in a good way. Like, you're teaching those foundations. And then this year, you're not going to have to teach as much of the tech skills and you're going to have more kids, oh, I can help you with this, I can help you with this. So you're doing the right thing. You're doing awesome already.


Miranda B.  13:50

It is nice when the other kids go, oh, I figured that out, I can show you how to do that. I'm like great, you go!


Naomi Meredith  13:55

Yup! That is so okay, if you read this month's book for the STEM teacher bookshelf, the book Invent to Learn, you're really gonna like it. You can buy it on Kindle too. And then the reading guide is there. It's a little cheaper on Kindle. But there's a whole chapter about giving kids ownership and letting them be leaders and doing what you're doing is exactly what we want kids to do. Because we're the facilitator of their learning. And so that book talks about that in there. And there's also some really cool ideas. Just different things you can do in your class, but there's a really good chapter about that in that book that I think you'll really like. Okay, um, so making a list of the tech skills you want kids to know. Do you ever use so you use the links your Weebly and Symbaloo Oh, do you use like when they're planning out projects? Do you do digital forms of research or anything like that?


Miranda B.  14:59

Yeah. Like I put it in their Google Classroom, and I usually have an Epic collection I've made for them that they can do some research from or that they can watch. Yeah. 


Naomi Meredith  15:11

Okay. 


Miranda B.  15:12

And what I'd really like, and then I don't know what to do with it, I'd really like to have something that was really quick at the beginning of class that just introduces kind of, you know, a little quick little video or something for them to watch to sit to just introduce them to what we're going to do. Yeah, I mean, yes, instead of me saying, here's what we're gonna do today.


Naomi Meredith  15:32

Yeah, I do that. 


Miranda B.  15:34

It sparks their interest.


Naomi Meredith  15:36

Yes, I do that for most of my lessons. And it's like two full days. So extra interest, but also frees you up for a second to gather your material. So quick video to introduce so yeah, I have some suggestions. Um, so when we're planning out your lessons, so maybe the video is yeah, like building background knowledge, like, SciShow kids? Have you used that? Use that a lot? 


Miranda B.  16:05

Yeah. Yeah, I've used that quite a bit. 


Naomi Meredith  16:07

Mm hmm. But purposely planning that. So having that all ready. 


Miranda B.  16:11

Yes. Right. 


Naomi Meredith  16:12

That's we're gonna do.


Miranda B.  16:13

Because when I do my lesson plans, I do you know, and Google Docs, I have all my links right there for every day and pull that up, and it goes up onto the TV.


Naomi Meredith  16:23

Perfect. Yeah. So you already have great structure in place. So I'm excited to fill in the holes with you. And we don't have to get rid of everything you've done. Like even your storybook STEM, based on the lessons that you're doing, that still could be a really good unit to do with the kids. If you enjoy, you don't have to get rid of everything. 


Miranda B.  16:45

We don't have a librarian. So um, that's kind of my passion because I did that for 11 years. Yeah. So I like to do a lot of books introduced. And sometimes it's a book that we introduce, you know, it doesn't have to always be a video or it could be a book that I read or watch because there's no library. So if I don't have the book, yeah, I just find the YouTube link.


Naomi Meredith  17:08

Oh, yeah. I there's nothing wrong with that. I do that.


Miranda B.  17:11

I have bought a ton of books, but that gets expensive. 


Naomi Meredith  17:14

Yep. 


Miranda B.  17:15

So we watch the YouTube videos quite a bit, but I like to use that too. And I like to do storybooks more like with my little Kindergarteners, more so than with the because just STEM is hard for them. I guess it's hard for me. It's hard for them.


Naomi Meredith  17:31

Yes. Yeah. 


Miranda B.  17:32

I can make it meaningful, I guess. 


Naomi Meredith  17:33

Yes. And making those connections. Do you when you're thinking about your little kids, what is the structure? Because you do have a little less time, which isn't bad. How does the day go? Do you do whole group stations? What do you normally do with?


Miranda B.  17:51

I have only done whole group. I have STEM stations. I've watched you know several of your things. And I would like to do more stations. Yeah. My problem is I share my STEM room. We have a huge STEM room, but I share it with our high school STEM teacher. I have kind of the front of the room is my area. The back end is his area. And so but when on days, I'm not there, his kids sit at my tables too. Oh, yeah. So I can't leave things out. Now, I can from Tuesday to Wednesday. Yes, but I can't leave them on Wednesday for the next week. Yes. So I kind of struggle with that a little bit. He tries to if I come in, he's like, “Guys, remember Mrs. B. is here today? You can't be at her table. She's got to get stuff.” And I do have 30 minutes before I have kids. I have to be there at 1130. I don't have kids until 12. Okay, so I do have time to set up. Yeah, leave it set up. 


Naomi Meredith  18:45

I have the same issue in my K through five STEM class because I had fifth, fourth, and third in the morning, then lunch and then first, Kinder, and second. And I actually didn't leave up my STEM station. So the way that I planned it was like super minimal materials. And then you know, those fabric cubes from like IKEA. I actually put all the materials in those and there was a clip with the instructions on the box. And then the box would go on the table. So like during that quick video, I could go around in like five minutes and go put the box where I want their station in the classroom. And then all the materials were in there. 


Miranda B.  19:23

Oh, that's a good idea. 


Naomi Meredith  19:24

Yeah. 


Miranda B.  19:25

I thought about buying those trays. You know, they're like, have a lid on them to keep everything in like for each table. I have five tables because we don't have any more than 18 kids. So I have 20. I just have five tables. So I thought if I could get those for each table and all their stuff is at that in that table even if we're not doing a station, whatever supplies it is they need and that way I have it ready and I don't have to have that left out. I can just put it on my cart.


Naomi Meredith  19:54

Yes.


Miranda B.  19:54

I have, you know and then put it out. 


Naomi Meredith  19:56

Yeah, that'll help prepare. Yeah. So thinking it through our lessons, it sounds like to like systems like that will help because of your I mean, everyone has limited time, but systems to help with, like cleanup and just like more efficiency. And that's you probably saw that too with your units. Like when you're doing a whole unit, if you're doing robotics, all your robots are out, and then you're ready to go. And you're not switching from Makerspace, to robotics, and to computers. And so that will help. But even just thinking through like the process of like the supplies, we can work on that too. And I think STEM stations with your little kids, since you, you can do up to station you kind of plan out for and then the kids have time to go to two for the week. And then they can go to two more than next week. So you're not double planning, you already have the force setup. And I was telling the other the other teacher in our group that you can do the station's again, like you can, they might I've done that before in a week. So you haven't once a week. So you could do four stations to the first week to the next week, and then do them again. Or maybe you switch out something but it's like the same materials. But okay, we were doing the sun, moon and stars, and now we're going to really focus on the moon or on or something with that one. So that way, you're not like scrambling every single time. You know what you're counting on. And the kids do really Well with stations, especially when you have 18 kids.


Miranda B.  21:32

Yeah, so you don't think like nine kids at a station? That's not too many.


Naomi Meredith  21:39

I think that's a little bit too many. I would do 4 or 5.


Miranda B.  21:44

So you're saying have four stations set up and they only go to two? 


Naomi Meredith  21:48

Yeah.


Miranda B.  21:48

I gotcha. So yeah, they would have like, you know, four, five at each.


Naomi Meredith  21:52

Yeah. Yeah. 


Naomi Meredith  21:53

So then, I can put on the TV who's at what? 


Naomi Meredith  21:57

Yep. 


Miranda B.  21:57

And then I could just rotate them. Okay.


Naomi Meredith  21:59

Yeah. And then one of your stations could be a teacher led station. So even with a younger kid, I do that a lot, too. I still do that. With the little kids. Like one of this. I plan the stations with STEM. So science, technology, engineering and math station. And a lot of times with the technology station, I'll be there. So maybe I'm showing them something and see saw, like how to use certain tools or even using epic books like how to get to the collection? Or will do their 3d print? I am. Do you have iPads access with them or anything?


Miranda B.  22:38

I just have some iPads they have, but they don't bring them to STEM because they're only four in their classroom. Yeah, but just okay. Yeah. So they don't bring him to STEM.


Naomi Meredith  22:50

But just having a few would work out for a station. Yeah, if you only have a few and then they're used to that in their classroom. So then even talking with that might be something to I don't know, if you have access, but even asking, thinking back to those text skills, you can already see what the older kids what you want them to know and what you've seen, especially with your teaching experience, but maybe to even seeing what the Kindergarten teachers are hoping for when it comes to technology since I know they don't use as much. And that's pretty common. But doesn't mean you don't have to. Do they use seesaw? Do you now? 


Miranda B.  23:34

I don't think they do. Okay. I don't think so. I think everything they have. Yeah, we have a blog every week that we post to on what? in their classroom. I just have to post once a week. Like, one week I do Kindergarten the next week. The next week? I do. That's why I just have to post once a week. Now for every class. Yeah. So but yeah, we put pictures or videos in there. That way, are overloaded. Yeah, they get one special update a week like, Okay, we haven't organized like music is this week or first grade STEM is next week for first grade. You don't I mean?


Naomi Meredith  24:13

That's good. I like that. That's a really good system your school has. That way parents aren't getting five specials emails, every Yes, yeah. Yeah. Um, Well, even if Yeah, so I would ask the pre K Kinder teachers, what types of technology they use with their students. And if they don't, I mean, that's a great opportunity for them to use it in STEM. It just, I've had that happen with my younger classes, especially since COVID. They've been using less technology. But it's still important for them, because if we're exposing them, they're not on their iPad the whole time, but we're exposing them so then when they are in those older grades, they're not scared of using things and they can problem solve. So that would be helpful to know or even if you just want to check out got their newsletters? And then if they don't, there's still a lot of things that we can do. Yeah. And that would be a great opportunity in STEM for them. Yes, yeah. That'd be really good. Is there anything else like so you really want those units? So thinking about Makerspace? Just refining those units? I'm even thinking about the structure of your younger students. Is there anything else you really want to work on when we work together this summer?


Miranda B.  25:30

I don't think I mean, that's it just having some some units on, you know, so I know where I'm going from the beginning of the month to the end of the month. And I'm getting all those skills that they need. We kind of just used I mean, I don't have a curriculum. So I've been just using like the NGSS standard. Because I asked her upper school STEM teacher, he goes, Oh, that's just what I use. So, and she did tell me to go ahead, and I can start putting my plans into like their Google Drive. So she goes if you leave, the next person isn't starting from scratch, like you've had to.


Naomi Meredith  26:01

Okay, yeah, really put those standards anywhere else. Yeah. I know they're in there. Yes. So that'll be good. You'll like in this. So this template, when you're auditing, you can actually list those out. And then when we create the year long plan, you'll have them there. So even though you know them in your head, then you can see if you're even overlapping things. The I use the NGSS as Well, because usually, I mean, I heard Texas is getting STEM standards. But other than that, we're Yeah, no one else. No one else. Yeah. But at least you're using standards, because yeah, sadly, not all STEM teachers do. But um, I think that will help you just visualize, Are there standards that I'm missing. And if you are missing some, then that can help us plan units, then give you some inspiration, oh, here's how we could teach this type of standard anyway. So I'm just even just visually seeing it out there. So you're not like recreating, again, what you're doing, but just seeing what you have already can help us fill in those holes of what we can do for the kids. But yeah, awesome. Well, it sounds like okay, aside from what we're going to talk about tonight, so the biggest thing is to think about those tech skills that you really want kids to know, or even less out what you've seen with the kids. And then same with kinder and pre K, asking or saying what types of technology they use, or don't use or are hoping to use. Okay, that could be a chance that you're not necessarily co teaching, but it could be a good way to expose them to stuff that classroom teachers might end up using anyway. Okay, which really helps. I know, classroom teachers, like thank you so much for showing them epic!


Miranda B.  27:50

Digital citizenship too. I'm going to incorporate that this year, just because they have it in the classroom, but they don't get to it very often. Yes. So I do want to do digital citizenship unit at the beginning of the year, and I thought that might be a good one to kind of put those tech skills into your one. Yeah.


Naomi Meredith  28:08

Okay. Well, we can make that first unit digital citizenship anyway. Um, there's a lot of great stuff out there. Do you use common sense media at all? 


Miranda B.  28:18

Yeah, okay. That's what I've used. That's what I've used before when I was in the library. 


Naomi Meredith  28:22

Yeah. So that can be your first unit. I do digital citizenship, my second unit. And this is just based on preference. I used to do it first. But then I realized I needed to do more team building and getting accustomed to my space. So I did it as my second unit.


Miranda B.  28:41

And that's okay with me, because I do like those getting to know you, even though I know most of the kids because there's not that many. We did have several new kids starting next year, but just getting them, you know, used to bring in a new grade level. And so I do like that those community building kind of things at the beginning of the year.


Naomi Meredith  29:01

Yes. Okay. So we have community building first, and then we'll do digital citizenship computer literacy next and then we can go from there, maybe Makerspace you put that in and that's that's actually the layout I do. Or you could do this storybook STEM slash Makerspace it could be a combo but yeah, I'm excited yeah, you already have great stuff already do unit so awesome. Like your first year but you were doing STEM already in the library. 


Miranda B.  29:31

And I was doing a lot just with books like we have the Show Me nominees like the picture books, you know, 12 picture books, they could add picture books for the and so we always had a STEM activity to go with every one of those. Oh, wow. And then whatever else I was doing, I would come up with a STEM lesson. 


Naomi Meredith  29:49

Yeah, that book. Perfect. Yeah, so don't get rid of any of this stuff. We're just gonna organize it and fill in some holes and even thinking about Now that you've had the kids is going into your second year, what are things that you can do that are even a little bit more challenging now that they have that exposure with you then are like okay, now we can get into this next thing. Oh, now you're ready for this. What are some things we could write a grant for? and enhance this space to?


Miranda B.  30:18

Yeah. Oh, I did get I had a parent give me $1,000 to lego.com got $1,000 worth of new Legos. Oh, Well, all the Legos are in your room and the cart you ordered to put a ball in his in your room next week and kind of sort it all and


Naomi Meredith  30:35

yeah, let me know what LEGO is. Good. That's so good. You're gonna have to show me what you have. Okay. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited for you that I was gonna ask you if you had Legos. 


Miranda B.  30:48

So I didn't. See I do a LEGO club after school. Yeah. And so we just didn't have a ton and bought some but oh, we have a ton. Now. She said this mom said you were always telling the kids Oh, I don't have any more of those bullet kind of blocks, you know, oh, we don't have enough. And so she gave us two $500 gift cards to lego.com


Naomi Meredith  31:07

Oh my gosh, that is so awesome.


Miranda B.  31:10

Yeah, I was so excited. Yeah, LEGO club over the summer. Good summer school. And we're doing a storybook STEM. Yeah. And then we're doing a LEGO. It's Imagine your story. Why would we take a fairy tale? And then they have to kind of build something about the fairy tale, solve a problem with Legos.


Naomi Meredith  31:31

Yeah. Oh, that's so good. Yay. And that'll be fun, too. Because then you can play with all the like, see what you have and be like us?


Miranda B.  31:40

Yeah, yeah, email me she because our limit was 18 kids. She goes, you know, your your LEGO classes filled up really fast. I had two parents asked if they could please come. Would you want to increase it to 20? Kids? Oh, no. Like she goes, I'll see if I can get you to help her because usually over 15 kids, they get us a helper 


Naomi Meredith  31:57

Cool. I love your school's philosophy. Like everything that we're talking about for everything that you hope for teaching is like what you have in your position.


Miranda B.  32:09

Oh, I know. It's It's so different from when I was in public school. Yeah. That's to be the professionals. They don't tell us what we were supposed to do. They trust to know, she's like, you're the expert in this. You do what you think is best?


Naomi Meredith  32:22

Ah, that's that's how it should be. Or should be? Yes. Ah, I'm so glad you found this school. And you just still seem very excited about it and passionate, which I love


Miranda B.  32:33

  1. My husband loves this. He's like, You are so happy when you're talking about what you're doing with those kids. Oh, my God, they make you happy.


Naomi Meredith  32:39

Ah, that's so good. Well, any questions for me? I'll see you tonight as well in our live call and show you all the templates and everything that'll help you get organized. But anything else from me right now that you're wondering? 


Miranda B.  32:56

I don't think so. 


Naomi Meredith  32:57

Awesome. Okay. Well, let me know. And I'll see you tonight. And you'll have access to talk with me. And yeah, I think you have a really great base. And I'm excited to like fill in everything. It's kind of like a big puzzle. Just like filling in what do we have. 


Miranda B.  33:12

Yeah, it'll be awesome. 


Naomi Meredith  33:14

And then thinking about all the cool lessons that you'll start doing. Yay. Well, thank you so much, Miranda for your time and enjoy your afternoon. 


Miranda B.  33:26

All right, you too. 


Naomi Meredith  33:28

I'll see you later. Bye. 


Naomi Meredith  33:31

I am so excited to work with Miranda this summer. She already has a great start for her program. And there's so much room for streamlining lessons in her space so that the days she has with students are an absolute success. If you're interested in having a one-to-one coaching call like this one and support throughout the summer to build up your program. Join us. There are only a few spots left at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer.

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

married to a STEM teacher

What It’s Like to be Married to a STEM Teacher [ep.94]

by Naomi Meredith

What It's Like to be Married to a STEM Teacher [ep.94]

married to a STEM teacher

Check out the full episode on What It's Like to be Married to a STEM Teacher:  


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Episode Summary

You’ve heard me talk about my Teacher Honey on this podcast many times. Well, today, he is a guest on the podcast. Today’s episode is even more special because it is airing on the day of our wedding. In this episode, my Teacher Honey shares what it’s like to be married to a STEM teacher. We also discuss how we met, our engagement, the differences in our teaching jobs, and so much more. This was such a fun episode to commemorate this special occasion.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What it’s like for my Teacher Honey to be married to a STEM teacher
  • Our dating and engagement stories
  • The differences between our teaching jobs

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

You've heard me mention him here on this podcast before but my Teacher Honey, aka my fiance, is my special guest on today's episode. Well, what is extra special about today's episode is that this is being released the day that we are getting married, June 8, 2023. So if you're listening to this after that date, we are officially married and he's officially my husband. Unlike me, he's not into the podcasting and social media thing. So be sweet on him. I thought that this would be a fun episode behind the scenes of what it's like being with me, and what he's very into. This is a fun mix it up episode that I think you'll enjoy and more so for me to document a fun memory for us. 


Naomi Meredith  01:18

We'll welcome Eric, my teacher, honey to the podcast. I hardly ever use your first name. So they know you're like this secret mystery person. 


Eric  01:32

Perfect. 


Naomi Meredith  01:34

And this is your first and probably your last podcast interview. 


Eric  01:39

Absolutely. 


Eric  01:42

Well, thanks for doing this. And we have a little Frederick, we don't have video of this. But Frederick is actually sitting in the middle of us. Whenever we're together, Frederick insists he has to be in the middle. So he's not in one lap or the other. He's sitting here with a blanket, cuddling up. Poor little guy. So for those of you who don't know, my teacher, honey is actually a teacher. I'm not just saying that he's a teacher honey, because I'm a teacher. Now he really is a teacher. And he teaches high school Spanish, which is entirely different than elementary STEM. And when we first met, which we'll get into in a second, I was a third grade teacher at the time. So he's seen my whole transition from me being a classroom teacher to a STEM teacher, business owner the whole time, but that's really grown as well. And so that's so much fun for you. You get you see all the behind the scenes every day. My office when I'm when I first claimed this room as my office, I was like hey, can you can you hang up a shelf for me? And you're like, sure and then what is my office now. 


Eric  02:51

Then she took the doors out to the closet and removed the bed and yeah, now it's it's a whole it's a whole something.


Naomi Meredith  02:59

And it's like not girly at all right? Oh my god. Yeah. Oh, you like my pillow? What does my pillow say? Oh, babe cave. 


Eric  03:06

Yeah, it's definitely a babe cave. 


Naomi Meredith  03:12

Okay, so people are probably want to know. So this is behind the scenes. There's a little bit of STEM but not really. So Eric, how did we meet?


Eric  03:20

We met at Top Golf with a mutual teacher friend's birthday party, actually. And so yeah, we were we were playing golf and…


Naomi Meredith  03:30

But you were playing golf?


Eric  03:31

Yeah. You tried to play golf. Yeah. And we just it was just a natural, like, birthday party. Kinda. No, no, no app, no. Weird first aid. It was just kind of natural.


Naomi Meredith  03:44

Well, and he was so funny, because like we didn't we were not actually set up. It wasn't a setup that I know of. 


Eric  03:51

No, no, it wasn't a setup. 


Naomi Meredith  03:53

And so when it was my turn to hit the golf ball, now, I was a car girl in college. I never played golf, and never had any desire to so it was my turn to hit. Eric would just sit in this chair. Every time it was my turn. He would sit there and just start giggling at me.


Eric  04:10

You're not very good. 


Naomi Meredith  04:11

I know. And then find out later that you're a golf coach. And you gave me a zero pointers? Yeah, I'm sorry. You're not that sorry. So we've been together ever since which the whole teaching world I know was mostly Behera teachers. We've just known each other and so it was a good, good little connection and our wedding will be mostly teachers. What did our DJ say about with teachers?


Eric  04:40

They like to have the most fun as soon as summer comes? Yeah, so.


Naomi Meredith  04:44

Our DJ is super excited to to have our wedding. He's so cute. He's such a he's gonna be a good DJ, which we're recording this like three days before our wedding. So this was pretty fun. That's how much time we have on our hands for recording In your podcasts were not stressed at all. Okay, so then how how did you propose or should I say how I thought you're gonna propose?


Eric  05:12

Well, the fake one. Yeah. Oh, the first time I guess we were in Costa Rica, just on vacation. I think it was just summertime. So there was no expiration date. And we just were enjoying enjoying the beach and in Costa Rica. And so we had a lot of rain a couple days before, and it was our last night. And if you don't all Costa Rica around that time, it's like exactly like six o'clock or 610. The sun goes down. It's on the ocean. And it's like unbelievable sunsets every single night, as long as it's not raining. So we got some wine walked down there. was going to get dinner. Yeah. And for some reason, she thought because we had wine and there was a sunset, just stop. We were dressed up for dinner. So she thought I was going to propose. I don't know why she thought that photographer. Yeah. And so then a photographer, you know, just a random person on the beach, want to take our pictures, like, oh, sunsets calm, and let's get pictures of you. And I, of course, said no, we're good.


Naomi Meredith  06:18

Oh my gosh, in my head. I didn't say this out loud. In my head. I'm like, Oh my gosh, this is all part of the plan. He knows I want pictures, especially for Instagram. He knows I want pictures. I have to say yes. Like he set this up.


Eric  06:32

I said no. And that she went and found her and said, yes, we'll do it. And as I like taking pictures as much as I do in podcast. It's not the most fun. So. So we go through his photo shoot. It's super awkward for him. Yeah, it's so and then she's like, upset with me because I didn't propose.


Naomi Meredith  06:54

Well, I didn't I wasn't upset that night with I've said that night. No, but afterwards. Yes. Yeah. When we got back, were talking to friends about it. And then I just like tell you, I thought you're gonna propose me like, I don't even have the rain or anything. Like I wasn't even planning on it was all made up in her head. It was all made up. So I will post one of one or two those pictures and the links to the show notes for this because it's they're cute pictures are kind of awkward. There's one that's really cute. Okay, so that's the fake proposal. So that was like six months before you actually proposed. Yes. And so how did you actually prep? 


Eric  07:33

So then we went on a cruise, and we traveled quite a bit. So we went on a cruise for Christmas. We did it the year before and we loved it. That's only two cruises we've ever been on. No, that was our first cruise nose or silicone. Now, it was our first.


Eric  07:48

Yeah, it was our first cruise.


Eric  07:50

Yeah. And so we were two friends. And so I thought this would be perfect. I could do it i Christmas. You know, we're in the Bahamas, that sort of thing. Her two friends are there so they can like pictures of it all. And so yeah, we were just at our fancy dinner and had asked Astra friends to take a picture of us. And they they got their phones out. And then while they're getting their phones out, I just just popped the question. And he like freaked out. I had no idea what was going on. And then we find out that night that her friend Dot COVID. And this was in the middle of Congo. This is like, what was it? 2020?


Naomi Meredith  08:30

No, 2021


Eric  08:34

The boats just opened back up. You couldn't go on a cruise forever. And so then we got quarantined for 36 hours or something in our room until our COVID tests came back, which was a nightmare. And so yeah, we spent a whole entire day


Naomi Meredith  08:50

And we snuck out of our rooms too.


Eric  08:53

Well, yeah. Because we celebrated that night. It was Christmas dinner was probably I don't know, like, five, six o'clock at night when it happened. And we were out till I don't know one or two in the morning, maybe. And then we got a phone call saying we have to quarantine but we weren't exactly in the right state of mind to focus on that. And so yeah, we woke up and like we were hungry, like what did they say last night but to stay in our rooms when how do we get breakfast so we just got breakfast, and then they call us over the loudspeaker on the entire boat. I mean, a cruise has 6000 people. And they're they by name. They told us to get back to our room. And we had to sit there for a full nother day in that small little room. They do break room service all time but there was a long day.


Naomi Meredith  09:38

Yeah, I learned how to make towel animals. And we got free Wi Fi that day with her which was horrible. We actually were able to tell her family and so we got engaged. Yeah, that's good. But they found out and then like the whole rest of the trip was fine. Like we got to celebrate and to always go.


Eric  09:56

It's still good trip even though we're quarantine for that day and a half.


Naomi Meredith  09:59

Yeah like, are you sure you want to still marry me? Are you sure you'll like this? Like the true test get engaged and then get locked up for 36 hours?


Eric  10:10

In a very small room. No windows. No windows? Yeah.


Naomi Meredith  10:13

And bad Wi Fi. Yeah. It's good. And now here we are, here's our wedding day that you're listening to this in Colorado. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. Okay, so switching gears. So you're a high school teacher, and for a long time have been an elementary teacher. So based on your whole high school experience, like I know, meeting me was a big shock when it came to the elementary world. Like I would tell you things coming home, especially I had a really, really, really hard class when I taught third grade. But I Kate would come home and you would be so shocked. Like, that's what it's like in elementary. And I know, during COVID When we had to teach online, you actually got to see firsthand what it's like teaching elementary in high school, you would walk by my door, and I was teaching Kindergarten, you're like, What is going on in there? Like, my voice is all high. And I'm like reading a book or something like why in the world, but what would you think is the biggest difference between our teaching jobs so high school Spanish, verse K through five STEM?


Eric  11:29

I mean, it's not it's not even the same job. It's night and day. Like, they're so different. And to be honest, I don't know how elementary school teachers do it. i There's no way. I mean, I guess there are pluses and minuses like, they don't have to grade hundreds and hundreds of essays and tests. But to be with like, 25 little guys like that. All day, every day. I don't see how they do it is there's no there's no way I could you know, clean up bloody noses. 


Naomi Meredith  11:59

Or like tell them who was responsible the bathroom? You know, like, say, Go get your extra change of clothes. Let me wipe your face with a baby wipe. Oh,


Eric  12:09

No, you said kids trying to get high in the bathroom. Oh, that's good. Our bathroom issues are different. That's good. We do different stuff.


Naomi Meredith  12:18

Yeah, Well, elementary. Yeah, it is different. And you see a little bit too like with a neighbor, our neighbor, kids, I like to make them little STEM activities. And it's a lot more like even when I show you some of the STEM stuff. You're like that is way more than what I do for Spanish. Oh, yeah.


Eric  12:38

Yeah. So lessons you come up with are like way, way more creative. And like, they look way nicer than what I make.


Naomi Meredith  12:45

You've been stories like you write good stories. Yeah, I'm like, wow, you wrote,


Eric  12:49

But you make them all like, pretty? 


Naomi Meredith  12:52

Yes. Well, that's just how I am. We're sitting here at my table right now. And there's wedding stuff all over the table. And I've been making stuff on the computer for it. So Eric's a good fit for me because he if there's two of us in this relationship, like me, where I have, like all this creativity and all these ideas, Eric's very grounding for me, but you're very, very supportive. Thank you. Well, thank you. And here we are getting married. Okay. Okay, with that what has been the most surprising thing you've seen me do my business or something you're most proud of?


Eric  13:30

I just say like you built building, building like your little whatever we're gonna call this like, with your with Instagram and podcasts and your Teachers Pay Teachers and all they're like your business. It's not like one business. So it's like, so many different things that you do on like, from the ground up, like because you imagine you you know, money and you're ready to live the rest of your life buy or sell. Yeah, and you're you weren't gonna go to top golf because you didn't have any money. So like, you're Yeah, like, I can't even buy beer like it is. And so now you know, selling your townhome and making your business and then just not good enough where you you know, you're gonna retire from your teaching career and follow your business like to do that from like zero to nothing to where you're at now, which is like probably not even close to where you'll end up being you know, so I'm hoping so. So um, can we tie a very rich person, your business?


Naomi Meredith  14:34

Well, you're so supportive I made sale even when I first met you my business at the time. I don't know if you remember, but it was marvelous. Miss Meredith. And I gave you my business card is a really pretty picture of me and you would actually carry my business card with you do and then you had in your classroom still have in your closet? Somewhere? Yeah. And then I changed it because everyone kept calling me Veritas, which is confusing. Yeah, so that makes sense. So I just changed it to my name. But it was so sweet. Because ever since the beginning, you've actually I have always told your friends about me. And my business and your friends actually asked me about stuff too. And most of them are teachers. And I know that you're remember saying you're surprised like you had no idea. This was a whole thing like that, that you could actually do this. I had no idea about any of this. Yeah, like because high school teachers pay teacher's does it really?


Eric  15:30

Yeah. I've never heard of any of it before. So like a lot of it, too.


Naomi Meredith  15:34

I mean, I never knew I'd have a podcast either. Yeah. But all of this. Yeah, I had like inklings of it. But I like Thanks for noticing. Oh, that and even like, yeah, it's just really fun. And you know that I love doing it too. Like, I'm just very passionate about. Like, if I like if I really, really like something I really dive in if I really don't like doing something like cleaning the house. He never do. I know. He knows. So that's yes. That's really sad. Okay, so you've already mentioned we travel a lot, but and we have a very fun honeymoon planned. And we're going to Europe for a long time. And you're going through all that stuff before we started recording. So a lot of the time we like to go to zoos, aquariums and museums. And we both like to learn about the world and just learn about our surroundings. Learn just we are teachers at heart, we love to learn. We've done some really cool things that have influenced both our jobs and just help us be better people. So out of this list. So I've picked three places we've been to which one which STEM experience. Did you like them? No. So we have San Diego Zoo, we went there on Christmas Day, which is so funny, because we got engaged on a Christmas. So we have that one. So big, beautiful museum, it was raining. That one, we have the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and we've been twice. So we went one time when it was really, really cold. And we spent the whole day there. And we did. We each took a class at the same time. So I took a 3D printing class with all these little kids. And I was the only adult in there. And I told the instructors like I just want to learn how adults teach children 3D printing, and then you were doing like a video or something.


Eric  17:30

Yeah, you did something. Oh, it was on?


Naomi Meredith  17:34

Yeah. But it's not. I think it's not like about Colombia.


Eric  17:36

More was Yeah. Yeah. Cuba, Cuba, Cuba.


Naomi Meredith  17:41

Yeah. So you did that. And then we spend the whole day there. And then we went back again, because they had the art of the brick LEGO experience. And I really, really wanted to see that. I'm going to post some pictures of this, you guys. And then Okay, those are your two options. And then one more the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC. And there's so many of them. I just said General. So out of that list, which one of those three is your favorite STEM experience?


Eric  18:11

They're all good. I mean, the zoo zoo is unreal. You know, most people know of it. I've got one to a zoo my entire life as a kid like me. That's how my mom like, babysat. So one of the zoo every week. Again, I'm from Chicago. So the Museum of Science and Industry, I think is one of the best museums around. She couldn't believe it. Like, we literally spent like eight hours there. I mean, it's a whole day experience with a submarine exhibit. I mean, spend two hours does that they want to exhibit we probably did and we didn't go into it. But the Smithsonian museums, I mean, we it was three or four days just checking out museums. And we can we can go on to see for another week and see toy different stuff in Washington. Yeah. I mean, this is kinda like a loaded question while the Smithsonian so I mean, there's like 20 Some museums or whatever. So that's kind of beat out. Just you know, smaller. Yeah, museum or one zoo, you know, so I'd go Yeah, and Washington DC was the best.


Naomi Meredith  19:12

I know. He really really likes that trip. Oh, that was a Christmas trip to


Eric  19:16

Think so. Just because I have a small family center Zona near family is in Utah. We don't have any family out here. So we're just gonna travel.


Naomi Meredith  19:24

Yeah. And it's like, are we like quality time? We don't really buy gifts. Well, I buy you a little things here. But we don't like Nitro. Yeah, we try to gift. Yeah, we travel. So yeah, I liked that one. Yeah. Well, all those there.


Eric  19:40

They're all good. Yeah. But I mean, like, we can obviously go back to Washington and see a totally different experience. And that's the one one of the same things.


Naomi Meredith  19:49

It's been a whole week there. Yeah. I mean, it's good. And it's funny because he'll take a lot of pictures of things for your class or like, Oh, I could talk to my students about this. Or I even take care pictures like I go through my phone and you're like, don't upload these in our shared folder. But I like taking pictures of different exhibits or things that can inspire STEM projects or even when we went to meow wolf, the first that there was actually something a STEM thing in there. I don't know if you remember, but there was like this dinosaur thing and it had these ribs. And then you played the ribs like with a mallet and it made noise. Do you remember that? Yeah. And it was above your head. And that reminded me of this STEM thing called a Makey Makey. And you actually can connect it to things that are conducted and when you press it, it makes it sound. So reminded me of a STEM. So it's I'm always thinking about this stuff. Like Trust me, I relaxed, but it's always in the back of my mind when we're traveling. Especially zoos, aquariums, and what? Museums. So if you're ever stuck on ideas, head up to your local zoo. Okay, pop quiz. I hope you've had you too. What does STEM stand for?


Eric  21:06

That was easy. Science, technology, engineering and math


Naomi Meredith  21:10

Wrong. 


Eric  21:12

What? 


Naomi Meredith  21:12

It's right.


Eric  21:16

STEAM has art.


Naomi Meredith  21:22

Extra credit. Good job. Very good. He's smiling on that one. He's there fanning the whole time. And now he's smiling. Okay. Okay. Two more questions. Why do you think STEM is important for kids?


Eric  21:40

I mean, those are all areas that the world works on. But I think I think there's other stuff that's super important too. That's why, you know, I think STEM is awesome as like maybe a class but not just a school only focus on that I think the arts are important, or the performing arts, right? Fine Arts, I think PE is super important how to, like we are kids, in order to graduate have to learn how to swim, I'm going to talk about a life skill. So we I mean, there's so much more than just those four. But those four are obviously huge areas that you need to know, in most jobs, or just how how the world really functions with science and engineering and, and everything. You know, technology's obviously huge, and you need math to do most of those things. And even


Naomi Meredith  22:23

like those, like little skills that they work on, and you probably see this in your students they need to work on is being able to collaborate with each other. Critically, think through a problem not giving up the first time when it's hard, being able to persevere even thinking creatively through problems. Like even in your with your students, like Spanish assignments, even when they're creative with their writing assignments. It just like adds like another level of fun things.


Eric  22:51

The reason a lot of colleges want you to have high level math and high level world language is because it's that processing skill that you know, a lot of people have trouble with getting to the upper level math, and we're language because it's easy to pass, you know, algebra one, maybe geometry, Spanish one in Spanish, you are pretty easy to get through that to get through like Spanish four, and pre Calc and those upper level things. You have to be able to do a lot of problem solving and a lot of figuring out things even on a foreign language because there's so many things they don't know, but you can figure it out by the context and everything.


Naomi Meredith  23:27

I try to when we go get Mexican food, figure out the context. When we travel I do okay, do okay. I do okay. But by the end of the trip, I do better like you kind of pick up on a loss of just a week you can pick up a lot. Yeah. Which I mean, hence you studied abroad and learned a lot.. 


Eric  23:45

We try to go to places where they speak more Spanish and English. We try not to do the just to Cancun resort. We try to Costa Rica trips. A Spanish you know, Costa Rican resort? Yeah. Are they speak Spanish first English second.


Naomi Meredith  24:00

Let's go practice. test my skills can yours. Okay, so this is airing on our wedding day. So if people are listening to this, I'm putting out a pretty jazz so much fun. What is something you're most excited about?


Eric  24:20

Besides the actual marrying of you?


Naomi Meredith  24:24

Yes, you should be excited to marry me.


Eric  24:26

Oh, no, I think I think the food and wine is going to be unbelievable. We're at the winery. And so it's gonna get the food is so good there. And the wine is really good. I think that's gonna be great. You know? Having you know what not it's not a big one but having a lot of our friends there and family. It'll be it's gonna be a good day.


Naomi Meredith  24:46

Okay, you took mine so I'm so yeah, if you took mine away. We love this place because we've been going there every once a month every month since our wedding. Since a year ago yeah. Uh, what I'm also excited about is our video guestbook, and our DJ, our DJ, it's just so much fun and he has some fun games plans and different things for us to do. And we were talking with him and we have a video guestbook. And so instead of signing the globe that I originally had planned that will probably look horrible with people's signatures. I'm not doing that. Um, he his wife does a photo booth, and then we have a video guestbook, so people can leave messages throughout the night. So that we find the same people after Yeah, and to see their outfits and what they have to say, I'll probably be really cute at the beginning and then crazy towards the end. But I'll be really good. Yay. So finally, we're recording this we're fiance's. But then when this airs will be husband and wife. Excited exciting.


Eric  25:56

Kinda cheesy, but yeah,


Naomi Meredith  25:58

it's true, though. You've been engaged for a while? Yeah. Yeah. Sounds good. That's good. Yeah. Glad. Well, anything else you would like to share? I'm good. You did a good job. I got you to talk for about 30 minutes. So good job, Eric. Well, we probably won't ever hear from Eric again on this podcast to you guys. But he's always he's actually a big part of why this can happen. He was just very supportive and fast to record something after school or meet with the guest where it's later at night because the time zones and everything. He's a big supporter of why I can do all the things that I can do for you guys. He's just definitely, definitely believe in me and you. I appreciate everything that you do. Well, thank you so much. And yeah, you're good. You're good. You did a good job. Thank you. I will thank you so much, and I'll see you in the next episode as an official wife.

married to a STEM teacher

married to a STEM teacher

married to a STEM teacher

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

STEM coaching session

Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session- Part 1 [ep.93]

by Naomi Meredith

Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session – Part 1 [ep.93]

STEM coaching session

Check out the full episode on Behind the Scenes: Inside a STEM Coaching Session – Part 1:  

 

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Episode Summary

You’ve heard me talking about my STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program and this new way to work with me, but what does that actually mean? What does a STEM coaching session look like with me? In today’s episode, I am taking you behind the scenes so you can see what a 1:1 STEM coaching session looks like with me! In this episode, I am meeting with one of the teachers who joined the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program, DeLisa S. Many of you will be able to relate to DeLisa as you hear about her STEM teaching experience and some of the challenges she’s currently facing. Listen in to see how I support DeLisa with developing a plan specific to her STEM needs. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • About DeLisa’s STEM teaching experience
  • What’s currently working and not working in DeLisa’s STEM space
  • How I support my clients in the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

You've heard me talk all about STEM coaching and how this is a new way that you can work with me this summer. But what does this even mean? What does it actually sound like having a STEM coaching session with me, Naomi Meredith? Well, I am taking you behind the scenes in a never heard before type of episode where I actually recorded the coaching session with a teacher in the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program. As one of the bonuses in this group coaching program, you receive a free one on one 30 minute video coaching call with me, where we get to know one another, your STEM program and the goals that you have for it so we can set you up for success for back to school. In this session, I am talking with DeLisa who teaches a K through five STEM after school program. Like many of you, she was given this amazing position with limited supplies and zero curriculum. DeLisa already has some great lessons in place, but it feels like her lessons are a little bit scattered. Likewise with the structure of her schedule, kids can be in and out and sometimes learn some content, but miss out on others. She wants to develop a program where she has lessons she can adapt for the summer and during the school year, utilize the materials she has on hand and provide experiences for her students that are meaningful even when students leave at different times or when the schedule suddenly changes and definitely the life of a teacher, right? Together, DeLisa and I set up a plan of action of next steps to take now and what to expect during the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program. During this session, I'm sure you're going to find similarities in her program and the struggles that she is facing to what you're experiencing in your STEM space. If you are interested in joining forces with me and other teachers who are building their STEM programs, there are still a few spots available. You can jump in at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer. Likewise, if you are unsure if this program is the right fit for you, let's talk about it face to face. Schedule a free live call with me at Naomimeredith.com/call. Now let's jump into this fun coaching session. 


Naomi Meredith  02:27

Well, thanks so much again for meeting with me and I'm so excited to meet you in person. Tell me how to say your name correctly.


DeLisa S.  03:05

It's DeLisa,


Naomi Meredith  03:07

DeLisa. I love that.


DeLisa S.  03:09

I'd say DeLisa, and my mom's like DeLeasa? Yes, Mama, you know, I'm used to a Deleasa is fine. Okay, DeLisa.


Naomi Meredith  03:15

Okay. Well, what I have everyone says my name wrong too. So I understand. Well, thanks so much. I was so excited that you signed up. What motivated you to sign up for this group coaching program?


DeLisa S.  03:30

Well, I have been actually in love with STEM, since I guess I was a kid, I'm gonna just, you know, throw that out there. But right now I currently work with K through five at an after school program. So along with that, I was originally working with pre K through a second grade teaching computer coding. And so we were using the robots and not a lot of fun things to go along with their literacy and math and all of that. So it's just like, I wanted to do more with STEM, and a little bit of building activities. And we've done you know, with the coding, but including the arts and other things into it. So I love STEM. I'm just trying to find how to let me know I have great ideas and big thoughts, but I need to crunch it down and put it into a lesson plan and into a format of curriculum that I can follow.


Naomi Meredith  04:25

Mm hmm. That makes sense when I feel like that's so common to when you have like there's so many cool ideas out there and so many different cool things to try and then you want to do all of them and then it gets super overwhelming. And then you think okay, what grade levels should I be doing this with? Do I have the supplies? So that's super, super common.


DeLisa S.  04:50

See in my background if I turn, I have stuff that I've purchased trying to do STEM activities like okay, my whole back room is gonna be so filled with educational stuff.


Naomi Meredith  05:04

Outside of mine, look at my floor. Like cleaning it out. I have a lot more stuff under my desk, but you can't see it.


DeLisa S.  05:13

I'm just sneak over here. So you can kind of see, this is my corner of just collecting of stuff. And it's like I know that too.


Naomi Meredith  05:22

So tell me more about your program. So you said it's after school? Like, is it every day? How long? Do you have the kids? Is it something that they paid for? How does that work?


DeLisa S.  05:31

Yes, I'm there Monday through Friday, from three to 630. Okay, but it's three to 630. And I do K through fifth grade on those each day. So I have with the school year, which is kind of crazy. I actually get them for an hour for each level. So say for instance, yesterday, I had K through first grade. Great. So I'll get them. I had them yesterday, and today I have third grade. So with my third through fifth grade, which today I have third, tomorrow, I have fourth and fifth. I can do different things with them. But I Kindergarten first is kind of where okay, I don't want to overwhelm them or no one's cost, compared to what my third through fifth. So the summer coming along. I'll have each group for two hours. Okay, so starting on the seventh, I'll start with third grade, I believe. Now have them for two hours. So then,


Naomi Meredith  06:39

okay, so then it's like third grade for two hours, fourth grade for two hours. Fifth grade. And then is it still okay, one combined for two hours?


DeLisa S.  06:47

Yes. I have them. Come on. Yeah. Oh, wow. hours during the summer, and then back when school starts back, then we're back at our 45 minutes. Okay, stuff that's going on at same time?


Naomi Meredith  07:02

Do you have it all like mapped out of when you see kids like how much time you have per grade level for the summer? And then the year? Do you have like a whole map out plan of that idea?


DeLisa S.  07:15

What happens is I can map it out. But if they have other educational programs coming in, it'll throw everything off. So same day that I will have, for instance, yesterday, k one, Well, then a 330 to 430. They have Spanish. So that takes away from my actual coding lesson, because we also have to allow them to get the educational lessons in as Well. A homework help and assistance. So down to 30 minutes. So I usually have it all mapped out. But things change. So what that means it can be the same thing for the summer. So mapping out for me saying the summer I can say okay, yeah, I haven't two hours. I haven't from one o'clock to four o'clock. But then they may have a Spanish session coming in. everything off.


Naomi Meredith  08:05

Yeah, that makes sense. I guess having it would be helpful if you just a rough plan. And then we could always adjust what you have based on because that will help knowing how much roughly how much time you have. Because then you can always plan out for a little bit more. And then if you just have to repeat it the next week or do something similar or okay, we're going to do this part of this lesson. And then we're going to do the next part next week. So then maybe it's not even new every single time. It's like extending what they're working on. Do the kids leave in the middle of that time? Or are they are they like so they go home? Okay, yeah.


DeLisa S.  08:47

And so now say for instance, today, I have third grade. So I'll come in after their Spanish lesson, which is four o'clock, but then at 415 430 that you're ready to break for dinner. Okay. Now during dinner time, I'm starting to lose my keys because I'm so I'll have to start a lesson. And then come back, like I said the following week and try my best to get in as much as I can. And then the following week, try to finish up as much as I can. Yeah. So there because we started doing the Legos, not spike, but the other essential. Oh, yeah. So I have maybe three or four that's able to build out robots, but then the other half they miss out because they don't get the bill. So then then three or four get to come in and code the robot, but then my other group is missing out.


Naomi Meredith  09:37

Yeah. Okay. So that yeah, so that'll definitely be something when we're thinking about the lessons because I feel like you obviously have the materials and the ideas but thinking about the structure for that and how that'll work because kids are leaving in and out. You have the different grade levels. So that is nice too though. You have combined grade levels. So that's really going to help with your planning and Do you plan things thematically? Or do you just feel like you're just throwing ideas out there? Like maybe third graders doing Legos, fourth graders doing robotics? And then or do you kind of do the same theme? So if you're doing Legos, everyone's doing Legos? Or do you structure it,


DeLisa S.  10:16

I do it differently per grade level. So like my fourth or fifth headache, haven't even started Legos. And so third grade has been my only group that's done Legos. My second grade group has done Scratch Jr. on the group has done Scratch Jr. I did introduce it to k one, but no slow down with that, because we're leaving. And so they have the big bots. So they're doing the robots. Yeah, that was kinda then what the fourth and fifth, we're doing scratch, okay, I want to at least Oh, if I do this structure, I want to do it as a theme. And then it'd be much easier and to say, okay, I can introduce this. And then if we don't get to a certain part, then I can continue on like I've been trying to do,


Naomi Meredith  11:00

I think it definitely can do that. That's how I structure my year. So I was I started off like with you, where I was just kind of throwing things out there and just trying it out. Because I mean, I don't even know sometimes like, Well, I don't even know what this does. I think that'll help too, especially when you're teaching it and let's say a kid leaves, I don't know if they can jump in on your other sessions, like, oh, there's two kids left, they can, okay, so they don't do that. But that'll help to with your materials. Because if you're in the mindset of coding, then that's going to help you think about the differentiation with all of those levels. And we can even talk more about resources. Like when we're actually working through the summer, this is really good. I like Starbucks, I have a lot of ideas for you. But we can really think about that thematic planning. So you could have a coding unit, and then you can have a separate robotics unit, and then a LEGO unit. Now, if you don't have enough supplies, we can mix up who does Legos. Because I know that's really hard to because getting something for K through five for everybody is expensive. So maybe everybody but third grade is doing coding at that time or something like that. So we can definitely map that out. And then that way, when you're prepping your materials, you're like, Okay, we're doing coding right now. Perfect. You even have a lot of similar anchor charts, a lot of vocabulary. So that's going to help you and I'm really glad actually your k one is combined that that won't be too hard.


DeLisa S.  12:33

It's so much easier.


Naomi Meredith  12:36

I'm sorry, go ahead. Do you do a whole group lessons with k one? Or do you do STEM stations whole group,


DeLisa S.  12:45

Actually, and I loved your workshop on doing the STEM stations because I actually did STEM stations on Friday. Oh, they're fun Fridays. Usually I try. If I don't get to do coding on Tuesdays with k one, then I'll do it on Fridays, where they have fun Friday. And so this past Friday, we did STEM stations where I did the playdough I did a coating. I did a little art station where they could color. And then what else did I add for Legos? We did LEGO challenges. Yeah, they helped me out so much with k one group. And so I definitely would like to incorporate them in where I work with one group, maybe with coding and then next time if I don't get to them, I can come back and do another group.


Naomi Meredith  13:30

Awesome. I love it. I'm so glad that worked for you. And even at this time a year. I know. I know. They're crazy. I just did sensations with k one and they're fine.


DeLisa S.  13:39

Yeah, yeah, it worked out great. I mean, we're fun Fridays for them. We put on a movie, we had the STEM station. So you're more in tune with the STEM station than they were with the movie.


Naomi Meredith  13:50

Yeah. Oh, that's good. Movie.


DeLisa S.  13:53

Yeah, go for it. 


Naomi Meredith  13:54

Yeah, You don't need the movie, I think it'd be fine. And then that I like what you said to having a station where it could be even you like a station with you. I'm wondering too, I have done this. And we're just thinking about the structure of how your kids are, and how they rotate in and out throughout the day and your program. I have actually done STEM stations with my older kids before. And it works really Well. We can think about what those are just thinking about what work will work best for you. Your kids are in school all day, and then they're coming to you and so they have a whole lot of whole group instruction. And it really depends on the teacher from what I've seen. It's actually not as common to do stations with older kids and even I with me, but it can it's it still can be done. And I feel like just because they're not finishing things or they might not have enough time or they're leaving. I actually think stations would work Well for your older students. And that way You're not planning as much, because you could still do two a day with your older kids, they will be at the station for longer. But then that way you okay? Okay, we have four stations in this unit. Let's say we're doing coding. We have four coding stations, you're gonna do two this week and then two next week, and then you're not planning week to week anymore. That way, you're like, oh, my gosh, I have to do another unit again. Because you said you see each grade level once a week. Okay, so that, that'll help too. Yeah. So if you did STEM stations, just thinking, I wouldn't suggest it this for like a classroom STEM teacher, but for your program, I think that will help just with the rotation of kids. So then you don't like if a parent has to talk to you, you're like, Okay, I have to stop my instruction and go talk to them. And that's going to free you up to especially, you know, they're squirrely at the end of the day. So then excited yeah, and they love it. And they love what they're doing with you. I'm sure they love it. But I think that'll help with behaviors. Also, because they're tired. They do want to do your stations, and your activities, but that's gonna break them up as Well. So it's just more focused on the activity. And then let's say, Oh, I didn't do this station last time, you could just split them into that station. And then maybe even the third and third and fourth week could be pick your favorite. And so maybe for your older I want to do this for the little kids. But I would have for the older kids, okay, so we did stations these past two weeks, maybe this last week, this third and fourth week, you get to pick your favorite. So then you could have, we could create like a choice board, where they pick their top two, and maybe they spend the whole day doing one station, and then the next week doing another station, um, just because they're older, they'll be able to handle that. With the little kids. I don't know, you could do the same stations again, to be honest. So then that would take up a whole month. So if you have, let's say k one, you do STEM stations, which was really good. How many did you get through with them?


DeLisa S.  17:08

I try to break them up and do a timer. So I allow them to get opportunity to get to touch it. So I put every 10 minutes. Okay. I give them 10 minutes per station, and then they rotate out. Yep. So keep them going. Yeah. So every last one, I'm here because I didn't have that many kids because of course at the end of the year, they have comments. So every 10 minutes at least allowing their time so no, because now we're into 730 to 530. We'll have them all day.


Naomi Meredith  17:39

Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So I think for Okay, for the school year, it says, since you haven't a while with them, k one, you could do four, or however many board is six stations. I would maybe do four. But would you add five? I'd be at five. Yeah, five works. So keep the five because probably with your numbers too. And then I that obviously worked with your time so I would keep that and then you could do the same stations the next week. You don't have to switch it every time. 10 minutes is not very long. And when I've doubled stations so sometimes the week I will actually do the same stations again and the kids are loving it they actually are excited to do it again. So don't feel bad that you repeat things they probably want to go back to it.


DeLisa S.  18:31

They did they actually went I brought it they were they were all excited because they are the class is set up they're actually already set up in kind of low stations anyway. Yeah. So helped me to be able to build their stations so they could rotate. So now this summer when new things come in, I don't know how their classrooms gonna look because it's yeah, I'm trying. But yeah, it they loved it. They love it every time.


Naomi Meredith  18:58

During the summer months, it can sometimes be a challenge thinking of activities to keep your students and your own children engaged in learning activities. Especially on a day when you have an afternoon rain shower, it can feel like your kids are bouncing off the walls. Well, let's put those walls to good use. Let learning meet play time with the brightest glow in the dark stickers and all the land with glow play. Also, these aren't your average glow in the dark stickers that you had on your bedroom ceiling as a kid that would fall off and hit your face while you're sleeping. You know what I'm talking about? I recently received the sea animals that from Globe Life. I've mentioned many times here on the podcast that when I traveled with my teacher, honey, we frequent the local zoos and museums. So this sea animals set was a no brainer for me. My favorite were the sea turtles in this set. There was an adult and two babies so cute. If I were using these in the classroom, I would playing out in ocean theme week, where in each of the STEM stations, students could learn more about the topic. These glow plays stickers would be a great STEM station, where students could create a riddle about the traits they see on the animals and have others in the group guess which animal they're talking about. For example, they could say, I spy a living thing with two flippers and no dorsal fin. The other kids in the group can guess which glow play sticker they're talking about and say, Blue Whale. This is a great connection to the NGSS first grade life science standards. These glow in the dark stickers can be used anywhere, they glow a 70 times brighter than others on the market you might have used. Another great benefit to these stickers is that they can stick to any surface be peeled off and reapplied without any sticky residue. Your house will thank you and so will the custodians at your school so you're not ruining any walls. Talk about on limited fun. Adding in the glow play stickers to your classroom materials and make an easy STEM station that would take minimal prep, but encouraged tons of engagement. You can grab this glow play see animals sets and other themes by visiting their website at let's glow play.com. That's LEGO. L e t s glow G lo play PLA y.com. Let's slow play.com. Yeah, and they're good at it.


DeLisa S.  21:36

Yeah. And I just did the same ones that I did the very first time you watched a workshop the same one.


Naomi Meredith  21:42

Oh, good.


DeLisa S.  21:43

They were excited about it.


Naomi Meredith  21:45

Yeah, I'm so glad I'm so happy to hear.


DeLisa S.  21:51

I'm just like, hey, this is an easy day.


Naomi Meredith  21:55

I know. I know. It feels so easy. But they're not bored. They're super engaged.


DeLisa S.  22:00

No, no. And even with those rotating and after once they go all around. Everybody had that one opportunity. They never like what I want to go from this stage. Can I go to this station? Where can I go to that station? And they spend their time wherever they want? Oh, yeah. So yes, it helped me out a whole lot. Yay. I'm


Naomi Meredith  22:17

so glad. Oh my gosh. Yeah, keep doing it. Because the kids are good at stations. And I think they're kind of fun to plan because they're not super high intense materials. Especially. Are you setting up so many different things? That way? Yeah. So for Okay, so I'm right, I'm typing notes when I'm talking to you. So thinking about your structure, k one, same five stations for two weeks, this would be like your school year, and then we could change it up for the summer. The summer too. We Okay, I have an idea for your summer. And then for second through fifth, I think you could do four stations. And they do two sets stations a day. And then you would have the same four stations for two weeks. So then you're not planning week to week, you, they would have to do the other two, so and if they leave, they leave and then you would just maybe the last two weeks of the month, then they could have a choice and pick their like, top two favorite. And you could even have them do like one whole station that whole time. Okay, so then they could so kind of like for your older kids, your first two weeks, you're exposing them to the materials like hey, this is like good when you have like introductory things like oh, we're doing these robots. Here are the basics of this robot. Here's how it works. So the station's are done. It's like introduction. And then for the last two weeks, you're like, Okay, the next two weeks, you're gonna pick your favorite. And you're gonna really dive in and have a harder challenge with this. So then they get to spend that time really diving into it, you're like, Okay, awesome. Now next week, you get to pick your second favorite, and really dive in deeper. And that's going to help again with your materials so that you don't have to have something for everybody. So then if it's not their favorite that first week, they can pick for the next week. And again, that's going to free you have to because then you're probably just troubleshooting. But then they have they're in independent with their longer station. So like yeah, like I said, the older kids do still do fine with stations, but they have more stamina. So you don't need to switch it up. Like every 10 minutes for the little kids that I think keep doing what you did with the little kids because that's totally good. You saw how good they were. But the kids like want more time they actually want to try more so. So they could do one station the whole time. And then I guess I mean, that's okay if they don't get to everything because not every kid is going to like everything that you do. Like I have kids. Yeah, you know, you've seen that.


DeLisa S.  24:54

Yeah, especially with the group


Naomi Meredith  25:00

Have you like, it's okay. And then summer, you said you had each group for two hours. Um, so we can still do the themes. I think it'd be fun to like for your themes, because you're just kind of like a camp, right?


DeLisa S.  25:13

Yes, yes. Yeah, we'll have them I think for nine weeks, eight to nine weeks, I want to say, okay, so yeah, we'll have all summer long, basically.


Naomi Meredith  25:24

Okay. That'd be cool if we could, and you might even have ideas. Like for having a like fun themes for the summer. Like you could have like a camping theme. And then all I do this, I have a sense survival camp unit that I do K through five. And so each challenge it's based off of the show alone. Have you seen that show?


DeLisa S.  25:44

I have not. I'm gonna have to check it out.


Naomi Meredith  25:46

It's for adults don't show it to the kids. Oh, it's for adults. I mean, the fifth graders are watching Indonesia at school, but they're like stranded alone. And then they have to, like survive on the land by themselves. Yeah, so all the challenges are based off of the show, so that you could do something like that, like a camping theme. We could do like a space theme. Um, what else is a good one for summer? Like outside activities? Sign like sun and shade for the little kids face. And that could be of her part of space. But what else?


DeLisa S.  26:21

We did do animals. Yes. Trying to think what else did I I'm trying to remember some of the things that I did do last year for them. We did so camping space outdoors. I even thought about even even though this is even a technology thing. So yeah, owning in their studio.


Naomi Meredith  26:44

Do you guys ever bring in guest speakers? Is that something you can do? Are you allowed to do that?


DeLisa S.  26:49

Yes, yes. I think last week we're bringing in actual, we have a place called Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub winning activity. So they have a mobile unit Makerspace where they'll come in and let the kids designed like shirts or watercolor paintings. Not watercolor book chemistry. What else they get to do ceramics, they do different kinds of things that they can take back with them to take home that they can make. So they had like a mobile Makerspace form.


Naomi Meredith  27:20

Oh, that is so cool.


DeLisa S.  27:24

Oh, yes, we have them coming in. And then I wanted to do a Makerspace with them as Well. So I thought about maybe a Makerspace thing.


Naomi Meredith  27:33

Oh, yeah, do it. Yeah, Makerspace thing would be really good. And you could do even for the little kids based off those stories. I've done that as a club. So you read the story, and then have a challenge.


DeLisa S.  27:43

Makerspace story have put something like that for their their age group. K through two anyway.


Naomi Meredith  27:50

Yeah. That'd be really fun. Oh, I'm so excited to plan with you. I love planning. It's so fun.


DeLisa S.  27:59

Still learning it because it's like just trying to get all of these ideas and just condense it down. It's


Naomi Meredith  28:05

hard. Yes, I know and don't and like I said, Don't feel like you have to do something new every single day with the kids. Okay, I always thought I had to, but honestly, sometimes the kids will get frustrated because they can't go deeper into topics. And so then then they don't feel successful because oh, I have to learn something new again, like sometimes they're okay with having things be very predictable, in a sense, where Oh, I get to try this even more. I never feel bad about that. And actually, their behaviors went down because they're not frustrated. Oh, I have to learn something new again. Oh, my gosh, oh, now it's about something else. So even if it's the same robots all week, but then you change out the content, then they're feeling successful with the robot, but then you're changing out the content, so then it's not as overwhelming for them, because then they can get better at the robot. So it doesn't have to be a new new brand new thing every day. Like you want to have a little bit of fun. Yeah, maybe it's not a little bit. It's a lot of fun. But, um, so don't feel like yeah, you have to change it up every single time. Because that's gonna make you feel so stressed out.


DeLisa S.  29:17

That's where I'm getting because I feel like I have to change it out. Because I don't want them to get bored. And I'm thinking, Oh, maybe they're gonna get bored doing this. Now. I kind of was like, Okay, I'm getting overwhelmed with my, you know, trying to bring.


Naomi Meredith  29:29

Yeah, and those systems and routines, once you have a whole structure that will work best for you. That's also going to help with the behavior. When I have kids come into my room, I like have the same thing that you come sit on the floor. I'm going to teach you for like eight minutes. If that six to eight minutes, then we're going to have our work time and then we're going to clean up and then talk about it and then I also go through the Engineering Design Process which I feel like for yours, you can still have elements of that. But also you have you have a little More flexibility because you know, you're not in the classroom classroom, but you but you are, you have a really important role. So just having that same structure is really going to help you just how to plan your lessons have that familiarity, and then the content will change. And then also, in turn, all your planning is going to be easier, because you're gonna know what to expect. And every, like, you just kind of have an idea of how things are gonna flow and it won't feel so random.


DeLisa S.  30:26

Now I do have an opportunity, and I'll probably sit more likely paying something out and send it to you because I know we are coming close to our time.


Naomi Meredith  30:35

Oh, no worries. No, you're fine.


DeLisa S.  30:39

I have opportunities where I'm actually traveling further south to do some workshops with another group. So I'll still be doing the K-2 five group, but I will be spending a whole day with each group.


Naomi Meredith  30:53

Oh, cool.


DeLisa S.  30:55

That I'm kind of stuck on there too. Because not just I have to plan for this. But I'm also having to plan at the end of June to do a whole workshop for each day for each grade level. Ah, helped me out so so much. So, ah,


Naomi Meredith  31:11

Well, this lesson, I think you'll feel successful because this planning will help you. You can just teach him what you're planning. Yes, yes. Yeah. So we can definitely work on that. Because, yeah, actually, it'll all line up. You don't need to create something, you know, you just you test it with your kids. And then okay, then that's my workshop. Okay, I tested this. That's my workshop. So that actually, you'll have really good evidence of what worked Well. And what didn't it? Okay, cool. Yeah. So then you don't have to double Yeah, really try to repurpose this? Yeah. So then that's gonna save you time, because you're already planning it anyway. Now you're just gonna present about it and how it worked out?


DeLisa S.  31:49

I work. Now I have, what do you say? Is your your standard activities? How do you go about if you want it to the sense to see how Well they're doing? Or if it's something that okay, I can bring back or something I need to take away or just to see if it's helping them out in any other areas? Do you do anything like that?


Naomi Meredith  32:09

So I do more informal things. So there's a couple of things. So first, obviously, my observations, noticing, really, is this over there level, like how our certain kids able to fit? Are they even able to finish the project? That's a huge thing. Sometimes if they can't, is it because of the week? Did we have less time? Is it too hard? So maybe they had plenty of time, but they still didn't finish? So that will help let me know, oh, this was probably too hard to slash I might not have been clear enough in my directions. Also, like if I were to give a grade, I really would think about, like, for that individual? Are they able to really address the standard? So if I'm planning the standards, are you actually understanding what the standard is talking about, from that perspective? But then also thinking about the process? Are you like it? Let's say they're doing a stop motion animation? Are you doing a lot of pictures? Are you understanding how to actually use the tool, though, kinda, it is trial and error. And also based on the class, but really, it's kind of like that process versus the product. I mean, I could use a rubric if I had to, but really more. So that observation, also their behavior, too. If they're messing around too much, maybe it's too easy. And if they're really rushing, maybe the projects too easy. I've had that a couple times, not too often, that's actually not as common as too hard. If it's too hard, I will either maybe think about is this tool better for a different grade. Or maybe the tool is right, I just didn't teach it Well enough. Like something you know, like when you are using, especially the technology tools, how many steps it is to actually get into the tool. So sometimes I, I haven't done a good job, I have to go back and like really pre teach, okay, here's how you actually connect your robot to this platform. So sometimes it'll be okay, I'm going to show you how to do that, then go do it. And then come back, I'm going to show you how to use it in your project. So like it for your older kids, or even your younger kids too. You might have to show them Okay, for this station. Here's how you do this, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and then get started. So for me, it's more observational, and based on their experience, too, because if they don't have a lot of experience, you might have to do a little bit easier to get them familiar and confident. And then okay, now you have experienced now we can get more into this, so that's okay, too. Gotcha. Yeah. Okay. So hopefully that helps.


DeLisa S.  34:48

It does. It helps me out on a toes stance to see how Well they're actually catching on to it. So I think observation would definitely because I can observe him and sit there and look at him and kind of tell him or I've had some, like set a catch on real quick. Trying to figure okay, what can I do? Yeah,


Naomi Meredith  35:06

yeah. So for those kids, once you to get familiar with the tools, then you can kind of jot some notes down of ways they can improve. So for maybe the project is fine. And there are those kids who rushed through it. But you could even create like a modification checklist that could be there how to make it even better. So it's not making the project, I guess, harder, it's like going deeper in it. So let's say you're doing a Makerspace project, a Rube Goldberg machine where like it has that chain reaction? Or like, Okay, you did it? Could you add something that swings? That would be hard to actually how, where do you attach it? Where does it swing? Can you add something that rolls and then hit something else? So having multi step things? So really helping push those kids, you could have a modification checklist and just get from you observing? What are things like most kids doing? And even the kids who are improving? Or like, what are the things you are improving? So then again, you don't have to necessarily change out the project, you're just giving ways for them to go deeper in that content. Because that's true. It's like reading, writing math, for kids who are getting it quickly. Oh, it doesn't mean you necessarily have to skip grade levels, you just need to go deeper in the content, and think, and even higher levels of learning. So it's the same thing, the STEM to.


DeLisa S.  36:22

Definitely will try that.


Naomi Meredith  36:25

Yeah, bring all those sticky notes. Yeah, like bring your notebook, I do that I will write down notes all the time, when I'm watching kids, and you'll get some random inspiration. Or maybe you're driving your car, like oh, my gosh, I have to do this and then write it down. And done that. You too. And so I think for so we'll meet, I think it's I have it scheduled for next week for the kickoff call. So I'll talk about in our kickoff call, like how we're going to do like a lesson audit. So just take a look at I have a whole template for you. Looking at the lessons you have so far, or maybe ones you're hoping to do. And then also have a template that you'll use to like really map out the materials that you have. So having those you don't need to have a year long plan yet we'll get to that. But really thinking about with those templates, and I'll take a look at them to kind of get an idea of what we're working with, and what you want to do. So we'll talk about that in our meeting, I think for before then, if you did have UI, if you did have a rough sketch of how often you see kids, even if it does change, that's gonna help with knowing, like this doesn't have to be like your year long plan, but just kind of knowing the timeframe, you see kids that's going to help knowing how many different units that you'll have to plan out. So then that will I think really helped bring the overwhelm down, because then you're like, Okay, these are the timeframes I have to work with. So then we can think about like those bigger themes, like, here's this chunk of time, here's this chunk of time, here's what you can do throughout the year. Even if I mean, that happens to as a classroom teacher, like you have school events, like I have that too, I have my year long plan. But sometimes I have to take out something in that unit, because we have Assembly that day, or that grade levels on a field trip. So that's pretty normal. But if you are able to map out your kind of rough estimate of when you're going to see kids and how often for each grade level, that's going to help. And then once you have that spreadsheet on Google, I think it like this spreadsheet, it'll like has all these drop down menus that you can plug stuff in, and then all the materials and then we'll merge that together and then create your start working on that year long plan. And then at the very end of the whole weeks we have then we'll even talk about like even more about materials and things like you might want to purchase in the future different ways to do that even we can work on some grant writing, too. So yeah. Do you have any other questions for me, I hope this was helpful for you.


DeLisa S.  39:05

Very helpful. I am very excited. I cannot wait. I couldn't wait yesterday, I was like, fine, it gives me a stamp project. So yes, this is so helpful. And I appreciate it.


Naomi Meredith  39:19

You're so welcome. I'm so excited to work with you this summer. And like I said, I love love, love lesson planning. And like this is like a big puzzle. So like using your ideas and every like things that you want to work with and what you're comfortable with and the supplies that you have, I think we're really going to be able to create something that will be definitely unique for your situation and something that you can keep modifying over the years and when new materials come in and out. Or your kids get better at stuff it'll be easy to change things out because it's like something you have that structure but then all the ideas will like fit in they have all the little little places for your stuff.


DeLisa S.  40:00

Yay, I'm so excited. 


Naomi Meredith  40:02

Yay, good. Well, I will actually see you next week. I think I put in your platform, the zoom, link, if not, I'll put it in there. And then we'll meet live. And then you'll have that to work on in June. And then we'll have live calls every week. And you'll have audio access to me for the rest of the summer. So if things pop up like you have me in your back pocket,


DeLisa S.  40:27

And I was going to ask if I had to miss a meeting, and I think you just answered it. What do I be able to go back and replay it or? Yeah,


Naomi Meredith  40:35

yeah, yeah, you'll be able to replay it. And then I'll also have some of the video replay. And then I also take out the audio and make it like a podcast. I don't edit it. I just use the audio so that way you can listen on the go as Well. Yeah, so you'll have the replay options and all that.


DeLisa S.  40:53

Oh, I'm excited. Yeah, me too.


Naomi Meredith  40:56

Well, thank you so much for your time, and I'm excited to be working with you.


DeLisa S.  41:01

I'm glad I decided to work with you as well. 


Naomi Meredith  41:05

Yay! Me too. I will talk to you soon. Thank you. Oh, Well, quick question. Did you get your present in the mail?


DeLisa S.  41:13

I did get it. I have my pen but I forgot my notebook.


Naomi Meredith  41:18

I made myself one too.


DeLisa S.  41:22

I was looking for it and left it on the table. Grab some real quick. Oh, yeah. I have my pen and I appreciate it. My son took my STEM sticker. He's like, Oh, mom is my sticker now. It's like, hey, you know what? All right. I let you have it. Go ahead.


Naomi Meredith  41:36

I'll send you another one.


DeLisa S.  41:39

So yes.


Naomi Meredith  41:41

I'm truly glad you got it. Well, thank you and I'll talk to you later. I'll see you next week. Okay, thank you. You're welcome. Bye. I am so excited to work with DeLisa this summer. She already has a great start for her program and there is so much room for creativity and fun lessons that Deleasa and her students will enjoy. If you're interested in having a one to one coaching call like this one and support throughout the summer to build up your program. Join us. There are only a few spots left at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer.

STEM coaching session

 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

 

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

 

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

real-world STEM experiences for kids

Real-World STEM Experiences for Kids with Georgia Littleton [ep.92]

by Naomi Meredith

Real-World STEM Experiences for Kids with Georgia Littleton [ep.92]

real-world STEM experiences for kids

Check out the full episode on Real-World Experiences for Kids with Georgia Littleton:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Have a STEM question? Leave a voice message for the podcast!

Episode Summary

Creating real-world STEM experiences for kids can be challenging at times for STEM teachers. How can we bring real-world STEM experiences to our classrooms? In today’s episode, I chat with Georgia Littleton about how she has created real-world STEM experiences for her students. This was such an amazing conversation that we ended up chatting for over an hour. This episode is just a few clips from our conversation, but you can listen to the full episode on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@naomimeredith_

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How Georgia creates real-world STEM experiences for her kids
  • Georgia’s experience with incorporating STEM world experiences into her classroom
  • Examples of the real-world STEM experiences Georgia has brought to her STEM classroom

Resources Mentioned:

Meet Georgia Littleton:

Hi Everyone, I'm Georgia Littleton and currently the Gifted and Talented and STEM teacher/coordinator for K-6 at Booneville Elementary School. This is my 3rd year as the GT & STEM Teacher, and my 12th year teaching. My first year, I taught Kindergarten, then I moved to 3rd grade for 4 years. Next, I spent 1 year in 4th grade before I moved to 6th grade science for 3 years. I have a Masters in Gifted, Talented, and Creative and also a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction. So, yes, I considered myself a life-long learner. I am blessed to get to work with all student K-2, and then identified GT students in 3rd-6th grade. I considered my classroom organized chaos because we usually have so many projects going on. My goal is to encourage students to never give up. Failing is part of learning and I try to teach students how to overcome and persevere when they do not succeed the first time.

Connect with Georgia:

  • Email: georgia.littleton@boonevilleschools.com
  • Facebook

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

In today's episode, I am interviewing an amazing educator who is so passionate about what she does Georgia Littleton. I first met Georgia when she attended my first ever virtual workshop, the K through two STEM planning workshop, which you can actually still jump in on, it was all recorded. So once you jump in, you get access to the whole thing, you can grab that at Naomi meredith.com/primary workshop, but I met Georgia, and she was just so much fun to have during the live workshop. And she asked great questions and also contributed some really awesome ideas. So after the workshop, we ended up chatting some more. And I could just tell that, again, super passionate about what she does. And I asked her if she would be on the podcast. And she said, Yes. So she was telling me about this whole real life experience that she brought to her kids, where she brought Antarctica to them to her small town where they don't even have snow. So you're gonna hear a clip of our hour and a half long interview, that was super inspiring, and just so much fun. It didn't even feel that long when I was talking to her. So this is part of the interview, where she's going to be talking about this whole Antarctica experience that she brought to her kids. So you'll see here that I'm asking her about something. But this is where you're really going to get some awesome impact. However, I didn't want you to miss out on this whole experience. So you can actually check out the full episode over on my YouTube channel. Just search up Naomi Meredith. And I have the full of bonus content, the full interview over on there that you can listen to the audio of because it was just so much fun. And again, she has some great stories and just so many things that I know that have inspired her, and also some other cool real life experiences that she has brought to her students. Georgia little tin is currently the gifted and talented and STEM teacher coordinator for K through six at Boonville Elementary School. This is her third year as the GT STEM teacher and her 12th year teaching. She has a wide variety of teaching many grade levels in the elementary space, including sixth grade science. She has two masters want to get in gifted, talented and creative, and also one in curriculum and instruction. Georgia considers herself a lifelong learner and feels blessed that she gets to work with all the students in K through two. And also all the identify GT students in third through sixth grade, Georgia considers her classroom organized chaos, because they usually have so many projects going on. Her goal is to encourage her students to never give up and understand that failing is part of learning. And she tries to teach them to overcome and persevere when they don't succeed the first time. So again, you're definitely going to hear the passion in her voice and just her love for education and for learning. And I hope that you enjoy this clip from our time together. But again, also check out the full length episode over on my Youtube. 


Georgia Littleton  03:53

I mean, all kinds of like, I bought her some leather off of Amazon because you know, how the leather earrings were style, you know, and she would have kids that would help her sometime design and some of the advertisement for and yeah, he was really, I mean, we discounted a lot of anything, anything that kids can do, you know, you


Naomi Meredith  04:15

do a lot of like, you do a really good job. Because like, this is what we're gonna get into anyway. But you did a really good job of bringing like real world experiences to your kids that are authentic. And I know that you're really passionate about it. You've told me that before but like your voice that you're passionate about it, like even yourself, like you're you as a learner, you like the world real world experiences, and then you know how impactful that is for you as a teacher, and then you're bringing that to your classroom, which I know you're telling me about this whole Antarctica thing with some extra. So tell us more about that because you're like, really, this is a really cool thing that you're doing with your kids.


Georgia Littleton  04:55

Okay, so we were at a chess tournament and it was like November, I think, and my GT teacher sent me this email and opened it up. And it was like a long term research, you know? And I was like, Why in the world is this? And she said, Well, she said, I know. She said, we're, you know, a lot a lot. We like doing unique things and you like, you know, do strange things. She said, so, I thought you might be the person that would do this now. So yeah, okay. She's like, just go look it up and just get some more information. It's like, okay, so I looked at it, and I was like, I get to work with a live researcher in Antarctica. Now, first of all, I'm from Arkansas. I forgot to say them from little mini school. We're three high school, and which are in the middle of nowhere. Some of our kids don't even get out of the state much less. We'll see the ocean.


Naomi Meredith  05:52

Yeah. Oh, oh, right.


Georgia Littleton  05:55

Right. Yes, we are landlocked? Well, I'm embarrassed to say, but my kids were in the sixth grade and eighth grade. They just went to the beach for the first time this past summer. And if we had had relatives that lived in Florida that we could stay with, I probably still would not have ever had the beach experience. Yeah. But anyway. So this was a research opportunity through Rutgers University. And it was, the scientists are stationed at Palmer Research Station in the western peninsula of Antarctica. First of all, I had no idea how many research stations are in Antarctica, but he's never looked at it, you need to look at a map. I wish I didn't have numbers in front of me. But it's like almost all the way around Antarctica. They're like different countries have research stations. I didn't know that either. Yeah, it's a pretty interesting map just to look at. So anyway, so I was like, hey, the worst they can do is not accept me, you know, no matter what. So I filled up application and I sent it to my GT specialist. I was like, Hey, can read this and tell me what you think. She was like, Okay. And of course, I asked you, you know, why you want to do this. And I'm like, our kids are landlocked. And some of them don't ever get to even see the ocean. And I try to bring in as many real world things as I can. Because how many times is educators? Do we hear? Why do we have to learn that? Yes. I mean, I don't think there's a teacher. A lot of that is not heard that question. But if I and that's why I'm so big on real world. If I can relate what I'm teaching to something in the world world, that explains that question. I don't have to hear that.


Naomi Meredith  07:41

Mm hmm.


Georgia Littleton  07:42

I don't hear him very often in this position.


Naomi Meredith  07:45

That's really good, though. Because you're doing a good job. It is.


Georgia Littleton  07:49

Now we're all my kids interested in this? No, but I might even do it because they might not ever get to experience Antarctica again. So what it was, is these researchers, of course, they rotate through Palmer station, and they spend different amounts of time down there, but they go down there, the program that we got accepted into, was it Antarctica. So what it was, is they were working on the whole thing centers around climate change. But what we don't realize is what all climate change effects, you know, and especially the kids don't realize it, okay. So for example, the basic or start of the food chain in Antarctica is cruel. And of course, my kids are like, what's krill? Yeah. Like, what shrimp are, we know, what's your boss? Well, it's kind of like sharanam just just think of it as shrimp. And I said, but that's the basic food chain. So if the global warming warms up the water which is doing in Antarctica, then the krill it affects them, because they like a certain temperature. So if the level of or the depth of the ocean that they like for lightness, darkness, and all that technical stuff, but if it's not the temperature they want, then they're probably going to decrease in population. So that means the seals that depend on them. And then they pick ones that depend on them. And then the whales, everything's gonna have trouble. Yeah. Like another example of climate change is that the Adel penguins are the most Well known penguins in Antarctica that is so hard to say. Okay, so the Adel penguins are cold weather penguins. They love ice. So with the climate change has been going on the the past years, is that The OS is not getting as thick, and there's not as much. There are research scientists that have been going down to conversation since it first opened up, I think it's been roughly about 30 years. And they're like, we can tell you where the OS was, and how much is melted back onto land now wow. And like their big icebergs how much smaller they are. So I thought like, it was all frozen down there, like the ocean and everything was like frozen year round. Well, it's not. So I've learned a lot. But they have what they call new assets. It's what's frozen in the past year. So it's, it's like your, you know, your fresh, new Frozen, you know, water baths in the ocean. So the big vessels they use, they're an icebreaker. So it does not have to slow down to bust through that one year old OS. Whoa, yeah, if it's less than a year old, it can just go right through it at the steady speed as to slow down when it starts getting in thicker us. Mm hmm. So they take this big ass breaker, and they have this huge net on the back that they can draw. They can set it to wear at different depths, they can open up different nets. And so they can catch whatever is in the water at at different depths. And so then they bring those and they take all that to the research station. And so it's it's just, it's amazing what they you know what they do, but it all bases around climate change and how it's affecting everything. So because the Adel penguins, because they are cold weather penguins. They are actually dying out. Yeah. And they're predicting, like, within so many years, there's not gonna be any more adult England's Oh, no. Yeah. Yeah, that's how serious it's hard for us around here. I know, to really think that climate change is real, because it's hard for us to see any effects. But when you Google a map, and I did this, a Palmer station when we started working with them, of an aerial view, you know, 30 years ago of where the OS was, you know, the glide shears to what it looks like, now, I was like, Oh, my goodness, you know, it's a big deal. And so there's other types of penguins that that are coming in now, that are warmer weather penguins that don't have to have the OS. Yeah, just like the humpback whales. They are migrating down to Antarctica. Now, they used to never migrate down to Antarctica because it was too cold. So actually, that was one of the other programs that I could have got chosen for was to track Well, migrations. Hmm, that's cool. Yeah. And the research scientists will tell you, you know, we used to never see the humpback whales, because it was too cold for Yeah. And everything is changing. You know, there's, you know, there's, you know, birds that come down that never used to and it's just, it's a big difference. Okay, I was shocked when I saw a video of these guys working in Antarctica. Yeah. And they had on T shirts and no jacket. I'm like, it's supposed to be cold down there. They said, Yeah, this is their summer time. So they're the exact opposite of us. Okay, to where the Arctic, which is the North? Yeah, they are on the same season as the US is just the opposite.


Naomi Meredith  13:30

Okay. 


Georgia Littleton  13:32

So yeah, crater. Yeah. And that was one of the questions on our pretest that we had to take with him. And I'm retaining it. Yeah. But he was just amazing. But like, the teachers that got accepted. And the reason it was so amazing, is they only accepted three public school teachers for each of the three programs. So there was none of us. Now, because they are from records, which is based in New Jersey, they do a lot of work in New Jersey, which is such a small state. Yeah, sure. Doesn't take you 30 minutes drive all the way across it. But they work with a lot of four H clubs up there. And they do this program with them. So there was probably that many four H clubs that were also in with us. So what we were going to get to do is they were going to after they had been there while they went down right before Christmas, they actually got to celebrate Christmas down there in Antarctica this year and the new year so that was kind of neat. But they had thought that they would start getting lessons to us the middle of January and they asked us to do five lessons. And what it was it was going to be using a dichotomous key using for identification of the animals. So what they were going to do, they had some like last year's that we could go practice on and they have a picture what we were seeing it was a bird and then it had a curl in its mouth. And they asked us to you is basically the bird, dichotomous key to identify the bird. And then the zooplankton one to identify the zooplankton. And it's male. Yeah, so that will stuff and it's pictures that they have taken this year. Oh, wow. Yes. That was what was so neat is that? Yeah, it was like,


Naomi Meredith  15:26

How often do you talk to them? Like, how often do you guys meet? Is that live? Or is it pre recorded?


Georgia Littleton  15:33

That's it. Okay, that that that's the big deal. The big hoopla on this was that we were supposed to get to have a 30 minute Zoom meeting with our scientists. Yeah. And our kids could sand and 20 questions. So the three schools that were gonna partner and be there that same day, we all got to sit in 20 questions, and they were going to pick you know, 10 to 15 questions per school, then they were asked in that list back to us, so we would know. Yeah, he was really excited about this is so cool, you know. But anyway, it turns out that my live Zoom meeting was the same day, same time that I was receiving my award from the state oh, oh. Well, I didn't want my kids to miss out. So I asked one of our interventionist if she, which her son is in fifth grade, so he got to go through the program. So she was really excited because she saw practices all the time talking about Korea when it ran out, he's talking about so I asked her I said, if I have everything set up, and I will forward you all the emails, I said, Would you please go down there to my room? Or I said, Are we you can do it in your room, I sit and do the same, I say it's just gonna be a 30 minute zoom. So but that way, my kids still get to participate. So because what I had originally planned is I was gonna go down to our gifted and talented conference on Wednesday. Do that come home Wednesday, not come to school Thursday morning, do Masoom and then drop back to Little Rock and finish out our conference for Thursday afternoon Friday? No problem, no big deal. Then I get an email from the State Department that I wasn't at 56 award winner. Oh, so I was like,


Naomi Meredith  17:23

Oh, no.


Georgia Littleton  17:28

At the mic, okay. There is no way I am not going to accept my ward. You know, because this, this was a big deal for me. 56 award, I even I'll show you know, everybody on the podcast can't see. But


Naomi Meredith  17:45

I know a Willie, I want to edit the video. Eventually, they'll be able to say, Oh,


Georgia Littleton  17:49

Well, here. I will hold it still then maybe. 


Naomi Meredith  17:52

That's so awesome.


Georgia Littleton  17:54

anyway. So I 56 award is for the outstanding gifted program. Yay. Yeah. So what it is, is our Gifted and Talented program, you have the State Department has these minimum requirements that you have to do. Yeah, and there's like 10 categories, community involvement, curriculum PD, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, the activity six is what you do above and beyond the minimum requirement. And this is just my third year being the GT teacher.


Naomi Meredith  18:26

Ah, oh, yeah. Well, I'm not surprised. Like, you're like, look at all this stuff you're doing you're like, snapshot.


Georgia Littleton  18:36

But my GT specialist really encouraged me a lot. Actually, she encouraged everybody to not just me, but ever, but because this was she had somebody from her Co Op had won it for three years in a row. And she's one like, keep the momentum going. And so it was an intense application fill out. Because our gifted and talented Advocacy Council is the ones that read the application and select it and the names are eliminated. So they have no idea. But they have these questions, but you have to tell what the minimum requirement is. But then you have to tell what you're doing above and beyond. But the problem is, there's a character limit.


Naomi Meredith  19:21

And all this stuff.


Georgia Littleton  19:24

Make it short and sweet. So like what a narrative they tell you don't bulletin. I mean, they want you to talk, you know, and that's hard. It's hard for me as much stuff as I do. I hate bragging about myself. Oh, yeah, it was what I dreaded about this podcast and most is I don't know how to brag on myself. Oh,


Naomi Meredith  19:43

I did a great job explaining like I could tell you do a lot you just saw on this podcast, like look what I do, guys. There you go. If you need other evidence.


Georgia Littleton  19:57

I'll do that. Yeah, good idea. You're awesome. Okay, so anyway, so I filled this out. And it was, I mean, several pages long. So anyway, they said, you've won. And the amazing thing is, is it comes with a $3,000 cash award. Oh my god. So it went to my school district. So my district coordinator, she takes me and she's like, did you know you got this award? And it comes with a $3,000 monetary award? And I'm like, Yes, I did. And accepted it at our GT conference. She goes, Wow. And I'm like, No, I do get the money. Right. It doesn't go into general fund. Yeah, she goes, she goes, Well, I've got to contact the State Department. She said, whatever they said. And of course, they said it was designated for GT. So that's why I was so thankful for you, when we did the three, five works STEM workshop, and I was asking about the green screen and the stop motion and all that, because it's always nice when you know that somebody has first hand knowledge of the materials, and whether it works or not. And so that's why I asked for your list. Because, yes, this is a lot of money, but I don't want to just blow it total, and then go, why did I spend it on that? Yes. And even though it's for the GT program, I would like for as many kids at our school to benefit from it as possible. And one of the things and I think I've told you about this at our three five workshop, is that when I first took over this, my principal had even mentioned about us taking over morning announcements, as our principal does it every morning, you know, good morning. And I was kind of like, yeah, you know, I don't know anything about that. Yeah. So when you were talking about the green screen, and the stop motion, and your video production, I was like, Oh, my gosh, this would fit right in?


Naomi Meredith  22:01

I mean, you could totally do it. I


Georgia Littleton  22:02

believe it. Yeah. So my GT No, not me, the GT students see teach the kids to debt? Oh, totally. Yes. So they could get to where they could eventually do it. But then the whole school would actually benefit, you know, and then we might even be able to use that as a reward for like, the top IR reader or something kid come in and do the morning announcements with us, you know, and my kids could teach them how to do you know, just all the times looking for awards, you know, that are incentives that are internal that we, we don't have to buy? Yeah, so I'm thinking, Okay, that would be a really good one. Yes, we are celebrating Dr. Seuss week, this week instead of last week. So and I was thinking, you know, we can have kids come on and read a Dr. Seuss book, or, you know, anyone,


Naomi Meredith  22:54

just so many opportunities and like, real world, like we're talking about, like, my kids love it. I've done it. There's my second year. And the kids are funny, because they're funny with me, because they like, No, I have a YouTube channel. So they like, they listen to me, because like, Oh, she knows you're not that close. But okay, thank you. But anyway, I've been doing it and they love it. It's just super like, they are passionate about this stuff, because they love this is totally them like presenting on camera. And like peer to peer. So like, once you start doing it, you really see like, a whole like you said, you want all the kids involved like the little kids look up to the big kids who are on camera. T shirts are like, Oh my gosh, I can't wait to I'm on the news. Like the little kids are so excited. And then you can like you said have like them reading books and having them be more involved. Like we do like a joke of the day. So any kid can submit a joke. So it's just a really cool, like in house experience that can grow with time. But I know you like I think you'd be great at facilitating that. Because you're like, all about the real world stuff is totally up your alley.


Georgia Littleton  24:08

It's so funny, because we have so many kids that are bashful that don't want to get up in front of kids and speak but I think something like this, they would be just fine with it. Well, you know, nobody would get to see him. And you could cover up their little screen here on their computer and they'd never see themselves.


Naomi Meredith  24:25

Yeah, or they could edit that could be on the editing team. Switch. Like I had some kids who are on editing, you're like, I think I really want to be on camera. But I also had some kids like, I don't actually like be on camera, I really want to be on editing. So I've had some lab which is really good because they're both important. We actually editing team helps us a little more than if there's a teacher who's like scared to get started or like whether it's like getting experiences for their students or like doing something for themselves as professional development. Do you have any tips for them? Like what would you recommend? Like because you go I'm writing down all these lessons, but if someone who's like not at the same level as you are, like, could they start?


Georgia Littleton  25:07

Okay, definitely. The first thing is you have to be comfortable stepping, not comfortable, but you have to be willing, willing to better word, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone. And like, I guess for me growing up on the farm, I got dirty or walked in cow manure, you know, walked in mud, you know, anyway, so that's why it doesn't bother me getting dirty. But like, one place that you can start is like, we have a science museum and Little Rock. It's called Museum of Discovery. And they offer professional development workshops in the summer. And oh, my gosh, they are wonderful. And they are STEM based. Most teachers don't know about them. I have gotten to know the ladies down there. And it is just, it's amazing. But okay. They came up to our co op this year. Yes, I know, I'm getting off topic. But one of the activities she did with us for STEM, it was called needle felting. Ooh, cool. Now, I am not a knitter. I'm not a crochet er, I can't do cross art. I can't do anything like that. All this was is you get like a foam cushion. Yeah, like a square of like an eight by eight. And you get your piece of material you put on top of there. And there are like these needles that are like really skinny. I get them if you want me to. And you put this wool colored wool just on there. Like you're gonna take like a permanent marker before and try shadows on. Like, she told us to do something. Of course, I'm not the artsy crafty person, remember? So I drew a bubble ale. Oh, I was like go GA Yeah, drew in Iowa in a bubble letter. Yeah. But all you do is you take your needle and you just poke cool. And that's all you do. My kids went crazy about it. Like this is all you do is just didn't poke. Again, it's something that for some people, it's very relaxing. And some people thought it was so slow, it was boring. But like I bought a book that she recommended about how to make your straight lines how to make 3d. There are people out there that make like stuffed animals out of cool, and they look real weird. I mean, yes, it's just crazy. But that's what I would suggest is just start with a hands on workshop. Because, and no offense to people that have the workshops where they read the PowerPoints, but if you don't get in there yourself, and that's what I have found out, if you don't get in there yourself and do it yourself, it's hard to bring it back. But if you're at a workshop, like I can pull over in my teacher book right here and whip out our book that we made this summer, yeah. And, but if you do it yourself and you have something to take back, whether it's a water tower, or whatever. Another thing is your nature centers, they will offer some PD, whether they do it or somebody offers it up there. Any of your just any places like that, just contact them, you know, or, and a lot of them, they will come to your school. And you don't even have to do it yourself. If you're not comfortable with doing it yourself. Call your nature center and ask them to come and present something to your students. Like for example, your State Game and Fish Commission. Good ABA, I found out that ours even though the fish hatchery is on the other side of the state, when I was in sixth grade sites, I contacted them and we did a fish dissection for now I thought at first this was gonna be like you know the paper one and you know, ah, we would just you know, like the fold and and stuff. You know, it just be papers. Nope. They came wheeling in with an ice chest. Oh, cool. And the fish hatchery had cut the fish form the day before and put them on in an ASHA stone us. Whoa, look at that. They were like six to eight inches long. Oh, wow. Yes. We opened them up. And every two to three kids got a fish. And which they had all the utensils. Yes, they were using scalpels and stuff. And we had to have a lesson on that. And you know, it's pretty tense. But the kids loved it. You know who I'm sure I had a couple that turned gurney and had to leave the room. But, I mean, we got to do their insides and they went through what every organ was. They gotta say if it was a female, she had eggs. Then we got to take their eyeballs out and look at their eyeballs. And then we cracked their skulls open And I don't know if you fish very much, but probably about the size of your thumbnail. Yeah, is about how big a fish's brain is when there is 180, bitty tiny. I mean, that's the smartest whale? Oh, I'll put it like this. A lot of the kids when they were trying to dig into their skull and crack it open, they smashed the brains. Oh, no, but they're meant to do a little tiny thing. But I mean, just, even people like that, invite people into your classroom. And they will do it for you. And it will be free. For three years, I had them come up, you know, different people did it each year. But for three years, they came up and provided dead but real fish for my kids to dissect. Yeah, and it didn't cost me a thing. And these people, it was probably a, I'm gonna say a four hour drive for them. And they didn't mind a bit. And they, and they stayed all day, because then I had five classes. And we started out first thing in the morning. And they thought, Well, you know, they'll do one or two classes. And then that's it, you know, and I'll have to record it. No, they stayed the whole day. Just excited. All they asked was for a large trashcan, for it to be triple bagged, to provide paper towels


Naomi Meredith  31:21

perfect.


Georgia Littleton  31:23

And yeah, just but just anything that they can do to like I say it's too much for them to get the hands on, then invite people in that will do the hands on with the kids. And I guarantee you that the kids will love the class, love the experience. And it will be huge. Oh, just because the more you can get them up and doing stuff, the better. They like it because you know that no matter how much they love technology, they get tired of sitting still. Yeah, whether they have a screen in front of them or not. And they want to be moving around


Naomi Meredith  31:59

100% Yeah,


Georgia Littleton  32:01

stay with me and I will be accountable for all of them. But so yes, so that junior beta club sponsor is going to go ask the school? If so, yes, if we can go so that might be an adventure. So June, I'm gonna need some prayers for Jane because the first week in June is when I'm going to Gatlinburg for a week for the STEAM in the park. Yeah. And then towards the end of the month, if this works out, Oh, I'll be taking 12 junior high kids to Louisville, Kentucky.


Naomi Meredith  32:34

This summer.


Georgia Littleton  32:36

I'm gonna get my miles in.


Naomi Meredith  32:37

Be so busy.


Georgia Littleton  32:40

But I just thought, you know, these kids need to be able to experience that. That's what we want. We want them to see that reward. We want them you know, to be able to say, Hey, I got to go to Nationals. My seventh grade year in beta. Yeah. Yeah. And not everybody can do that.


Naomi Meredith  32:55

Oh, I'm you're the great breath. Best person? Oh. Well, I appreciate your time, so much. And I know teachers are gonna love hearing all your experiences, like I can see the passion, but you can hear it in your voice. And I wrote down everything that you said. So I will link. I always take notes and interviews. Because I know people will want all the all the links. Do you have a lot of all the cool things? Is there a way that teachers can connect with you if they have any questions and you want to chat?


Georgia Littleton  33:31

Yes. I don't know if people usually do email address. Yeah. But you are welcome to put my email address. It's just Georgia Dot Littleton at bumo schools.com. And then I'm on Facebook. It's Georgia Goldsmith Littleton. Not probably very many Georgia Littleton. But you'd be surprised how many people have the same name. Yeah. And then I have just recently and so like very recently, so there's like, probably nothing on there. But I'm trying. So I did set up a Twitter account. Perfect. And it Yeah, GeorgiaGTSTEM. So I still have to get somebody to explain Twitter to me and how it worked


Naomi Meredith  34:14

Me too.


Georgia Littleton  34:18

that I don't do Instagram. I just I can't get into that one. But sabia baby steps see I created the Twitter account. So but yes, but they can find me that they can email if anybody has any questions, they can email me and I will be happy to share anything. I'll visit with them. I'll call them I'll zoom them. But anything I can do to help people I just want to encourage everybody that defines your passion and teaching. And you know, we can do such a better job teaching if we have a passion. And sometimes it's hard. I was just asked that question what is your passion? And that was like, Oh, I don't know what my vision is. I


Naomi Meredith  35:02

just want to help kids. Real World Learning. I mean, I'm answering the question for you, you're really gonna like making connections to why learning is fine. And hands on, and it can apply to everybody. So I answered it for you.


Georgia Littleton  35:16

Yeah, Well, that's kind of what I ended up. Yes, but yeah, I have lots of resources. And I love doing if anybody has any crazy out of the box stuff that I can do like the Antarctica deal or the artifact exchange, just shoot them to me and I would love to do stuff. So


Naomi Meredith  35:35

Well, I appreciate I'm sure they will. I'm sure you got people reach out. And then by give me like an expert at Twitter after this, you'll have all the people chatting with you. But thank you so much for your time. And I love all your stories. And I know all the teachers are gonna love hearing them, too. So I appreciate you so much for doing this. Thank you so much again.


Georgia Littleton  35:56

Well, thank you for hosting the K-2 and the 3-5 STEM workshops so we could meet appreciate it very much.


Naomi Meredith  36:02

Of course, there's so much fun. I'm glad you got to come live. It was so much fun.


Georgia Littleton  36:07

It was I enjoyed it. So you never know what experience you're gonna get something out


Naomi Meredith  36:12

  1. Oh, absolutely. You're so right. You just have to try. Yes,


Georgia Littleton  36:17

that's right. Thank you so much. I know I talked a lot longer than what you


Naomi Meredith  36:23

You're awesome. All right.


Georgia Littleton  36:25

I appreciate it so much. Yeah.


Naomi Meredith  36:27

Thank you.

real-world STEM experiences for kids

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

back to school stem

3 Things You Can Do Now to Prep for Back to School STEM [ep.90]

by Naomi Meredith

3 Things You Can Do Now to Prep for Back to School STEM [ep.90]

back to school stem

Check out the full episode on 3 Things You Can Do Now to Prep for Back to School STEM:  

 

 

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Watch the video version on YouTube here:

Episode Summary

With summer break around the corner, for many of you, back to school may be the furthest thing from your mind. Before you go into summer break mode, I want to challenge you to think about back to school. In today’s episode, I am sharing three things you can do now to help you prep for back to school STEM.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 ways you can prep for back to school STEM now
  • Tips for successfully implementing these strategies
  • An overview of how I have used these strategies to prepare for back to school STEM

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Summer break is around the corner, and I bet the last thing you want to do is think about back to school. Before you pack up and head out for a couple of months, there are a couple of things that you can do now that will help you be prepared for the dreaded or exciting back to school. Something that I like to tell myself is I like to thank past Naomi, so when I do things that sets myself up for future Naomi, I always thank my past self, and I know it's a silly thing to do, but it's just kind of fun, because you're like, “Oh, thanks, Past Naomi for doing this.” So you want to be in that situation as well, doing things now at the end of the school year that can prep you for back to school. So here are three things that you can do now in your STEM space, so you can thank your past self later. 


Naomi Meredith  01:25

If you are listening to this episode live, there are a few days left to join into my STEM into summer group coaching program. During our 16 weeks together, starting in June 2023, you will take an audit of your lesson plans and all of the materials that you have in your space, get feedback, and that will set us up for our time together to prep you for your whole STEM year long plan. And the lessons that will be unique to your space, have audio access to me and also weekly calls with the other members in the group so that you don't have to feel alone like you're on an island. And you can feel successful going into the STEM school year. You can get a special 25% off discount for being a podcast listener. When you go to check out make sure to use this code STEMSUMMERPOD. I would love to be your STEM coach in your back pocket and help you this summer. So make sure you jump in on that before the doors close. And you can access that at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer. 


Naomi Meredith  02:34

It is a little bit weird thinking about back to school when it is end of school, and you're barely keeping your head afloat not to mention all of the crazy things that are happening outside of the school year. I totally get it, listen to me recording this podcast now. I'm actually pretty calm when it comes to the school stuff. But all of the things outside of school, my wedding coming up, I don't know why we picked June eighth as our wedding date now that it's almost here. But here we are. But thinking about back to school, it's not so bad. And these are some things that are actually really easy to implement, that actually take up a lot of time when it comes to back to school with all the meetings and all the things and all the planning. So if you do these things now, going into the school year, or even if you are going to do some things over the summer, it isn't going to be that bad. So trust me on this one. 


Naomi Meredith  03:27

The first thing that you can do now to prep for your STEM back to school is have a supply refresh the last month of school. I actually like to do a whole Makerspace unit to actually help clean out all of my Makerspace supplies. So I like to do my STEM-musement Park lessons, which you can find in my TPT shop. Those are slowly being added and updated. But a really, really fun unit for end of school year or even back to school year. But it is a great time to do those Makerspace lessons where kids are actually using the supplies in your classroom. Of course not unlimited, but you're using those things. So then you can actually restock with maybe things that you have on hand. You maybe can ask for donations if classroom teachers or even parents are doing a spring cleaning, but then you can get everything organized and restocked for your back to school. Also thinking about spring cleaning, a lot of classroom teachers might be getting rid of supplies that can be of great help to you. Maybe there is a new science curriculum that is going to be added in the upcoming school year and those older supplies that still work just fine are no longer needed. So this is a great time to do some hallway shopping to see if there's anything that can be added to your space for free. In turn, you might need to go through your items as well. Are there things that you haven't used in a while or come to find out it's actually meant for older students or maybe even way younger students? Can you get rid of those things, either donating or even just throwing away. Also, are there things that are broken? Are there things that are under warranty, or you need to contact the company to get a placement? I know it's a little bit annoying to do this at the end of the year. But trust me, when it comes to back to school, you're not going to want to be doing this, especially when it comes to the items you need to contact the companies for. The end of the school year is really great because for them, they're not as busy right now. And so you probably can get the replacement a lot quicker that way. I've done this where there are some microphones in teachers classrooms, there were a few that weren't working. I did this at the end of the year, and I actually had them send the replacement to my house, which was no big deal for them, they did not mind. And then when it was back to school time, I could take them into school. So just a little tip for you there. Also, you could collect unwanted supplies. Sometimes there are those donations of supplies by parents, or even when the classroom teachers have all the students supplies, they have the community supplies, and they sometimes don't always give that back to the students. So this is a great way if there's teachers who are trying to get rid of those things like extra crayons, glue sticks, colored pencils, there's a cool time for you to restock your items as Well. Then you can even re label some things, I have some great editable labels for your Makerspace for your entire space, that have pictures and words that you can give a refresh. And then maybe if you even have empty drawers, you know what you're going to put in there. So this is a great time to reorganize, I always always do this at the end of the school year. And I always feel so good coming back to back to school. And this is one less thing that I have to worry about when it comes to your supply inventory. Also think about making a list of the things that you might want to purchase or knowing you have a budget coming up or there's going to be grant opportunities, you can start making lists of that. In the STEM into summer group coaching program, I actually have a whole template for you to use, that will make inventory your supplies a whole lot easier. So you could see what you have what you might want to purchase. And then also this will help you set you up for success when it comes to your lesson planning and the types of lessons that you might want to do in the future. 


Naomi Meredith  07:14

The second thing that you can do at the end of the school year to help set you up for success for back to school is to reflect on your lessons, maybe you are going to be a STEM teacher and you already have some ideas brewing, write those down, try to get those organized by grade level. Maybe you've already taught STEM for a while reflect on the lessons, what has worked Well. What do you need to get rid of? What do you need to modify? Could you add this for a higher grade or a lower grade? Really reflect on those lessons. What standards are you using? How long did it take to do a lesson? So really going through this process while it's fresh in your mind, when you actually are diving into this lesson planning whether it is over the summer, or just certain points throughout the school year, you're not trying to wrack your memory like oh, what did I do? How did this lesson go? Do it now while it's fresh. And again, I have a template for you that will make this easier with drop down menus, having this in a digital space for you, where you can sort it out by grade level have those content themes have those standards all in one place. So then when you are modifying your year long plan, you have everything ready to go. And you can get that in my STEM into summer group coaching program. 


Naomi Meredith  08:32

And finally, something to do at the end of the year to help you for back to school year and really beyond is build your STEM community. Right in this moment. What kind of STEM community do you have? Is your community a one way street? Are you just accessing all of these free resources out there, but you're not really having that chance where you can actually interact with people and know their names and really build that connection. So here are some suggestions that I have for you to really start building your sound community, you could do one of these things, or really, you could do all of them. A good way to get started is to see if there are other teachers in your district who have a similar position to you. This will help you feel less alone as an island and especially if they're in your district. You can talk about district wide initiatives and that can be really helpful, especially if there are things that are being pushed out to all of the STEM teachers, you guys can have that camaraderie so maybe me over the summer, have some adult drinks have some coffee. That way you guys can get to know each other and then hit the ground running when it comes into the school year. Likewise, see if there are any conferences that you can attend. I love conferences so much. In fact, I am part of a board for a local conference here in Colorado InnEdCO which I have a whole episode about it. You don't have to live in Colorado to attend, but I talk all about that in that past episode. I love this conference so much, and how valued that I feel as an educator, that I'm getting married and then going to the conference and then going on my honeymoon. That's how much I love it and just love innovative education, I can't get away with that, even with my wedding coming up. So think about if there's any in person conferences that you can attend, because really talking with teachers, and being surrounded by people who speak I have an air quotations, your own language is really, really powerful. Also, if you want some digital ways to interact, which is super powerful as well find me on Instagram  @NaomiMeredith_. I am there to chat and help be your cheerleader along the way, and help you find the resources that you need to be successful. Likewise, we have our growing community of the STEM teacher bookshelf membership, where we have some awesome books that we will be reading this summer, that will give you more some ideas to help you with your planning. We have coming up in June and vent to learn. And all of these books, by the way, have a guide that I have put together. So I read all of the books, I make a guide to help you capture your thinking. So we have An Event to Learn in June. And then we have a Makerspaces in Schools for July. And then there's some other cool ones coming up. And you also get all of the past reading guides as well. So you have all of that questions weekly where you guys can chat and connect with each other. And then we also have a monthly live call where we can communicate. And then if you are looking for something deeper, where you really want that feedback, you really want to talk with me one on one and also other teachers who are ready to dive in and take their lesson planning to the next level. There are a few spots open in the seventh to summer group coaching program, where guests we have the STEM teacher bookshelf, where we're talking about the books and related themes. But this is where we actually can get hands on into your lesson planning where you don't feel alone and really create the thing of your dreams and build a program that will be stable, and have the systems and routines that you are looking for. 


Naomi Meredith  12:11

As a recap, here are the three things that you can do now at the end of the school year to prep yourself for the back to school when it comes to STEM. First, we talked about having a whole supply refresh. Next is reflecting on your lessons. And third is building up your STEM community. I hope that you had an awesome school year or whatever you ended up teaching and that you were hopefully giving time to yourself this summer to relax. But if you feel like you need to do school stuff, too. That's okay. Do what's best for you spend some time outside, go on a walk, do all the fun things. And I'm excited to support you throughout the summer. We will still have episodes this summer, maybe even a little longer because I know you'll have time. But there's some fun things planned for you this summer. And I can't wait to support you in all of the various ways. Thank you so much again for listening to this podcast can't believe we are already in the nine days for the episodes, which is super amazing. And I can't wait for the next 90 episodes whatever they may be.

back to school stem

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a former classroom teacher turned current K-5 STEM teacher and coach. Her role not only includes teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology.

With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM certificate, she helps teachers navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate? 

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long. 

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!