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3rd grade STEM curriculum

3rd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.84]

by Naomi Meredith

3rd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.84]

3rd grade STEM curriculum

Check out the full episode on 3rd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series]:  

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

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, I’m continuing the six-part K-5 STEM series. In this episode, I provide an overview of my 3rd grade STEM curriculum, a breakdown of a week of 3rd grade STEM curriculum, and the top three skills every third grader should leave the STEM classroom with.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How I structure my year-long 3rd grade STEM curriculum
  • A snapshot of a week of 3rd grade STEM curriculum
  • The top three skills I believe every 3rd grader should leave the STEM classroom with

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

What should a third grade STEM curriculum look like? In this episode, I am sharing with you an overview of what the year can look like, a breakdown of a sample week, and, in my opinion, the top things that a third grader should walk out of STEM knowing. This is part four of a six part series where I am breaking down each grade level, and what it can look like with your STEM instruction. Whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher who is implementing STEM, or even a grade level specialist, you will find some useful information in this episode when it comes to implementing STEM with your third graders. 


Naomi Meredith  00:51

If you haven’t already had a chance, go back and listen to the first three episodes in this series. In those episodes, I am talking about Kindergarten, first, and second grade when it comes to teaching STEM with those grade levels. And even if you don’t teach those grade levels, it is still useful information to hear the broad range of grade levels. So this can help with your long term planning, especially if you’re jumping into a STEM space. If you’re thinking, “Oh, where should my students be at,” and they’re not quite where you think they should be, you might need to start them off at a level that is a little bit lower than what you might typically be used to, and then build them up throughout the years. So definitely worth your time. I also understand how hard it can be planning for multiple grade levels. I’ve done it and I’m doing it. And I want to help you out and ease that stress. I wish that past Naomi had this opportunity. But I am hosting this for you, and that is a free live masterclass that is going on on May 9. And if you’re listening to this live in 2023, I will be giving you the tips and tricks on how you can plan out your year long plan and help you feel confident going into the summer. Again, this is 100% free this class and I don’t want you to miss out on it. There will be a replay of the recording. So you can still grab that and if you’re listening after May 9. Again, you can catch the replay. So you can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/maytraining, M-A-Y training all one word, no spaces. And it will also be linked in the show notes for you. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

When I started my teaching journey, I started teaching second grade for two years at a title one school. Around the time my second year of teaching second grade, I was going to move and I actually needed to find a school that was a bit closer to where I was moving. So I ended up applying to a few districts and some possibilities. And I ended up getting an interview at a school for Kindergarten, which I was super excited about. I’ve said this a few times, I’ve always wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher. So I applied and I got an interview. Well, when I was talking to one of my second grade teammates, she actually mentioned, “Oh my gosh, I think one of my friends actually works at this school.” So I already had the interview. But funny enough, it she was right. She had a friend from her master’s program who was working at this school. And I guess my teammate had talked a lot about me to this friend. So she texted her said that had an interview coming up and to put in a good word. And funny enough, that friend that masters friend did put in a good word for me even without knowing me. She had heard a lot of good things about me, which was pretty amazing. And so I already had a good word coming into this interview. When I walked into this interview, I look across the table, somebody different in the interview, I said, Oh my gosh, hey friend, and it was somebody from my master’s program, who was across the table. So I already had two connections at the school. Granted, I had the interview but I had two connections after the fact. And I interviewed and instead of getting this set Kindergarten job, they offered me third grade, and I almost didn’t take it. I thought they’re gonna be too old for me. But I ended up loving the teaching third grade so much I ended up doing it for four years. And when you think about that friend, that connection I never knew. She is actually a really good friend of mine to this day, Becca McMillan who was on the podcast in Episode 40. So you can go back and listen to that. And so we’ve become lifelong friends ever since then. And we knew each other without knowing each other, which is pretty fun. So besides Kindergarten, I love third grade. And so I can still say that teaching third grade for four years, and also teaching third in my K through five for five years. So definitely, again, they have another special place in my heart, it’s the best age. And let’s get into how I break down their curriculum gear. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

Like I mentioned before, in the past episodes, I like to plan my year for K through five and thematic units. And I think of it in themes when it comes to the actual topic, and also the tool that they are going to work on. So I do a mixture of both. So you’ll hear very similar things. If you’re listening to this whole series and how everything connects together. This is a great series to binge listen to, because everything’s gonna make a lot of sense. But if you’re listening to this in isolation, that’s okay too. But that’s just how everything is plans and goes together. So when it comes to the overall year for third grade, I like to start off my year for K through five with my STEM survival camp unit, and you can hear all about STEM survival camp in episode four. So for third grade, their challenge is the game from the land. So they have to create a game to keep them entertained while they are out camping. Or if they’re isolated by themselves in the wilderness for more long amount of time, they are creating a game from the land, and they are gathering materials from the outside and also using some of the items that I have in my classroom, to design their game and what the rules of that game are. This is a great introduction to the Engineering Design Process and how that works and getting them used to that or refreshing their memory. So this is a great one for my third graders, and they get super proud of their games, and they love testing and sharing by playing each other’s games. Then we move into September when we talk about digital citizenship. Again, this is a topic that should be taught throughout the year. But how I zoned in on it and STEM is that I take those Common Sense Media lessons. And then when it’s in third grade moving into that Google Interland be internet awesome lesson plans, and how students are diving even deeper when it comes to private and personal information. With second grade that is also the topic that I talked about at more of a basic level. But we’ve dive in a little bit deeper when it comes to third grade. And we read different stories watch different videos, one of my favorites being #Goldilocks, a cautionary tale. And it’s a version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears which I know in third grade, you talk a lot about fractured fairy tales, and different versions of things where Goldilocks goes into these houses and does all of these bad things and documents her journey. So again, we talked about that private and personal information. And I have a project for them with this STEM twist, where they are creating game pieces that show their private and personal information, the private information, they don’t actually write it out, I have it listed for them. And then we do some coding unplugged with this game. on from there is my maker month for K through five. And we talk about different type of earth systems. So we do some Makerspace things in our STEM survival camp with a little more guidance. But this one is more open ended with more materials in my classroom. This lesson is pretty fun. And I realized when I was planning my year long plan, I do my lessons with water than I thought I did. So having some plastic buckets on hand are very helpful for all of your grade levels. And we talk about severe weather in this unit for third grade specifically about flooding. So I touch on all of the different types of severe weather, but we zone in on more on flooding, and they have a little house that they have to protect, and they are creating an invention that will help slow down the flooding or even better stop it from hitting the house. So we talk about different flooding inventions that are out there to give them some ideas. And then students take their ideas and run with it to create their invention that that actually will be tested with water. I did this unit a bit differently. The last time I taught it and for some reason I was the person pouring the water and I don’t know why I put myself through the trouble of that. And I took this as an opportunity to actually teach students how to measure liquids, which is a math standard. So I gathered a bunch of measuring cups, I enlisted the grade level teachers and I taught them how to measure and we documented how much water would hit the house. So when you get this lesson if you already have this lesson in mind, make sure to redownload it because I added that update with the measurement and it is so much better and how they can keep track of that. After that, Novemember, we move into our sensational space. And that is all about video and audio production. This is a topic I have actually become very interested in teaching kids, and how they can share their information. And the students love it too, because we all know they want to be on camera and YouTube stars hashtag, it’s only for me, I’m the cold teacher with the YouTube. Just kidding, I’m not that cool. But we talk about video and audio production. And with third grade, we do some more of that green screen. So I talked about was second grade, we did a green screen project, I use a different app for students. So again, taking that same concept, I talked about this a lot, taking that same concept or taking that same tool, but using it in a different way, whether it’s a more, whether it’s a more sophisticated tool, or you are doing different content, or both. So in this situation, it’s both. So we talk about worldwide weather reports and they are researching a place that they want to explore in the world, we write a whole script about it and how it changes throughout the seasons, what to expect with the weather. And then they record their green screen. And they do the editing on their own. I like to use Wii video. But there’s other great platforms out there. And the cool thing with third grade is instead of having one or two backgrounds throughout the whole time, they are developing the skills where they can add multiple backgrounds throughout their video. After that in December is the Hour of Code and computer science month. Again, this is something you can do at any time, it is really good at this time of year. And I do more of exploratory of different types of coding languages. So in third grade, if you know as a third grader, they most can read. And they are learning how to use reading as an informative tool. So they’re not necessarily learning how to read, they’re reading to learn. And so there’s coding languages that you can use can be more sophisticated, and still using that block coding, but there might be more words involved. And then they can just keep upping their skills from there. So I like to give them a choice board when it comes to their coding. After that we entered January and we talk about the Winter Games, the Olympics and how those are all above the equator, which you can figure out the reason why behind that. And we do some research using Google Earth to learn more about the different Winter Games and where they were held. And then students code their robot to travel to the different locations on the map. I use Ozobots. For this lesson, I know at the time of this recording, they’re hard to get your hands on, so you can modify with different lessons that would interest you. I do have an episode about winter robotics that I’ll link in the show notes that will explain more about this lesson, and just all of my winter robotics lessons in general. After that, we move into 3D printing for K through five. And this is one of my favorite 3D printing projects that I’ve done. And this was inspired by me traveling to museums and zoos and aquariums, which I love to do when I travel. We don’t have kids, but I still love traveling and seeing these types of things. And I get a lot of inspiration when I go I always am taking pictures like oh, this would be a really cool STEM lesson. So I noticed that museums and aquariums, there are a lot of displays and ways to learn about the animals in the exhibit. And a lot of times those can be helpful for people who can’t see as Well. And they might need more of that textile way of learning that more hands on learning, which is great for anybody hands on learning, we know has a lot of great implications. So for this 3D printing project, students are designing a model of a living thing after their research. And they design that and that’s printed out on a platform that can teach others about that living thing. Next, I will do some LEGO education kits and I used to do this at the end of the year. But I talked about this before I like to switch it up during testing season. I would say LEGO education kits are the easiest lesson to teach out of any of the STEM lessons because they are very guided. And so it also gives students a break in a sense, yes, there is creativity. There’s a lot of great things. But as a teacher, you don’t have to pull in as much. There’s a lot of great resources already out there. For my third graders I use the LEGO education kits we do to point out I don’t know if you can still get your hands on those. Those are like kind of like the OGs of LEGO education kits that a lot of us might have. Where students are building the science rover Milo the science rover, excellent kit. Love this kit. It’s still awesome and my third graders are obsessed about it. So if you have these don’t get rid of them. They are super, super awesome. I love them. Now if you’re looking to buy things that are brand new, I’ve mentioned the LEGO spike essential kit is excellent as well it can work first through fifth grade. And so if you need a different option to replace them what I talked about recommend that kit After that, if you have time, you can get into stop motion animation, which is really fun. Third graders really grasp this concept, where you take a ton of different pictures that have tiny, tiny movements. And in third grade, we talk about paleontologist, and how finding fossils and where they’re located can really help you tell the story of that fossils. So that’s what they will do with their stop motion animation, do some research about different fossils that have been found. And then they’re taking on the role as a paleontologist, and telling the story of what probably happened to that fossil based on its location and the type of fossils. Finally, we end the year with STEM-musement Park where we talk about force in motion in all of the grade levels. And third grade is talking about transportation in the park and how that can be done through the use of maglev trains. And so not all transportation is maglev. But we talked about how magnets are another form of clean energy that can be used. And it could be really cool if more trains use that. And so they design a theme park and then how the Maglev Train will travel in their park to get to different destinations. So if you’ve been listening to this series, you can see that the projects are a bit more sophisticated when it comes to their STEM skills. And you’re really thinking about that, too. If you have been a classroom teacher before, that’s just kind of how it goes in third grade, they are more simple at the beginning of the year. But as the year progresses, things are getting more and more sophisticated. And third graders will do almost anything you say it’s a really fun grade, and teaching their STEM projects are really fun. So let’s talk about what the structure of the week can look like. Now, if you really want to zone in on the planning and really see my whole process when it comes to planning with the Engineering Design Process, you can jump in on my pre-recorded workshop for third through fifth, I plan very similarly for all of those grade levels. And you can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/secondaryworkshop that will be linked in the show notes. And I give you all the planning templates, too. And the reasoning behind the way that I do things and give you some ideas. Now there were teachers on this live call, we talked a lot about video and audio production, which is an awesome skill for students to have. So you can hear that conversation when you go in on that workshop. And actually, I’m going to talk about an example here. So we can all connect together. I will say with my third graders, of course, it’s different for everybody the things that I do with my third graders now, and definitely my older kids now is way different than what I did with them when I first started. And so I’m definitely doing the things I always envisioned to do with my third graders. Now, you might have to take a step back, like I said, and do things that are more simple. But if you keep it up and build those systems and processes and have a structure for learning, that is just really inclusive of building up their skills, you can do these hard things with them, trust me, it will work. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

So during the week, and this will be very similar for my third, fourth and fifth graders. So if you teach a little older, you could do the same thing. But I will see my kids all five days in a row for 45 minutes each. A lot of you actually see students once a week for 45 minutes. So you could still do this, it would just take you longer for the project. But who cares, it’s totally fine. I’m actually reading the book right now invent to learn the second edition, which is actually our book for June and the STEM teacher bookshelf membership. And I’m creating the guide for that right now. But it also talks about like for project, there’s no set timeline for things, we get stuck in our head as teachers, oh, we have to do a project in 45 minutes for five days. And it should be this long, it doesn’t matter. Like it could take all year, and that’s totally fine. So give yourself a break. When you hear me talk about these things. It’s the time that works best for you and your students. It doesn’t have to match up with mine. So during the week, I will propose things. So let’s say if I had five days, do whatever works best for you. But let’s say I have five days I will use the Engineering Design Process. And we will use the five days for this project. And sometimes we need to work on it after that when I see them a month later. So I will propose to them the question you can definitely develop the question with them. And I always like to phrase it as how can so we talk about the question and do some imagining and research and planning the first couple of days. So for this project, this is our green screen worldwide weather reports and how they’re reporting out on a place that they want to find in the world. This one it was a bit a little bit tricky because it was more open-ended. So we did do a mixture of using Epic Books as a research source. And then also some links to some other websites that had credible information of different places in the world throughout the year that I provided the links to them. They also had a script template to help them fill out and yes, they have a template, but all of their projects look the same and kids would scratch things out and add in their own things which is awesome. I know this sounds like too cookie cutter of a project. But I will say when it comes to video and audio production, you need to have some sort of script and kids will add their own creativity, for sure. But I’ve made the mistake of not doing any script at all. And the kids come up with some of the most random stuff. And that’s great, too, but also doesn’t answer the question. And so there is a lot of flexibility and creativity in this project. But that just gives them that structure so that they stay on topic, and get that practice to be on video and audio. I always give them the example of my podcast, I do you have some sort of script an outline, I have a lot of bullet points, I do pause. When I am recording this video and audio, I’m doing it simultaneously. So I’m looking at the camera the whole time. But this has taken years of practice when I first made videos long ago, like whenever I started, I wrote scripts, I still write scripts for a lot of videos I do and I record them in chunks. So it’s just a good skill for kids to have. And like anybody can make a video, but a high quality video and or audio is completely different. So there’s nothing wrong with writing a script, and then you just build off from there. When we are doing our green screens, it is hard to find places that are quiet. My classroom does have a blue and green wall, which is so beautiful. And technically, yeah, you can record videos. But when you have a class of 25 plus kids, you cannot record videos, they’re not going to be quiet, I’ve tried it, they won’t be quiet. So I did purchase some pop up green screens that are really great. And I will try to find more quiet places around the school kind of near my classroom. It’s not perfect that kids get frustrated, they want to be movie stars, like it’s the best we could do this. It’s a school, it’s going to be loud. But it is a lot better than just recording in the classroom. After the students record their videos, we go through some editing. And there’s always a couple kids who finished first, and they are great helpers. And they’re really into the editing. And then I just create some experts from there, we just learned together and we add all the things. So it’s a really fun and just very nice flow to the project. Everybody’s in different stages, but they are all able to produce something as they are collaborating together. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

Finally, here are the three things in my opinion that I would say that a third grader should leave my STEM classroom knowing these are in no particular order. But these are things that I’ve seen in my students that I would hope for them. First is being able as a third grader to create more in depth plans. So taking from that K through two experience, they are drawing and labeling their plan. They’re being more thoughtful about the materials that they are using. As a third grader, I would want them to start getting more detailed with their plans by Yes, their drawing and labeling, but also explaining why they’re using certain parts. Why does is this going to work? Why is it going to be here. So being more thoughtful about that plan, and not just throwing something together, say, Hey, I made a plan. Good for me. So just being more thoughtful, I would really hope that for my third graders. The second thing that I would want a third grader to know after leaving my STEM classroom is having more stamina to their STEM projects. And this is in general with a third grader, they just any projects in general. So with my second graders, our projects last for maybe five, maybe three, not usually the full five days. But a third grader just based on the amount of work that we’re doing. It’s not more work, it’s just more sophisticated work is more tools, there’s more things to add more cool details, more awesome, fun things to try. And so I would hope that their stamina can increase to doing things at least five days, and really reiterating and developing their projects. So it’s just again, more sophisticated. And finally it goes back to that group work, I would hope for a third grader that they can work to in groups up to three to four, and also holding a role within their groups. I will assign specific roles when it comes to the projects that they are working on. And so being able to really hold that role in their group and being a good team member. This is just as good soft skill in general for any students, but third grade especially they are capable of this. And just being very explicit with that and giving them those opportunities and in a sense training on how to work together as a group when they’re holding a specific role. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

As a recap, here are the three things that we talked about when it comes to planning your STEM year for third grade. First, we talked about the overview of the year and sample lessons you could teach and having a variety of those. Next we broke down the structure of the week and how you could go through the Engineering Design Process or whatever process you choose to go through an actual lesson. Then I gave you my top three things that I would have a third grader could walk away with when they are leaving my STEM classroom. Of course, this has a lot of information and a lot of things through trial and error. And I totally understand it’s a lot I’ve lived through it, I’m living through it. And so I invite you again to join my free live training, where I will break down the whole year of K through five, and how I actually plan this out. So make sure to not miss out on that that will be live on May 9, 2023. So you can jump in at Naomi meredith.com/maytraining, if you’re listening after the date, you can still watch the recording that will be available for you with the same link. So no problem at all. Or if you can’t join us live, you could definitely jump in on it there. Also, when it comes to your lesson plans, I have created everything. And there’s lots of updates coming in new lessons as Well. And so you can grab the entire year, you can see that with my free year long planned Naomimeredith.com/year long plan, you could see what I was talking about. But I have everything broken up, you could buy the whole K through five STEM plan, maybe you just need third through fifth grade, maybe you just need third grade. And so I have different options and bundles for you and my Teachers Pay teacher’s store so that you don’t have to come up with all these lessons. These are already tested with kids and kids love them. So you can implement those into your classroom right away. So you can not have to worry about other things. Maybe you just want to learn the tools, but you want to have the lesson prepared for you. Again,


Naomi Meredith  26:30

thank you so much for being here. I am so happy to support you. This is such a fun journey for me. And I can’t wait for all the future episodes. And all the feedback you’re giving me and the kind messages and lots of podcasts ideas. I’m not running out of ideas. I didn’t plan on doing two episodes a week for this long as you guys keep asking for really good content. So here we are, it’s still going. So make sure to check out the next two episodes of this series, where we’re going to talk about fourth grade, and then fifth grade. So thank you so much again, and I will see you then.

3rd grade STEM curriculum

 

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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!

2nd grade stem curriculum

2nd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.83]

by Naomi Meredith

2nd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.83]

2nd grade stem curriculum

Check out the full episode on 2nd Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas:  

 

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 part 3 of the K-5 STEM series. In this episode, I’m breaking down my year-long 2nd grade STEM curriculum, highlighting some of the lessons I teach in a week and the top three skills 2nd graders should leave the STEM classroom with.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • An overview of my year-long 2nd grade STEM curriculum
  • A snapshot of a week of implementing 2nd grade STEM curriculum
  • The top three skills I believe 2nd grade students should leave the STEM classroom with

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

What should a 2nd grade STEM curriculum look like? In this episode, I am sharing with you an overview of the year for a 2nd grade STEM curriculum, the breakdown of a typical week and the top three things in my opinion a 2nd grader should walk away with after being in a STEM classroom a full year. This is part three of a six-part series where I am breaking down each grade level in K through five when it comes to a STEM curriculum. Whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher, or a specialist that teaches STEM, there is a lot of useful information in here to help you with your 2nd grade STEM curriculum.


Naomi Meredith  01:09

If you haven’t already, you can go back and listen to the first two episodes in this six-part series where I talked about how the this structure works for my Kindergarten students, and my first grade students. I walked into my K-5 STEM space with minimal tools and zero curriculum and only being a classroom teacher before with a lot of different experience to teaching different grade levels. So it is overwhelming. It is a lot of work. And you are typically the only person by yourself trying to figure this out. And that has been a huge mission of me creating this podcast and creating the resources that I actually teach my students. Because I am impacting the students in my classroom, but also you and your students. I don’t want you to feel the way that I felt. It’s a lot of work. I’ve been trying to document this for you to make it so much easier. So with that in mind, I have something special coming out for you. This is brand new to me brand new to you, and it is five years in the making, and I want you to benefit from it. I invite you to join me live on May 9, 2023. And if you can’t join live, it will be recorded and sent to you. So make sure you jump in on this link so that you get this special recording. I am going to break down how I have this whole year and how I really go through planning this whole year with K through five. So I’m breaking down all the grade levels right now but how does this work as a whole entire year. So join me in on this masterclass and there are some awesome goodies in there that I will be talking about. So again, you don’t want to miss out, you can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/special. And you’ll be sent the link to that masterclass where you can join in or if you want to listen to the recording later, you are definitely going to love this and you don’t want to miss out. I am here for you and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. I’m here every step of the way with all of these things and more coming up. If you’re listening too after this date, you can still use the same link and it will still be sent to you. So don’t worry about that. 


Naomi Meredith  01:52

In this episode, we’re talking about 2nd grade STEM. And here’s a little bit more about my story. So when I first started teaching, I actually got a job at the school I student taught at. In my college program, they connected with partnering districts and we were placed in our schools. So we then get a choice as to where we got to be. So I student taught in various grade levels Kindergarten, first and third grade. I ended up getting a job in 2nd grade and it was a Title one school. It was a big learning curve, but it definitely made me a way better teacher. And I had the best team that I ever had. We hung out together, divided up the curriculum, take turns on who would be planning what, analyze data together, and shared students. We were so connected and so involved and it’s one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with. So if any of you are listening, you know who you are. So it was an amazing experience. And I am so glad that I got to meet those wonderful ladies and had some awesome students back then. So, 2nd grade definitely has a special place in my heart not my favorite grade, but it’s very special to me. I definitely understand 2nd graders. So first I’m going to talk about the overview of a year. If you’ve listened to the past two episodes, you’re going to hear those similar themes and you’re going to hear them in the other grade levels. When I am planning my units I plan with a progression of learning in mind. So when we are all doing STEM survival camp in August, everybody K through five is doing STEM survival camp. When we’re doing 3D printing, everybody’s doing 3D printing. So it really is taking that differentiated and broad spectrum of learning in mind. So keep that in mind when you’re listening to all these projects, and how they are sprinkled in throughout the year. If you want to see a breakdown of my year, you can grab it at naomimeredith.com/yearlongplan. It’s completely free, and you can see all the lessons are linked in there and the different standards that I teach. I’ve mentioned this before, there’s going to be a lot more updates in this upcoming year just based on what I have done with my students, and things that are working and things I’m modifying. So grab that now. And then I’ll share with you guys too when it’s updated. And you can see all that fun stuff. So let’s jump into the overview of a year when it comes to second grade. 


Naomi Meredith  05:53

As I just said, we start off the year with STEM survival camp. And this is one of my favorites. If you want to hear more about STEM survival camp, go back and listen to episode four, it is a very fun one. And I even decorate my room a little bit for it. So we start off the year with STEM survival camp, and they use some items from my classroom and some items from nature to complete the challenge. And in 2nd grade, their challenge is protect the food challenge. So they have to create an invention that will keep the food safe if they were camping. And this is a small prototype, it’s not huge. So it’s a small version of what the real version could be. Once we are accustomed with each other. And by this time, I’ve already had them for two years. So we’re on to year three, and we move into digital citizenship. And I talked about this before. Digital citizenship is important to teach all year. I used to teach digital citizenship first. But then I realized we needed that first month to really get acquainted with one another. So I switched it up and that’s why I actually do digital citizenship second. So in 2nd grade, we talk a lot about private and personal information. So what is information that we should keep safe, and to ourselves that private information, if we wouldn’t tell a stranger in person, we’re not going to tell them those things online. And then we go into what is that personal information, what could be true about anybody, this closely aligns to what the Common Sense Media curriculum is talking about. And then I give it that my own STEM twist in the classroom. So students build their own version of what a computer could look like. And then they have moving on their screen, different things that are personal, that could be true about anybody, and would be safe to share if they were to share any information. Obviously, sharing nothing is best. But there are some times where that happens. And so we talk about what that information is safe to share. Next, we move into our Maker month, and we talk about Earth systems. So how all of those connect together. And in 2nd grade, they have a standard that talks about how the land changes, and we’ve really zoned in on that water erosion. I know that’s not the only type of erosion, but that’s the one that we zone in on. So I talked about the different kinds of erosion. And then we’re really thinking about how we can slow down or stop water erosion. So through their research with the articles that I wrote for them, and their thoughtful planning, they design an invention that will help them slow down or stop water erosion. And we test their designs either inside using dirt in buckets. Or if the weather’s nice enough, I’m in Colorado, so you have no idea what’s gonna happen, or we’ll test our designs outside. After that we’re in November, kids are comfortable, they are using more technology. They’re more used to me as the teacher, and we move into our sensational space unit. And it’s all about video and audio production. We talk about green screen in 2nd grade. And they are definitely old enough to do green screen and do the editing on their own. I’m not doing the editing for them. I’ll do an episode in the future more about green screen. I know I’ve talked about video and audio production in different ways, specifically a lot about podcasting. But I definitely will plan some green screen because I know a lot of you might be interested in that. So we talk about green screen. And their green screen is all about Earth events. So how things on earth can change through either earthquakes, volcanoes, a lot of those things that we might think about as natural disasters. So we talk about those Earth changes. After that we move into the era of code. And like I mentioned in the other two episodes, it’s still great to do the Hour of Code if possible during the month of December. There’s so many resources out there and when it comes to the Hour of Code, so make sure to go and check out that episode my Hour of Code podcast episode, and I break more of that down for you. But this is when students in 2nd grade are getting into more hour coding. So before and first in Kindergarten, they’re doing more directional coding or coding with pictures. And so kids are moving into a little bit harder coding with more multi-steps, maybe they’re adding in more of loops. And maybe they’re adding in a different type of coding language. So they’re doing a little bit more written. They’re doing a little bit more of block coding when it comes to words written on the blocks. After that, we take that coding knowledge, and we’re into January, and we do some robotics. So we move into an animal migration unit, where we talk about different ways that animals migrate throughout the year and the reasons why. So students will research using the articles I gave them. And they will code the migration pathway of certain animals that we talked about. And they will code that pathway to where they migrate to, and they have to get them back home. So they have very specific maps with those locations. Sometimes I’ll have them actually put those locations on the map. But with time, I also have maps that have the locations for them. And then they have to figure out the coding that goes along with it. Next in February, I move on to 3D printing. So students have more skills, and they’re ready for the next step. And for students in 2nd grade, this is where I try out Tinkercad. So again, you can hear more about 3D printing and my 3D printing episode. And students may use Tinkercad to design a custom birdhouse to help animals in the area. And when I print these out, all of my designs are super small, so it’s more of a prototype of what the birdhouse could look like. And they could actually build the real thing at home. So they get really proud of themselves. Because they’re using a different program that they haven’t used in second grade, they use something else in first grade. So that’s very exciting for them. After that, we move into LEGO builds. And again, I have a kit, they only had for a short amount of time, they probably have something similar and it’s a simple machines kit. But you can replace this with any LEGO kit that you have. So I mentioned in the first grade episode, the LEGO spike essential kit is awesome. So it works for first through fifth grade. Or maybe you have a random collection of LEGO bricks and then maybe think about planning something that would be specific to that grade level. Also, I would say the LEGO wedo 2.0. If you have those kits, I think a lot of us might have those, those are still great as well. I would also recommend using those with 2nd grade. So during this spring state testing time, LEGO education kits are a great refresh. If you have more time or depending on the time, I will do stop motion animation. It depends when we did green screen. And that’s just a different type of video production. So maybe I want them to do more animation if we have time. And we will create a stop motion animation all about pollinators, and the different pollinators out there and how they actually help and why they are important. And finally, we end the year with STEM-musement park and I think this is one of my most favorite, STEM-musement park lessons. I’m a little bit biased because my Teacher Honey is a girl’s High School golf coach. And fun fact, we met at a golf course and he didn’t help me with any golf and I’m horrible at golf and I actually worked on a golf course. So I have some like background on golf but not really. And so for this lesson, 2nd graders create their own mini golf course. And we use our Makerspace supplies again. And then they test each other’s designs. So that is a breakdown of what I actually teach 2nd grade throughout the year. 


Naomi Meredith  17:10

So let’s talk about what does an actual week look like. So again, if you want to join in on my K-2 STEM planning workshop, you can actually see how I break down a unit when it comes to planning standards. And if you want to implement STEM stations, I did a lot more STEM stations with my 2nd graders my first three years in this position. My schedule looked a lot different and I didn’t have as much time to do things with kids. So I would switch off between STEM stations, and also doing a mini project with them. The last two years in my STEM position I have taught the kids K through five for the full week. So I have the same six classes every day for a week. And so I haven’t had to do much stations. My kids are more used to me and we can actually do bigger projects. So the projects I would say lasts between three to four days. And then the fifth day is kind of like a makeup day slash free time. It just depends on the class and what is going on throughout the week. So when it comes to that water erosion project that I talked about in that Maker month or Earth Systems unit that takes about three to four days where we are researching or thoughtfully planning our designs by drawing and labeling. They are thinking about how much money they have in their budget so you can listen to episode six where I talk about how I use a Makerspace budget, but students are purchasing their supplies, they’re building their design, and then we test it. And then we even share by taking a video. So I will actually take the video of it, I don’t want them near water with devices. So I will actually add that to their Seesaw. So that is how a week will break down. If students need more practice, then again, you can implement STEM stations that go along with this standard. So it really depends on your kids and how much time you have with them. 


Naomi Meredith  17:11

So when it comes to a 2nd grader, what are the top three skills that they should walk away with from your STEM space. So based on my experience, working with K through five, here is what I have seen and what I would hope a 2nd grader could leave my classroom doing and in no particular order. I would definitely want a 2nd grader to be able to use research to inform their plan. So in Kindergarten and first grade, I still have them research. And they do use that information to help their plan. A lot of times when they start building, they change their mind and they do something else that is related, but not exactly what they wanted to do. That is fine, as long as they’re still on topic. And they’re learning how things are connected together. But in 2nd grade, I think they are very capable of starting to use that research to actually be more thoughtful. And yes, your plan will change but it’s not going to change too much. And so using that research to thoughtfully plan is super important. Also, what I would hope a 2nd grader to do is to begin really making changes when things don’t work the first time. A lot of times with the younger students, I will make something and they’re one and done. I did it Whoo, yay. Look at my work. Look at my work. Look what I did. So a 2nd grader, they do that a little bit at the beginning of the year. But I really encourage them to think about ways to make their design even better. So yes, this didn’t work. What could we do instead? or Yes, we have finished here some other ways to make it better. So starting to use modification checklists are really helpful to think through their actual design. And the final thing I would want a 2nd grader to leave my STEM classroom knowing is using more sophisticated tools. I use a lot of similar tools with my kindergarteners and first graders. But in 2nd grade, I have them use more of their computers. Now this can definitely depend on the devices that you have and what access you have to everything. But I have my 2nd graders use their computers a lot more. And they are capable of those things. So it does take more practice, it does take them a lot longer. When I use Tinkercad, the 3D printing software, there is a lot of tears the first day when they’re typing in the class code, but they do it. They are capable, and then they are able to create something so it’s not impossible. It’s a little bit harder, especially if they don’t use their computers very often in the previous grades or even with their classroom teacher. They are very, very capable. So that is something I really try to push my 2nd grade students is using things that are a bit more sophisticated and have more multi-steps compared to the click one click solution for a first and kindergartener. 


Naomi Meredith  18:07

As a recap here is what we talked about when it comes to a 2nd grade STEM curriculum. First, I broke down the overall year and what that can look like in terms of the lessons for your 2nd graders. Next, I explained what a sample week can look like for that actual unit. And then I gave you my top three tips when it comes to what a 2nd grader should walk away, leaving your class knowing. Of course, I have a lot of ways to help support you when it comes to the STEM space and for your second graders and all your elementary students. So make sure to sign up for that live masterclass that I have going on May 9, and I would love to see you there, definitely jump in on the link, you will get sent the recording and you can watch that. So make sure to sign that up if you haven’t already at Naomimeredith.com/special. And all the lessons that I talked about are available for you that you don’t even have to create them. They’re already researched. Especially in second grade, I actually write a lot of the articles that they use research on, because they’re doing these high level topics that aren’t typically written at a second grade level. So I got you on that one. So you can buy the lessons individually or I have it in a second grade bundle for you. Or you can break it into the K through two bundle or go for the full year K through five. So that is all ready to go to save you some stress and overwhelm lessons that my second graders love. And I know that your students will too. Thank you so much again for joining me today and I will see you in the next episode where we will talk about STEM in third grade.

2nd grade stem curriculum

 

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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!

1st grade STEM curriculum

1st Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.82]

by Naomi Meredith

1st Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.82]

1st grade STEM curriculum

Check out the full episode on 1st Grade STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series]:  

 

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Episode Summary

Have you wondered what a 1st grade STEM curriculum should look like? In today’s episode, I’m sharing an overview of my 1st grade STEM year-long plan. This is part two of a six-part series in which I’m breaking down grade levels K-5 and showing what it looks like in the STEM classroom.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The main lessons I teach my 1st graders
  • What a week of 1st grade curriculum looks like in my STEM classroom
  • The top three skills a first grader should leave your STEM classroom with

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

What should a first grade STEM curriculum look like? In this episode, I’m sharing with you an overview of a first grade STEM year long plan, an example of a lesson throughout the week, and tips and tricks when you are teaching your first graders a STEM lesson. This is part two of a six-part series where I am breaking down each grade level, K through five, and what it can look like in the STEM space. Whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher, or a specialist that implements STEM, I think you will find a lot of useful information in this episode when it comes to teaching STEM with your little first graders. 


Naomi Meredith  00:52

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the last episode, I talked about how I break down everything in Kindergarten. I do get a lot of questions when it comes to teaching STEM with the littles. So if you haven’t checked that out, make sure to go back and listen. But not necessary, if you haven’t listened to it yet, you can still listen to this episode and then go back and listen. Likewise, if you don’t teach the younger students in STEM, don’t shut off this episode. It’s actually really good for you to hear where kids might come from when it comes to the STEM space. So maybe you don’t teach the littles in STEM, but maybe there’s an opportunity for classroom teachers in your building to teach them, and you could share this episode with them. So it’s great as a teacher in the elementary space to see that long range of what it can look like in the STEM space. Likewise, I know it is super overwhelming when it comes to lesson planning in STEM, especially when you teach all of the grade levels. I came from being a classroom teacher for six years and entered the K-5 STEM space with no curriculum whatsoever. But I have figured it out with tips and tricks along the way and through my experience for the past five years. So I am excited to help you all the time. I am working on something behind the scenes that I want you to join in on to get that extra support. So you can join at Naomimeredith.com/special. And you will be the first to hear about this brand new to me thing that I have never done with you guys. So definitely jump in on that you definitely don’t want to miss out. Also, if you’re driving, feel free to DM me on Instagram at NaomiMeredith_ and I’m happy to send you the link there because again, it’s something I’ve never done before and it’s so exciting to help you out in the STEM space. 


Naomi Meredith  03:18

For this episode about first grade, a fun fact is that I student taught in first grade for quite a while. My undergrad program was definitely trial by fire. I was working in a title one school. So my school that I went to for college had a partnership with a lot of districts in the area, a lot of Title One schools to push student teachers into these spaces. And oftentimes we got jobs out of these, which I actually did end up working at the school I student taught at so it was a school, a district I had never heard of. But a lot of my time, like I said was spent in first grade. And I have a special love, if you could see my face right now, I have a special love for Kindergarten. I still do. Kindergarten is still my favorite even after teaching them in STEM for five years. And I did also student teaching first grade. It’s just not for me. And I still feel that way. For some reason, a first grader and a kindergartner are very different to me. First graders are like tiny teenagers, I swear to you, my Teacher Honey is a high school teacher. And he’s not the best at little kids when it comes to teaching them. I’m also not the best at teaching high school kids. So that’s where we have our differences. But I told him he could definitely teach first grade because the things they say to me and their attitudes are what he tells me that his high schoolers have so we have a lot in common when I tell my first grade stories and he tells his high school teaching stories. So lots of fun to have there. But I’m going to share with you three different things when it comes to teaching STEM in the first grade setting. So I’m going to talk through a snapshot of the overview of the year. So the big main lessons that I teach my first graders, then I’m going to break down a sample week what that actually looks like. And then, in my opinion, three big things that a first grader should walk away with knowing in a STEM space. So let’s get into it. 


Naomi Meredith  05:19

If you’re curious to see the structure of my full year K through five, you can download the year long plan for free. If you go to Naomimeredith.com/yearlongplan or just go to my website, it’ll pop up and you can put your name in. I have a lot of updates in store for this next year, especially when it comes to the primary grades, so you can see where it’s at now. But like I said, there’s going to be some updates. And then you can re-download the plan and see what those awesome fun things are. So here is how I break down my year when it comes to first grade. It’s very similar to Kindergarten in the way I structure it. And so if you’re thinking about how you could do things for primary and Kindergarten, they’re very, very similar. I do teach different lessons when it comes to the major projects in first and Kindergarten. Now, when I do STEM stations, there are a lot of similarities or they might overlap the tools, but change out the content. So just keep that in mind. For this snapshot of the year, I’m just going to talk about the major projects and not the specific STEM stations. STEM stations are something that I started implementing in the past couple of years since I had more time with kids. And so that’s not reflective yet on the year long plan. So just keep that in mind. Also, with my year long plan, I do plan in curriculum unit. So K through five, we have the same big umbrella topic. And then there’s a progression of learning within that. So when you listen to this series, you’re going to hear those themes over and over again, because everybody’s working on a part of that theme that works best for their grade level. First, I start off the year to welcome kids back to school with STEM survival camp. And the first graders are tasked with the challenge to build a fishing rod or a fishing pole to catch the fish. So we talk about the Engineering Design Process. They use the materials in my classroom and things from outside, and they actually design a fishing pole. And there are different fish that I haven’t caught in my classroom. It’s so cute, they love this challenge. They do take them home, we make sure they go in their backpacks right away. But some of my students have come back and told me they brought their fishing pole on a actual camping trip, which is so so cute. From what I know, no real fish were caught with those fishing poles. But I love how they were taking the learning outside my classroom and into their own real worlds. Next, we get into digital citizenship for our next unit. And of course, digital citizenship is something that is taught all year long. It’s not a one time thing. And my vision of digital citizenship is that as a STEM teacher, you are giving a STEM twist. And really I think that about all the lessons that you should teach. So a classroom teacher is of course, and should be teaching digital citizenship, but you are also teaching it in your space, because it’s extremely important. I use a lot of Common Sense Media’s curriculum, it’s a completely free. I highly recommend they have some great video clips. And I have a STEM project that relates to those topics. So I know for sure that kids aren’t doing this lesson with their classroom teacher because I made it up. So what we talked about is safe online activities. So what are green means go activities, what are things that are good for kids at their age, because that is important. There are things made for kids out there, but they’re just not ready for it yet. So that’s when we talk about those yellow light online activities. So things that just want you to grow into. And then those red stop, those are not made for kids. We need to be cautious and really think about the things that we are saying online. So it’s really helping students with that metacognition, and what activities are safe, not safe and like a definitely big no, no. So we talk about the internet traffic light and we create a traffic light and we sort the different activities that I give them to help them understand what are different situations that can pop up in their little worlds. After that, we move into Makerspace month, and we are talking about bioluminescence in first grade. So there’s a standard that talks about how there’s Earth light. Well, we take it in a different direction, Earth’s light and living things. So not all light is coming from electricity, or even the sun, moon and stars but it can also come from living things like glowing mushrooms and anglerfish. I’m telling you first grade has some really great science content, first grade is hard for me kidwise. I love their science, they have some really fun content, and they have a lot of stuff about animals. So they love this topic, they are so enthralled by it. I wrote articles for them, me reading them out loud, to help them research more about bioluminescent things, and then they have to think of something that they wish was bioluminescent, and create that living thing and explain what that bioluminescent part helps them with. After that, we’re moving into November and this is a new lesson that I have been testing out with first grade, so it’s not up yet in my store. But they did an awesome job. And we talked about the sun, moon and stars things we can see in the sky during the day, during the night and both. And we’re doing a first grade version of video production. Now, there’s not a whole lot of editing involved. But kids can still make a thoughtful video that isn’t just rambling, if you know what I am talking about. So we talk about how the days are longer and shorter during different parts of the year, and how the Earth rotates around the sun and has that orbit. And students create props to represent these items, we create a guided script together. And then students help one another to use these props to demonstrate the concept that they learned. It is so cute to see the kids collaborating. Yes, we have the same script, because the whole goal is to really get them to be comfortable on camera, and also explaining their ideas thoughtfully. So one student is holding the camera, the other is doing the props, and they’re talking. And they’re really understanding these concepts and how the seasons work during the year. After that is the Hour of Code. So December is Computer Science Week and computer science month. And this is again, a great time to do this. I’ve said this on past episodes, I have a whole episode about the Hour of Code. But you really do want to do the Hour of Code during those December months because the kids are a little restless and it’s very low prep. This is one unit, I don’t do a whole lot of my own creation because there are so many great coding tools out there. So for first grade, I don’t do a whole big project. But I pull out a lot of different coding experiences, where they can explore different types of coding. A new one that I started implementing was the Osmo coding kit, which is excellent with iPads and Kindles. It’s a hands on coding, which I talked about it in the last episode, that Kindergarten episode. So I do this with first grade and it’s awesome. We are back from winter break and then we go from coding in December. And then we come back and work on some robotics. Again, another lesson that I tested with them. We were talking about animal babies and their adults and how the adults care for their babies. Not all animals care for their babies. So we talked about the ones that do. And there are different signifiers that help the parents take care of their young, like giving them shelter, giving them food, and giving them comfort. They always giggle when I give them the example that I am the animal parent of my dog, Frederick the dog. And if you are watching the video version, he is always sitting behind me in his little bed listening to me record. And I do all of these things for my little baby boy. So they giggle and laugh. And for this project again, another one that I am testing. It’s not up yet. So there’s a lot of updates coming to this year long plan that aren’t even written on the year long plan. Um, students were researching about their favorite animal that Epic Books had and how they care for their young. We create the animal baby and their adult. And then we have a zoo, where they code their robots to visit the different animals in the zoo. And you can use whatever robots in this one. So this is really fun, a quick challenge. We also do some STEM stations that are winter themed throughout the week. But that’s what I do for robotics. Next, we get into 3D printing. And I’ve said this before I do 3D printing K through five. And another standard that is in there for first grade is all about animal family traits. So again, we do some research about how parents and their young are similar and different in appearance. We talk more about their appearance, not so much their attitudes. And then again, they choose their favorite and then they design the baby animal and their adult and our 3D print program. And we print it out and then we add those physical features. So they’re so proud of themselves that they created. That is 3D printing. Next and I’m not sure if I talked about this in the Kindergarten one but I do switch it up and do my LEGO education kits. So currently in the year long plan you’re gonna see I do LEGO education at the end of the year. I actually switch that up and do LEGO education during the springtime because the kids are a little antsy and they need to work on that collaboration. In the LEGO we do 1.0, which is an older kit. You can’t get them anymore. So you can substitute the LEGO education kids however you want, if that’s something that you have. Now, if you don’t have the budget to purchase LEGO education kits, I recommend having some sort of task or challenge when it comes to LEGO, maybe not necessarily a build and take apart in one day’s situation. But think of a unit that they could do that’s related to standards that they could build and work on that. One kit I really am loving right now is the LEGO spike essential kits. It is diverse for first through fifth grade. So look into that if you are looking to buy some LEGO. I’ll do an episode about LEGO in the future and how I set that up with my students. But if you’re looking to buy something I highly, highly recommend. It’s so diverse, it can do so many things. Jennifer Mahin and I talked about it in her guest episode. It’s awesome. It’s really good. After that, if we have time in the year, we will get into stop motion animation, and we will talk about biomimicry. So how a lot of inventors use different things from animals. We will talk about the different things that humans see in nature that will inspire them for their designs, and really play off of those different things like think about a turtle. The design of it is a lot like a turtle shell it protects our head just like how it protects the body of a turtle. So students will research more about biomimicry, and then they will create their own invention that’s based off of biomimicry and all the articles that I wrote for them. And then they’ll create a stop motion to share their ideas. Then we will finish off the year with my favorite and the kids new favorite, it’s a close tie between STEM survival camp and we have STEM-musement park to end the year, they always ask about these two units. And we talk about how we can communicate things using light and sound. And how at carnivals they communicate using light and sound to attract customers to their station and also communicate if points are won. So students have to design a game that will have some sort of communication, whether it’s to draw customers in or it’s something in their game, and with light or sound, and they have so much fun designing this. 


Naomi Meredith  17:20

Now you heard the whole recap of the whole year. So what does it look like during the week. Like I said, it’s very similar to what I do in Kindergarten. But sometimes the projects can last a little bit longer in first grade, especially since they are used to me at this point. If you want to see how I actually go through and plan those, I have a K through two STEM planning workshop. It’s all recorded now, just two hours of your time. And you will be awesome at STEM planning and look at it from another perspective. So when I have my first graders, when I go back to that 3D printing example, I will do the project for about one to three days, I have kids five days in a row. But if you have a different schedule, you could do this too. We will work on the project for about one to three days. And then the last two days, we will do STEM stations, again, very similar to what I’ll do in Kindergarten, but I will change out the content. So I shared with you that 3D printing example when we’re talking about animal families and their traits. So we will go through that Engineering Design Process quickly for their grade level during those three days. And then the last two days are STEM stations. So some stations that I have done in conjunction with this unit is we have done pixel animals, so pixel art animals, I love using the blocks billboards for this or any similar type of small block that helps with their fine motor skills, then we will do some geoboard animals, and then move into a Seesaw lesson where there is one I created or one that I actually found off seesaw, which there’s been some really good ones in there lately. So definitely check that out. And then they will also do a robotics coding station where there are different animal traits on a board. And then they have to compare the baby animal and the adult, how they’re the same and different. And then code those different traits. Again, something else I am testing and working on. So this unit is going to get some revamping. First graders do an awesome job at stations. I know they do it with our classroom teachers. So I love doing stations with first graders and kindergarteners, once they get the hang of school. They’re really great and they are so calm. So if you want to see again, in my workshop, I’ll show exactly how I plan stations. When you think about the whole unit. It is an absolute game changer. 


Naomi Meredith  19:31

So you’re probably wondering, in my opinion, what are the top three skills that a first grader should walk away with when they are leaving a STEM class and are using those STEM skills? Maybe you’re a classroom teacher. What should they be able to accomplish? Based on what I’ve seen, here’s what I think a first grader should walk away with in no particular order. First is being able to use all of the elements of the Engineering Design Process or whatever method you are constantly using with your students. I do I use that with my students, but we really can get into it in first grade and being able to do that at a level that works best for them. So they should be able to walk away with a basic understanding of how that works, and being able to use that repetitive process. Next, as a first grader, I hope that they are able to collaborate in up to groups of three. So yes, with a partner and Kindergarten we talk about hopefully, you can collaborate with a partner, not just doing that parallel play. But sometimes in first grade, we can move up to a group of three when we have very specific roles. So that is something I really challenged them to be able to work on. And finally, I would love a first grader to leave my STEM space, being able to thoughtfully explain how their design works. So you get a lot in Kindergarten, look, look what I made. Look, see, see, see what I did, which they’re excited. Good. Awesome. Yeah, I’m so glad you worked. And you are creative on that. As a first grader, I still want them to be excited. I want all kids to be excited. But how does your design work? Tell me more about this. What does it do? What problem are you solving? And this is a great opportunity to share their thoughts in Seesaw because they love to chat. 


Naomi Meredith  20:18

As a recap, here is how I would set up my first grade STEM curriculum. We first talked about the overall year and how you can break that up over the course of the month and giving a whole bunch of different experiences. Next, I shared with you the structure of the week and how I would break that down for a unit. And finally, in my opinion, the top three skills that a first grader should walk away, leaving your STEM classroom with now I know again, it is so overwhelming and I am here for you, I am loving this podcast that I know you guys are too I love all the messages. And so there’s so many things I’ve created for you to help give you support, I have that new thing coming up. So that will be officially announced on May 1 2023. But it don’t want you to miss out on that. So just make sure you sign up using the link naomimeredith.com/special. And you will hear all about what that new to you and new to me thing is that will definitely support you. And also all the lessons that I’m talking about and the future updates who will be included. So those are all linked in the show notes for you. So the K through two STEM planning workshop, there is a bundle of just the first grade STEM lessons if you only want those lessons, but I also have it broken into K through two STEM lessons as a bundle and also K through five you can get the full year. Again, there’s going to be a lot more updates in this upcoming year as I have been testing things with my students and trying new things out. And especially when it comes to the STEM station. So if you grab any of those today, you’ll get it at the cheapest price. And you’ll get all those updates for free. So I really try to analyze and make these work best for you and things that I’ve seen work well with students. Thank you so much again and I will see you in the next episode when we are going to talk all about second grade.

1st grade STEM curriculum

 

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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!

kindergarten STEM curriculum

Kindergarten STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.81]

by Naomi Meredith

Kindergarten STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas [K-5 STEM Series] [ep.81]

kindergarten STEM curriculum

Check out the full episode on Kindergarten STEM Curriculum, Tips & Ideas:  

 

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Episode Summary

Have you been wondering what a Kindergarten STEM curriculum should actually look like? In today’s episode, I share what you should consider when planning your Kindergarten STEM curriculum, including an overview of what your Kindergarten STEM curriculum can look like for the year and on a weekly basis.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • An overview of what your Kindergarten STEM curriculum can look like for the year
  • An overview of what your week of lessons can look like
  • The top 3 skills I want my Kindergarten students to leave my STEM classroom knowing
  • Why these are the top 3 skills I focus on with my Kindergarten students

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

What should a Kindergarten STEM curriculum look like? In this episode, I am sharing with you an overview of what your year can look like in Kindergarten, a breakdown of the structure of your week of lessons, and also some major takeaways of skills that students should be learning once they leave Kindergarten in STEM. This is part one of a six-part series where I am going to be breaking down each grade level, K through five, and the same overall structure when it comes to the overall planning in your STEM space. Whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher who’s implementing STEM, a specialist, or any other elementary teacher who is interested in this topic, you’re gonna be walking away with a lot of helpful information to implement with your STEM Kindergarten curriculum. 


Naomi Meredith  00:51

When I walked into my K-5 STEM teaching and coaching position, it was a brand new to me district and school, and a brand new classroom with a few tools and zero curriculum. This was very exciting for me coming out from being a classroom teacher, I taught second grade for two years and third grade for four years. It’s so exciting to have really nothing but also very overwhelming. I’m sure a lot of you had a very similar experience to what I had. So you can definitely relate to this experience. STEM is so exciting in the elementary space and it is absolutely needed. However, there are so many ideas out there that again, it can get overwhelming and you don’t know where to start. So that’s why I’m doing this grade levels series for you really breaking down each grade level. There was a lot of interest in this when I put my podcast survey out a few months ago. So I’m really excited about this and just breaking down for you what it looks like really all day and all year in this type of position. Everything that I’m going to be sharing is 100% linked in the show notes too. You can go back and check those out and get what you need with all the resources that I’m going to be talking about. Each episode is going to have the same structure. I will be sharing an overview of the year, break down the structure of the week, and give you my opinion of the top three skills that students should walk away from in STEM at each grade level. It’s pretty hard to pick three, but just based on my five years in this role, what I have seen and those types of trends. 


Naomi Meredith  03:17

First, I start off the year with STEM survival camp and kindergarten’s challenge is to cross the river. So they are tasked using some materials from outside and also things from in my classroom, for students to figure out a way for their little characters to cross the river. They are given buckets of water, and they can think about things that go across the river, things that go in the river, and also things that float. So we also talk about floating and sinking. After that when students are warmed up in my class and have a basic basic understanding of the Engineering Design Process, more so just what my classroom is, we talk about digital citizenship at a Kindergarten level. There are a lot of great free resources out there for teachers, my favorite being Common Sense Media. There are some awesome lessons and video clips out there that are made specifically for every single grade level. So I use a mixture of that, but also created a STEM challenge that is based on those lessons. So if they’re doing those things with their classroom teacher, then they have something extra that I know they’re not doing in their classroom because I created it. So we talk about media balance in Kindergarten, while it’s okay to do things with technology and sometimes we need a break and do things without, but both are good and it’s really important to have a balance of those things. So there are a few different stories that we read about media balance. And then students actually engineer a balance to balance those activities that are on unifix cubes, those on screen and off-screen activities. So that is a one-day challenge when it comes to the actual building. But the lessons throughout the week apply to that digital citizenship lesson. After that, we move into my maker month, my Makerspace month for K-5 and talking about different earth systems. For Kindergarten, we talk about how some animals change the land to create their homes, and we’ve zoned in on specifically on ants. The kids think it’s so funny when I talk about how ants can’t go to Home Depot and go get some building supplies and build their homes, they start giggling and think it’s so funny. But ants, they decided, hey, this is a great spot of land, we are going to build our home here. So we explore different things that ants add in their homes and how they work together as a team. And then we take a couple of days and students build their own ant house, which is in the form of a moveable marble maze that can be held in their hands. And then they’re able to add labels and pictures that describe this animal home. Then we also have some STEM stations that relate to this standard that go along with that. So we dive in deeper, but our main project is focused in on ants and how they change the land to create their home. After that, we move into my STEM-sational space unit where we talk about video and audio production in K-5. And this is something that I have been playing around with. So this lesson will definitely come up soon. But we create a short video to explain how the shade actually works. So what is the difference of that and what are different shade structures that can be made to give shade. So we can definitely have that. From there, there are some different stations that we do, again, focusing on shade structures, and how those are important and even testing our design. So we really zone in and focus on those standards, while also creating a small video. And like I said, that is the lesson that I am testing. That will be part of the updates within that whole year long plan bundle. After that we move into the Hour of Code for December and giving students a lot of different opportunities to explore coding that works at their level. Now when I do Hour of Code, that is the only unit that I’m not necessarily doing a specific project, which you definitely can. But I’m really exploring coding with different types of resources. So I’ll pull out robots that have directional coding, lots of different apps that are free that students can explore the coding. There are some things on the hour code website that we take a look at. And even something new that I implemented were the Osmo coding kits where there are three levels of coding and they are hands-on and excellent. So if you have Kindles or iPads in your classroom, I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about the Osmos in other episodes. Back in the episode about the best STEM toys for 2022, I talk more about what Osmos are. But definitely a really great kit when it can bring hands-on elements to coding and it works really well for K-2. Then we come back for the year and implement different stations that are related to snow. So we explore matter with different stories when it comes to STEM and stories, counting snowflakes, building snow, people looking at the elements of math with snowflakes. We do a lot of different stations when it comes to snow and read a lot of stories. So we’re slowly building up into other bigger projects. But again, this is coming back into the year, their stamina is a little bit low. So doing those STEM stations is just building them back up and practicing. And using all of those different tools is what I like to do when we get back from the New Year. Then we move into February, the kids have the groove of things. And believe it or not, I actually do 3D printing with all of my grades, which I have a little mini 3D printing series that you can go back and listen to. But with Kindergarten, we talk about ways to take care of the earth. So we do a lot of different research planning of all those different ways we explore resources. And then students create a key chain to help remind them of how to take care of the earth. So some of their key chain designs are maybe planting flowers, maybe they actually create the earth to help them to take care of the earth. Some kids like to create a recycling truck. So all of those different ways to take care of the earth. And they are so proud of their keychain design, once I get those printed, and then we color them with Sharpies, put a keychain on it, and then they take it away with them a month or two later. After that with there’s more time and this is a unit I will play around with I won’t always do. But if you want to explore stop motion animation, this is a great time to do this, in the spring. So students create a stop motion animation to describe the weather patterns that we have kept track of throughout the week. Now this is something that I have done when collaborating with classroom teachers. So the week before they keep track of the weather, they have a little weather journal that they keep all the data from. And then when they come into STEM, they have that data or at least the teacher has that data. And then we will use that to create a stop motion animation with either paper or playdough to show the weather patterns throughout the week. If we have time, we will add a voice over with that or even just students will talk about it in Seesaw. So just a really cool way to get them exposed to stop motion animation. Then I like to move into LEGO belts. This is typically state testing season. I know Kindergarten doesn’t do our state tests, but it’s just a busy time in general. So I recently bought this STEAM Park kit from LEGO education. They come in these ginormous boxes. And they are those big LEGO bricks, those Duplo blocks and I am so in love with this kit. It has been an excellent purchase. I know LEGO education kits are expensive. And you might be thinking do I even need to invest in this and my little learners 100%. Yes, this has actually been one of the better ones that I have bought. Now the kits are really, really big they come everything is sorted in these bags. And so I went and ended up sorting everything by color. And then every day there’s a new challenge. So there’s a little story that goes along with STEAM Park. And then students solve the problem. They can follow the inspirational pictures or create on their own and talk about these different topics that come in STEAM Park. So it’s been an awesome success. I really, really love it. And just has been really good for my little learners. And those big blocks have not been babyish at all, they love them. So if you’re thinking about a LEGO Education Kit, I highly recommend that we finish off the year with my STEM Musement Park. And we talked about the standards with the force and motion, how things can change direction, which we’re going to talk more about in this next section. But we talked about that where they build their cardboard maze on the wall, and then we have some different STEM stations. So overall, that is a recap of the year and what I do with Kindergarten, definitely mix it up. 


Naomi Meredith  03:17

First, let’s talk about the overview of the year. If you are curious to see what my actual year looks like K-5, you can check that out at Naomimeredith.com/yearlongplan where I have my entire year long plan for free and all of those standards connected with those. This upcoming year I’m going to actually be adding a lot of updates when it comes to the lessons that are provided and include bonus lessons inside, especially for K and one because I’ve actually updated the way that I teach these lessons over the past couple of years. So jump in on that now and then you might want to download it again later, maybe in a few months, whenI have a bunch of updates. But overall, the structure of this will be the same. Now if you’re curious to see how I actually plan a whole year and the whole method behind this, go back and listen to episode 14, where I discuss how to create your scope and sequence in the STEM space when I am planning my overall years. So K-5, I like to plan with overarching themes. So I look at the standards and think about the different topics that are related within those grade levels. I also think about the overall skills that I want students to learn. So when I am teaching LEGO education kits, everyone is doing a LEGO Education Kit or a similar activity at that time. As a teacher, this is so much easier to plan because you have that progression of learning. You also are in that mind frame as you were teaching. So you’re gonna think about those tips and tricks while you’re teaching throughout the day. And, again, you’re gonna know all of those differentiation techniques. So within that same day, because you’re basically teaching it over and over again, just at a different level. So I know there’s a lot of different ways to do this, you could break it up throughout the year. But this is just how I like to plan and it just has made it a lot easier. Just having all the materials out at one time, at the end of the unit I can clean it up and put it away. I’m going to go through the major lessons that I teach in Kindergarten and just a little snapshot of each of those. Again, check it out in my free year long plan, where you can see more of an in depth discussion of those. 


Naomi Meredith  14:20

But here let’s go into what is the breakdown of my actual week. If you need more support with your planning, I have a K-2 STEM planning workshop. I did host this live but recorded it at the time so you actually get to hear me answer real questions from real teachers who were at the workshop. In this two hour workshop, I break down exactly how I plan and give you all the planning sheets so you can be successful for your younger learners. So that will be linked in the show notes or you can find it at Naomimeredith.com/primaryworkshop. This is a new thing that I have started implementing the way that I like to plan my weeks for my little learners. And what I’ll typically do is have a main mini project, which you heard me talk about in the full year. And that will last about one to two days, then I will have STEM stations that will last two days. And then if I need a fifth day or a sub plan, then we will do a STEM and stories where we will do a challenge that is related to the story that we’ve read. And this story might be fiction or nonfiction. So I talked about at the end of the year, I like to do a STEM-musement Park. So when it comes to breaking down the week, here’s how I would do that. So days one and two, we start with that standard. So that force and motion standard that is in the NGSS, how things can change direction and move and building to figure that out, figure out the science behind it. So students have a will plan and then design a cardboard wall maze that we will leave up on the walls, and use tape and then test their designs. So the students love this. And they really do a great job collaborating and working together to build their maze, then we will move into STEM stations, we’ll do a variety of tasks. So I have a huge whiteboard that is magnetic on my wall. So I found these magnetic marble mazes that stick on there. So again, very similar but different to the challenge that they did the pieces already created. And they get to build and create these different mazes on the whiteboard. Then another station is I have found their fake LEGO bricks, but a fake LEGO bricks that where they can build a marble maze that stands up that is not on the wall. So seeing how that will actually change how things will move and turn. Then there’s also an app that I found that where students can build their own mazes and add different pieces. And then we have a robotic coding station where there are balloon animals where they actually have to roll the dice, find the numbers, then add them up, and then find the sum on the grid. So find different challenges that go along with our STEM-musement park, mainly about force motion, but a really great way to hone in and really get into that standard. So as you can see, I really liked again, planning and themes. But really zoning in on this standard, I’m not replacing what the classroom teacher is doing. Or maybe you are the classroom teacher, and you just want more ways to implement STEM and just really have a different way of learning. I’m not replacing that for that classroom teacher. So even if kids have learned this standard in their class, I know they’re gonna be doing something different with me. And really just having that hands-on experience to focus on that vocabulary, which is good for all students, not just Kindergarten, it’s great for everybody. 


Naomi Meredith  14:54

Here are the top three things that I think a kindergartener should leave STEM leaving. And this was hard for me to really pick three. And I think it’s going to be hard to pick three for all the grade levels. So here are my top three. So aside from kindergarteners, just like learning what my room looks like, where it is in the building, where the bathroom is in the proximity of my room, we do take a field trip to the bathroom, the first two days, and everybody goes and then we know where the bathroom is. So by the end of the year, they actually know how to go the bathroom independently where it’s located. But here are my top three skills that I think a Kindergarten nourish, should leave my class with. They’re not really in order, you can mix them up. But these are the top important things. First is for a kindergartner to be able to gather materials independently. So finding where those are, and also being able to clean those up independently. This is really important as the teacher to set up those structures where this can be possible. And it is 100% bras possible. I taught preschool in college and we had our preschoolers do this. So I know a five-year-old, a five and six-year-olds are definitely capable. And I can get out all of those materials, and they will be cleaned up at the end of class. The second skill that I want my kindergarteners to walk away with is being able to collaborate with at least a partner by this point and their age. They’re very used to having parallel play where they’re playing by themselves, but they’re playing side by side with others. And that is definitely how I start off the year. But again, based on the structures that I set up for students, I really want them to be able to successfully collaborate with a partner, whether it’s a partner of their choice, or it’s a partner that I choose. So again, setting up those roles for them. Helping them be successful is really, really important. And this is going to help set them up for the rest of the years when they’re in my class but also in school. And the third thing that I want kindergartners to walk away from my class is being able to complete a project that lasts more than one days and up to two days long. So it’s very easy for students to complete things in one day, but having them actually have a project that has multiple that, and being able to start that cleaned it up, and then get it out and then pick it up where they left off and finish it up a second day is huge, because they want to rush through their work and just do the crate part. So I do still use the Engineering Design Process, even in Kindergarten, it is an NGSS, Next Generation Science Standards, K-2 has the Engineering Design Process. But having a project that can last one to two and maybe three days can definitely be done. But it’s something that we work up to probably don’t start it until maybe that maker month, when we’re talking about the ant hills in all of that that lasts about two days. But that is definitely something I want to work up to. So that they are creating that long-term memory and remembering Oh, I did this the day before. Here’s what I need to do next. 


Naomi Meredith  20:49

As a recap, here are the main things when you’re thinking about your Kindergarten STEM curriculum and just those tips and tricks along the way when it comes to your overall year. First, we talked about the overview of the year, then I broke down the structure of the week. Then we talked about the top three skills that that kindergarteners should know by the end of the year once they leave STEM. Like I said, I’m going to do this series. So we will be talking about first through fifth in the next few episodes. There are a lot of ways that I can help support you when it comes to your Kindergarten STEM planning. Definitely jump on In in that K-2 STEM planning workshop, you will get a professional development certificate to help you break down how to actually plan out these lessons. I also have a K-5 year long plan that has all the lessons that I teach and constantly updating and adding things to those. So jumping on that the sooner you jump in on that the cheaper it is. If you only need Kindergarten, I have it broken down in just to Kindergarten bundle, and also a K-2 bundle depending on what you teach. So thank you so much again for joining me. I’m happy to support you and your STEM journey. And I can’t wait to see you in the next episodes.

kindergarten STEM curriculum

 

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!

how do podcasts help students learn

How Do Podcasts Help Students Learn? with Jerry Kolber from Who Smarted? [ep.80]

by Naomi Meredith

How Do Podcasts Help Students Learn? with Jerry Kolber from Who Smarted [ep.80]

how do podcasts help students learn

Check out the full episode on How Do Podcasts Help Students Learn? with Jerry Kolber from Who Smarted:  

 

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Episode Summary

Have you wondered how do podcasts help students learn? Podcasts are an engaging way to learn new content quickly. There are many amazing podcasts for your students. One of those is the Who Smarted Podcast. In today’s episode, I sit down to chat with Jerry Kolber, who works on the team for the Who Smarted Podcast. Jerry and I discuss how podcasts help students learn, the benefits of incorporating podcasts into your STEM classroom, and much more.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why the Who Smarted Podcast was created
  • The answer to the question how do podcasts help students learn
  • An inside look into how the Who Smarted Podcast team collaborates to create the podcast each week
  • Jerry’s favorite episodes on the Who Smarted Podcast

Meet Jerry Kolber:

Jerry Kolber has spent the last fifteen years creating some of the world’s most beloved and recognizable educational entertainment. He is also a past and current board member of many community and educational not-for-profits, including The Greenhouse for Artists, Tap Fusion, The Interdependence Project, and the Prague Project, and he serves in an advisory capacity to not-for-profits across the USA. From Nat Geo’s BRAIN GAMES to Netflix’s BRAINCHILD (co-produced by Pharrell Williams) to the WHO SMARTED? Podcast – family audiences are consistently entertained and enlightened by Kolber’s work. Kolber is the winner of a Parents Choice Award, Imagen Award for Diversity in Entertainment, Cablefax Award for Best Family Show, Common Sense Media Seal of Approval, and received an Emmy Nomination for Prime Time Informational Series or Special. His love of creating edutainment came from his experience of loving Science and Math as a child but being unable to connect with it presented in the classroom. Kolber is the co-founder and CEO of Atomic Entertainment and the President of the Not-for-Profit Make Learning Fun Foundation.

Connect with Jerry:

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Are you curious about how you can use podcasts with kids? Podcasts are a wonderful way to learn new content quickly but also in an engaging way. Now, I don’t think I need to tell you that since you are listening to a podcast right now; however, think about how your love of listening to podcasts can be transferred to your students. There are great podcasts for kids out there, and I have the perfect one for you to check out. In this episode, I am chatting with Jerry Kolber, who has extensive experience when it comes to educational entertainment. He is currently working on the Who Smarted podcast, which I highly recommend for you to listen to with your students. His work ranges from Nat Geo’s Brain Games to Netflix’s Brainchild, co-produced by Pharrell Williams, to the Who Smarted podcast, where family audiences are consistently entertained and enlightened by Kolber’s work. This isn’t showcasing all his work by the way. Definitely go check out his full bio in my show notes. It’s pretty amazing. Kolber is the winner of a Parent’s Choice Award, Imagen Award for diversity and entertainment, Cablefax Award for Best Family Show, Common Sense Media Seal of Approval, and received an Emmy nomination for Primetime Informational Series or Special. His love of creating edutainment came from his experience of loving science and math as a child but being unable to connect with it because of how it was presented in the classroom, which I’m sure you might have had students like that. So that’s how podcasts can really fit in with your students. Jerry is so great and so supportive of education and making it attainable and entertaining for kids, schools, and families. I had so much fun chatting with Jerry, and he was such a delight, and I know that you’re going to love listening to this episode. 


Naomi Meredith  01:50

Well, thank you, Jerry, so much for being here. We connected through a mutual friend, and I’m really excited about this collaboration because I think a lot of STEM teachers maybe haven’t thought about how they could add this with their students and how podcasting can be really beneficial for their kids, and so on. So before we dive into all of that if you wouldn’t mind telling us about yourself, your background, and then your involvement with the podcast that you help with?


Jerry Kolber  02:53

Sure. So thank you, first of all, for having me here. It’s really fun to always talk to folks like you and talk to teachers. My background is as a TV producer; primarily, I made a show called Brain Games for National Geographic that I created. That was a science show that ran for seven or eight seasons. And then we made a TV show called Brainchild that ran on Netflix, which was a 13-episode science series for 8 to 12-year-olds, hosted by a young woman of color. With a female science expert, this is an awesome opportunity for some great representation and a lot of fun for the kids who get exposed to science through the show. Personally, I was a very bad student. If any of my science teachers knew what I do now, they would think it must be a different Jerry Kolber because I did not do well in school in science. But actually, that was kind of a strength for me because I loved science growing up, and I was always at the science museum planetarium. And, you know, for me, it was more of a struggle with connecting with how the science was taught in the classroom. And my teachers were all very good teachers, it was more an issue of just the sort of traditional way materials were presented. So as I started working in TV and media and audio, I always wanted to figure out a way to basically make the show that I wish it existed when I was a kid. And so that’s Brainchild. And now, most recently, Who Smarted, which is a 15-minute, three times weekly science and history podcast for elementary school kids, and Who Smarted is the podcast we’re talking about today. You know the strength of Who Smarted is that it’s short. It can be used as an entry into a subject matter in a classroom. It can be used during a car ride, and it’s easy to access because it’s audio. So it doesn’t require a teacher to have permission to have video connections. It’s very easy to use in the classroom. So you know, a lot of problems that we’d had with getting our TV shows in the educational setting, we solved by creating an audio podcast, Who Smarted.


Naomi Meredith  05:03

I love the background of Who Smarted, and the reason why you went the podcast route is because that is so true when it comes to the media release and all of that, it is hard for us to get subscriptions as teachers. In my district, YouTube is blocked. So I have to unblock it as a teacher, and I can’t have students access it. So I think that’s such a smart route and such definitely, with the increase of podcasts anyway, we might as well get kids listening and engaging. I love how you said that you created something that you wish you had as a kid. I feel like a lot of teachers who are in this STEM space now that’s probably how they got into STEM because that didn’t exist when we were kids. We had science, but just having more of that integration of the science, technology, engineering, and math all in one, I think you would have been great at that, Jerry. I think that you would have been awesome in this STEM classroom. You would have loved it. I do a whole video and audio production lesson with my kids, and you probably would have been my star student.


Jerry Kolber  06:09

Where were you when I needed you? But you know, the other thing for us, and this is a bigger issue, is STEM does not get the resources and support that it should, at least not in the United States. That range is literally from, like, we hear teachers all the time who have to buy their own supplies and stuff for classrooms, which is just, that’s ridiculous. Then, you know, on the other end of the spectrum, STEM just isn’t really featured in a really cool way. In American media, it’s always like, you know, nerdy or, you know, not always, but it’s often portrayed as a nerdy thing. It’s not something that’s good, especially younger women, and minority kids don’t really see themselves represented in STEM as much as they should. And then you fast forward, like, think of where we’re going to be in 20 years. If you don’t think that technology is going to be the solution to all the problems we’re facing right now, then you’re like living under a rock. And so it’s so important that we create curiosity and potential and a pathway into these careers for every possible kid. It’s just almost our duty as a society to do that. And so that’s why we’re so excited to be able to support teachers who are bringing STEM into the classroom because it’s such a crucial thing to do. And, you know, it’s so funny because, like, to your point, you know, it sometimes gets down to things like teachers going, Hey, we would love to use your Brainchild show in the classroom, but we’re not allowed to show videos in the class, or Netflix is blocked, or I don’t have a subscription I can use. And then you go, okay, we’ll put it on YouTube. Well, we can’t use YouTube in the classroom. It’s blocked. And so, like, we only sort of drill down to, like, how do we solve this problem? And it’s like, oh, audio podcasts don’t live on a single platform. It’s just one podcast, so teachers can very proactively say, I’m going to play Who’s Smarted or one of the other educational podcasts. And the beauty of that is that they can have a way to make these subjects entertaining and easy for kids to get into. I think that the biggest problem is that we’re just not making it fun in media for children to get excited about STEM topics. Right? It’s, yeah, yeah. That’s why we’re doing it. So yeah.


Naomi Meredith  08:24

Oh, I love that. And I hear you’re not a former teacher, right?


Jerry Kolber  08:28

No, I’m a former terrible student. But I like talking about this. 


Naomi Meredith  08:33

This is so good that you’re saying this because you aren’t a teacher. But you recognize the importance of STEM subjects and why that’s important for kids, and the way that our country has gone. Because I mean, it’s true, like us as teachers, we know what you’re saying, like you’re preaching to the choir right here with all that you said. And it’s like when I was getting my master’s in STEM leadership, there were all these articles about how there’s such a big drop off with kids getting into science because they think it’s boring, like there actually are studies about it. And yes, I teach them as a specialist; all the kids in the schools get it. That’s not always true in every building. I get the kids five days in a row, once a month. But a lot of schools don’t have that. And it’s up to the classroom teachers. And so they might, you know, I mean, it’s a lot of work. And so sometimes they might not always put in the effort they want because it is a lot of work for science, and then the kids get bored, and it’s a whole cycle. And so I love your podcast, the Who Smarted. I was listening to the peanut butter one the other day, and it’s totally different than this. Like if you’re a teacher, who has ever done podcasts with your kids, a podcast for kids, well, it can be boring, but this one’s not boring. So it has all these audio effects. There are just a lot of things that capture the kids’ attention. Where if they’ve never listened to podcasts, it’s very quick, where kids don’t sit there and get bored because of the sound effects, stories, voices, all the like interesting topics, and the weirder the topic, I feel like the better. How do you get inspiration for the episodes? Like because I know you have kids, or you have families who give reviews? Or do you guys just sit around and brainstorm ideas? 


Jerry Kolber  10:22

Oh, we totally read the reviews and look for ideas. We love when we get ideas from the kids. And it’s like, some, you know, if we see like enough kids saying we want a Roblox episode, we’re like, Okay, we’ll do an episode on Roblox or like do one on pizza or ice cream or, you know, gravity or whatever. So we totally look at that for inspiration. And then also our writers and producers all are always thinking about, like, what can be a good topic for Who Smarted. So yeah, that comes from all over the place. But we love taking inspiration from our; we call them our Smarty fans, say smarty pants. Yeah, so we love getting ideas from them. Yes, and that’s just to go back to the point you were just saying, you know, it’s so we know, there are so many teachers who are 100% on board with the idea of just how important STEM is and their STEM specialists. But we also know that teachers are burdened with so many requirements of how to teach and how to test, and how to prepare plus, gosh, you might have a life outside of school also. Who knows? So, we know it’s like the idea that a teacher would have the bandwidth to also create, like, really fun, you know, engaging material. It’s like you guys are superheroes, but there is even a limit to that, you know. And so we think of Who Smarted as kind of, like, the warm-up act before the main comedian, you know, like, the main. Yeah, so it’s like, we’re not going to teach the kid everything there is to know about peanuts and the history of peanuts, but like, we will get them excited to learn more by making it fun by making the topic relatable. And so that’s the function we serve, you know, and, yeah, it’s just, we just really want to support what’s going on in classrooms and homes. And anywhere, there’s potential STEM education happening, like we want to help make it easier, make it more fun.


Naomi Meredith  12:07

Oh, 100%, it’s such a great way to build background knowledge. Because with any topic, especially in STEM or science, you want not all kids to have a background on the topic. That’s why we’re teachers, I tell my students that I don’t know about this, and like, oh, my gosh, I’m a teacher, I’m gonna do my job I get to teach you. But definitely, a podcast is so helpful because you want to find ways to engage students. And if they don’t know about the topic, it’s a great conversation starter. And your podcasts are pretty short, I would say. But you can even pull clips if you’re a teacher and just listen to a little segment. And you could listen to segments of that same episode throughout the week. So it’s a really great conversational starter. So if you don’t have what 15 Or about 15 ish minutes, maybe a little less. But you could definitely take little chunks of that. And it could just be a real like you said, a good conversational starter. And this can relate to the project that we’re going to do. Or it could even be if you are doing a podcast project, as I told you, I do with my fifth graders; it’s a really great way for students to get ideas to create their own podcast, so it might be even inspiration for them. And it’s really cool how podcasting has just had this resurgence. Obviously, we’re talking right now. But I tell my students that not all of you are going to be a YouTuber, and you might not be great on camera, but there’s something called podcasts. And this has a lot of potential. And a lot of kids actually, I haven’t heard of it, at least at my school. But some kids have great podcasting voices and, like, Ah, you have a great voice for a podcast. And so it’s just really cool. Just another way where kids can be inspired and be creative. Because the show, Who Smarted, is very creative. And you work as a team, right? So what are all the different roles, you would say? Behind the scenes on your podcast?


Jerry Kolber  14:06

Yeah, so we have several producers for the show who are kind of like a higher level, you know, big picture, what are we doing? When are we doing it? What are the episodes? We have a bunch of writers there all over the country. Some of them are researchers, and some of them are current or former educators themselves. We have researchers who research topics for us. Then we also have a team of audio engineers, who are the folks who add all the sound effects and make us sound great. We have actors all over the place. Depending on the, you know, each of our scripts has either kind of time travel or space to go to another place. And so we have to have different actors to portray different roles. So we have a bunch of actors. So you know, it’s a small team and an amazing team, but it’s definitely a group effort to get the episodes out three times a week.


Naomi Meredith  14:07

I know that’s a lot. I do two a week, and it’s just me and my podcast manager, but she is amazing. So I mean, if I had a big team. One day, one day, Jerry, one day.


Jerry Kolber  15:14

Listen, I think you have it worse. You’re doing it all by yourself, you know? So it’s, yeah, it’s a lot. 


Naomi Meredith 15:20

It is a lot, but we’re six months in with this podcast. I think that’s really good to hear, just that something like this type of production is all a collaborative effort. And we talk about that with our students. So even hearing this, like, hey, not one person did this; they have a whole behind-the-scenes team. And that’s like a good way to even share about like a STEM job that they might have one day; who knows if podcasting will be in 20 years, who knows? It could be something else. But working together as a team and having those soft skills and being able to be creative and share ideas, I think, is really important. Like it’s a great model for them, for sure.


Jerry Kolber  16:06

Yeah, I agree. I agree. And I, it’s where we keep talking about, like, it’s a whole new project. And we’re always like, Should we be creating some sort of wave to sort of package the idea of how to teach kids how to do their own podcasts? Yeah, because we hear that a lot from the smarty pants or, like, how do we do podcasts, and we want to be on the show. And, you know, my thought is always like, rather than putting someone on something that exists, especially if it’s a child who is excited about the creative process, is like, teach them the process of what you’re talking about, teach them how to collaborate, how to create, and how to work in a team. These are such important life skills that are not really part of like official school curriculum and are so important. So I love that you’re thinking like that. It’s exactly the right way to think about preparing kids for the real world and problem-solving. 


Naomi Meredith  16:56

Yeah, that’s what we’re in the business of. I teach the kids that the tools are going to change, but these soft skills aren’t. And it doesn’t matter if you have a STEM job, which most of you will, but you need STEM skills. And that’s where like really important because these LEGO robotics aren’t going to be here. And like in a few years like this, maybe you might not want to be a YouTuber; it’s going to be something else. But you need those skills for sure. So I think that’s a really good model for them, listening to podcasts. So what is your favorite episode on Who Smarted? Do you have your top three?


Jerry Kolber  17:33

Favorite episodes? I feel like I just listened to them. I mean, let me look at my list of episodes here because there are so many. That’s like, which of your 350 Children is your favorite? Let’s see. I just listened to one recently that I really loved and then say which one it was. It was the Oh, the flamingos episode was really fun. We just did one last month on flamingos. I learned so many things from that episode, I did not know that flamingos basically just have a giant foot that’s like not a knee. But it’s an ankle that they’re standing on that.


Naomi Meredith  18:10

I didn’t. 


Jerry Kolber  18:11

Yeah. And then we, oh, you know what, we just did one on Greek gods last year. It was all about what is Greek mythology, you know. We do hear from the kids a lot that they want to learn about Greek mythology. We know a lot of kids aren’t necessarily into that. So we actually set the whole thing up as it’s about Marvel Superheroes and how each Marvel superhero that you love relates to a Greek god. Yeah, so it was really awesome. And then, we tell the whole history of the Greek gods and the epic stories. And so it’s, it’s a great trip. But yeah, that’s exactly it’s a great example of how we take something that might feel a little dry to some kids, but we make it really fun and relatable to something they love, like Marvel. And then, you know, by the end of the episode, they all want to know more about it.


Naomi Meredith  19:02

Do you guys have like on your website-related activities? So if they listened to the podcast, or they’re like recommendations for activities that kids could do at home?


Jerry Kolber  19:15

There are some, but not for every episode. The thing that we do every single episode is we put out a free newsletter called The Smarty Quiz that has little activities and follow-up quizzes, and you can sign up for that at who’s whosmarted.com It’s just a little fillable email signup box on there. And you’ll just automatically start getting an email for free with every episode, which is also a lot of teachers use as a reminder of like, oh, there’s a new episode Oh, this is a topic I want to you know, use so the email newsletter is actually the best way to to keep in touch with us and also get additional activities.


Naomi Meredith  19:52

I love that. That’s so good because we’re always clicking for just some inspiration. So all of this will be linked in the show notes for sure because we love all these fun ideas. We eat it all up for sure.


Jerry Kolber  20:06

Yeah. Well, the fun thing about the newsletter, too, is each one has, like, I think it’s three questions about that episode with, like, ABC D answers. So it’s a fun way to actually quiz the kids and see if they pay attention and then have, like, some follow-up conversation. 


Naomi Meredith  20:21

So good. Well, thanks for thinking of fun and games. Yeah. No, it is. It’s so much fun. It like makes me giggle out loud. And I don’t have my own children. But I was listening to it in the car. Like, this is really fun.


Jerry Kolber  20:36

Yeah, so that’s hilarious. Because, like, you’re falling into this category of, like, we call it like the sneaky and don’t listeners. So we hear from so many parents, they’re like, our kids love your show. But we keep Who Smarted on in the car after the kids get out because we just love it. It makes us laugh. So that was our goal was to make a show for kids that’s also really adult, you know, it’s like adult friendly. You know, a lot of shows for kids and adults are like, Oh my gosh, like, I don’t want to say this. But, you know, we’ve been, you probably noticed we sneak in all kinds of jokes for the grown-ups.


Naomi Meredith  21:11

I’m like, Ah, it was good. I’m like, it’s so cute. Well, we’ll definitely add a clip at the end of this episode. So you guys can get a taste of what Who Smarted is. But you mentioned the Smarty quiz. Are there any other ways that we can connect with you and or the Who Smarted podcast and things that we should know about?


Jerry Kolber  21:39

Yeah, so we have a pretty active Facebook community, which is facebook.com/whosmarted. We post content there all the time, whether it’s upcoming contests, giveaways, or information about episodes. That’s great. And then, you know, obviously, the email newsletter through whosmarted.com is great, a great way to keep in touch with us. And those are kind of the two main ways. But honestly, if you subscribe to the podcast, in any podcast app, you’re gonna get all kinds of information from us about upcoming. We do online adventures for kids like Space Adventures and sea adventures. So we always talk about that stuff on the podcast. But those are the three main ways 


Naomi Meredith  22:19

Yeah, perfect. Well, I know that teachers are gonna end this podcast and then go into their player and start subscribing and following the show. Because, especially for when this comes out, like the end of the school year, summer times coming up, we need some ways to engage our kids. And I definitely think that this is a great connection and definitely, a learning tool that should be employed and implemented with kids because we like we teach them how to read so we can teach them how to listen and engage in audio content. It’s such a valuable skill. 


Jerry Kolber  22:50

Yeah, absolutely. The last thing I would say about that is we’ve read and done some research that, you know, really shows that when kids learn from audio, they actually are able to comprehend at a grade level once two grades higher, which, you know, you’re nodding your head. And the other interesting thing is when they learn from audio, they are actually much more likely some huge percentage more likely to engage in conversation about a topic than if they read it in a book. So these are, we just like to tell teachers, and so if anyone’s like a while you’re playing a podcast in your classroom, it’s like, Well, because the research shows if they’re going to comprehend more, engage more and learn more. So you know, just a great little piece of information to have in your back pocket.


Naomi Meredith  23:37

It’s so true; we do read aloud, so we might as well amp it up with a podcast and have some podcast time. Well, thank you so much. I appreciate what you and your team are doing to just support the learning of kids and just keeping them engaged and excited. And little, you little Jerry would be so proud of, of present, Jerry, and all the stuff that you guys are doing, you know, so it’s really exciting. And it’s really important just having the support out there of people who are kind of around us and education and see the importance of really engaging tools and keeping it fun. So we appreciate the work that you’re doing.


Jerry Kolber  24:17

Thank you, and we so appreciate the work you and all the teachers are doing it’s just it’s often thankless, but just know we wait there are many, many people who are grateful and really appreciate everything you guys are doing. So thank you.


Naomi Meredith  24:29

Thank you. We appreciate it. Well, thank you so much again for being here, and we can’t wait to listen to the clip from who started. Awesome. Thank you.


Jerry Kolber  24:40

Did you tell them one out of every five or 20% of all mushrooms are dangerous to eat? Oh in fact I just and that there’s another 20% You can eat but aren’t very tasty. Overall, only about 4% of all mushrooms are both edible and tasty. If that’s what makes mushroom hunting such a challenge,


Jerry Kolber  25:04

of course, some smarty pants might be thinking, Oh, mushrooms tastes yucky, you, but have you really given them a fair shot? But before we can even think about eating them, we need to find them first.

how do podcasts help students learn

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!

STEM teacher interview

3 STEM Teacher Interview Tips [ep.79]

by Naomi Meredith

3 STEM Teacher Interview Tips [ep.79]

STEM teacher interview

Check out the full episode on 3 STEM Teacher Interview Tips:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

Are you hoping to land a STEM position at your school? Maybe you’re wondering what are some important things that you need to consider when interviewing for a STEM position. In today’s episode, I share three STEM teacher interview tips to keep in mind when you are preparing for a STEM teacher interview.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 tips for preparing for a STEM teacher interview
  • How to stand out in your interview
  • How my STEM teacher interview went

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Are you hoping to land a STEM position at your school? What are some important things that you need to keep in mind when interviewing for a STEM type position in our elementary schools? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing with you three tips to keep in mind when you are prepping for that STEM teacher interview. Take it from me, I have been in your position before. I interviewed for a K through Five STEM job, and I got it. So let’s jump into these STEM teacher interview tips. 


Listener Question  01:03

Hello, I hope you’re having a good day. I’m actually just sending you a message because I have an interview on Monday for a STEM job. And I’m just wondering if you have any suggestions for me. I have been a teacher for 18 years. And I’ve always wanted to be a STEM teacher. And they just recently had a position that’s coming open next year at my school first time we’ve ever had STEM. So I’m not really sure what kind of questions they are going to ask me. And I was just wondering if you could give me some advice.


Naomi Meredith  01:31

Great question from a fellow teacher. She must have been reading my mind because I actually had this episode planned for a while. I pushed it up on my content calendar because I’m sure she’s not the only one who was wondering the same question. Before I landed my K through five STEM role, I taught second grade for two years at a title one school, which was actually the school that I student taught at, so then I landed a job the following year. Then I moved and needed a job that was a bit closer to where I was then living. So I interviewed and applied for a job in another district and ended up teaching third grade for four years. During that time, I was attending conferences, every free and paid training where I could learn innovative and creative practices that can enhance my teaching. From there, I would apply those things with my students. I had so much fun being a classroom teacher for six years, but I had that feeling in me that I wanted to make an even bigger impact. So I was looking at a neighboring district, and there was a K through Five STEM position that popped up at the time. I didn’t really know anybody at this school. Later on, I applied and then ended up having a connection, which is pretty funny, because that actually happened when I got my third-grade job. But anyway, I applied for this position, and I interviewed for it. Long story short, I got the job. If you want to hear actually how the interview went, go back and listen all the way to Episode One. It might not be what you expect. Yes, I got the job, but my feelings about it are not what you expect. Anyway, I landed the job in this new to me district new to me position and a school with zero curriculum and limited supplies. So, of course, that is another story for another podcast episode, in which there are tons about lesson planning. 


Naomi Meredith  03:34

But you are here for those interview tips. So what should you keep in mind when you are prepping to be a STEM teacher and interviewing? More likely than not, a lot of you are probably coming from the classroom, you’ve been teaching for a while, and you’re interested in this type of role. You think you’re ready for it. So how do you interview for a position you haven’t done before? So here are my top three tips when you’re going into this type of interview. My first tip when prepping for a STEM teacher interview is to showcase your creativity. This is a highly creative role. I’m not saying to not apply if you’re not creative, but it is super up in the air. Pretty much, I would say for most teachers I’ve talked to when they’re in a STEM role for what you teach. So you have to be comfortable with being creative and trying new things. So definitely showcase that in your interview. It kind of makes sense to me with my journey with teaching over the years and even when I was in my undergrad getting my teaching degree. I love being creative, even if it’s not STEM related. I am a very, very creative person, and so this is something I definitely showcased in my interview. Think about the lessons that you will teach as a STEM teacher. All lessons are creative, even the lessons when it comes to coding and robotics, every single lesson that is taught in my classroom is creative. So you definitely want to highlight that. Now a good thing to keep in mind is to think about the creative lessons that you have taught your students. So you probably are interested in this world because you probably are doing this type of stuff with your students anyway. So before an interview, just sit down and write down some of those creative things that you have done with kids. If you have taught a multitude of grades and just thinking about primary and secondary, think about projects that you have done with both of those grade levels. In a position like this one, it’s very common, where you’re going to be teaching a huge span of students, and you need to have those capabilities to be able to teach them all. So I taught second grade and third grade. But then I did a lot of afterschool clubs with older students, I did a Math Olympiad, a Battle of the Books, club science clubs. So if you haven’t specifically taught that grade, maybe think about other ways that you have been involved with them. Or even think about the types of lessons that you would do with that age of students if you don’t have any specific experience to talk about. 


Naomi Meredith  06:14

Next, to think about in your STEM teacher interview is to showcase your technology skills. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but not only am I our K through five STEM teacher, but I am our technology person full-time. So, I also had to showcase what are some ways that I am able to troubleshoot and problem-solve with technology, which, even if you’re not the technology person, and that’s not going to be part of your role, you need to know how to do this with technology. I didn’t have somebody come in every single day that I’ve taught my students and say, “Hello, here’s the technology you’re going to teach as a STEM teacher. Here’s exactly how to use it.” That’s where I come in. That’s why I’m doing this podcast and doing what I do. But for me, I didn’t have that. So you might not have that either in your building at all times. Again, I’m here for you. But you need to showcase in your interview how you can problem solve, be creative with technology, and be willing to try new things. You’re not going to know everything, and technology is always changing. Like I didn’t know how to do 3D printing at all. I had a couple of 3D printers I troubleshooted. I did a lot of Googling, that is your best friend. So you definitely want to showcase that and think about, again, specific lessons that you have taught in your classroom when you have been using meaningful technology. I’m not talking about things like oh, my students typed on a Google Doc, oh, we use Google Classroom. Sure, great. But that’s not very innovative. What is going to actually make you stand out? What are some cross-curricular lessons that you have taught when it comes to using technology? Bonus points if you are being creative. 


Naomi Meredith  07:57

Finally, the third thing to think about in your STEM teacher interview is to showcase your lesson planning skills. Back in episode 11, I talk about all the ways that I think classroom teachers make great STEM teachers. So definitely go back and listen to that because I think that’s really going to help you when you’re prepping for this interview or hopefully pitching yourself to have this type of job in your school or district. As I said before, most of you might not have interviewed for a job like this before or even have had this type of job, so it is scary. You don’t really know what’s going to be expected of you, and that’s the creative part. It’s really fun. But you do have the skills when it comes to lesson planning. If I wasn’t a classroom teacher before becoming a K through five STEM teacher, I think I actually would have drowned when it comes to lesson planning. As I said, there was zero curriculum. Over the years, I have built a full K through five STEM year-long plan that is differentiated and leveled based on the ages of my students, you can grab the whole year-long plan at Naomimeredith.com/yearlongplan. But you coming into this interview, you don’t need to have all of your STEM lessons figured out. You can have them, but you don’t need them necessarily for this interview. So think about how you creatively lesson plan. See how all of this kind of goes together. Creativity, technology, the lesson planning standards are still important in STEM. There is a huge misconception out there that STEM is just throwing out cool toys and letting kids play with them. There is a ton of exploration in my class, but everything is very purposeful, and everything is aligned with standards. There is a big goal in mind. So yes, we do robots. Yes, we do that. But what is the purpose behind the robots? What is the task that we are going to complete? How are we integrating Common Core ELA and math standards? How are we adding in Mathematical Practices, the ISTE standards for students, the Engineering Design Process, your science standards? Don’t just listen as I did. But really think about a lesson that you have done when you are integrating standards. Again, think about primary and secondary, but you have the skills of lesson planning, you’re just going to be shifting to how to merge that all together for multiple grade levels. Also, how can you implement some tools that aren’t always super common in the elementary classroom yet? 


Naomi Meredith  10:32

So as a recap, here are the three things that you need to keep in mind when you are tackling that STEM teacher interview. First, showcase your creativity. Next, showcase your technology skills. Third, showcase your lesson planning skills. Now, you might be wondering, what was the end result of that voice message that that teacher sent me? Here is what she emailed me back. So I actually sent her some interview questions, something that I had in my Google Drive. I sent them to her, and she emailed me back. I got the job, thanks for checking out your stuff. And just so you know, she has checked out my stuff. And she is actually a member of our STEM teacher bookshelf community and is collaborating with like-minded teachers like us. So a great place to join. Now, if you want to get in on these questions, I have them for you inside my STEM Teacher 101 Course. I have added a new module where there are 10 sample questions that, if I were interviewing people to be a STEM teacher, is probably what I would ask. These are probably some most common questions, or ones that are similar, that you would be asked. Not only are the questions inside of this STEM teacher 101 course, you actually will be able to hear me answer the questions. So I am taking on the role of a classroom teacher, so looking at my past self and how would I answer them coming into this type of interview. So you can get some ideas, hearing me talk, you might even have similar experiences, of course, make it personal to you. Let your personality shine, but I want to help you on this journey. That’s why I do what I do. And definitely check that out. It’s a great way for you to feel confident about this STEM teacher interview, and I am here right by your side. You can grab that at Naomi meredith.com/stemteacher101. And, of course, that is all linked in the show notes. Thank you so much. And let me know if you get that STEM interview. I can’t wait to hear and have you as part of my big STEM community.

STEM teacher interview

 

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!

free materials for STEM projects

3 Ways to Get Free Materials for STEM Projects [ep.78]

by Naomi Meredith

3 Ways to Get Free Materials for STEM Projects [ep.78]

free materials for STEM projects

Check out the full episode on 3 Ways to Get Free Materials for STEM Projects:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

Struggling to gather STEM supplies for our classroom seems to be a common theme for STEM teachers. There are many ways to gather materials creatively and for free. In today’s episode, I share three ways to get free materials for STEM projects.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 methods for getting free materials for STEM projects
  • Tips for successfully using these methods to gather materials for your STEM classroom
  • Examples of how I used these methods to get free materials

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Many of us struggle to gather STEM supplies for our classroom and really any type of supplies as a teacher, let’s be honest. However, there are a variety of ways to gather materials creatively and for free. In this episode, I’ll be sharing with you three ways to get free materials for your STEM projects.


Naomi Meredith  00:53

Before we jump in, I wanted to give a special shout-out to my newest members of the STEM teacher bookshelf membership. Shout out to Audra R., Susan E., Laurie D., Julianna S., Georgia L., Tracy Y., Janessa D, Amy R., Jackie B., Megan B., Kandi S., Jackie M., Stacia A., Kelly H., Beth S., and Jacqueline F. I am so excited that you are all in this community with me and it is growing, and I love adding your name to my little bookshelf image. This is a community where we talk about STEM professional books and STEM topics that are important to you, have that space to connect with one another, and a live monthly Zoom call and, of course, opportunities to win the next month’s book. It’s only nine bucks a month. You can have your name read out loud and your name put on the bookshelf. You can join at naomimeredith.com/stemteacherbookshelf, and if you are part of the first 50 teachers in this membership, there are a few spots left, then I will send you a handwritten note in the mail along with a special, exclusive STEM teacher bookshelf sticker. So I’d love to see you in there. 


Naomi Meredith  02:13

Now for this episode, when we are talking about free STEM supplies. They don’t call me a maxxinista for nothing. I am known for being someone to shop on a budget, and these are all strategies to get things for free. Some will actually have a cost to them, but I’m all about it. I graduated with both of my degrees, my undergrad and my graduate degree, 100% debt free. So I paid my way through college both times, so I have never had any student debt. I’m all about saving money and finding good deals when it is possible, especially if they are good deals that are free. So let’s jump into these three ways that are definitely actionable that you can start tomorrow. If you are unsure of what you should actually be collecting for your classroom, and you might not get it all in the first year, but what should you be looking for, I’ve created a free spreadsheet inventory, which is actually based on my classroom. You can grab that naomimeredith.com/classroominventorylist. Of course, it’ll all be linked in the show notes. 


Naomi Meredith  03:21

The first way that you can get free STEM supplies for your classroom is through outside donations. Now I have some creative ways for you to do this, so it’s not your typical ask, and you shall receive blah, blah, blah, but actual creative ways. I feel like the more creative you get when it comes to asking for donations people haven’t heard about it before, and they are probably more apt to tune in and donate rather than the typical giving tree and all that. That’s super cool too. When you hang up something, people grab something as well. I talked about that, actually, in my Back to School Night episode. But here are some other creative ways to gather supplies. First, you could do a one-grade level at a time, asking if it’s specific things that you are looking for in a project. I’ve explained this over the course of this podcast a lot. But my role teaching K through Five STEM has been very unique. There was a point where with our budgeting, I was able to co-teach with the classroom teachers in my building to help them implement STEM and innovation in their classrooms. I did a really cool project with first grade one year during the springtime, and we were talking about insects. So that was something that they were studying in their classrooms. I wanted to help them with this project, so we came up with them building their own insect and adding in all of the elements that they talked about that insects have. We did this by using Makerspace supplies. Now we know these consumable products that can run out very quickly, and especially if you’re creating an insect, you want some things that are pretty colorful, and there actually is a reason why they have all of these colors. So we reached out to the parents of just first grade with a very targeted list of things that would work really well for this project, such as pipe cleaners, tissue, paper, toilet paper rolls, googly eyes, pom poms, and a lot of these things people had laying around in their homes. What I took upon myself is that I actually organized all of the supplies. I love using those pop-up fabric cubes, you can get the ones at IKEA that are really large or get the smaller ones. I have some green ones, actually a set of 24 that I use for all sorts of things. They were actually intended to be small green screens. But then, when I’m done with that project, I actually use them for other things. Anyway, I use those to organize all the materials. Then when I was co-teaching with students, they would come into my space when it was their time. Then we would do the lesson together. Now what was another great benefit of this is that all the extra supplies the classroom teachers didn’t have room for, they let me keep it and put it back into my Makerspace, which was awesome and didn’t cost anything. 


Naomi Meredith  06:06

Another quick and easy way is to have a donation box in high-traffic areas. When it comes to families entering your building, you could post a letter of typical things that you wouldn’t mind seeing all year, and parents can donate to this box. This has been highly successful. I’ve got just the most random things in this box. I will collect all of it. Some of it, I will recycle. If it’s too big, you know, my feelings about projects that are too big, they take too long, too many materials. But anyway, I will collect these items. And it’s just so helpful to get these things year-round. I do have a donation letter template that is 100% editable, besides the cute little pictures. But all the content is editable for you, which you can get linked in the show notes and in my TPT shop. Back in episode 76, I talked to Jennifer Mahin, and she gave some awesome tips when it came to grant writing. Now when we were done recording, we were still talking off the air, and she actually had two tips that she said were okay if I shared, and I said I would give her credit because these are really good ways to get donations for your STEM classroom. The first one that she mentioned is posting any specific donations that you are needing on your school’s social media pages, such as a Facebook page or Instagram. Maybe your school has a school-wide PTO or text messaging system, that could be another way that you could reach out to families. Again, this could just be things that they have sitting around, and they’re not quite sure what to do with. Another cool idea that Jennifer mentioned is around the springtime, you typically are creating those classrooms supply lists for all of the grade levels. So if possible, try to see if you can add a couple of items to each of the lists and have different ones per grade level. So it could just be a small donation, and it would just make a huge difference. So maybe something like batteries, maybe rechargeable or not. If you have specific items that still use batteries, playdough, and maybe magnets, kind of thinking about those things, they’re a little bit pricey, but not too much of a cost. Even if they donated one or two, think about if every kid brought one in that would make a huge difference in your space. So I thought those are some really creative and interesting ideas to get donations from outside sources and into your classroom. This one is kind of out of your control, but in a way, it kind of is in your control when it comes to donations. It’s all about creating partnerships with the parents. So, especially if you’re a specials teacher, it is hard to connect with the parents and have them get to know you. So just try to get involved in different ways that you can. Hosting after-school clubs is a great way to do this. But I randomly will get parent emails asking me if I would be interested in specific items that are not Makerspace related. I’ve been donated Snap Circuits that somebody has grown out of Duplo blocks, which are those larger LEGO bricks that a family didn’t want, colored Dominoes, marbles, and just really random stuff that I can definitely use, which has been so amazing. So again, a little bit out of your control, but those are like hidden gems. Those are awesome when that happens to you. 


Naomi Meredith  09:17

Another way to gather free supplies for your classroom is to have a donation box in your teacher’s lounge and make this donation very specific. I’m doing a project with our art teacher. It’s a collaborative art project where the students are going to build something in art, and then when they come to me in STEM where we’re going to do the electronic components. Now this is a new lesson for me that I have never done. That’s all I really going to share because I don’t know what is going to happen next. I actually have to learn the technology myself. But we need a lot of thin cardboard, like cereal box cardboard, so we put a donation box in the teachers’ lounge next to the microwave. So when teachers are opening up their microwave meals that are Oh So Delicious, then they can put the cardboard in there, and then we can use it for our projects. So just a quick and easy way. They’re gonna throw it away anyway, but we can give it new life in our project. You could do this for other things like K-cups, the coffee cups, and maybe some bubble wrap when people get orders in. So just think of typical things that are in your building already that end up in the trash or recycling. But you can have one little hub in the teachers’ lounge to gather those things. Likewise, the spring and back-to-school time is an awesome way to go garage saleing in your own building. When you’re thinking about the new curriculum that is being developed, or if those storage spaces need to be cleaned out and there are things that teachers don’t want anymore. Put out a radar in teachers’ minds that you are happy to collect all of those things for your STEM classroom. So you need science, technology, engineering, and math items. I have gotten so many things this way: unifix cubes, balances for measuring, and rulers. I got a huge bucket of wooden blocks one time dropped off at my door. So I’m always looking for these items, those non-consumable things. Again, it might be too old, or they have just duplicates in their classroom, they just want the newer version that was sent to them in the curriculum, and they don’t have places to store the older stuff. Well, this is a great chance for you to take it upon yourself. I have a guest coming out sometime soon on this podcast, and she did this exact thing and had a cute story about this. So definitely a good way to get some free stuff. Another quick and easy way is just to send out a staff email. If you have an upcoming project and you need something specific, send out an email and see what people say. When I’m doing projects where students are building things and when they’re saving their work over time, I like them to save their work in grocery bags because everything fits inside and they can tie the top. So certain times during the year, I just send out an email blast, and people will bring in grocery bags for a week or two. It’s just super helpful and, again, gets it off of their hands. It’s another great way to get free stuff. 


Naomi Meredith  12:03

The last way to get free stuff for your classroom, and this isn’t always just Makerspace supplies, is writing grants. There are two past episodes that I’ve had before this one that you definitely should check out when it comes to grant writing. One is from Jennifer Mahin, to talk about the tips and tricks when writing grants. She’s been very successful with that. Also, if you’re a little bit more nervous, check out the one from DonorsChoose. They lay things out super, super easy, and they even handle all the purchasing for you. I know that they have a spring incentive coming up. So this is a really good time to try it out. I know that it’s scary and it is a little bit of extra work, but you do get better with it over time. But again, this is a really cool opportunity. You’re going to feel so proud of yourself when you do get a grant funded. There are times, as I’ve talked about you do need higher-level products to do higher-level things. Yes, you can do Makerspace all year, there is nothing wrong with that, if that is the class you teach, hey, that’s awesome. But if you’re thinking about adding in more variety, or you’re just seeing that your kids are stagnant or need more engagement, having some of those higher-level things that can be reused for multiple grade levels is definitely worth checking out. So check out any local grants in your area. Any national grant or statewide grants DonorsChoose, again, is another great place to check this out. But try writing a grant and make that your goal at the end of this school year or going into the next school year when you’re thinking about summer planning. Set a goal for yourself that you want to write three grants, and hopefully, one of the three can get funded. So definitely try it out. Everything new is hard at first, and, like I tell my students, it’s definitely worth your time. 


Naomi Meredith  13:49

As a recap, here are three ways to get free materials for your STEM projects. First, check out different ways to get outside donations. Next, get creative with those in-school donations. And third, make it a goal to try out some grant writing. If you want to dive in more when it comes to gathering materials. And when it comes to grant writing, which will be something new, I will add in the upcoming future. Definitely join me in my STEM teacher 101 course, this is a section to get you started for the school year. So if you’re thinking about going into the summer, this is definitely something great for you to jump in. And I do have a private podcast for this course. So you can actually listen to all of the modules on the go. You will get forever updates and all of the things inside of there. So definitely jump on in you can get some credit when it comes to professional development, credit, and definitely all the help that you need to set up a good foundation for your STEM space. Thank you so much for listening, and I will chat with you in the next episode.

free materials for 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!

grant writing tips for teachers

Grant Writing Tips for Teachers with DonorsChoose [ep.77]

by Naomi Meredith

Grant Writing Tips for Teachers with DonorsChoose [ep.77]

grant writing tips for teachers

Check out the full episode on Grant Writing Tips for Teachers with DonorsChoose:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, I sit down to chat with Brittany Walker, who is the Senior Engagement Community Associate at DonorsChoose, to discuss what DonorsChoose is and how it works. Brittany provides grant writing tips for teachers and highlights some of the successful STEM projects that have been funded through DonorsChoose. If you are a teacher who has been wondering what the process is for writing a grant and how to gather STEM supplies for your classroom, this episode is for you. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What DonorsChoose is
  • What the process is for getting a grant through DonorsChoose
  • Grant writing tips for teachers
  • The importance of building community between teachers and donors
  • How DonorsChoose supports teachers with getting materials for their classrooms

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi M. (00:00) Have you always wanted to write a grant to gather STEM supplies but are not sure where to get started? What is the process? What should you say? And how do you even get the materials? Today I am talking with Brittany Walker, who is the Senior Community Engagement associate at DonorsChoose, and she is giving you all the insight to answer all of your questions. In this episode, we discuss what DonorsChoose is and how to get started, types of project ideas, and tips to be successful when writing a grant through their platform. Speaking from experience, if you haven’t used DonorsChoose before, this is an excellent resource to use as a teacher when it comes to gathering supplies for your classroom. You’re really going to love this episode and all of the helpful tips, and I can’t wait for you to listen. Well, thank you so much, Brittany, for being here today. I am so excited to have you, and I know that, , our teacher audience will be really happy to hear from you too. So, <laugh>, it’s funny cause you have a really interesting background in teaching, and, I’m happy and excited to hear about that. So if you wouldn’t mind telling us more about yourself, your background, and then what your role is at DonorsChoose.

 

Brittany W. (00:57) Of course. So I’m so excited to be here today. First of all, I am a former educator. I actually taught science for about five years in Washington, DC. I taught at the elementary level, so grades one through four. I wore a few different hats during my time in education, as many teachers often do. I actually started as a resident teacher, you know, like learning how to do the real thing. <laugh> Yes. And shadowing others. , and that was with first grade. And then, I went on to teach science for the rest of the elementary grades. Also helped to develop some science curriculum, and led our school science club as well as like our, we had a YouTube channel and a, a whole bunch of things and that was one of my favorite roles for me cause it fostered like a real love and excitement for community engagement, and creating educational programming. And so I’ve been so fortunate to transition into my role at DonorChoose where I am the community engagement lead, , pie living, building, and managing initiatives, , building a community amongst our teachers and donors. So it’s, it’s a huge one. , get to do what I love. So yeah.


Naomi M. (1:07) <laugh> That is so cool. Like your background. And it’s perfect for this podcast because we even have some science teachers who listen in the elementary space. So similar roles as you, a lot of STEM teachers in elementary, and even a lot of classroom teachers who are interested in implementing STEM. So I’m really excited to talk with you and, yeah, this is like perfect how this all works out because you’re like the perfect audience. Like you’re like, like our audience with your background.


Brittany W. (2:04) – I’ve lived it.


Naomi M (2:04) – Yeah. Yeah. So you know, you know how it goes. , so with that in mind, so you work at DonorsChoose. Yes. And for people who haven’t heard of DonorsChoose, what is it, and how does it actually work? Because I’ve used it, and I love it, and it’s super user-friendly. , but for teachers who haven’t, what is the whole point of it?


Brittany W. (00:02:28) – Absolutely. So DonorsChoose is really the leading way to give to public schools. About four out of five public schools across the US have a teacher who has posted a project on DonorsChoose. What we do is make it easy for any public school teacher in need to request the materials and tools they need in order to really transform their students’ learning experience and have a great education. We’ve been around since the year 2000, and our donors and partners have contributed about 1.4 billion to support 2.5 million teacher requests. It’s been a huge help for many teachers. What they do is they use our platform to request classroom resources. Donors who feel inspired to give to certain projects or support a certain resource type are able to search the site and directly support that teacher. Each request is vetted by our DonorsChoose team, and we ship the funded materials directly to the teacher’s school.


Naomi M. (00:03:31) – It is such an awesome resource, and I used it. I heard about it when I was student teaching. So at the time of this recording, what I don’t know, 13, 14 years ago. So I heard about it then. And then I know for even just my experience, like checking in and like putting a request, it’s really improved and really grown. And I know, like the materials that you can request, especially when it comes to STEM, there are so many different partnerships that you guys have when it comes to materials. And I love how you do all the work when it comes to ordering and then delivering it to us. And there are some really cool ideas out there, and it’s literally a template, right? Like you just put in what you want.


Brittany W. (00:04:13) – Definitely. So, teachers, they’re able to request the exact amount of the amount of materials, the exact materials that they want. We partner with certain vendors in order to get the materials that they need. And once they select the materials, they also like to describe the need for the materials in the form of a short essay. And yeah, the process pretty much takes them straight through once, once their request is screened and, and their project is live and other donors and even like their family or friends, whoever would like to can give. We also provide teachers with templates, email templates, and graphics for social media or, just to share within their network so that their community knows about, what they’re fundraising for.


Naomi M. (00:05:00) – Oh yeah. I love that cuz I think as a teacher, it can, and you probably have this experience, it can be overwhelming thinking, how am I going to write a grant? What do I even say? What do they want? Where do I even go to do a grant? There are opportunities out there. So I love how it’s super user-friendly, and the templates are really nice cuz we’re busy teachers. <laugh>


Brittany W. (00:05:23) – Definitely,


Naomi M. (00:05:24) – We dunno what to do. So <laugh>, it’s super streamlined. And when it comes to projects, have you seen any certain ones that have been great when it comes to STEM or things that have gotten funded over the years?


Brittany W. (00:05:37) – Yes. , one, for example, we have a teacher, Mrs. Dixon, at Woodmore Elementary School, she hosted a STEM Family Fun night, and she was able to request materials for various stations such as DNA extractions. They were able to extract DNA from the strawberries. Also, kaleidoscope making, slime creation, building circuits, and balloon race cars. , and that was just for one project to support 200 students. We have, for another example, Mrs. Coates at Rustic Lane Elementary School requested programmable handheld game consoles that her students could use, with Microsoft Make code. And her students were able to really take advantage of that video game technology and be active creators of it. , and it can go from the small things like Lego blocks and magnet tiles to big things like Makerspaces and helping all of the hands-on activities that our STEM teachers love to do and get their students involved in.


Naomi M. (00:06:45) – I love that, but I would never have thought of writing a grant when it comes to community engagement when it comes to a family night. That is a really creative and great idea when you’re thinking maybe you are a teacher who actually has what they need in their classroom, which you probably don’t, but maybe you have a pretty well-stocked room. So that’s a really cool way to utilize donors, choose to have some just more unique projects when families are coming in. I love that idea.


Brittany W. (00:07:15) – Absolutely. And what we’ve seen on our site is that our teachers, really think outside of the box to get these materials ready for their students. And, even if, as you said, even if their classrooms are well stopped, then they’re thinking more out of the box on how to, like, create these engaging, diverse learning experiences, with new products that they may not have had a chance to do or have had access to before.


Naomi M. (00:07:40) – Oh, absolutely. And I love even that video game when you’re talking about, I was talking to another STEM teacher, we were talking about just grant writing in general, and she’s in a similar role like me, we’ve had our classes for about five years, and when you first get started, you probably saw this too when you were teaching science, when you first start, the kids like you kind of can do the same thing with a lot of the kids because they might not have used a tool before, but then as you get going over the years, they need more of a challenge, and you might have to be getting materials that are just at a higher level or just different, or it needs updates because the kids’ skill levels haven’t increased, which is awesome. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So that’s a really great way to extend like differentiation opportunities too.


Brittany W. (00:08:25) – Absolutely. And what we see is that many teachers write that into their stories when they’re requesting items so that potential donors can, can see like exactly how they’re supporting their students by providing those differentiated learning materials. And it’s, it’s like a win-win for, for everyone.


Naomi M. (00:08:42) – Oh, that’s a really good idea when it comes. Yeah. I’ve never thought about that, either. Say, I’m so glad that you’re here because <laugh>, you, you see a lot of these projects come through <laugh>. , so when it comes to those projects, when writing a grant, so you guys have the templates, you have examples, but do you have some recommendation with, when it comes to ensuring that a project will get funded and just the way you should word things and be very specific, what are some things that teachers should keep in mind?


Brittany W. (00:09:11) – Absolutely. We found that while it is easy to post a DonorsChoose project, we like to provide teachers with the best tools for success that they can have so that as soon as a donor sees their project, they feel moved to support it. And we really recommend four things. One is to be specific. The more specific in detail you can be with your request, the clearer it is to that donor, what it is you’re looking forward to really enrich your students learning. Second, we ask, you to tell a story, and put us into your classroom. Describe why and how the project will help your class and how it will feel for your students to experience these resources, maybe even what it may look like in your classroom. , thirdly, we ask that you let your students shine <laugh>. They’re the beneficiaries of these materials. And so when writing about your students and your DonorsChoose project, really focus on their interests, strengths, and dreams, not just their struggles.


Brittany W. (00:10:11) Ask yourself if your students and their parents will feel proud of themselves after reading your DonorsChoose project. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And lastly, be strategic with your project. Smaller requests are more likely to get funded quickly. We like to say that within the range of anything, , projects under $200 have a 90% chance of being funded quickly, while projects over a thousand dollars are funded only about 43% of the time. So as a teacher, you can just ask yourself, are there some ways I can lower the cost of my projects or maybe like break a project up into two or three different projects so that, when donors look at it, they are more, more pulled to maybe even like finish the project off and you know, cover the whole bid or, you know, just breaking it down and making it smaller.


Naomi M. (00:11:03) – That’s really good advice, just seeing those trends on there because I think a lot of us when we’re writing a grant or new materials like I need a thousand dollars right off the bat. And then you put like all the things like Lego bricks, magnet tiles, glue, and crayons. Like, so that’s really smart, just breaking it apart and making it more tangible.


Brittany W. (00:11:24) – Definitely. And we see teachers being really creative with that. Just for example, back to the examples of the STEM project, they’re teachers are able to like title their project, and if I’m a donor and I’m seeing something like a STEM family fun night, I’m like, Ooh, what is that? You know? So teachers really also really think out of the box on the titles and how to, , really off the bat engage donors and get them interested in their stories.


Naomi M. (00:11:52) – Oh, totally. Do you feel like STEM projects, in particular with outside donors, do STEM projects, do you feel like get funded faster or does it not really matter from what you’ve seen?


Brittany W. (00:12:04) – I haven’t really noticed any difference, specifically for, say, STEM versus any other subject. I think it may go down to again, like, the size of the project as well as the storytelling bit and uh, yeah, if a donor more, more able to, to really like put themselves in that classroom and, and really can, can see the need for the materials. I think I think any project, uh, with a great story, engages donors all the same.


Naomi M. (00:12:37) – That’s a really good story. There’s so much impact in storytelling. We love stories <laugh>


Brittany W. (00:12:43) – And, I also will say I think every donor is everyone who wants to give to a classroom in need is so different. And so you may have, former science teachers who really like us, love STEM and science, have a passion for STEM and they may seek out those projects. Donors do have the freedom of selecting their resource type and subject area. So, we do see a lot of that as well.


Naomi M. (00:13:10) – Oh, that’s so cool. I actually donate myself. I actually look for, STEM classrooms that I’ll


Brittany W. (00:13:16) – Really


Naomi M. (00:13:16) – Back to. Yeah. Every quarter I’ll go look and find some STEM projects and use some of my business funds to help other STEM teachers out there. Awesome.


Brittany W. (00:13:25) – That is so, so beautiful. Yeah.


Naomi M. (00:13:28), so when you had the projects on there, is there a certain timeframe that they have to get funded or, also, how long do projects typically get funded? I don’t know if that’s the same or different when it comes to DonorsChoose.


Brittany W. (00:13:42) – Sure. I think it can take anywhere from, I’ve seen projects funded in as little as a day, and teachers will come into the community and say, oh my gosh, I just, the this, my project just got approved yesterday after, you know, being vetted by our team. And today is, you know, I got my rocket. That’s my celebratory email we sent to them. , I would say anywhere from as soon as the project goes live to two weeks, there’s no, specific timeframe on, that teachers or deadline that teachers have to get their project funded. , yeah, they can, they can keep it up for as long as they need to. Ok, that’s cool. Or keep requesting the items for as long as they need them.


Naomi M. (00:14:23) – Does it change for summertime at all or when it comes to long winter breaks? Are there any parameters around that since we might not be around during the summer to get things delivered? Or how does that work?


Brittany W. (00:14:34) – There is, with our customer support team, we do, I believe there may be a, a slight pause in shipping certain items, but that’s not to also say the teachers can’t order them. Uh, it just takes maybe one extra step to coordinate the teacher in their school on getting those, making sure that those materials are delivered safely.


Naomi M. (00:14:55) – Oh, okay. So they could just still write the project. It could still get funded. Absolutely. And then, when the school year starts, the supplies can get delivered at that time?


Brittany W. (00:15:04) – Absolutely. It’s, it’s year-round. Oh cool. Year-round operation when getting those, uh, materials delivered to their classrooms.


Naomi M. (00:15:11) – So that’s good to know because I feel like it sometimes could just feel overwhelming. I don’t, I wanna write a grant, I just don’t have the time Right now, it’s the end of the school year. So some teachers might sit down and write it out over the summer, get it approved, and then hopefully it gets funded and then they can get the supplies mm-hmm. <affirmative> like a month or so later, which that’s good.


Brittany W. (00:15:29) – Definitely. And what we’ve also seen is teachers are starting may start now, like in March, thinking about the beginning of next year, and they may start writing projects, so that they can already have those materials in their classroom when they open that door too, to the new school year. Some teachers are our, I will say again, our teachers are very crafty, they’re very strategic when it comes to getting the materials they need for their students. So, , yeah, they, they make sure that they have what they need, and we work again all year round to make sure that their items are delivered and in a timely manner to their schools.


Naomi M. (00:16:04) – That’s so good. And I, I can tell, I mean, they obviously hire teachers, you are a teacher, but, you guys are very teacher and student focused and just really trying to make the process easy because, like we said, it’s hard to get materials and just knowing what to get, how to order it, just where does the money, like all that stuff is just mm-hmm. <affirmative> so nice how everything is laid out on there and just, it makes it like, takes so much stress away because, I mean, it’s funny cuz us as teachers, we don’t usually go to college like, oh, I’m gonna learn how to write grants. Like that’s not something that <laugh> you really know how to do. It’s not something you ever thought you would have to do. Especially with STEM materials, it can get expensive, and if, when you teach all the kids, it’s a lot of materials. Like what I need for kindergarten is so different than what I needed in fifth grade.


Brittany W. (00:16:53) – Oh, absolutely. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. We definitely do serve the elementary, middle, and high schools. We want it to be a space where no matter the age or grade level, teachers can, you know, request whatever materials that they need. And again, as you said, we really try to take the work out of it for them, so that, , they’re not spending hours writing up a project, and they can focus on more. So telling their story and tell the story of how amazing or how transformed their classroom is about to be with these projects. I will say one example is, and I just love, we’ve been having like a lot of science, a lot of STEM, , examples Oh good. Mainly come through in our teacher Facebook community. , one teacher, , just shared how she’s doing a unit on animals and or on animals and they are hatching chickens. Oh


Naomi M. (00:17:49) – Yeah.


Brittany W. (00:17:50) – And she showed, she shared the pictures of the, the students in her classroom, you know, playing with the, the, the, the newly hatched chickens. We could see them taking notes in their science journals. So we, yeah, we wanted to get to that with, with the teachers. We wanna be able to celebrate their rockets and make, , the heavy lifting of the grant writing. , not as time extensive.


Naomi M. (00:18:12) – I love that. That’s a great grant. I did, uh, chickens when I taught third grade, and that is a great project if you’re allowed to have animals in your building. Didn’t


Brittany W. (00:18:21) – Didn’t know it was a thing. <laugh>.


Naomi M. (00:18:22) – Yeah, it is. So, they’re so cute and soft. They’re like the softest little things. <laugh>.


Brittany W. (00:18:31) – Oh my gosh, now I need to experience this at least once.


Naomi M. (00:18:34) – <laugh>. Oh, it’s so cute. And what, this is pretty naive of me, but I guess the reason why there are different colored eggs, it’s different breeds of chickens and so when they’re born, Oh yeah, right. It’s not like how healthier, it’s just a different breed. <laugh> <laugh>. But when they’re born, they hatch out, and then they try to give you different colors of different breeds of chicken, so they hatch in their different colors and it’s so cute. <laugh>.


Brittany W. (00:19:01) – Oh, mg uh, okay. I need to do a YouTube bath.


Naomi M. (00:19:05) – <laugh>. Yes. They’re so cute. They’re cute as little things <laugh>. Uh, yeah. The great project, though. , so when it comes to anything else, is there anything that I’m missing or any other things you wanna tell teachers when it comes to, , DonorsChoose, or anything else that I didn’t get to?


Brittany W. (00:19:24) – Absolutely. We are gearing up for our Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s always a huge thing at DonorsChoose. , which this year it falls from May 8th to the 12th. It’s one of the biggest times of the school year for donations to school projects. We’re hoping to help teachers fund up to 10 million on DonorsChoose projects that week. Wow. Right. Huge goal. But I know we’re gonna get it done, and teachers can sign up for a DonorsChoose account, join the community and follow us on social media to get the latest about funding opportunities during Teacher Appreciation Week. And just to give some more insight on our teacher Facebook community, we do have a, it is called DonorsChoose Teachers Community, and we have about 30,000 teachers who are in the community. They share tons of tips for project funding and project creation, and they share important updates like the chicken hatching and <laugh>, like the family fun nights, and just the awesome activities and projects that they do with their classroom. We get to see the materials that they got funded through DonorsChoose in real life and, it’s an amazing community.


Naomi M. (00:20:38) – Oh, I love that. I’m gonna link all of this in the show notes and this will definitely be playing thank, you before teacher appreciation. So that’s really good to hear. And that’s just really cool how you guys are just trying even outside the grants, just building a community and giving that inspiration and just seeing, that’s the whole thing we love about teaching is like, what is the outcome of this and the story and how is this impacting our students? And, that’s really cool that you guys get to play a role with that and really make like just really powerful experiences happen and, just really cool activities.


Brittany W. (00:21:12) – Yes. And one more thing, this summer, we always encourage teachers, again, as I said before, to get a headstart for the next school year. Most of our DonorsChoose teachers will start posting the resources they need for the 2023 –  2024 school year as early as June or July. So we recommend that as the year starts coming to a close, start thinking about some of those projects, head of the mind before the school year closes out, just as a, a friendly reminder.


Naomi M. (00:21:40) – Oh no, that’s perfect. We need all those reminders <laugh>. We do, we do <laugh>. No, I love that. Well, I appreciate you so much and all of your knowledge and just explaining the background of that, of DonorsChooseand how, , you and your team helped support us in the classroom and just making it just sound very easy and it is like based on experience, it’s very easy to do. Yay.


Brittany W. (00:22:05) – Love that you have that experience.


Naomi M. (00:22:07) – Yes, it’s very easy and just, it’s actually kind of fun too. And, just a great way to get started, especially if you’ve never written a grant or even if you have mm-hmm. <affirmative> just getting better at that writing piece, and Yeah. , telling that story. And again, of course, getting those awesome projects in your classroom. So thank you so much for your time today. Definitely.


Brittany W. (00:22:27) – Thank you for having me, <laugh>.


Naomi M. (00:22:29) – Awesome. Well, we will post everything, and I’m sure you’re gonna see a lot more projects coming your way. More STEM projects soon.


Brittany W. (00:22:36) – Yes. Bring them on. Bring them on. <laugh>.


Naomi M. (00:22:39) – Well, thank you again, Brittany.


Brittany W. (00:22:41) – Thank you.

grant writing tips for teachers

 

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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 grant ideas

STEM Grant Ideas for Teachers with Jennifer Mahin [ep.76]

by Naomi Meredith

STEM Grant Ideas for Teachers with Jennifer Mahin [ep.76]

STEM grant ideas

Check out the full episode on STEM Grant Ideas for Teachers with Jennifer Mahin:  

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Episode Summary

For many of us, when we first enter the elementary STEM space, we are tasked with doing innovative activities with our students, but we are given zero curriculum or zero budget to do so. 

In today’s episode, I interview Jennifer Mahin, who has received over $32,000 in grants to buy supplies for her STEM space. Jennifer started out like all of us, with zero curriculum and no budget. In this episode, she shares STEM grant ideas that she has implemented to receive funding. She provides great tips for successfully getting grants and encouragement for those times grants are denied.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Jennifer’s journey to becoming a STEM teacher
  • How she got started with writing grants
  • STEM grant ideas to help you get started with writing grants for your STEM classroom
  • Tips and tricks for writing good grants

Meet Jennifer Mahin:

Jennifer Mahin is a K-5 STEM teacher and technology integration specialist at East Elementary School in Belleville, KS. Jennifer is an MIE Expert, a Flip Trainer, a Pear Deck Coach, and an Ozobot certified educator. Jennifer is a blogger who is passionate about rural education and the importance of STEM and CS in the K-5 classroom.

Connect with Jennifer:

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

There’s something that I find super interesting in the elementary STEM space. Oftentimes, we are given these amazing spaces and we are tasked to do amazing and innovative things with our students. But we are given zero curriculum and zero budget to do so. Don’t get me wrong, you can do a lot of awesome stuff with recyclable materials, but you definitely want to level up when it comes to those amazing resources that we want our kids to get their hands on. I know that you are feeling it too. A little while back, over 70 of you filled out my podcast survey. Thank you so much for doing that. I got a lot of great insight as to what you’re feeling right now and what you’re needing, and to help me plan future episodes just like this one. There was a common theme when it comes to gathering materials in your space, and how this is definitely a struggle for you. Some of you even said that there is an issue with the budget, gathering materials, planning activities that won’t break the bank, and very little resources and materials. I completely understand and that’s why you are definitely going to love today’s expert, Jennifer Mahin. We have been chatting over the years over on Instagram, and I noticed that she was getting a lot of awesome supplies through grant writing. In fact, over the years, she has gotten funded over $32,000 worth of supplies, and combined grant writing to build up the space for her students. Yes, you heard that right, $32,000, not all at once, but just a bunch over time. She was a lot like you. She was given a brand new classroom with zero curriculum and zero tools to do these amazing things in STEM, so she took it upon herself to do all of this awesome grant writing. Jennifer Mahin is a K through five STEM teacher and technology integration specialist at East Elementary School in Kansas. Jennifer is a MIE expert, a flip trainer, a Pear Deck Coach and an Ozobots certified educator. Jennifer is also a blogger who’s passionate about rural education and the importance of STEM and computer science in the K through five classroom. You’re going to get a lot of information in this episode when it comes to gathering materials for your space, and some tips and tricks when it comes to grant writing. I hope after today’s episodes that you feel inspired and that you can start writing grants for your space, so that you can gather those awesome supplies that you know that you want your students to get their hands on, and really have them be a 22nd century learner. I can’t wait for you to listen. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

Thank you so much, Jennifer, for being here. Okay, this topic that you’re going to talk about, I’m so excited about because before we hit record, you said a lot of people ask you about this topic. A lot of people ask me about this too. And I knew that you would be the perfect person for this when it comes to getting supplies for your classroom and writing grants. I’ve done a few over the years, but I know that you have a lot more experience. I know it’s really hard when we as STEM teachers are creating a program pretty much from nothing. It’s pretty rare that everything’s handed to us. We want to or expect to do all this cool stuff and then we don’t have stuff to do the cool stuff. So I’m really excited to hear all about that today. But before we jump into that, if you wouldn’t mind telling us about yourself, your teaching background, and then how you stepped into your role as a STEM teacher.


Jennifer Mahin  04:18

Yes. So my name is Jennifer Mahin. You can find me on social media @jennasuarustech. I feel like that’s usually what I’m known by. My name is actually Jennifer. I am in my 10th year of education, my fourth year of teaching STEM. Prior to that I taught fifth grade math and social studies for three years. I also taught special ed for three years, two years, severe profound disabilities sixth through ninth grade and then one year of just second through fifth grade special ed. I honestly never pictured myself as a STEM teacher, maybe like, I don’t even know like looking back from when I started teaching to where I am now. I’m like how did I get here? But I loved integrating meaningful technology into what I was teaching. I went to tech conferences and things like that, and I kept learning about STEM and learning about computer science. As a fifth grade teacher, I started integrating coding into my math curriculum. And my social studies was so boring. Like, if you don’t know, fifth grade social studies, it is like up to, I believe the 1800s.


Naomi Meredith  05:21

Oh, that’s good.


Jennifer Mahin  05:23

It’s like math. So what I did is I started integrating STEM into that and trying to make it more hands on, more fun, and just getting that cross curriculum in there. And that’s kind of what got me interested in STEM. And I was also getting my master’s in instructional technology. So like, all of these things happening at once. And that’s how I ended up here. 


Naomi Meredith  05:43

So I feel like I stories are very similar. And I think we’ve talked about this over the years. Also, I did not know you taught special ed. I had no idea. That’s super important too. I mean, teaching all the kids in the school, you have all the needs, all the IEPs that we still have to meet. So that’s actually really valuable experience in your STEM role. So I think that’s actually really common with a lot of STEM teachers listening. Whereas, oh, we like technology, we like STEM. All right, I think I’m qualified to be the STEM teacher. It’s kind of how it goes. That’s how it was for me for sure. So I don’t know how I’m still qualified. But here we are. Full of them. So when you stepped into your space, was there a STEM program before? Or was this something brand new to your building and your district?


Jennifer Mahin  06:36

So I’m really like the only STEM program in our district. Now we have a little bit for sixth grade, but like, there’s not much in our high school, literally at all. 


Naomi Meredith  06:45

Whoa!


Jennifer Mahin  06:46

It blows my mind. Like we have such a huge Makerspace and a STEM program here in our elementary, so like not to barely have it. And we have it in sixth grade, but not beyond that it’s like, mind blowing.


Naomi Meredith  06:58

Oh no! That’s sad.


Jennifer Mahin  06:59

I know, I know. I’ve been helping and working with that teacher to write some grants and get that one. But so I when I was teaching fifth grade math and social studies, you know, it kind of all started in a few different ways. We had a keyboarding teacher and kids, that was one of the specials, they would go to keyboarding, like twice a week. And that’s literally all they did was keyboarding in those 30 minutes. So at the time, I knew I wanted to start integrating more like STEM based stuff. So I also knew there was potential to be that a STEM program could be coming with tech integration. So that’s kind of like I wrote a grant, in hopes that this would be a position we were creating. And if we weren’t going to create it, I was just going to be this fifth grade teacher with like, the coolest STEM stuff. So it definitely, like we had nothing. And I’m from a small rural school district like, we have 250 kids in our preschool through fifth grade. 


Naomi Meredith  07:57

Whoa, small!


Jennifer Mahin  07:58

Like our town is so small, like I live in a town of 297 people. Yeah, the town I teach in is probably like, I don’t know, I would say like 1800. So again, not a lot of people. 


Naomi Meredith  08:09

Oh, wow! 


Jennifer Mahin  08:10

We did not have money for this program. So I was kind of like thrown into this program with literally nothing. I think they gave me like a stapler. And unlike the keyboard covers, but I mean, there was there was like nothing, except for maybe what I brought from fifth grade and teaching special ed but like I had, I had nothing to start a STEM program.


Naomi Meredith  08:32

Oh my gosh. And I think that’s very common. Sadly, that’s so true. It’s like, Hello, welcome to your job. But you don’t have curriculum, nothing. Yeah, you have to teach all the children with your imagination. I don’t know. It’s like pulling out of the Barney bag. Like what’s in it today? I don’t know if you know that song.


Jennifer Mahin  08:55

It’s so accurate, though. Because it’s like you’re being thrown in. And that’s I think when people talk to me, it’s like, how did you do what you’ve done? Because so often we’re thrown into this position with minimal STEM experience and, like, make magic happen with yeah, here’s $250. But now you teach every single kid and not just like 40.


Naomi Meredith  09:16

Yeah, yeah, you’re like good luck. Okay, thank you, like $200 can barely buy one LEGO Education Kit.


Jennifer Mahin  09:24

It can’t. Prices went up. 


Naomi Meredith  09:28

They have gone up. That’s true. So that’s why I asked you to be on here because you have stuff now. And so what successes have you had with writing grants over the years? So it’s your fourth year in STEM. I know you have a lot of stuff now. So what things have you been able to purchase and you can even just start from the beginning kind of the process of what you’ve done, because it’s really awesome what you’ve done.


Jennifer Mahin  09:52

Yeah, so that May I wrote a grant for $5,000. Like yeah, if I get the STEM program $5,000 I’m gonna, it’s gonna be awesome. And then I got $5,000. And I’m like, I need more. I mean, $5,000 didn’t even cover what I wanted or needed, or thought I needed. And then, so that would have been May. August, I wrote another one for $5,500. And luckily, I was awarded both of those. And then after that, I kind of kept writing grants. But I learned the hard way that you know, I didn’t always get them. And I didn’t always maybe research enough of what I ordered, so that I get some things and I’m like, looking back, I wouldn’t have ordered those things. But you know, as a new STEM teacher, I didn’t know what I would need, or I didn’t know what would like how, okay, those kids I started with in Kindergarten four years ago are now probably smarter than I am. And I need to push them.


Naomi Meredith  10:49

Yeah, that makes sense too. Yeah, because the gap. That’s another thing. I don’t know what I mean. What were some things you regretted purchasing. We’re not throwing any companies under the bus. But you’re like, oh, this wasn’t great.


Jennifer Mahin  11:01

So Well, I have like LEGO essential LEGO prime. We do 2.0 Brickey motion. I love all of those. Yeah, in the beginning, I ordered the LEGO boosts robot. Oh, yeah. It’s a great robot. If you’re like a child at home, ah, really lesson based as much as it is like coding, super fun to build, but it wasn’t conducive for our space. Like it took way too long to build. 


Naomi Meredith  11:28

I see. Yeah. 


Jennifer Mahin  11:30

And the other one that I wouldn’t purchase again, would be I think they’re like, Jimu robots.


Naomi Meredith  11:36

I don’t even know what that is. 


Jennifer Mahin  11:38

They’re really neat. I went to a tech conference. And they were like, Oh, these are great. And I was like, Oh, they’re great. But at the time, they didn’t have like a curriculum or a way to save student progress and things like that. And for me, that was important. And I also wouldn’t order things with 9000 batteries again.


Naomi Meredith  11:56

Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.


Jennifer Mahin  11:59

But I also think it’s hard. I think, like, as a new STEM teacher, you see STEM teachers who have a lot of followers, and a lot of people who kind of promote things. So I saw some things that teachers were promoting, like, oh, my gosh, I need that. And then I realized afterwards, I think it was an ad and not something, you know what I mean, they’re actually using. So I have like, these little critter robots, which I wouldn’t.


Naomi Meredith  12:25

I’ve seen those. Okay, Well, that’s good to know.


Jennifer Mahin  12:29

The reason I wouldn’t order them again, is because you know, your Bee bots, your robot mouse, they all turn like an angle. The critters go for like a y turn around. It’s so different than what you’re teaching and coding and things like that. So definitely research things before you purchase it. And if you see someone cool sharing it doesn’t mean you need it. Yeah, absolutely.


Naomi Meredith  12:50

I know. And I’m very, I think I’ve talked about on here various times, picky about specific things that I’ll buy, because I’ve had the same thing happened, like, Oh, why did I buy that? Or there were things that were kind of leftover in my classroom that were cool, but they were for older children. So like, I had things that were made for like middle school kids that were left in my classroom, like I tried. I tried with like, a GT class, they couldn’t even do it. And like, this isn’t, I can’t use this. Like, I was so bad. And I donate them to our middle school. But I think that’s good to keep in mind. Yeah, definitely want to research. So when you wrote the grants, did you have to list out what you were going to buy? And like, how did you find these grants? Because that’s a lot of money to ask for. Like, how did that all work out?


Jennifer Mahin  13:41

So altogether, I probably have been awarded over $30,000 over four years, which is a huge amount of money. But I started our STEM program, I started our Makerspace program, and now I’ve helped our sixth grade, kind of get like a STEM once a week thing. I’m trying to help them get it up and going. So at the time, Well, I don’t say at the time, but like my husband, he at the time, his role was economic development. So he kind of knew some grants too like a direction to steer me and he doesn’t do economic development anymore. But I mean, he’s still helped me with grants. Yeah. But where I’m located, we have like, it was called Dane Hanson. And it was a local foundation, like Republic County Community Foundation. You know, you have Donors Choose, you have some, like Bayer fund, large STEM grants. There’s so many different things like Duclos foundation for me personally, I think, looking like if I’m giving advice to people, I always tell them look at what your local community foundation is, look at what your local groups are, because there’s so many groups wanting to give money to education, especially if you’re doing technology or STEM or something hands on. Like if you’re showing how it’s real world connections. People want to support that. And I will say I definitely didn’t get all those grants and how was like heartbreaking Yeah, I remember I wrote a grant for $8,800 and Then when you write a grant, like if I want these 15 robotics kits, I have to list every one. Like, you know, when you’re writing grants, it does take time. So when I doing that, I don’t get them. I was so. But I had to really stop and look like, okay, my first few grants were super easy because I was building a program. But now when I wanted to do a Makerspace, it was like, Well, you don’t need this. Why should we give you the money? So I really had to stop and think, Okay, I live in rural Kansas, What sets me above other people that’s going to make you want to give me money. And for me, it was our fifth graders were going on a STEM based field trip, and they were driving two hours away to Manhattan, Kansas. Oh, and no school at the time, within probably a 45 minute drive, even has a STEM program. So showing, hey, this is a need, you know, yeah, we’re in rural Kansas, but I want our kids to be able to compete with bigger towns, I want them to like, make connections with industry here. Because you know, you can work remote, you can do so many things. So once I really keyed in like, Hey, this is what I want to do. Why I want to do it, I’m going to share it with other community members, like Hey, bring the Girl Scouts bring the four h people bring in other schools for free, because Alright, a grant for them to come do cool stuff. Like, that’s a good idea. When you identify your needs, it definitely plays plays a role in making it work more.


Naomi Meredith  16:26

Yeah. So instead of saying I need this stuff, like, here’s how it’s gonna make an impact. And that would be specific. Yeah.


Jennifer Mahin  16:35

Yeah, say, and for me, it was really tying in. I want my students in rural Kansas to have the same experience as kids in a big district. You know, I don’t want them to be held back because of where we’re located. And I don’t think so once I really played up that part. Yeah, play it up. And for me, it was even tying it into our industry. We have a lot of, like manufacturers here. But this is preparing students for the real world. This is how I can tie it in. And even some of those businesses will like donate to schools and donate to certain things like that. So I’m like, Hey, I’m writing a grant, so that my kids can work for you in the future, if you want to give me money. I’m gonna take it. Yeah,


Naomi Meredith  17:15

Yeah, like you said, they are looking for connections. Sometimes those companies don’t even know how to reach out. Like, it’s like where it’s opposite. We’re scared of them. Like, oh, we don’t want to ask, but then the company is like, we don’t want to ask, we don’t know how to ask. So it’s like kind of a two way street. We’re just kind of like, I don’t know where to start. So when you found the local partners, did they have grant opportunities already? Or did you reach out like blind like on an email like, Hey, I would like to write a grant. Here’s what I’m thinking, or was it kind of a mix.


Jennifer Mahin  17:46

So the the majority of the ones I’ve done like Dane Hansen, Donors Choose or republic County Community Foundation, they’re all local. Dane Hansen’s over a larger space in Kansas, but they were all ones that it was like a republic county is twice a year. The Dane Hansen’s once a month, the Duclos is like twice a year. So I knew I kind of researched it and found those. Like, when I saw the Bayer fund one that was maybe like, once a year or something, but certain people, like I reached out to them, or if it was, like some of them, you could just find them. Okay, so googling.


Naomi Meredith  18:20

Okay, so just like even Googling, that’s a good point. And, and yeah, you never know, when you asked are there? Do they ever give you like a template that you have to fill out? Or do you have, like a specific format that you use when you write a grant that works? So obviously, the storytelling and how it makes an impact? What do you do for that when you actually write it?


Jennifer Mahin  18:41

So for grants, so far, everything I’ve done, it’s like, you create an account. And then it’s like specific questions like, what’s your impact? And how is this going to impact your community? What are your goals? How are you going to reach your goals? How are you going to tell us if those goals were met? What’s like, what makes your air like what how do you stand out more in your area or something like that? It was very, like a template that they’re providing for you. And I just had to sell myself in 250 words or less sometimes,


Naomi Meredith  19:10

Okay. So that’s helpful having that template, because that’s hard to know where to start. Like, I don’t know what to write. And you can probably reuse some of them stuff, too. If you save it in like a Google doc on the side, I would totally reuse that.


Jennifer Mahin  19:24

So that’s what I do for most of them is I type them all out in Google Doc. And then I copy and paste them that way. You know, a lot of my answers I can reuse or even like, I have a lot of people who asked me for grant advice and like, Hey, here’s what I’ve done. And that way you’re not seeing like my school’s EIN number, you’re not seeing like our diversity or our you know that we’re a title one school so I’m not sharing that with like, those specific people or whatever they’re trying to find out. 


Naomi Meredith  19:49

Yeah, exactly. So for your grants, you mentioned you did like a Makerspace one and then some other things. Do you typically be like I need all this random stuff? Or now are your grants like I would like to do something like more focused? How do you format all of that?


Jennifer Mahin  20:08

So my very first, I would say two were building my STEM classroom. After that it was building my Makerspace classroom. Following that one, it was more of like, Hey, this is what we’ve done. And it’s great, and we appreciate you. But now I have these kids who are here, and the stuff that I have is like to hear. So I need something to still push those kids and challenge them. So I kind of just use that approach now. Or it’s just been something specific, like, this is what we would like. And this is why.


Naomi Meredith  20:40

Yeah, that’s a great way to put it. And that’s good, too. Like, if you already have things, where where are your kids going to be? Because I totally agree with you. It’s my fifth year instead, what my kids are doing now is way more advanced than than what they’re doing. At the beginning. I had fifth graders who could not log into their username and password. They did not know what to do. I can relate to that so much. Yeah. So now they can do it. Like yes, we can do this. So hooray. But totally different. Like the LEGO we do. 2.0 was hard enough for my fifth graders at the time, because they weren’t used to collaborating in that way. Now, it’d be like, Oh, piece of cake. like, Where’s, where’s the next thing? Where’s the next thing, but so important that what you’re doing? Because, like you said, you’re you want them to compete with other schools. And that’s so important. And some times we do need some cool stuff to do it. Like, I can’t do I mean, yeah, you can do cardboard every lesson that if that’s where you’re at, that’s where you’re at. But it is really nice to have some of the fancy stuff, too.


Jennifer Mahin  21:48

And especially for me, like in the beginning, you know, I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t make a chart or like a map of my curriculum that first year, because it was fine, because everyone could use the same thing. But now it’s like, okay, first grade has to do this second grade, you know, does this and it definitely different has to differentiate. Yeah, and I mean, I have things that I use, and I try to find things that I use with all the grade levels, that it like, breaks it down. Like I don’t know, if you have the spike, essential.


Naomi Meredith  22:14

I do. And I just bought more. I love them. 


Jennifer Mahin  22:17

I love them. And I don’t think they have like 20 lessons for groceries. 20 lessons for second grade, some that are third through fifth like that. They know what they’re doing with that kit, because Oh, yeah, it was so many grades. And I mean, I love the LEGO we do. But it’s so I feel like it’s so much more advanced now, because you’re using with more grade levels, and it’s challenging or easy. And it’s, I love it.


Naomi Meredith  22:40

You actually get that look, it got tougher. I agree. I totally get that kit. People don’t believe me. I’m like, No, it’s like multi grade. Like it really actually. It’s like, how am I I don’t know, they just like really thought through this. 


Jennifer Mahin  22:53

It’s all standard base. Like it’s not just literacy and computer science. But it’s also like, I think it’s NGSS science to you, which is great, because then you can get that buy in from other grade levels and other teachers like, Hey, I’m doing this for a purpose. 


Naomi Meredith  23:05

Oh, yeah, you’re like, we’re not just rebuilding, it’s actually like, really actually doing something. So that’s good to keep in mind too, when you’re writing your grants, like finding things that can be used for more than one grade. Has that helped you in your grant writing, I’m sure like it can be used for this great blah, blah, blah.


Jennifer Mahin  23:20

Yes, I think I think my grant writing from year one has evolved so much now like I still will do like Donors Choose and some of those things, or even like a local one every now and then. But in the beginning, I was asking for like five to $8,000 every time. Now, I’m like, can I just get like $1,000 a lot, or, you know, I’m asking for more of like a specific, like, I just got the spike essential at the beginning of this year. So which the price went up. And they were kind of expensive, but it’s like I just needed something new to add. So probably for me, I’m at the point where if I just add one thing new every year, I’m gonna be happy. I mean, I don’t have to, but I really like to.


Naomi Meredith  23:55

I know. And there are new things that come out. And we want the kids to kind of experience that to not kind of we want them to experience that, too. So it is important to kind of just keep your eye out of not every bright and shiny item like you said like not everything’s good. There are some staples that you really want. But yeah, with the upgrade, like we know LEGO education kits are good. And so they this upgrade is worth it. So just kind of being mindful and talking to STEM teacher friends and podcasts or whatever and doing all that.


Jennifer Mahin  24:26

And save money for storage containers because you never think of that you can use for all of the stuff you’re about to start to buy. Yeah, I’m gonna be like, where do I store this? I don’t have a container and go for the expensive ones because they’re better. 


Naomi Meredith  24:38

Yes, they are better. Dollar Tree containers don’t work. Wow. They break. That is really good advice. Actually. Speaking of advice, so you’ve went through the process. Is there anything else like kind of like a checklist like what you should do when you’re writing your grant and like things you would recommend?


Jennifer Mahin  25:00

So one thing that I have learned is things that work across grade levels, definitely minimum batteries, or at least a rechargeable battery, align it to other standards. So teachers don’t think you’re just playing. And the last one is probably my favorite, I look for things with replacement pieces for free, like Osmo is fabulous. So we do that a lot. Or like teachers use it in stations. But if you if something like breaks for them, they replace it for free. And that’s fabulous. Because when you’re investing in some of this stuff, like I don’t want the spare pieces, I don’t want to spend 50 bucks to buy something that just breaks in wear and tear, or like Snap Circuits. Sometimes they’ll replace pieces, things like that. So I would say definitely look into replacement parts, or like what’s the replacement plan is for education before you purchase it, because that I mean, that helps me sway a little bit. Like, if you’re if you have good customer service, and you’re going to support educators, I’m gonna give you my money.


Naomi Meredith  25:59

That’s a really good point, like the longevity of a tool, I would never have thought about that like that you could do right that in your grant, like, I know that they have this replacement plan.


Jennifer Mahin  26:10

I have. Like when I was doing 3D printing, I kind of put in there, you know, I’m choosing this 3d printer, because it has someone who does every single thing is everything every single Thursday, they’ll do like a two hour zoom. And if you hop on you hop on and they’ll help you and if not me who had no knowledge of 3D printing or how to fix them. And obviously, I’ve we’ve chatted about 3D printing before.


Naomi Meredith  26:35

I thought you built your printer. Didn’t you build that to build them? 


Jennifer Mahin  26:38

I had to build these three massive 3D printers, like had no idea what I was doing, and then making them work. I mean, I knew how to print but I did not know how to assemble, fix to do all the things. So that’s important, like find you a company who can help you when you’re stuck. Like if you send them an email, and they don’t respond to you. Nope, move on to a new company.


Naomi Meredith  27:02

Yeah, it’s true where, like, that’s something people don’t think about in this role, is you’re not trained to do anything. And there’s all these different products that some have support, and some don’t. And so were responsible of learning how to use that tool. So that is great to add to your grant. Like I live by this because they have support my 3D printers came with teacher training for you. I can’t remember I did not have to build them. I remember watching you like on Instagram, like Oh, no. Or you like you brought them home?


Jennifer Mahin  27:35

Not because I brought them home. Because I was like, I don’t even understand these directions.


Naomi Meredith  27:40

It’s like ultimate IKEA, like, oh, no, it’s like AP, IKEA building.


Jennifer Mahin  27:45

What was so great, though, is like later on when I had issues with them, which were issues that I just didn’t know how to like fix, or I put something together wrong. They they were like, if it’s a time, because the Thursday time didn’t end up working for me. Sometimes they’re like, we’ll meet with your kids, we would actually love to train your kids to pull this for you. So you don’t have to be like so let’s meet with your kids. Let’s do this. And I’m like, yes. 


Naomi Meredith  28:08

Did it work? 


Jennifer Mahin  28:09

Yeah.I mean, they met with my kids wants and helps me fix it. And after that it was more of me, like logging on in summer trying to just do some stuff like that. But it was nice having to meet with my kids and trying to fix it with them and troubleshoot and like talk about the skills they learned from that.


Naomi Meredith  28:25

Yeah, and that’s like stuff, that’s real STEM actually, that’s like for fixing the 3d printer. That’s real life learning that in the grant, like if it breaks, the children will learn how to fix it. And if they don’t, then they have to stay with me another year. But anyway, anything else that I missed when it comes to grant writing or anything else you want to share? Because I think this is so so insightful, and also encouraging that you have done this, you are a teacher, you have done this and it has worked.


Jennifer Mahin  28:58

Thank you. I just think the biggest thing is like, you’re not going to get every grant and that’s okay. But don’t get discouraged. Because you know, I got two and then I didn’t get two, I got three and then I didn’t get one. You know what I mean? Like, definitely identify your need, and you have to prove why you need this why it’s important. So identify your need and just don’t give up like you’re not going to like instead keep trying. 


Naomi Meredith  29:23

Yeah, I think that’s great. That is super great advice. And probably like it sounds like to spread your wings don’t do just one. Put your feelers out there from multiple because you never know. 


29:34

Reach out to other STEM teachers on social media because they’re gonna help you like I that’s that’s a question like you said, you get a lot. I get a lot. I get emails about it all the time. And you know, I think that’s what’s great about St. Peters is we’re so willing to help. And we want like we want to tell you what works and what doesn’t work because we went through it and like learn from our failures.


Naomi Meredith  29:52

Yep, yep. 100% Yes. Maybe don’t get a printer you can build. I’m just kidding. Maybe it worked out. It worked out. Don’t get them Jimmy robots. Yeah, I guess those were some of the I don’t know what I’ve bought those bad. I’m sure I’ll think about I have bought some bad stuff. Oh, you know what I did. I did a grant for video production tools. So I bought tripods super cool. All this other stuff. And I added in like costume props, because they had a vision, like the little kids could be like community helpers in the videos. But like, The costumes were so tiny. They’re like for a two year old. And like, nobody can wear them. It’s super awkward and like, weird stuff. I was like, Why did I put that in there? This is so dumb.


Jennifer Mahin  30:39

I love that. I’m glad I’m not alone. But I think mine was more expensive.


Naomi Meredith  30:44

I don’t know, those costumes are extended. I think they’re in my closet. They make me mad every time I look at that.


Jennifer Mahin  30:50

You have to leave them there. Because obviously you got them. Look at them. And think about that when you you know, apply for money next time had like.


Naomi Meredith  30:58

Maybe if I teach pre K STEM, they can wear it? I don’t know.


Jennifer Mahin  31:03

But good luck with pre K STEM if you teach it.


Naomi Meredith  31:05

Let’s say I don’t know, maybe? Well, I appreciate your time and all your knowledge. And I’m sure people will use you mentioned your handle at the beginning. But where can people find and connect with you?


Jennifer Mahin  31:18

Yeah, so definitely I am on Twitter, Instagram. You know, I think my week looks the same. It’s all Genesis tech, very responsive. And I like to help others because you know, people have helped me along the way. So reach out, find me there or you know, jennasaurustech@gmail.com. I am available.


Naomi Meredith  31:34

And she’s super helpful. We’ve chat over the years. Yeah, she’s great. I’m so glad and she is knowledgeable about a lot of other things too. So definitely check out his stuff. Yeah. Well, thank you so much again, and I appreciate your time, and hopefully everybody’s grant writing is way better off now.


Jennifer Mahin  31:56

Yes, thank you so much for having me. It was fun.

STEM grant ideas

 

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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 online community

3 Ways to Build Your STEM Online Community [ep.74]

by Naomi Meredith

3 Ways to Build Your STEM Online Community [ep.74]

STEM online community

Check out the full episode on 3 Ways to Build Your STEM Online Community:  

 

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Episode Summary

Being a STEM teacher can sometimes feel lonely if you’re the only one in your building implementing and teaching STEM. It’s a lot of fun thinking of and implementing new STEM ideas in the classroom, but it would be nice to have a community of like-minded teachers to share these ideas with and who get what you experience as a STEM teacher. If you’re feeling alone as a STEM teacher, a STEM online community is what you need. In today’s episode, I share three ways to build your STEM online community.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 ways to build your STEM online community
  • My personal experience with these online communities 
  • Tips for creating and joining a STEM online community

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Part of the fun of teaching elementary STEM is you have a lot of autonomy within your position, especially if you are the only teacher in you’re building teaching STEM. It’s a lot of fun to think of new ideas and implement them in your classroom. However, it can get quite isolating and lonely being the only person who is implementing all these cool ideas in your building. Likewise, maybe you’re a classroom teacher who is implementing STEM and innovative ideas, and you might feel a bit alone because you’re the only one who’s ready to jump in and try all of these new ideas. I totally understand, and I have been in both of those positions. So you might be wondering, how can I connect with like-minded teachers who get what you are doing and keep that momentum going? In this episode, I will be sharing with you three ways to build your STEM online community that are easy to implement but also that will bring you a lot of value. 


Naomi Meredith  01:04

At the time of this episode that it’s being released, it is this springtime, and you might be thinking, “Well, it’s too late to start a community.” I actually don’t think so. I know that springtime can be very overwhelming, but spring is actually an awesome time of year to actually try new things. Instead of just kicking back and relaxing for the end of the year, it’s actually really fun to try new things, not only with your students but for yourself. Then in the summer, you can relax, you can refresh, and think of how you can keep that going into the new school year. So when it comes to building your STEM online community and connecting with teachers who are like-minded like you, these are things that I have definitely done, and they have brought so much value to me and made me feel less alone in the STEM space. 


Naomi Meredith  01:04

The first way to build your STEM online community is to build a virtual PLC. My definition of PLC is a professional learning community. You may even have heard it as PLM, your professional learning network, or other names that are very similar. When I first got started in this K through five STEM position, I was brand new to the district, brand new to the building, and brand new to the position with a limited amount of materials and zero curriculum. I was the only actual STEM teacher in my building, so I needed to reach out to people who had similar positions to me in my district. Luckily, there were a few others, and I got connected with them. They were other STEM teachers whose students would feed into our neighboring middle school or one that was nearby or the neighboring high school. So it was really good to connect with teachers who are in similar positions. We had similar schedules, and we could talk about different things, whether it was lesson planning or behavior management ideas. We would talk about how we can have our student learning outcomes and do some grading, which I do have a past episode about that, and how to create student learning outcomes for your students in STEM. But this has been so powerful in my growth as a STEM teacher and just having teachers that I can rely on. We meet about twice a month, and we have a day during, luckily, our planned time. We all have the same planned time. But you can even think about how you could do this after school or even just once a month. We just meet over zoom or Microsoft Teams or whatever we are using that year. But we meet virtually, and it’s just been really awesome. Being able to connect with these teachers and, again, have these conversations that you probably would have if you had an actual team, but just not feeling so alone, especially since we are in the same district. Now if you don’t have that luxury of being in the same district, this next tip might actually help you out in how you can build your professional learning community, and if you don’t have anybody else who’s doing the same thing as you. 


Naomi Meredith  02:59

And finally, the third way to build your STEM teacher community, to wrap it all up nicely, I would say in a pretty little bow, is my new upcoming STEM teacher bookshelf. Now, if you are not an avid reader, don’t just shut off this podcast like don’t worry about it. The whole goal of this is that we will have a book to base our conversations on each month. I’m very picky about the books that I have chosen, and for the time of year, I have picked them. Most of the ones during the school year have an audiobook companion, or they are very short, so it’s not a big deal reading them. But if you are an avid reader during the school year, or that’s just not where you’re at yet, or you want to wait till this summer, you can definitely join this community. A big part of it is there’s actually a private community of teachers where you will get to interact and talk about these topics that are discussed in the books. Again, if you read the book, it’s really helpful. But if you don’t, that’s okay too because they’re topics that we should be talking about anyway. It’s a great chance for you to post questions, chat with each other, and even maybe connect with teachers where you could meet virtually. But not only that, but inside this community, we will have monthly live zoom calls, where you can see each other’s faces, and I will be in their hosting. We, of course, will chat about the books, the themes, and the topics and get to know each other that way. So think of it like your virtual happy hour. I know that it’s hard to meet up with teachers, but this will be a really fun time where we can chat and interact together. And, of course, there are prizes throughout the month. I love giving away presents and prizes. So there are some fun incentives, especially if you are among the first 50 people to join the membership. I have the prizes sitting at my back table you can see behind me in the video version of this, but I have some fun things I will be sending in the mail if you’re a part of the first 50 who sign up. So it’s a really great community. It’ll constantly be growing and is just a great way for you to jump in and read a book together and have a guide that can guide your thinking and help you think about ways that you can grow in your STEM practice. Even when I was getting my masters in STEM leadership, that was something that I wish I had was more books to read. We had a lot of articles but not a lot of books. But just more of a real authentic community. Yes, I had to comment on people’s posts, but I just wanted to have a community to chat with people and to connect and have these nerdy conversations about elementary STEM. So I thought I just wanted to create my own bookshelf. Have a membership and create my own community where people really want to be there. The cool thing is it’s only nine bucks a month. So cheaper than what two coffees that you’re already going to get on your way to work. My days are Mondays and Fridays. I like to start my week with little coffee treats, but super cheap, and you can jump on in and then, again, build up that STEM teacher community that you have been hoping for. You can have a safe space to build and bounce ideas off of one another. So if you are listening to this live, you can still get in on the waitlist, and that is Naomimeredith.com/bookclubwaitlist. If you’re listening to this after April 1, so April 1 is when it opens, definitely jump in on that, and you can join in on this membership at Naomimeredith.com/stemteacherbookshelf. 


Naomi Meredith  03:00

The second way to build your STEM online community is to try jumping in on social media. Now if you’re not a huge social media person, that’s totally okay. You don’t have to be posting all the time and doing all the things, but there are so many cool opportunities out there for you to connect with other teachers. So again, if you don’t have other people who are in your district, maybe consider reaching out to other people on social media and see if you guys could connect that way. I do have a free Facebook community that you can jump in on. It’s called the elementary STEM coach community, where you can connect with other teachers. I know that there are a ton of other Facebook groups that you can join that I am a part of as well. It’s really awesome to hear from other people who have the same problems that I have faced, or the same successes, or just interesting questions I might not have ever thought of. So this is a really great way to connect. Maybe you’ve been doing this for a while, maybe you are a classroom teacher, or maybe you are going to be a STEM teacher this upcoming school year, so you definitely want to have some sort of community. You can also reach out to people on Instagram. My Instagram is @NaomiMeredith_, and I’m very active over there. I love it. I love chatting with teachers in my Instagram stories, my DMs, and my comments. You can reach out to me and other STEM teachers as well. Again, what I really love about Instagram, you don’t have to be a huge poster yourself. But there are people who do post and share things that they’re doing in their classroom. It’s almost like having an interactive Pinterest board. So it’s really fun to meet teachers that way. I’ve met a lot of teachers there, and a lot of them have actually been guests on this podcast because of Instagram, which is so awesome. So it just makes the whole world a lot smaller. Likewise, in other areas that are not as active, you can definitely check out Twitter. I know Twitter is a huge thing when it comes to STEM in tech, especially a lot of those ad tech companies. They’re really active, usually on Twitter. Maybe even think about YouTube, or there are some YouTubers that you enjoy watching. You can comment and interact with them there. I do have a YouTube channel, and these podcast episodes are slowly being posted there. My channel also has helpful video tutorials to help you out in your classroom. So you could just check that out. It’s Naomi Meredith_, the same handle as my Instagram, @NaomiMeredith_. So social media is so awesome, though it can be, of course, detrimental to our students. That’s a whole other conversation. But when it comes to building up your teacher connections, it is an awesome place to go. 


Naomi Meredith  10:53

As a recap, here are the three ways that you can build your STEM online community. The first is building a virtual PLC. Next is to connect on social media and choose the platform that works best for you or try one you haven’t tried before. And finally, join in on this brand new STEM teacher bookshelf membership that is made for you to connect, read and chat together every single day and meet live every month. Thank you so much again for being here. I am so happy with how this podcast has been going and just being able to connect with all of you and build my own network and also create something for you and other future things to help you feel successful and not alone. I totally understand where you are coming from, and that is why exactly why I am doing what I am doing to help you feel confident in your role and to be able to navigate this STEM space, not feeling alone but feeling excited and invigorated in a super fun role. I am definitely here to support you. So again, thank you so much for being here. Wherever you are listening and whenever you are listening, I am so proud of you and excited for you. I hope that I get to see you inside the STEM teacher bookshelf membership.

STEM online community

 

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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!