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Meet STEM Children’s Books Author Dr. Rajani LaRocca [ep.71]

by Naomi Meredith

Meet STEM Children’s Books Author Dr. Rajani LaRocca [ep.71]

STEM children's books

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Episode Summary

In today’s episode, I chat with STEM children’s book author Dr. Rajani LaRocca. Dr. Rajani practices medicine and writes award-winning children’s books that cover a span of topics, many of which include STEM-related topics. During this interview, you’ll hear about her passion for the STEM world, how she incorporates STEM into her children’s books, and so much more.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Dr. Rajani’s journey to becoming a STEM children’s books author
  • Her thoughts on the impact children’s literature will have on STEM education
  • Types of stories and book genres that can impact children’s STEM education
  • STEM children’s books recommendations
  • What inspired her to write her STEM children’s books

Meet Dr. Rajani LaRocca:

Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newberry Honor-winning middle-grade novel in verse Red, White, and Whole. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose, and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. Learn more about Rajani and her books at www.RajaniLaRocca.com. She also co-hosts the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast.

Connect with Dr. Rajani:

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

On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re going to be hearing from our first-ever children’s book author. I had the pleasure to speak with Rajani LaRocca, where not only is she currently practicing medicine but she writes award-winning children’s books about amazing topics that all kids should definitely hear about. A lot of STEM topics are included in her books. She is excellent at making connections with the real world and making it relatable to kids in her stories, and even by the way that she speaks. She has so much passion for what she does, and you can definitely hear it in her voice during this interview. We definitely had a great time chatting, and it’ll be so much fun for you to listen to. But Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she’s an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picturebooks prose, and poetry. She even wrote a Newberry Award-winning middle-grade novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. We even talked about how she found inspiration from one of her books when she was walking her dog, which was so funny she said that because I also get a lot of inspiration for this podcast and a lot of products that I create for you guys when I’m also walking my dog. There’s a lot of power in walking the dogs in this podcast. Hey, you might even be listening to this podcast while walking your dog. If you don’t have a dog, go get one. All the inspiration is there. As I said, I’m really excited for you to listen to this episode. It is definitely a good one. 


Naomi Meredith  01:55

Well, thank you so much, Ragani, for being here! When you popped in on the call, I was admiring your beautiful background, and I thought it was fake because it has this beautiful, symmetrical bookshelf behind you. It’s glowing. It’s like this aura of STEM and beautifulness and books, and it’s just so amazing. I love your background so much! I love your energy already. So I know we’re gonna have a great time talking together. So thank you again for being here today.


Rajani LaRocca  02:57

Thank you so much for having me.


Naomi Meredith  02:59

So if you wouldn’t mind telling us about yourself, your background, and then your experience, and how those experiences have led you into children’s STEM literature. I think you’re gonna be such a great guest for our teacher audience out there. We all love books. So I’m just really excited about you sharing about yourself.


Rajani LaRocca  03:16

Excellent. I’m Rajani LaRocca, and STEM topics were actually my first love. I fell in love with math and science. As a little kid, I read a book called Ouch, which is all about cuts and other hurts, when I was very young. It was kind of like a two-colored, slightly illustrated book about all the stuff that happens in our bodies when we get like a little scratch or a little burn, that kind of thing. I remember being fascinated by it, and I thought at the time that if I was this interested in what happens in our bodies that maybe I should go on to become a doctor. So from a very young age, I wanted to go to medical school or at least try, and that is what I ended up doing. So I’m an internal medicine doctor. I take care of adults. I’ve been a primary care doctor for about a little over 20 years now. And I love it. Along with the science part of it, I also loved math when I was a kid. I was one of those kids who would always be asking my parents to tell me more, kind of like math riddles or puzzles. I had an uncle in India, my dad’s younger brother, who was like the only unmarried uncle, so he used to hang out with math riddles and puzzles. One of the kinds of logic puzzles he told us one time turned into my first picture book. I thought, yeah, I thought of that puzzle, and I thought about what kind of character would need to solve that puzzle and how would a kid know how to solve that puzzle. It turned into Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math. It involves binary numbers, which was so much fun. 


Naomi Meredith  04:54

Oh, that is so cool. I love how you’re actually living out your dream. Not a lot of people can say that I always dreamed of being a teacher, and then I did become a teacher. I never knew I would become a STEM teacher. So that’s a whole other journey. I think, like you, I’ve always enjoyed science and math and hands-on creativity. So it’s just really exciting that STEM is something that younger children are being exposed to and interacting with. I mean, in your profession, I’m sure you could see the importance of that and how that’s really impactful for kids just giving them that exposure. I like you had a cool uncle. Not everyone has a cool uncle to do math riddles with. 


Rajani LaRocca  05:40

I know, right. That’s the best kind of uncle.


Naomi Meredith  05:44

Right? Yeah. I mean, like, I don’t think I really hung out with my aunts and uncles when I was younger. Now that I think about it. But anyway, I think that’s just so important. I love, like, your primary role isn’t a teacher, but you just see that importance with STEM and all of that. So when it comes to math and science in particular, what kind of connections do you see that are making an impact on children, and why those connections are important?


Rajani LaRocca  06:11

Oh, that is such a great question. So to me, I feel like math and science are inherently beautiful. So I think that there is beauty in kind of nature. There’s beauty in the way that things are built from, you know, the smallest molecules kind of up to organisms. And I find that endlessly fascinating. I also think that there is beauty, symmetry, and just kind of wonder in math and science. So that’s kind of all of the writing that I do for children, and it comes from a place of joy. So I take the things that I find curious or interesting or full of wonder, and I try to put all of those feelings into books about these topics. You know, what’s interesting is that I write nonfiction. So I wrote a book called The Secret Code Inside You: All About Your DNA which came out in 2021. Then I have two more science nonfiction books coming out this year. One is called A Vaccine is Like a Memory: All About Vaccines, the history of them, how they work, and why they’re important. Then another one is called Your One and Only Heart, and it is about the human heart. It’s written in poetry. What was interesting is that The Secret Code Inside You is also written in poetry. That’s rhyming poetry. Not easy to do with a nonfiction topic. Only many years after I wrote this book, and it refused to rhyme itself, I’ve really challenged myself. It was only many years later that I realized that the reason why my brain was rhyming it is that the nucleotide base pairs in DNA always pair up the same way a, b, and g. Then I was like, oh, that’s like rhyming lines. So I think to me, I feel like there is poetry in science. That’s why the two things come together.


Naomi Meredith  08:04

That’s a really cool way of thinking because I can think of so many kids and even teachers that say, I hate math, math isn’t for me, it’s boring. It’s not very exciting. But the way that you describe it, it’s how our world works. Everything connects together. Like with any career, especially more careers that are coming up in the future, like more and more STEM anyway, you’re going to have to have some STEM skills. So that’s a really cool way of thinking about it. Really, with that growth mindset to just reframe the way you think about these complex ideas. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated, it is beautiful. Just understanding it from a different lens can be so impactful. I love how, like with your nonfiction topics, you’re making it beautiful with poetry because also, those are hard topics to talk about, especially with kids. Those are some hard things, like complex things to think about. It’s not impossible, but that’s just a really cool way that kids can connect to the story and maybe be like you one day, and oh, this is gonna inspire me to be a doctor, all sorts of different cool things. So that’s a really cool perspective to think about the world around us. That’s a really neat connection. 


Rajani LaRocca  09:21

Thank you. Earlier this year, I read my picture book to a group of first graders, and one of the first graders had a question that I thought was so great. He asked, how big is an elephant’s DNA?


Naomi Meredith  09:37

What’s the answer?


Rajani LaRocca  09:39

I said, “Well, how big do you think it is?” He said, “I think it has really big DNA because it’s a really big animal.” We had this whole discussion about how the DNA molecules are the same size, no matter whether you’re a person or a mouse, or an elephant. And, you know, the number of genes varies. And I said to him, I didn’t know the answer to this, but this is another great kind of teaching point that sometimes you don’t know the answer, but you can make an educated guess. And then you can go look it up, right, you can go find the place where the answer is. And I said I don’t know for sure how many genes elephants have. But I’m pretty sure that we have more than they do. Complicated, right? And he was just like, whoa. And I said, why don’t you go and see if you can find out how much DNA an elephant has? But I said the molecules are all the same size. It was so interesting.


Naomi Meredith  10:32

That is such a that’s a really deep conversation for first grade. That was amazing. Yeah, anything with animals, though. I mean, I love first-grade content. I don’t love first grade as an age, they’re my hardest age to teach. But they’re very quiet. They have a lot of questions or like their own little things. But yeah, anything you can connect with animals, especially, they just love that. They eat it up.


Rajani LaRocca  10:58

Yeah, and I think the other kind of thing you could think about is like if you were going to design an animal, and you kind of figured out what you wanted the animal to be good at, how would you design them? Then you can kind of look at, you know, animals that already exist and kind of see how they are made up has to do with what they have to do. You can apply that to anything. So now you’re gonna make an airplane, how you’re going to design your airplane, like what kind of things would be important? It’s endlessly fascinating to me.


Naomi Meredith  11:26

Yeah. Oh, that is a great STEM project right there. That is so good. I love that any age could do that, actually. Even think about biomimicry and how we can even look at things that how we can design all the different stuff out there. I was reading a lot about biomimicry, and it’s just so interesting. Like, there is a whole wet suit that’s designed after Sharkskin because it keeps the germs away in the water. So it’s just so fascinating what the world has that we can learn from with our inventing. So the thing I love, as you said, you’re a doctor, you’re practicing, you write these children’s books. So what, like with your experience and with that connection, what type of impact do you think children’s literature can have on STEM education? Because oftentimes, people think, oh, you’re a STEM teacher, you don’t read books to kids. You don’t have to read. I know your face. You’re like, that’s not true. But how do you think those connect together?


Rajani LaRocca  12:28

Oh, my goodness. Okay. So you know, what’s really interesting to me is that I’m not an educator, but I have children. Yeah, and I definitely have one child that is all about nonfiction. Just give me the facts, like, just come on. Like, that’s his favorite thing to read. Then I have another child who is all about stories. She just loves novels, stories, and all those kinds of things. She just, you know, she loves thinking about different worlds, that kind of thing. So I think the way that literature can help with STEM education is that it can be kind of the gateway if you know if you’re interested in stories and in fiction, but there are STEM topics in that fiction. Then it gets kids interested in those topics without having to say, now we’re going to learn about this, you know. Similarly, if there are kids who are like, you know, I’m not really interested in reading about a made up thing, I want to know about the real world that we live in and kind of maybe think about potentially future things that might happen. There’s a whole wealth of nonfiction titles for kids. And so that’s also exciting. That’s also literacy. So yeah, I think that they’re just kind of many ways to get kids interested. Then the other thing that I haven’t mentioned is nonfiction biography. So history and STEM. And it’s really cool. And I think, you know, now is a particularly exciting time to be reading these kinds of things and to be teaching these topics because there are so many awesome biographies out now.


Naomi Meredith  13:58

Oh, yeah, I totally agree with you. It’s funny, as a kid, I was like your daughter who loved all the fiction reading. I’ve always loved math and science as I said, but I wasn’t really into nonfiction. But now, as an adult, I really enjoy nonfiction. I still love fiction. I read a lot. But they are just so powerful, and you kind of need a balance of both. Because there’s importance in both and I absolutely agree. In my classroom, my kids read a lot. They were actually very surprised coming into my room, like, why are we reading? Oh, it’s STEM. I know we have to understand the topic so that our projects make sense. We’re not just going to randomly create something, we actually have to have some knowledge about the topic and some research because it won’t connect together the way that you think it is like that background knowledge is really important. You’ve probably read a lot in your jobs still, I’m sure.


Rajani LaRocca  14:51

Oh, yes, I have to. Yes, I’m required to, which is good for keeping up on the kind of the latest medical advances. It’s good. I won’t say that the reading is the most exciting reading. It’s important reading. And you know, the other interesting thing is that there’s a whole kind of part of medicine, kind of thinking about people’s stories, and how important those are in what we do called Narrative Medicine. And that’s also really exciting. So that involves reading, but also writing kind of how you feel as a doctor and, like, what it’s like to treat people in a situation and also listening and thinking about their stories. Because when people come into your office, they’re telling you a story, whether or not they’re aware of it, they’re telling you their kind of point of view on what is happening. 


Naomi Meredith  15:39

Oh, that is so good that you said that. That’s a huge thing, too, is having that empathy, like thinking through that lens of other people, like, we’re not just creating just to like, oh, we just made something. But what is the human experience? That’s the whole goal, we’re trying to help people with all these things. That’s what we’re really hoping kids to do, to be empathetic and think of others. That’s hard. That’s hard for a little person. My kindergarteners are trying to have them not pee their pants like they think about themselves. But, like, that’s a big, big deal. But thinking about others like that. So I’m so glad that you said that because that’s a huge goal. We want our kids, little kids, to be great humans their whole lives. So I think that’s really powerful when you talk about those stories out there. So you talked about those narrative biographies, are there other things that kids should be exposed to and other types of stories you think would be impactful? I know your stories are super great, and they’re rooted in nonfiction, but just what types of things should kids be exposed to help them with just where they’re at in STEM?


Rajani LaRocca  16:42

So you know, one of the things that’s interesting to me is making sure that children get a wide variety of different types of books, not just nonfiction versus fiction, but who is telling the story? Why are they telling the story? What kind of people do we know about from history? What kind of people do we not know about? So the exciting thing about nonfiction right now, at least nonfiction biography, is that a lot of people who make significant contributions to science but happened to be women or happened to be from other parts of the world, not the Western world. We’re kind of known for the things people are telling those stories. And that’s really exciting because you know what? Science and math were not just invented by men, and it was not just invented by the Western world. There was a lot of knowledge for a long time for 1000s of years before Europe even came into the picture, let alone the United States. So there’s a lot of fascinating things to be learned from ancient cultures and from women who didn’t always have a clear path to a career in a STEM field, you know, who really had to fight, who many times were just told no. So they just went off and did what they could do while they could do it. So it’s, I think those kinds of things are really important too. When I was growing up, basically, what the world was telling me without telling me was that basically, white men invented everything. And that’s just not the truth. So that’s the other thing that’s really exciting is that now we’re looking kind of for unsung heroes, unsung scientists, and mathematicians.


Naomi Meredith  18:19

Are there any specific women you can think of like stories that are super amazing?


Rajani LaRocca  18:28

Um, okay, hold on. I just have to tell you, I found that I just read this book called The Fire of Stars. It is an incredible book. It is a nonfiction book about the life of the astronomer Cecilia Payne, and it is told at the same time as the story of the birth of a star. 


Naomi Meredith  18:54

Oh, interesting. 


Rajani LaRocca  18:56

It’s amazing. So the art is incredible. So Kristen Larson is the author, and the illustrator is Katherine Roy. So it tells the story of the birth of this kind of wonderful astronomer at a time when there were no female astronomers. She was amazing, and in parallel, it tells the story of how a star, a literal star, is born. 


Naomi Meredith  19:23

That’s like, your like, up your alley, like poetry. Like that, like beautifulness of like, the real life and the like beauty of it. That’s like, totally like, you’re like, oh, this is my kind of book. 


Rajani LaRocca  19:35

Absolutely, absolutely. It’s just absolutely beautiful, and the writing is beautiful. The art is beautiful. It is impossible to not be fascinated by it, and there are so many layers. I read it. I mean, it is a picture book. I read it like three times, and then I was like, now I’m going to put this aside. I’m going to think about it for a while, and then I’m gonna read it again. There are just so many different layers. It’s amazing.


Naomi Meredith  19:56

When you have the books that you’ve written, you have a whole variety of topics, how have you found your inspiration for those? Like, what made you think that “Oh, this would make a great book for kids!” What helped you be inspired?


Rajani LaRocca  20:08

Yeah. So I mean, a lot of times, the inspiration comes from my own life, right? So there was that math puzzle that my uncle told me and that he told it to me when I was like eight or nine, and I never forgot it. And it was like, Ooh, how do I set a story in ancient India about a kid who knows a lot about music. And he saw parallels between music and this kind of puzzle that he had to solve. And it was really fun. The DNA book came to me because I was walking my dog. I was walking along, and I thought, like, “look at that little guy. He’s so cute and fuzzy, and he is not at all like me.” And then I was like, isn’t that interesting? And then this kind of line came in, slid into my head saying, there’s a secret code inside you, a code called DNA. And I was like, “oh, okay, I think that’s something.” And so then I wrote a whole book about that. And it starts with why animals are who they are, and why we are who we are, and so on from there. It’s so much fun. And then the vaccine book. I mean, it was inspired because I got my first COVID vaccine as a doctor I got in January of 2021. And I was so grateful. I live with elderly parents, and I was like, “Oh, my goodness, thank goodness.” And then it got me thinking about, well, how did like I mean, I’ve been giving vaccines and getting vaccines my entire life. But how did they? How did they first get discovered? And I went and did a bunch of research. It was fascinating to me. Do you know why we call them vaccines?


Naomi Meredith  21:30

I have no idea. I’m learning a lot right now.


Rajani LaRocca  21:34

That comes from the Latin word vaca, which means cow because one of the first vaccines that were developed as they realized that if they gave people cowpox, which is a very mild illness, they couldn’t get smallpox. So they take cowpox sores and inject them into people. And they got cowpox which was a very mild illness, and then they never could get smallpox, which was so cool. So that’s where that came from.


Naomi Meredith  21:58

That’s really good. That’s actually really, really that’s the ultimate science experiment right there.


Rajani LaRocca  22:04

I know. Little scary for the time, it was better than getting smallpox. Yes. Then, Your One and Only Heart, which is the book about the heart. For years, I wanted to write a book about the heart because I thought it was so cool. It’s so interesting, right? Like, it’s something that we’re kind of aware of all the time. But do we really know how it works? And for years, I wasn’t sure how to get all this information into a book. And then one day I literally woke up, and I said, it’s poetry. And so there are contrasting poems. So the heart is, you know, it’s like singular, and it’s cooperative, right? It’s part of a team. It’s electric and muscular. It’s, you know, constantly variable, all these things. So each kind of concept has a poem. And I was like, that’s it. To me, science is poetry. So there you go. Yeah, and then my other books that have math and science in them, and I just put them in them because I love them. I love my fiction books that have math and science. I’m like, “Well, I love math and science. So I think the kids in this book should love math and science.”


Naomi Meredith  23:04

I think you’re a real teacher at heart. Rajani, you have that passion, you’re good at connections like this is what we do all the time. We make connections to real world things like you could totally teach in a classroom, I think you’d be okay. I just love your passion for this.


Rajani LaRocca  23:19

You’re very kind. You all do so much more than that, but I do love talking to kids. And I know that for the short amount of time that I’m in front of them. I’m like, this is amazing.


Naomi Meredith  23:30

I’m going to have you come to mine because you’re great.  You’re willing to learn like, that’s the cool thing too. You are willing to research more and how to make that relatable for a kid to understand. We need to hear perspectives from people who aren’t just teachers. Like I have one perspective. I’m like the gateway to help kids learn more things. I don’t know everything. And I tell them that I don’t know everything. Like I’m willing to learn, and we’ll Google things together. But I think that it’s really cool how you’re still learning to help inspire you for these books. I also get tons of ideas walking my dog, too. I totally can relate.


Rajani LaRocca  24:13

Yes, the dogs are very inspiring. 


Naomi Meredith  24:16

It’s just those cute little paws. You’re like, oh, man, I get all the ideas. Well, you mentioned the books. I’m kind of, and I’ll list all of them in the show notes for teachers. I know they’ll want these in their classroom. But where can teachers find your books and connect with you to learn more?


Rajani LaRocca  24:36

Yes, you can find all the information about me and my books on my website, www.rajanilarocca.com. So it’s Rajani LaRocca, and I’m on Twitter and Instagram as well, but the website is the easiest, and then you can find links to all my books, and they’re available everywhere. So yeah, and I love connecting with teachers, teachers are heroes. To me, honestly, yeah.


Naomi Meredith  25:02

Well, right back at you. In the medical field, I feel like we kind of have similar mindsets in a way we’re in the business of helping others. And so funny, a side note, my DJ for my wedding coming up, so my fiance is a teacher, and we told my DJ, “Oh, yeah, we’re teachers.” He’s like, “Oh, this is gonna be a great party because teachers and people in the medical field and nurses know how to party.” So I feel like that’s why we’re getting along very well.


Rajani LaRocca  25:31

That’s excellent. I agree. We do know how to party. Yeah. Lot of dancing. 


Naomi Meredith  25:38

I hope so. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Well, thank you so much, again, for your time and your expertise, and your passion for STEM and inspiring children around the world. It’s just really amazing what you’re doing with your passion and just inspiring kids. That was just so amazing. And I can’t wait to read more of your upcoming books.


Rajani LaRocca  26:01

Thank you so much for having me. Thank you for teaching kids and for inspiring teachers. This is so wonderful.


Naomi Meredith  26:09

Yeah, definitely. Oh, and one last thing. You have a podcast.


Rajani LaRocca  26:12

I do. It is called the STEM Women in KidLet Podcast. So it is all about women who have a background in the STEM field, who then went on to write and or illustrate books for kids. So it’s amazing.


Naomi Meredith  26:27

Yeah. All right. Perfect. All right. Yeah, our audiences will be, that’ll be up their alley for sure. Well, thank you so much again, and we will definitely chat soon. 


Rajani LaRocca  26:37

Thank you. Take care.

STEM children's books

 

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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!

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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. 

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3d-printer-recommendations-for-elementary

3D Printer Recommendations for Elementary Classrooms [STEM Spotlight #3]

by Naomi Meredith

3D Printer Recommendations for Elementary Classrooms [STEM Spotlight #3]

3d-printer-recommendations-for-elementary

Check out the full episode on 3D printer recommendations for elementary:

 

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Episode Summary

What are some 3D printer recommendations for elementary classrooms? There are a lot of brands out there, which can quickly make it overwhelming to decide. So, I asked YOU what your recommendations are and compiled them altogether in this episode. Current STEM teachers share their 3D printer recommendations and what works in their elementary classrooms. 

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

What 3D printers should you be buying for your elementary classroom? Well, I have my personal preference, which we will talk about in this quick episode, I reached out to some of my STEM teacher friends, and a lot of you over on Instagram @naomimeredith_ to get your insight. And you all gave me such awesome information that I wanted to create a short episode with all of your responses, and capture it in one place. So let’s jump in into these recommendations. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

If you haven’t checked it out already, the last two episodes before this one were all about 3D printing, so make sure to check those out. In episode 69, I talked about the top tips for 3D printing and the elementary classroom and some lesson plan ideas of what I do with Kindergarten through fifth grade. After that was episode 70, where I interviewed Bruce Wyman, and he has extensive knowledge when it comes to 3D printing. And he taught elementary STEM and is currently in the middle school space and also had a 3D printing company. So he has a lot of knowledge and expertise. So definitely go back and take a listen to those. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

And then this episode, are those recommendations that you guys gave me. Before we jump into these recommendations, none of these are sponsored by the way and these are comments from STEM teachers like you and who have experienced using them. Of course, there are more 3D printers out there. So this is definitely just a snapshot of some that are being used in classrooms today. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

That’s what I definitely talked about in episode 69. When it comes to 3D printing, the kids creating actually isn’t the hard part. It’s actually managing them from a teacher side. So you definitely want to have something that’s user friendly and doesn’t cause you any problems. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

My friend Jen Sevy, which she was on the podcast to on episode 22 about Engineering Design Sprints, she has three Lulzbots. She said, “once you get to know them, they’re great.” So it sounds like there’s like more of a knowledge base that you need for Lulzbot just based on what you guys are saying the software that slices the print (when you have the kids create in a program, you have to take their print and put it into the slicing software, which tells the print how many layers do you need and what order it’s going to be in) can be a little tricky, and it just has all these updates and everything. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

So this is a sidenote: she actually accidentally bought some filament, which is the plastic that you use to print with, that was flexible. She printed these key chain designs that kids made the keychains were kind of like movable, which was a happy accident. And then somebody else @b_is_for_burns has a Lulzbot. So definitely again another printer just sounds like there’s more of a learning curve and definitely something you’ll have to get used to. 

 

Naomi Meredith  00:30

Again, my friend has another printer. I’ve never heard of this brand, but he loves it. My friend Alex has the Creality Ender 3. Because he does have so many 3D printers, he definitely can have a direct comparison. He loves it. He doesn’t have to manually level the bed which is great and he can print over 100 prints and everything will print correctly and the nozzle goes in the right place which I definitely have that experience as well.

 

Naomi Meredith  01:55

The first brand we’re going to talk about is MakerBot. And the brand that I have currently is the MakerBot Sketch classroom. And I really, really, really love them. When I entered my classroom, there was an older printer left in my room, it was a MakerBot brand. I’m not sure what it is. I know it’s not made anymore. And it was fine. But it was really old. It was probably like, you know, when 3D printers were just getting implemented in classrooms, it was probably good for its time, but there definitely needed to be some upgrades. 

 

Naomi Meredith  02:28

So that’s actually what started my search to be honest into MakerBot because that was the brand that was already in my room. I found the MakerBot Sketch Classroom and I’ve been absolutely impressed. I got them right before the 2020 shutdown of March 2020. And since then, I’ve had zero issues. I have two printers, lots of filament rolls to the you got the teacher and student training along with that all under $2,000. And it was literally I took them out of the box turned them on and I was good to go. I didn’t have to set anything up. So I love it. It’s been great for me! I print 1000s of prints and no issues. So definitely love it. 

 

Naomi Meredith  03:10

Over on Instagram @computecreateteach, she has two MakerBot Replicator+, so different brand. She loves the cloud printer software that it comes with, which is probably the same software that I’m using as well. 

 

Naomi Meredith  03:23

So when we talk about cloud based printing, that means that you’re setting up the prints on your computer and their web based platform and you are able to wirelessly wirelessly send the 3D prints to the printer so I’m not hooking up a computer directly so she sounds like she’s not either. Her printers she actually hooks up her printers specifically to Ethernet ports. She probably has that wireless setting on the printers, but just you know how schools can be with the internet access she hooks them up to Ethernet ports to keep her internet more reliable. 

 

Naomi Meredith  03:58

From a different brand, she’s getting two Flashforge printers coming up which that’s another brand we’re going to talk about. 

 

Naomi Meredith  04:05

@learning_in_bliss has also has two MakerBot Replicators not sure if it’s the plus or not. She said those have also been very dependable and 1000s of prints each year. She also has a Flashforge Finder and hopefully that is going well for her as well. 

 

Naomi Meredith  04:23

@essentiallyalf has an XYZ which I had never heard of this brand before. And I asked her more about it and they said it’s just so-so, nothing over the top, but is absolutely loving the MakerBot Sketch Classroom, and that is what I have. 

 

Naomi Meredith  04:40

@mathematicallyenthused, which is Kelly Hogan (which you heard from her on the podcast back in episode 45 So go and check out her episode she’s a K through 6 STEAM teacher) she also has a MakerBot brand is really enjoying it. 

 

Naomi Meredith  04:55

@stephfunny2 also has a MakerBot sketch. So overall based on the findings, there’s variety of brands and MakerBot. It sounds like people have been really impressed so far, at least with these newer models and it’s been a good brand in those classrooms. 

 

Naomi Meredith  05:08

The next big brand that we hear about a lot is Flashforge. I asked my STEM teacher friend Alex Hull, and he has a Flashforge Creator Pro. He says it’s good. What’s cool is there’s a dual extrusion. I looked that up actually didn’t know what that was, what I found, you can mix two colors. So you can have two different colors going which that’s pretty awesome. 

 

Naomi Meredith  05:32

I tell my students this, I bet they’re already even out there, but printers that have all the colors, and they’re kind of like an inkjet printer. Kids would love it if their designs could be printed in the colors that they design them. I bet it’s out there or it will be mainstream soon. 

 

Naomi Meredith  05:48

It’s also a boden tube printer, and it has a self-leveling bed. So on his Flashforge Creator Pro, it will level itself. So that means that you don’t have to do it. It’s the right distance for the bed play and the extruder. So it can print all the layers correctly. My MakerBot Sketch Classroom is also self leveling. I don’t have to do anything. 

 

Naomi Meredith  06:13

With his Flashforge he says it’s older. I researched and there’s other Flashforge, newer ones out there. So he was having issues with the software for his but like I said there are newer models that are doing well. 

 

Naomi Meredith  06:27

My friend Becca McMillan, which you heard from on episode 40, she has the Flashforge Finder. Just looking at it on the website, it seems like it’s all out of the box a lot like mine. It’s an affordable price. She likes it, and hers has “Polar Cloud”. So again, you can send the prints wirelessly, which definitely is a game changer. Not having one computer setup to your printer. I feel like a lot of the newer printers are going this direction anyway because it does really wear out your computer when it’s connected directly. And then @mrsgenenbacher18 also has a Flashforge not sure what brand but that’s something that she has in her classroom. 

 

Naomi Meredith  07:05

And then another popular brand is Lulzbot. My same friend, Alex, he has a lot of different printers in his room, so that’s really interesting, too, that he can mix and match his experience. He has the LulzBot Mini 2, he says what’s frustrating is that he actually has different size filament for this printer than his other ones. So that can be more expensive when your printers use different size filament. And the beds are really tiny. So that definitely if you want to create something bigger, that could be definitely a challenge. 

 

Naomi Meredith  07:39

I would say most of these printers I’m talking about two are like desktop size. So none of these are ginormous. In the elementary space, you don’t need a ginormous 3d printer. To be honest, it would be nice to have but not needed. And so then with his LulzBot Mini 2, he definitely has constant issues that are definitely fixable, but it’s annoying when you’re managing a lot of prints. 

 

Naomi Meredith  09:44

It’s also a boden tube printer, which I mentioned before and that means it’s how the filament is led into the 3D printer. So I found an article about this just to compare that type of printer to another which I will link in the show notes. So you can see a visual as to what that means. 

 

Naomi Meredith  10:00

Other brands that aren’t as popular just didn’t pop up as much when I asked you @chrissyb_45 has a Prusa and then @amyjrenick & @auntiemary13 have a Dremel. 

 

Naomi Meredith  10:13

So you definitely just want to do your research and price comparison. If you are a beginner definitely look for something that is like out of the box doesn’t need a whole lot of extra setup and also look for something that has cloud based printing software, which I feel like most are going this way but you also want to double check. So those are some two really big things what you’re looking for any really definitely ask around look her reviews. 

 

Naomi Meredith  10:40

We can talk about this in my upcoming book club, virtual book club where, yes, we’ll talk about the books, but we can also talk about strategies and build a community and talk about these things. naomimeredith.com/bookclubwaitlist

 

Naomi Meredith  10:50

So definitely do your research, but hopefully this helps guide just kind to look for. I’ll definitely link all of these in the show notes for you. But hopefully this will kick off your research and just know where a starting point is and where to go. Also, I recommend buying straight from their websites, the actual manufacturer website so you can get direct support. 

 

Naomi Meredith  11:11

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions and reaching out and hopefully I can do more episodes like this one to help you out more in your STEM space.

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

3d-printer-recommendations-for-elementary

 

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!

3D Printing in Classroom

3D Printing in Classroom Settings with Bruce Wyman [ep.70]

by Naomi Meredith

3D Printing in Classroom Settings with Bruce Wyman [ep.70]

3D Printing in Classroom

Check out the full episode on 3D Printing in Classroom Settings with Bruce Wyman:  

 

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Episode Summary

How can you implement 3D printing in classroom settings in meaningful ways? In today’s episode, I chat with Bruce Wyman, who is an experienced STEM professional, the owner of 3D Protect Me, and an environmental advocate with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. Bruce shares how to add 3D printing into your instruction and gives insight into some differences between elementary and middle school 3D printing creations.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Bruce’s journey to becoming a STEM teacher
  • How he incorporates 3D printing in his STEM classroom
  • Examples of 3D printing activities he has done with his students
  • An overview of resources for teachers who don’t have a 3D printer in their classroom
  • How to promote student collaboration on 3D printing projects

Meet Bruce:

Bruce Wyman is an experienced STEM professional, business owner (3D Protect Me), & environmental advocate with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. He is  Skilled in STEM-based activities, all things 3D (Scanning/Printing/CAD design), & educational organizations. He previously taught elementary STEM and is currently teaching in the middle school space.

Connect with Bruce:

Resources Mentioned:

 

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

How can you implement 3D printing in meaningful ways? 3D printing isn’t as complicated as you might think and there are so many possibilities with it when using this type of creation with students of all ages. In today’s episode, I’m talking with Bruce Wyman. We connected online when Bruce first moved to Colorado, which is where I live, and I even got to see his classroom virtually. We met up in person and talked so much about STEM and 3D printing. We had a great breakfast, and I could totally see his passion when it comes to creation, and especially 3D printing. So I knew from there once I got the podcast going, which we are here today, that I needed him on the show. Bruce Wyman is an experienced STEM professional business owner of 3D Protect me, and an environmental advocate with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. He is skilled in STEM based activities, all things 3D, and educational organizations. He previously taught elementary STEM and is currently teaching in the middle school space. You’re going to get some great information in this episode today on how to add 3D printing into your instruction, as well as some insight with some differences between elementary and middle school creation. Excited for you to listen to today’s episode. 


Naomi Meredith  01:53

Well, thank you, Bruce, so much for being here today. After all the technical issues, how many STEM teachers does it take to get into a podcast? We made it. So if the audio is a little off, I had to unplug my microphone. But we’re here, we’re doing this and I know we’re gonna have a lot of great stuff, chatting together today. So thanks for agreeing to do this. I don’t know how we connected. I think you reached out to me, I can’t remember. But I remember having a Zoom meeting with you. You were setting up your classroom and I was looking at your elementary classroom when you moved to Colorado.


Bruce Wyman  02:32

Yeah, that was that, and that classroom was enormous. It was a former Kindergarten classroom. This year, my class is about a third of the size and I have 13 3D printers in there, so we’re pretty tight.


Naomi Meredith  02:45

Okay, well, that’s perfect. Because we’re talking about 3D printing. You have 13? That’s amazing!


Bruce Wyman  02:51

Yeah, I’m pretty fortunate for sure.


Naomi Meredith  02:53

Oh, my gosh, I’m so jealous. Well, I know we’re gonna get into all things 3D printing. That’s why I have you on here because we have a lot of experience with this. But if you wouldn’t mind, before dive into that, tell us about yourself and your teaching background. You have an interesting background because you were in elementary, and now you’re in middle school, which I think a lot of teachers can connect with. So if you wouldn’t mind chatting about who you are.


Bruce Wyman  02:56

I wouldn’t mind at all. Thanks a lot for having me on. I really appreciate your time. Sorry about the technical snafu. You could blame it on me to your listeners. Yes, well, I was a well, first of all, Dad. I’m a dad and a husband with two kids. But then I would like say teaching is definitely the number three thing in my life for sure. Yeah, so I got into it about maybe 15 years or so ago when my kids were little. I was coaching them and I was like, you know, this is kind of like teaching so maybe I’ll transition into teaching. I have and so far it’s been pretty good. Did one of those career switcher type programs from the corporate world into teaching. My first year I taught Kindergarten, which nearly killed me, but it was super awesome. And then most of the time I have for about nine years I’ve taught sixth grade and then a couple years in middle school and it’s my sixth year as a STEM teacher. So super excited.


Bruce Wyman  03:20

Oh, that’s super cool. How long have you been out in Colorado? Did you only teach at one school for one year? Or was that a couple years? I can’t remember how long.


Bruce Wyman  03:55

Yeah, we’re about halfway through our second year. First year I was a K through five STEM teacher and this year the middle school teacher that I had found out that I had a 3D printing background so she said would you like to teach 3D printing and 3D design all day? I’m like wow, that sounds pretty cool. So that’s what I’m doing. I had to create a curriculum, which was really hard but with your help with all the all the teachers PE teacher things that you provided me it got got me got me going really easily. Thank you for that.


Naomi Meredith  04:54

Ah, you’re welcome. I thought it was helpful because that you have way more experience in 3D printing than I do so that means a lot because like, you know, with a lot of this STEM stuff is just a lot of trial and error and trying things out and see what’s going to work and what do the students like. So that’s really awesome. How has the transition to middle school been? Have you seen a huge difference? Like, is there a lot? How did the kids react to 3D printing? I know the little kids are obsessed with it. How’s it been with middle school?


Bruce Wyman  05:25

Yeah, it’s been really cool that, like you said, elementary kids are completely obsessed. We find kids when the 3D printers are running, they’ll just stare at it for hours and hours and hours. So getting their attention sometimes away from the 3D printing, to the teaching is a challenge at times, but it’s okay, it’s fine. Middle school kids, same way. I mean, I’m in a low income area and these kids just didn’t have any exposure or background in 3D printing. So when they first see these things, it’s kind of the same thing. I can see those little elementary eyes inside those giant middle school heads. They seem to like it so far. They like to, you know, the projects we’re doing and just to see this thing, create you know it, they’re pretty cool. If you’ve ever seen one of your viewers, or I know you’ve seen them and worked with them. It’s pretty cool. The first time you’re exposed to it.


Naomi Meredith  06:14

Oh, yeah, they’re super! I thought they were more complicated than what they actually are. I had, there’s this really good video I show my students, you might have watched it with your kids. But it’s I think it’s National Geographic Kids, and they explain it that it’s like a hot glue gun icing a cake. So it’s just basically melting the plastic and a pattern, which, oh, that’s a great explanation for it.


Bruce Wyman  06:37

Yeah, I use that at the beginning of the semester. So far, I’ve used the Nat Geo Kids.


Naomi Meredith  06:43

Yeah. Okay. Okay. I thought that’s what it was. I don’t know if I’m right about that. Um, so like, when you’re teaching your classes, because you said the kids haven’t seen it, like, how do your classes go? Because they might not have a whole lot of experience. Have you found that as a middle school kid, when they’re going into 3D design, How is that transition for them? Because I can imagine just based on their technology skills, it’s it would just change how you teach your projects.


Bruce Wyman  07:10

It’s, it’s really true. One of the first things we use is a 3D pen. Like when I tried to introduce them 2D versus 3D, we use an online program called Doodle 3D, which is just a free open source thing, which is kind of fun. So they can see on the split screen, 2D versus 3D. They just use their finger on an iPad and it creates 3D, and then the actual 3D pens, they can actually create three dimensional things in the classroom. So that’s, that’s kind of a cool way to transition or, you know, share the concept of 3D to them. Because again, a lot of them just don’t have that background.


Naomi Meredith  07:44

Hmm, that’s a really, that is so smart to do that. I haven’t used the 3D pens in there. I have one. Actually, Tiana. I’m pretty sure it’s Tiana. She was on this podcast, she got a grant for 3D pens. Would you recommend getting those for the classroom? I haven’t used them.


Bruce Wyman  08:00

I have the first one I bought when when before we moved here, my wife and I moved here. We were in the Washington, D.C, area for a long time. I used, I can’t remember the name of the company, but it was this plastic one. It wasn’t very good. But if it’s okay, I can tell you the name of the company, the ones we use now. 


Naomi Meredith  08:16

Oh, yeah. Tell me. 


Bruce Wyman  08:17

Yeah, it’s Mynt 3D, M-Y-N-T 3D. They’re fantastic.


Naomi Meredith  08:23

Okay, I’m going to link this and look it up. So they don’t clog as often as like those cheap ones.


Bruce Wyman  08:28

Haven’t had a single clog. 


Naomi Meredith  08:30

Oh, that’s so good. Okay, that’s good to know. Because, yeah, that can be really frustrating.


Bruce Wyman  08:36

Right! The first ones I bought, were terrible. They clog all the time.


Naomi Meredith  08:41

Okay, that’s good to know. I’m gonna find this and we’ll link it. So I think you have all this experience. But your story when you were talking to me about this, I think your story about with 3D printing is so interesting. I think it’s so valuable and helpful for the kids. So if you wouldn’t mind sharing, what is your background in 3D printing? I know you had a business that related, which is super cool.


Bruce Wyman  09:05

Yeah, I mean, hopefully the your listeners will think it’s interesting. Yeah, so I find out about this company, again, in the Washington, D.C. area that they were a 3D printing reseller, and they were looking for a teacher. I had zero experience in 3D printing. So I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. What worked for these guys, they said, don’t worry, we want a teacher because we want to sell these printers to the schools. So they needed someone who could speak to teachers and administrators and decision makers in the schools. I had a little bit of a business background so I was a sort of a business consultant for them. They got me up to speed on the 3D printers, 3D scanning, 3D design, you know, the CAD design stuff, so I learned a lot from them. Then we went into the schools and we sold them. I started my own business called 3D Me and we did stuff in the schools as well. We also did work with the fitness industry to make ends meet. We were doing this during COVID as well. I actually teamed up with a guy from Eastern Europe and we made PPD 3D printed PPE things for for people.


Naomi Meredith  10:12

Oh, that’s so that’s so smart and just like make it more accessible. I know, I was 3D printing some ears savers during that time, and I actually got my 3D printers a few weeks before the shutdown. So I brought them home and I was printing some of that. But I mean, you know, the filament isn’t that expensive when in consideration. So that’s really cool, you’re able to help out and that way was your background. That’s a good story for your students to have. Okay, so you have a picture about you and this machine. So back to your fitness industry? How did that connect with 3D printing? Because there’s a picture you sent me and you’re standing in this machine, like, how does that all connect together?


Bruce Wyman  10:57

Yeah, I couldn’t afford a machine like that. Because those are $100,000 machines. It’s a 3D scanner, that’s got about 130 cameras in it that all take a picture at the same time. It captures this figure for you to be able to 3D print. I’ve got a a 3D scanning device that was made for the fitness industry. So you stand on this thing and you spin around, and I’ve shown the kids I have it in my classroom, you have to come and see.


Naomi Meredith  11:23

This thing you have in your classroom?


Bruce Wyman  11:25

I do, you should come get a scan of this thing. I could create a 3D full size Naomi. I did this for the teachers, I made about 30 or 40 of them this year. That was so cool. You have to get it, I’ll just send you the files for free for nothing. 


Naomi Meredith  11:40

That is so nice. I know I need to see this. Like, I mean it just visually. So does it just scan you and creates a model or does that gather other data as well?


Bruce Wyman  12:02

It does what this was, again, created for the fitness industry. So it actually gives you data on your body measurements. It’s actually used for fitness, the fitness industry. So it gives you you know how big your wrist is, or your neck or legs or whatever. So people use it for weight loss. But also we’ve found that people who are like bodybuilders, they want to track their weight, their muscle gain grew over time. So we’ve actually have used this with personal trainers as well.


Naomi Meredith  12:34

Oh, that’s awesome. That’s okay, so you have all this cool stuff. You like the perfect stuff for a 3D classroom? So what do you teach with the kids when they’re like thinking about your year, and even taught, you could talk about what you’ve done in elementary. I know you did some 3D printing. What are some favorite projects you’ve done with your students? And how do you make this relevant for them? Because I know a lot of times, teachers when they think about 3D printing, it seems overwhelming. Also, what is the point? I’ve also heard teachers like should I even teach 3D printing? Like why does that matter?


Bruce Wyman  13:09

Right? Yeah, well, I’ve found too just the searching when I started this program in middle school, it’s really hard to find 3D printing curriculum. I mean, I look everywhere. One British company that had some pretty good supplemental stuff. But as far as projects go, we did a kids made a custom fridge magnet that had their name and pictures and different things on it for their, you know, to take home to their family. We did piggy banks, which was kind of cool, because then you have to design you know, get a figure, but then you have to make it hollow. So that was a little bit of a challenge for the kids in the design process. We made cellphone stands, we did board games, and a lot of these kids didn’t know what a board game was. 


Naomi Meredith  13:10

Interesting!


Bruce Wyman  13:11

They created a board game. Then they had to make their own custom player pieces. Then they get to play each other’s games, which was kind of fun. But my favorite one is the way the kids had to choose a favorite teacher and then they designed a manipulative based on a lesson that they’ve used. They had the right to have a formal letter and then give them give them the 3D printed device. I couldn’t believe the reception and the impact it made in my school. My principal was just they were all just kind of blown away. You know, nothing great that I did. It’s just the kids that kids does such a great job with that project. I think I share that with you. I’m not sure.


Naomi Meredith  14:29

I think you did. What were some of the things that they made? Like what were some of the examples?


Bruce Wyman  14:33

Yeah, they made for the science teacher I saw there was an animal, cell there was a plant cell, or the history teachers they did I mean all kinds of historic buildings. They did compass rose for geography, but I know a bunch of my kids did an Edgar Allan Poe like a raven and different things for literature. I mean, it was  wide open. It was amazing. They probably did hundreds of different things that they did. Customized and they put their name, they use the CAD software to put their name on the model, and then give it to the teachers. I think some of the teachers were crying when they received these from some of the kids. Yeah, it was pretty much and it was crushed. I’m always looking for more stuff like that I’m trying to create more cross curricular because I don’t want it to be just technology, we print out a little gadget and then they you know, use it or you know, fidgets spinner, whatever.


Naomi Meredith  15:24

Oh, yeah. 100%. Like, and then that’s so good that you said that, because I’ve had kids who’ve come into my class from other schools in my district or not. And they see if 3d printers are like, Oh, you have a 3d printer, can I just like, send you all this stuff to print? That’s what my old school did. And I’ll say, you know, we’re gonna actually create something. That’s the I’m glad you’re excited about it. But I think that’s important, too, that we need to have students be creating with this technology. Literally, just finding something and printing it is kind of just being a consumer, they’re not really doing anything with that item. So I know that can be hard. I mean, it is hard. That’s good. That means their brains working, that’s a good challenge for them to create something out of, did you do the same projects in elementary school as well? Or did you do other things with your kids?


Bruce Wyman  16:18

We did, I guess we did, we didn’t really do a lot of the design. I exposed them to Tinkercad, which was our favorite CAD design software, which is good for beginners. So they did work with that. They did design a few things I was able to print out, you know, one thing for each kid, but I had, you know, as you I think you’re aware of I was a K-five STEM teacher and I have over 500 kids. And we know that 3D printing is not lightning fast. So it’s nothing, but every kid got to design one thing and have to keep the one thing too. So at a smaller scale for sure. 


Naomi Meredith  16:51

Now, I can say I do also one for every kid. I say I’m actually starting. So we’re, we are recording in February, I’m going to start in like a week. So end of February, I will be printing for the rest of the school year. So you know, it takes a long time. So if it’s teachers, I know, like I said, it can be scary with 3D printing. And some teachers actually don’t even have 3D printers. So are there any tips that teachers should be aware of? So like, if someone doesn’t have a 3D printer? What could they do now? And then if they do have a 3D printer, what do you recommend?


Bruce Wyman  17:32

Right? If they don’t have a 3D printer, actually, there’s a lot of local libraries that have that. You can use them so the teacher could use that. But then again, you know, it could get expensive, and there’s the you know, the time constraints. Do you want to sit there for six hours while these things are printing? The 3D pens are a really good way to, you know, to start with this type of thing and too so the kids can understand the difference between 2D and 3D, so the pens are nice. If you don’t have a 3D printer, you can you can actually find them now for about $300 or $400. So they’re not terribly expensive for pretty good printers. Maybe find somebody who has one. There’s actually here in Denver area, there’s a place called, oh gosh, but it’s like there’s a Makerspace. A lot of major cities have maker spaces where you can go and experiment with them. Tinkermill, I believe is the place here in Denver. But you know, start using Tinkercad, the 3D design software, it’s open source and free. So that’s probably the best way to do that just to get up to speed slowly or, I mean, they could they could email me. Oh, that’s true. As well, Teachers Helping Teachers.


Naomi Meredith  18:44

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think that’s so smart. Like, you maybe not even starting with the kids right away. I remember, like I said, I had no experience with this. I had a classroom with an old 3D printer. I travel a lot. One year we went to Chicago for summer, and we went to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Have you been to that museum?


Bruce Wyman  19:06

Yes. Amazing.


Naomi Meredith  19:09

Oh, it’s so good. I’ve been twice. I love that museum. But anyway, they have like special experiences you can do. I ended up taking one about 3D printing that was for children. So it was me and a bunch of kids and adults teaching it. But I told the instructors, I’m a teacher, I don’t know how to teach 3D printing. I really just want to hear you explain it to other kids. And just hearing the vocabulary that they used and it was super helpful. What I made was super ugly, and they printed it. But it was really helpful just hearing that language. So I absolutely agree just even watching other people teach or playing around with it. I’ve also recommended Tinkercad like you said. I’ve had teachers create items with Tinkercad so they can do a whole project. But maybe they just can’t print it that year. And that’s okay, they can still do the whole project. And really, I don’t know about you, but I feel like with 3D printing, a lot of the actual printing is teacher management anyway, at least in elementary, it’s not really on the students at that point, like all the design they can do. And then it’s up to you as a teacher to manage the rest.


Bruce Wyman  20:28

Right. It’s important also, that my first week when I teach these things now, especially in middle school, is 3D printing safety because that nozzle can get really, really hot. So I show the kids how to use different tools. So when they take their print off the model off, it has those supports, sometimes depending on what you’re building, and they love taking the supports off their own models.


Naomi Meredith  20:52

Oh, yeah, that’s really good. Yeah, especially with middle school, they can definitely do that stuff. So that if a teacher does have a 3D printer, so okay, they have let’s say they have one now, they’ve done some trainings, like, what would you recommend, like getting into that? Like, then where should you start after that, with 3D printing? 


Bruce Wyman  21:14

Yeah, I mean, I would teach them the three ways that you can create a model. So one is download free like on something like Thingiverse. There’s tons of free models online. It’d be great if they could show the kids in some way 3D scanning. They’re 3D scanners that you can just attach to an iPad. Those work pretty well to capture a 3D image. Then the other one is on like, on Tinkercad, where you go and create it yourself. So Tinkercad is really a fantastic, again, open source, free software type of thing that integrates really well with 3D printing, the 3D pens. Yeah, as soon as they get the the printer, a lot of the companies also will provide some curriculum, and provide support, depending upon the you know, the printer that you get, and then you know, things like YouTube and you know, online, there’s so many great starter lessons, or you can reach out to Naomi on teachers pay teach.


Naomi Meredith  22:12

I do have some lessons with 3D printing. Yeah, I use Tinkercad with second through fifth grade, my first project I ever did was with fourth and fifth grade. This is with literally no experience, and they created a bubble wand. I also had to explain what a bubble wand is. So that was just like with you and board games. So they created a bubble wand that could be given to our before and after care program for the summer. So that could be an activity for the kids to use. I actually didn’t print all of their designs, because I knew I wouldn’t have time, my printer was super old at the time. So what they had to do is convince me and sell me on as to why their bubble wand should be chosen and kind of write a persuasive piece to me and sell it. And sometimes some simple designs actually sold me based on their writing. So that was a good starter project. I don’t do that one anymore. But it was simple enough where students were in Tinkercad, like using the given shapes. I feel like it’s like building with digital blocks. That’s what I tell them. It’s just mushing digital blocks together. So a bubble wand is not super complicated. So that was a fun starter project, you could really look into the standards. For math when it comes to shapes and geometry, I feel like there’s so much math when it comes to 3D printing. Have you seen that as well with the math piece?


Bruce Wyman  23:42

Yeah, when we did the cell phone stands, that they had to measure their phones, because they’re all different sizes. So they actually and we talked, and we left I intentionally left ours on millimeters, because I wanted them to learn metric. And so we they had to measure how wide their phone was so they could create the right size standard and you know, doing prototyping and making mistakes. You know, I’m a big promoter of making mistakes and fixing it using the Engineering Design Process and going through that. That whole thing is really, really useful. Or things like keychains? That’s a really good one to start with, too. I think Tinkercad has got some really good introductory keychain things too. I’d love the bubble one. I haven’t seen that one. I love that idea.


Naomi Meredith  24:26

Yes, feel it especially um, yeah, if you’re getting started with kids, and I don’t think it was my original idea to be honest. Or even if it was an after school club, I love doing after school clubs and I know you’re running one, you said. But after school clubs are an awesome way to try things because if 3D printing is scary, host an after school club and you guys figure out 3D printing together. Then maybe next year, you’re ready to do it as a unit for fourth and fifth grade. And then the next year you do second and third grade and then after that k-1. I am crazy in doing K-five, but I did. I wasn’t like that the first year. So it does take a lot of growth, for sure. And just being more confident in what you’re printing, I feel like, because it’s a lot.


Bruce Wyman  25:15

Agreed, yeah, when we, actually that middle school principal just asked me if I’d be willing to teach a 3D printing to classmates. So in the fall, for the next level, doing predominantly problem based type things and project based type things, those are two are two big things. And you know, we do everything collaborative.


Naomi Meredith  25:35

Yes. That’s good to know. Because you would think with 3D printing, it’s on the computer, you can’t collaborate? How do your students collaborate on their projects? Like how do you have them work together? Because it is based on the computer? And some people have misconceptions about that? 


Bruce Wyman  25:50

I know, right? Well, I’m just super intentional, when I put together the grading rubric and put together the instructions and put together all the things where it’s kind of I don’t want to say forced collaborations. Because a lot again, I see a lot of students these days, at least in middle school and upper elementary have a really hard time collaborating, you know, dealing with, you know, with groups of people and knowing that if you’re in a group, and I tell them the same thing with teachers, if I’m in a group of teachers, there’s usually at least one teacher that might not be my favorite teacher, but I need to be able to work with that teacher. So those types of skills are really, really important. And again, sometimes it doesn’t work out. Sometimes there’s plenty of ways that we, you know, we have to change groups, or we figure out a different way to collaborate. But you know, it’s a good good lesson for you know, later when they are doing more of that stuff in high school or, you know, eventually having jobs. Having to deal with people that may, it may be a struggle or challenge for sure.


Naomi Meredith  26:50

You’re not just teaching a 3D printing class, you’re teaching them those soft skills. That’s what we’re in the business of secretly, we have the cool tools, but really, we’re teaching them things that they’re going to use the rest of your life, that most of them might not even use 3D printing, but they need to know how to be nice, even though they’re not their BFF forever.


Bruce Wyman  27:09

Right? Yeah, I’ve heard that. As far as STEM goes, I read somewhere recently, that close to 70% of the future jobs are going to come under that STEM umbrella. So is it important? Yes, it is.


Naomi Meredith  27:22

Absolutely, I completely agree. Okay, any last things that teachers should know, if they’re scared of trying 3D printing or anything else that they should know if you were to even to tell your past self, about 3D printing? What would you say?


Bruce Wyman  27:40

Yeah, I would say first thing is don’t be scared of 3D printing. It may look daunting, just like any new concept, or new technology or something like that. It’s not super difficult. A lot of the printers now are just plug and play. You know, once you just win it, I mean, again, it’s a printer just like you think like the 2D printers, the old Xerox, HP, whatever printers, you hit a button and it prints. Most of the fun creative part comes beforehand, you know, when you’re doing the creative portion of it. So I think having fun with the creative part of it, because when it comes to the printer, you know, the difficult one of the more difficult things is the maintenance. So getting to know your machine is good and experimenting with materials as well is a good thing. And then again, to reiterate, don’t be afraid because if I can do it, and any of you guys can do it as well.


Naomi Meredith  28:33

I agree and it’s so much fun. You feel so proud of yourself that things get printed. I get excited, like oh my gosh, it printed I can’t believe it or the best, I don’t know if you do this. The best is when you leave a print before you leave school and you come back in the morning and there’s no errors and it works.


Bruce Wyman  28:54

Right that’s really true. We used to, at the last company I worked at, they actually they set up a program where they had cameras to monitor the prints and then they could remotely, we had smart switches, stop the print to save the material if something went wrong.


Naomi Meredith  29:10

That’s awesome. I feel like my printers do that. I think mine do have cameras. Nice. Very cool. Well, thank you so much for chatting with me. I just remember when we chatted in person and was like I have to have you on my podcast and I don’t think my podcasts was a thing yet. You and I were talking about I was gonna do one and then I just knew with all of your knowledge and expertise that I would have to have you on here and I know you’re being even modest because you know a lot more than you even say you know sometimes but you’re super helpful and all your information will be linked to in the show notes. But is there any specific place that you would prefer for teachers to reach out to you?


Bruce Wyman  29:50

Um, yep, my personal gmail is fine: bwyman19@gmail. I’ve got you know, a school email address and Facebook LinkedIn. Actually, LinkedIn is a good place. Just, you know, just search my name and you can find me there as well. And I’m more than happy to share with whoever because it’s fun to get other people excited about it.


Naomi Meredith  30:08

Well, thank you so much. And I feel like everyone’s gonna feel so much better about 3D printing after listening to this and just be excited for that next journey in their STEM classroom. So thank you so much again for your knowledge.


Bruce Wyman  30:23

For sure. Thank you for being an influencer and a STEM promoter.


Naomi Meredith  30:26

Ah, of course, I try. Thank you again.


Bruce Wyman  30:31

My pleasure. Take care.


3D Printing in Classroom

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!

Top Tips for 3D Printing in the Elementary Classroom [ep.69]

by Naomi Meredith

Top Tips for 3D Printing in the Elementary Classroom [ep.69]

3d-printing-in-the-elementary-classroom

Check out the full episode on 3D Printing in the Elementary Classroom: 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

 

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

Episode Summary

Do you do 3D printing in your classroom or hoping to get started? 3D printing isn’t as complicated as you might think with young students. In fact, I do 3D printing lessons will all of my students K-5! In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing with you my top tips for 3D Printing in the elementary classroom.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Using the right tools
  • Planning standards-based 3D print lessons
  • Creating a system to keep track of prints

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

 

3d-printing-in-the-elementary-classroom-pinterest-pin

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!

chat GPT for teachers

Chat GPT for Teachers: 3 Ideas for STEM [ep.68]

by Naomi Meredith

Chat GPT for Teachers: 3 Ideas for STEM [ep.68]

chat GPT for teachers

Check out the full episode on Chat GPT for Teachers – 3 Ideas for STEM: 

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

There has been so much talk about Chat GPT, but what in the world is it? How can we use it as STEM teachers? Is Chat GPT for STEM teachers? In this episode, I will be explaining what in the world chat GPT is and three practical ways you can use it in your classroom.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What Chat GPT is
  • How you can use it in your classroom
  • Examples of searches I did using Chat GPT

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

You’ve been hearing all of this talk about chat GPT, but what in the world is it? How is it even helpful for us as STEM teachers? In this episode, I will be explaining to you what in the world chat GPT is and three practical uses of how you can use it in your classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  00:51

First, let’s get a basic definition of what chat GPT is. Chat GPT is a type of AI or artificial intelligence software. I don’t know why it’s actually called Chat GPT, but think of it as another AI tool like Siri and Alexa. So it is a base where you can actually ask it questions, and it will answer you. In fact, I actually had chat GPT help me write a definition. I asked it. So you type your little question. I asked it to write me a definition to explain chat GPT to an elementary student. So here’s what chat GPT came up with, and I thought it was actually a pretty good definition. Chat GPT is a talking computer program that can understand what people are saying and can respond to them in a way that makes sense. It is like a smart robot that can have conversations with people and natural language, just like how we talk to each other. It has been trained on a lot of books, articles, and other texts. So it knows a lot of words and can use them to answer questions or have a conversation. I’m going to explain to you how I’ve actually used this in my STEM lesson planning. It’s actually pretty fun. As of now, at the time of this recording, it is a free tool. So look it up. It’s linked in the show notes. So when you go in there, you’ll just create a free account, and then it will actually save all the little conversations that you have with chat GPT. It’s almost like, in a way, if you remember Ask Jeeves, where you would ask a question, and he’ll come up with like a more conversational answer. It’s kind of like that with back in the day, if you know what I’m talking about. So it’s kind of like that it’s a little bit different than a Google search, where in a Google search, you’re looking for articles, blogs, podcasts, maybe podcasts like this one. But it’s, again, more in a conversational way, and it will come up with more of a conversational answer, which is pretty awesome. Of course, with any technology, there is a lot of pushback as to what the repercussions of this can be, especially since it is pulling from so many different resources. My worry is how is this playing into copyright and how much is it pulling for one source than another. So the ways that I’m using this in my STEM classroom it’s not so much to publish information but more as a way to really help with my lesson planning and more of a brainstorming idea. Kind of think of it like you’re bouncing ideas off of another person. That’s how I like to use it in my STEM instruction. Also, especially as a STEM teacher, and really any teacher in this world that we live in and preparing 22nd Century learners, we really need to learn to embrace new technology. Anyway, I am still learning what chat GPT is. So even after this recording, I’ll probably learn more. There are going to be some updates, of course. But it’s cool to try out new stuff and see how it can be helpful. You can always take a little bit of that, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and see how it’s gonna work out. So, of course, it’s not a perfect tool, and you’ll hear from my examples of how it’s not, but it’s actually kind of fun to play around with. So let’s jump into these three ways how you can use chat GPT in your STEM teaching. 


Naomi Meredith  04:13

The first way that you can use chat GPT in your STEM classroom is to help you with lesson planning ideas. The other day, my friend Becca McMillan, who you heard on the podcast back in episode 40. We were chatting because we are really good friends, and we were chatting about different STEM station ideas for a specific standard that she was going to teach in first grade. At the time, I actually didn’t have a bank of resources for this particular standard. But I had some ideas in mind but also wanted to do a little bit more brainstorming as I was texting her. So to help me brainstorm some ideas, I went on to chat GPT and typed in Kindergarten hands-on lessons for the weather. I know I just said first grade, but it was actually for Kindergarten, and it was pretty cool. It came up with a list of ideas written in a conversational way. Some really weren’t for Kindergarten, some were so great, but actually, it made me remember Oh, yeah, that would be a really cool idea for weather or, Oh, I could modify this for my grade level. So it didn’t lay everything step by step by step, but it was just kind of like brainstorming ideas. There aren’t any pictures; it’s all words. So it was a really cool way to gather ideas for your STEM lesson planning. We figured out some ideas for her STEM stations, and she was able to take that back into her classroom. In turn, I kept those ideas to the side. So when I’m ready to teach at Stanford, I have those ideas ready to go. As I mentioned before, once you create your free account in chat GPT, it will save all your little conversations with the AI. So you actually can go back into that conversation, reopen it, you can ask the question in a different way, you can have it reworded, you can maybe change the grade level you’re looking for. So pretty cool that it’s all in this one little area, all organized for you digitally. 


Naomi Meredith  06:02

Another way that you can use chat GPT in your STEM lesson planning is to have it help you write kid-friendly definitions. This in the STEM space can be really tricky when you are explaining these high-level concepts to, well, elementary students. In a weird way, this is something I actually enjoy doing. Back in college, I worked at a preschool, and I worked with an awesome lead teacher. I was her assistant, and it was in pre-K. She was so so good at explaining high-level concepts to these little four-year-olds. I took a lot of the things that I learned from her and have applied them in my teaching over the years. But I still get stuck on ways to explain things to kids, especially since I have to know how to teach things to K through five. So sometimes I might know it at a fifth-grade level, but I need to explain it at a Kindergarten level. Because when you look at the standards, well, they have a repetition of things. So for this podcast, I asked chat GPT, to write a kid-friendly definition to describe what the water cycle is. It had a really great example that could definitely help me when I’m creating an anchor chart for my students. Here’s what chat GPT came up with for that definition, “The water cycle is the way that water moves around the Earth. It starts when the sun heats up with water and rivers, lakes and oceans and turns it into water vapor.” So I kept on explaining that water cycle, but it was a pretty good kid definition that, like, hey, that’s really helpful. I like that explanation. I can use that to help explain things to my students, so keep that in mind. If you’re getting a little bit stuck on how to explain these high-level concepts to your kids, check out chat GPT. It might give you some ideas of the wording of those things. 


Naomi Meredith  07:54

The third way that you can use chat GPT in your STEM planning is by creating lists. I definitely love lists. I use a list to help me plan this podcast. But it’s pretty cool how this can help you create a list based on ideas that you give it and questions that you ask. One way that I use chat GPT to help me with list creation is to create book lists for K through two based on STEM standards. Now I did use other tools to help me research, but again, I use chat GPT as a brainstorming tool to help me get some ideas for books that I probably forgot about or books I have never even heard of. When I am talking about books that I have never heard of, be careful with all of the knowledge that chat GBT gives you. It’s not always 100% accurate. It came up with some really cool book lists. But sometimes, when I looked up the books, some of them didn’t even exist. The title of the book sounded awesome. Sometimes it was actually a real author, but they weren’t things that went together. So that was pretty weird. But overall, it helped me as a starting point to create these book lists. If you’re interested in seeing those, those are all in my K-2 STEM virtual planning workshop, which will be linked in the show notes. But you can also jump in on the recording, and that’s at naomimeredith.com/primaryworkshop. It did help me plan out those book lists when creating STEM and stories and books that would really go along with those grade-level standards. So again, another jumping off point to create a list. Another way it is kind of like before when you’re thinking of lesson planning ideas, you could have it list out things to do with certain materials. So I asked chat GPT to make a list of things that kids can do with cardboard. So this could even be a fun after-school club idea. So here are some of the fun things that Chad GPT came up with. Kids can create a cardboard guitar, and it kind of gave me some directions. They said kids can create a guitar by cutting out the shape of a guitar and attaching a cardboard tube as the neck. They can then decorate it with paint or markers. Isn’t that cute how to explain it? It also gives me the idea that they could create a puppet theater using cardboard. They also suggested students could create a bookshelf, which that would actually be a pretty cool STEM challenge. Maybe kids could create a bookshelf and then have books in the library displayed and see how many books it could hold. Just making this up as I’m talking to you. This is how my brain works. So again, another cool way that you can use chat GPT to help you with all of these ideas. 


Naomi Meredith  10:41

As a recap, here are three ways that you can get started using chat GPT as a STEM teacher and implementing this in your classroom. First, you can use chat TPT for lesson planning ideas. Next, it can also help you write kid-friendly definitions. Finally, chat GPT can help you with creating lists. After listening to this episode, I hope you’re not as scared trying out this tool. Definitely check it out, and play around with it. It’s actually kind of fun as well. Just hearing the responses that it comes back with, just like when we were asking Siri and Alexa things, I know a lot of people were very wary of that same kind of vibes, but it’s also a lot of fun as well. So don’t be scared; try it out. Now I will say I wouldn’t recommend using this for elementary students yet because it is so new. It is just we don’t know what it’s going to come up with and when it comes to filters, but think about you as a teacher and how this can be helpful. Now if you want more help with your lesson planning and want me to pop into your inbox like your own personal chat GPT definitely check out my free K-5 STEM year lag plan, where I have the whole year mapped out for you and all of the connected standards and lessons that I teach in my classroom. So that will pop right into your inbox a lot like how chat GPT pops in the little box there with its answers. You can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/yearlongplan. And, of course, it’s linked in the show notes. Have fun with this new to you technology tool, and let me know how you end up using it. I hope to hear from you soon.

chat GPT for teachers

 

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!

March STEM activities

3 March STEM Activities [ep.67]

by Naomi Meredith

3 March STEM Activities [ep.67]

March STEM activities

Check out the full episode on 3 March STEM Activities:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

Do you need ideas for March STEM activities? In this episode, I share three lesson ideas that you can do in your STEM classroom that have a variety of themes and topics that go along with March and springtime. I have organized these lessons and done all of the research for you, so you have the materials you need to implement these lessons in your classroom successfully.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 March STEM activities
  • An overview of the materials for each activity
  • An overview of how I implemented these activities in my classroom

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Need ideas for March STEM activities? In this episode, I will be sharing with you three lesson ideas that you can do in your STEM classroom that have a variety of themes and topics that go along with March and the springtime. Are you ready for them? Let’s jump on in. 


Naomi Meredith  00:28

I don’t know about you, but the springtime here in Colorado where I live is not really what you would think of typical spring times. In fact, our springs here in Colorado are actually really cold, windy, and we can still get a lot of snow. So when Spring Break rolls around, I don’t know if it’s going to be warm or if it’s going to be snowy. It could be either one. So these STEM activities are perfect for this time of year, again with themes that happen around the theme of March. But you can also do them any time of year as well. So don’t feel like you are limited to the time in March. I also tried to think of things that your students would love and also the types of materials that you have in your classroom. So let’s get into these lessons that you can implement with your students. Of course, I have organized these lessons, I’ve done all the research for you and put them together so that you have the materials to be successful. And those are of course linked in the show notes for today or you can find them in my TPT shop. Just search Naomi Meredith and they will be there for you. 


Naomi Meredith  02:03

The first March STEM activity to try is catapults for March Madness. This is a fun one day challenge. At the time of this recording, I actually don’t have this in my TPT shop. But this is definitely something that I should put together for you. Anyway, this is a one day challenge that I did with my students in collaboration with our PE teacher. At the time there was something going on in her gym, it might have been picture retakes. I’m not 100% sure off the top of my head. But we needed a quick one day challenge and they were actually doing basketball in PE at the time. So this sparked some creativity for me. I thought why don’t we do something that goes along with March Madness. So we came up with a catapult challenge for students to create and go along with the theme of basketball. We started off the lesson by watching a video all about March Madness. So there are a variety of videos you can find on YouTube that can definitely work for kids. So students had the background of what March Madness was and why it is a huge deal for basketball fans. From there students were given the materials to build their catapult, which were giant popsicle sticks, rubber bands, plastic spoons, and pom poms to represent the basketballs. I like to use pom poms because they are soft, and they don’t hurt anyone when they fly across the room. Whether it’s on purpose or accident, they are a good option to launch with these catapults. Students also created basketball hoops using pipe cleaners that I had on hand. Then we gave them a little bit of tape if they wanted to tape them somewhere in the room. To create the catapult, I had a video playing on loop on my TV that shows them exactly how to build the catapult with these simple materials. This is going to be embedded in the show notes so that you can use this in your classroom. When you right click on a YouTube video, you can actually loop a video. I do this all the time for processes that I am using constantly in my classroom. If I can, I will really think about things that I’m going to be teaching a lot. Even if it’s four times in a classroom, it is really helpful to film these hands on tutorials for students. Because again, you can play it in a loop. You can play it for kids who are absent. So just that little bit of prep work is super, super helpful for my lesson for fourth grade. Back in STEM survival camp, if you go back to Episode Four, students were creating a hiking backpack and there were different processes when it came to creating their backpack and showing their design. So there were a lot of videos in that lesson that I would play on loop for students. I could send them in Seesaw for them to watch. So it’s just a really great way for me being there in the moment and showing them again how to do something, but not physically being there. Also really great if you are a remote STEM teacher, or if kids are looking for opportunities to do things at home. Filming yourself during those hands on activities is really helpful. You can add your voice if you want, but you don’t always have to. Anyway, back to the catapults for March Madness. Students were building their catapults, and then they were building their little makeshift basketball hoops, where they could launch their pom pom basketballs into those hoops. Then they also thought of the different scoring systems. They could draw a basketball court to be more official to connect even more to basketball, and the different points that you can earn based on where you are on the court. Or they can just come up with their own scoring system, which really can work for some math or the M in STEM. At the end, I actually did not let students keep their catapults. I didn’t want that in their classrooms, it would actually use up a lot of supplies. So I handed out scissors and students had to safely cut the rubber bands that made their catapult and actually put everything away. Yes, they were sad for a moment. But did they ever bring it up again? No, they were okay. Students don’t have to keep everything that they’re making in your class. So don’t feel obligated that they have to walk out with every single project that they make. These are simple materials you probably already have. And there was high engagement in this lesson. Once all of the materials were put away and or while they were cleaning up, we played a video from SciShow kids, which you know, I absolutely love. It’s one of my favorite research resources, which I talked about in a past episode as well. But we watched a video all about levers and how levers are used in real life which a catapult has a lever. So a great one day challenge to connect it all together. As I said, you probably already have the materials in your classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  07:07

The second March STEM activity to try in your classroom is robot sleds for the Iditarod. Back in episode 44, I talked about different winter robot lessons that you can do in your classroom. But funny enough, this lesson is actually meant for March because the official Iditarod dog sled race happens in March. Surprise, surprise! So this is a really awesome activity where you can use any robot you have on hand. I prefer Sphero or Dash for this lesson. Students will build a sled for their robot where the robot is acting as the dog in this lesson. But the robot is pulling the sled through the Iditarod race. This is a whole Engineering Design Process that you can do with your students. It can last up to five days because you’re really getting into the design of the sled and how sleds are made, more information about the Iditarod and all of those components, and even how students can code their robots, especially if they have never coded with a robot before. So this is a very involved lesson that students, especially in the older grades, can definitely get into. Also, I provided students with a racetrack that mimicked the pathway of the actual Iditarod race and had all of the names of the stops along the way and the twists and the turns that the real mushers go through during this time. So there’s a printable cut out of this track that I printed for them. They put it together and we taped it on the ground. It was really fun to see students how they attack this challenge and how their robot changes in their movement based on the sled that is attached to them. That does make a huge difference with the coding. So it was really cool to see their Makerspace design and connect it to the robot coding. 


Naomi Meredith  09:02

And the third March STEM activity to try is lifecycle 3D printing. There is a standard in the third grade NGSS standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, that talk about how students can observe the lifecycle of a living thing. And also what changes it can go through what would change the actual lifecycle, which that is definitely an interesting conversation to have with students. The other day I started this project with my third graders, this 3D printing project. Also side note, if you don’t have a 3D printer, you can still do this project. You actually can use the platform Tinkercad for free, T-I-N-K-E-R-C-A-D, Tinkercad. Students can create their model but maybe you just don’t 3D print it, or maybe you have them design it using Makerspace materials. So you can still do 3D printing projects even if you don’t have a 3D printer. So it’s very interesting talking to my third grade students about life cycles of living things and what would change them for better or for worse. What if a predator eats them? Sadly, what if the animal doesn’t get enough food and its lifecycle ends? What if it gets an abundance of food and it lives for a very long time? What if it has the perfect conditions where it doesn’t have any predators, the weather’s great, and it just has a long, happy life that can change the lifecycle as well. What if it never finds a mate, and it just has a great life and never has babies? So there’s so many different things that can change the lifecycle of animals. So of course, we always show them those images of where it starts from all of those steps in the pictures. But really, there’s a whole lot of things that can happen with the animal life cycles. So after students finish researching their project, then they can create a model to represent the lifecycle that they researched. Then they can even share their designs further and make a video of their lifecycle project and talk more about it. So there’s a lot of different ways that I present this to students, but it’s a really cool way how they can have a different format to show their learning where it’s not always just drawing their designs. So this is a really cool 3D print project. They do take a while to print because there are a lot of details, but it is super exciting for them to see their design come to life through their work on the computer. 


Naomi Meredith  11:32

As a recap, here are these three March STEM activities that you could try in your classroom. First, we have the March Madness catapults. Next are the robot dog sleds that connect to the Iditarod. And third are the lifecycles 3D printing projects. Again, all of these are linked in my show notes to help you get started with these resources in your classroom. And you can also find them in my TPT shop, Naomi Meredith, where you have in depth resources to help you really explore these topics and dive into the themes that are in March.


March STEM activities

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!

5th graders aren't motivated

Why Your 5th Graders Aren’t Motivated in STEM and How to Fix It [ep. 66]

by Naomi Meredith

Why Your 5th Graders Aren’t Motivated in STEM and How to Fix It [ep.66]

5th graders aren't motivated

Check out the full episode on Why Your 5th Graders Aren’t Motivated in STEM and How to Fix It:  

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Episode Summary

So you’ve planned this STEM lesson. You’ve gathered the supplies, and you’ve made sure that the lesson is exciting. But your fifth graders just aren’t having it. In fact, they don’t even seem interested in the STEM project that you planned. In those moments, you’re probably wondering what’s going on. In today’s episode, I’m sharing why your fifth graders aren’t motivated in STEM and how to fix it.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 4 reasons why your 5th graders aren’t motivated in their STEM projects
  • Strategies for fixing their lack of motivation
  • Tips for implementing these strategies in your STEM classroom

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

You’ve planned this STEM lesson, you’ve gathered the supplies, and you’ve made sure that the lesson is exciting. But your fifth graders just aren’t having it. In fact, they don’t even seem interested in the STEM project that you planned. What is happening? In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing why your fifth graders aren’t motivated in STEM and how to fix it. 


Naomi Meredith  00:27

The other day, I hosted a quick poll on my Instagram @NaomiMeredith_. Thank you so much for filling this out. By the way, it was very, very insightful. So the question that I asked was, how are your fifth graders’ attitudes about STEM: 22% of you said they are obsessed, 18% of you said that they struggled to stay motivated, and the majority of you said, at 60%, you said that sometimes they like it and sometimes they don’t. So what gives with these fifth graders? Maybe you even have upper elementary students and sixth graders. What is going on? STEM is supposed to be fun, right? Okay, so here is my take on this. Based on my experience being a K through five STEM teacher, where I came from the classroom for six years and then went into a brand new to me school and district, and really, the kids didn’t have STEM. And let me tell you all the things that I have seen and how you can combat this problem in your classroom. It isn’t an overnight fix. But there are some small changes that you can make so that everybody is having an awesome experience, just like you have planned in your head and like the younger students are having. 


Naomi Meredith  02:27

The first reason why your fifth graders aren’t motivated in STEM is that your projects are missing multimedia research. Think about the ways that you are building background on the projects that you’re doing in your class. Are you building background on the projects? Because students need to have some knowledge about the topic so that their work actually makes sense. Yes, we have all of the awesome building but when you’re really being thoughtful about your planning through the Engineering Design Process or another model, building isn’t the only step. Sure, you can have one-day challenges which I have definitely done. Especially when I had a Monday, one year when I taught eight classes in a row, I did still build some background knowledge. So think about how you’re doing this in your classroom. How are you having students build this knowledge while also having them research in different ways? So think about the tools that you’re using. Are you just giving them books to research? Are they just printed out articles? Is it a random Google search? I know that sounds super helpful, but that is a lesson in itself on how to teach with Google and how to search the proper way. If you’re doing that, awesome. But are you just saying Google it? Are you really showing them how to Google it? So think about the tools that you are having students use to gain information so that it can inform the projects that they’re building. Can you add video clips? There are a lot of great video clips that students can access that are not connected to YouTube on Epic books. Could you even play video clips that are on YouTube as a whole class to help spark the conversation? Maybe add in podcast episodes or clips from podcast episodes to hear another viewpoint. Maybe even adding infographics that you find or create your own, which I do all the time. That can be a way to gather information. Also, pre-researching and tailoring links can really focus students on what they are gathering at the time, and it doesn’t feel so overwhelming. Maybe you do have to write an article but can you add an audio component so it can meet the needs of all learners? It is so nice to have that audio option because then if there’s a word you’re not familiar with, you can listen to that piece. So really mixing this in your projects and helping students feel confident about the topic that they are going to build in is super important in STEM jobs today. In the future reading and gathering nonfiction information is happening, and it’s going to continue to happen. Even if you’re not in a STEM job, you need to know how to access information to inform your decisions. So are you adding in all of these different tools within your STEM classroom? Yes, in STEM, and helping students interact with the world in those ways. 


Naomi Meredith  05:23

The next reason why your fifth graders might not be motivated with your STEM projects is that they might not actually be ready yet. This was really hard for me to realize. As I said, I was new to the position new to the district and new to the school. I was given a brand new classroom with zero curriculum. I had all of these big ideas of what I wanted my students to do. I knew back as a classroom teacher, what I was able to have my third-grade students do and do amazing things in their classrooms. So why not? Can these students do it? Well, I had some lofty dreams, and I’m so glad I kept those dreams. But we were not ready yet. My fifth graders did not like my class. My fourth graders had a better time. I realized pretty quickly that my projects were honestly way too hard for them at this time. There were so many skills that they did not know, like typing in a website link or where their username and password were that I had all of these plans for these super advanced projects. But we actually had to get to the basics. And that’s okay. What I’m doing now, five years from when I started in STEM, is completely different. Because the way that I have planned my lessons has built students up with their skills to help them be successful. So by the time they are in fifth grade, there is more of that motivation, and they have the skills to attack those projects that I had in my head five years ago. Yes, I had to build up those basic skills, and it can be frustrating. The students might be a little bit frustrated, too, that they don’t know these things yet. But even paring down your lessons to make them more simple than you thought might just be where your students are at this year. And that’s okay. Let me tell you why this is okay. I recently had an online chat with our middle school tech teacher who most of our students feed into. She wanted to talk about how she can support us in the transition into middle school. So part of my role, I’m also the tech person. I don’t get paid extra for that. But I also manage our school-wide technology and all of that process. I’ve also co-taught in the past with the teachers. So I’m very familiar with what is happening in the building because I’m in charge of it. So we had a really good conversation. And this is actually really sad too. But it is extremely clear to her and the science teachers that these students have gone to school for elementary. The schools that don’t have STEM it is completely clear that they did not have STEM and that those skills are things that they haven’t been able to work on over the years. When they get to middle school, they’re really struggling. On the flip side, the kids from my school, it’s super clear that they’re from my school because they’ve had those opportunities to collaborate and be creative and try those skills. So when it comes down to it, they weren’t ready. In my fifth grade, my poor fifth graders who left me that first year were working on the basics, and I know I helped them. But really, thinking through your plans and how you can have a progression of learning over the years, you’re definitely going to have to adjust on the skills and getting to know your students. That’s what good teaching is, even as a specialist teacher, but thinking about the way that you are planning and giving them opportunities to practice these skills in a variety of contexts. With a variety of standards, they are standard space, that they are carrying those skills into future years, and that they can be successful and be excited about those future projects. You definitely do have to start somewhere. But hey, this is a great way for you to advocate why kids need STEM because sometimes it is those little things that can help you do those really big things. 


Naomi Meredith  09:16

Along with them not being ready is that I noticed my fifth graders were actually really scared of being creative. And again, this goes along with the relationship that I had with them and the culture of a growth mindset. I’ve of course been building this up over the years. But it is so different when you’re in this unique role, especially as a specialist teacher, because you don’t have them all day every day. The time it takes to build relationships can take longer, especially if you only see each class once a week. So it does take time. Being creative is a vulnerable thing. We’ve talked about that in other episodes. It’s scary for me to be creative here on this podcast and even have this conversation with you right now. And the same with kids, it’s not natural to want to be creative in a new space, even though we think our lessons are very exciting, which they probably are. But it is a lot to be creative and put your ideas out there and have them be different, especially when they’re at that age where opinions from their peers are starting to become very important. It’s not as much for the teachers as it is for everybody else and what they’re gonna think about their work. So really creating that culture where it can be safe to be creative and to have a growth mindset, it is going to take some time. But really having those smaller challenges and paring things down will really help as well. 


Naomi Meredith  10:39

Along with that, your students might not be motivated in your STEM projects is that they actually might need more structure than you think. Being creative within constraints is okay. It provides that safety net, that it isn’t a free for all. That is overwhelming for kids, especially when they have to be taught to be creative, that it’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay that it doesn’t work the first time. This is going to take some time, but they definitely need some more structure. So maybe that’s the way that you have materials in your classroom. Back in episode four, when I talk about STEM survival camp, which is my first unit of the school year, this unit is actually really learning about the Engineering Design Process in how you can be creative within constraints. I don’t give them a free for all with the materials in my classroom. And I don’t think that’s a good thing. They actually have only a few things from me on their project. And then the rest is from items outside the classroom, which also creates constraints because it might not be what they found. But then it also gives them the opportunity to talk to each other and for me to talk to them and build that relationship. So building up to that, maybe so and so free for all, it can be helpful. When you do a Makerspace project, do you have a money system? We talked about this back in episode six where you have that structure, and they have a certain budget of things that they can spend, where yes, you have all of the supplies, but you have to be really thoughtful about what you’re using. Also what that structure can be when it comes to working in groups. There’s a huge difference between saying to kids oh, you get to work in a group, and comparing that to, oh, you’re gonna work in a group, but you have very specific roles. And here’s what you’re going to do in these roles. And here’s how you are in charge of these roles. Because it gives them an explanation of the importance of what they’re doing. And they can’t slack off because the role is important to the job. And if they don’t do it, it’s not going to get done. Again, it goes back to that peer thing. They want to impress their peers, so they’re much more likely to be motivated. In the book Limitless Mind by Jo Boaler that I just listened to and highly recommend, hint hint will be in the future book club coming up in the spring. But she also has a part in there where it talks about kids don’t really enjoy working in groups because it is overwhelming and they don’t know what they’re supposed to do and somebody slacks off. And so all of those things that we hear about, definitely recommend that book and also reframing the way you have structure in those groups, but really the structure within projects overall, because that can help build that motivation. 


Naomi Meredith  13:16

And finally, the last reason why your fifth graders aren’t motivated to do the projects in your STEM classroom is that the projects don’t have enough empathy. Students, especially as they get older, they need to see why this project matters. I feel like a lot of times the younger students can actually really see why this is important. And it’s easier to convince them. But as they get older, there’s more like, I don’t really care. Why do I need to do this? Why is this important? And that’s a great challenge for you as a STEM teacher as to, “Well, yeah. Why are we doing this project?” I’m currently working on a 3D printing project with my fifth graders, and they are designing an invention that will help people to protect, prevent, or correct Earth’s resources and why that is a problem. And we’ve really been talking about why this is a problem. What are nonrenewable resources? Who cares? Why is this going to affect you in the future? Why should we be solving these problems and really thinking bigger than ourselves? This is the world that you live in, and we need to create solutions even better than the solutions out there because it’s not working. So really having them think about that empathy piece, and thinking about others and not always themselves. It could even be a school-based project. How can we help others in there? But thinking beyond themselves and giving them a purpose for their work can be really impactful and help again, with that motivation. They’re doing this project for a reason and not for Oh, my teacher is just going to see this project. Awesome way to go. Along with that, give students the opportunity to reflect and to see each other’s work. When we did podcasting, which I talked about that in a past episode, I do have students post their podcasts so that others can listen to their work and even comment on each other’s podcasts. They are super motivated by this, they could care less if I hear their podcasts. A couple of them, my little STEM buddies, really want me to listen to their podcast, but they really are more concerned about what other people think about their podcast, and what they did well, and what they can work on. With that giving students the opportunity to reflect on their work will really help them think through the process of that project. What can they do better and what can they work on? And how did it go? Well, and if they did a project like this in the future, what could they do again, so really giving those opportunities where it’s not just the building, but that their project has a bigger purpose, whether it’s for people in their school building, whether it is for people outside of the school, or even thinking beyond that what their futures might hold, will really help them connect what you’re doing in your classroom actually has a greater purpose. 


Naomi Meredith  16:06

As a recap, here are the four reasons why your fifth graders aren’t motivated with your STEM projects and how you can fix it. First, your projects are missing multimedia research opportunities. Second, your fifth graders might not be ready yet for this type of project. And the keyword in that sentence is yet. Third, they need more structure, especially when it comes to those creative opportunities. And fourth, your projects don’t have enough empathy. These are all things that you can continuously work on as a teacher and reflect on and get your students to that point where you are in that part where they are excited about projects all the time and that you’re not dragging their feet to finish them. Now, I know that it’s a lot without planning. And I am actually here to help. And I’m so excited about this. But I am hosting a live third through fifth-grade virtual workshop where you can join me and other STEM teachers to help with your planning in the upper grades, where we will look at standards where you can integrate naturally STEM projects. And really think through that process of the multimedia research that you’re giving them. The creative opportunities and opportunities for them to reflect and share their work. The info will be in the show notes. So if you’re not able to make it live, then it will be recorded. But the live piece is really awesome because you can ask me questions, and we can tailor a lesson that will fit your needs. So jump in on that third through five STEM virtual workshop. I would love to see you there. And how two hours of your time can definitely change the way that you plan for the rest of the year. And also set up a foundation where you can be the one talking in this podcast where your students are motivated and that they are excited, and that your lessons are really fitting what they need. So can’t wait to see you and that workshop.

5th graders aren't motivated

 

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 can students record a podcast

How Can Students Record a Podcast? [ep.65]

by Naomi Meredith

How Can Students Record a Podcast? [ep.65]

how can students record a podcast

Check out the full episode on How Can Students Record a Podcast?:  

 

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 share how I plan a student podcasting lesson about light pollution and how we figure that out through the Engineering Design Process. In this lesson, students explore what light pollution is, the effects of light pollution, and possible solutions. They then share all of this information through a mini-podcast. With their podcast, they take on the role of a citizen scientist. This lesson is a cool way for students to share their learning and learn a medium that they might not have heard of or tried before. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • An overview of the light pollution podcast lesson plan
  • Tips for how students can record a podcast in their classroom
  • Equipment and software recommendations for podcast recording

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 


Naomi Meredith  00:00Are stars in the sky disappearing? Why are human and animal sleep patterns disrupted? There is a type of pollution out there that isn’t always talked about, and that is light pollution. In this episode, I will be sharing with you how I plan a student podcasting lesson all about light pollution and how we figure that out through the Engineering Design Process. In this lesson, students will explore what light pollution actually is, what the effects are, and what are possible solutions while sharing all this information in their small mini-podcast. With their podcast, they are taking on the role of a citizen scientist. And it is a really cool way for students to share their learning and also learn a medium that they might not have heard about before or have even tried before. So I’m so excited to share this lesson with you and this episode. So let’s jump on in. 
Naomi Meredith  01:08

I never really thought about teaching students how to podcast. It didn’t really ever come up in my mind. But I will say this is one of my favorite lessons that I have taught to my students. Especially since I, obviously you’re listening, I have my own podcast. So it’s really cool to share with students what a podcast is and how they can create one and share their information with others. Now with this lesson, I did it with fifth grade. But don’t tune me out if you don’t teach fifth grade. You can definitely adjust for the students that you teach and see how this can work best for you. Now with other lessons, I do teach my students how to record videos and edit videos. So that’s something that they learned with me over the years. But I really wanted to teach students the other side of things with podcasting. Not all students are comfortable being on camera. I do record my podcast with videos simultaneously. I know not all people do that, and that is the joy of podcasting, where you really don’t have to be on camera. So this is great for students who have a lot to share. But they are more camera-shy. And that’s okay. Some of them even have a great narration voice. This is a great experience for students to be exposed to. When I introduced this to my students, I even compared it to YouTube since a lot of them aspire to be on YouTube one day. And it’s another way that is growing, that their voices can be heard, but also just have those opportunities in the future. So it’s really cool once we get going with this unit, that students really start to grasp the concept of podcasting and how it can be a beneficial way to share information with others. 


Naomi Meredith  03:22

There are a lot of standards that I use to connect this lesson, and I specifically picked light pollution. Because as I said in the intro, this is a type of pollution that isn’t often talked about. I found out about light pollution, to be honest when I was getting my master’s in STEM leadership. I probably had heard of it, but I never really thought about it before. But the more that I was researching about it for a project, I knew that this was something that my students needed to know about. So not only are they learning about podcasting, but they are learning about a type of pollution that is a problem. Specifically,  light pollution, and it correlates with the standards for the fifth-grade NGSS standard II SS 1-2. It talks about the patterns of daily changes in the length of shadows day and night. And there’s that part where it’s the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky. So I really focused on that section when it says the stars and the night sky because, due to light pollution, it really changes how we can actually see the stars in the sky. As I was researching this topic for students and pulling resources for them, I learned that there are some places in the United States that are protected where if you traveled to these locations, they are absolutely stunning and absolutely beautiful. It is like major diamonds glowing in the sky. I think there are some places in Colorado where I live, so that would be really cool to check out these places where light pollution is prevented. So we talked about the NGSS standard that is correlated with this lesson. And when it comes to the Common Core State Standards for ELA, when students are reading informational texts, that is a big standard that they will be hitting. So like I said, I pulled different resources for them that they will research through, that are vetted. They are legit resources. So students aren’t really doing a random Google search. I don’t have a whole lot of time for that piece. When I pre-research things and share those links with students, I know that they’re going to be able to find the information that they need, but they still have to read it. But it’s all set up for that right there. Of course, there are those writing standards where students are producing their work digitally. So yes, through the podcast, it’s being produced digitally, but also when they are note-taking, and again, accessing those resources. 


Naomi Meredith  05:47

Podcasting also really applies to those speaking and listening standards. There are those standards that talk about producing a digital piece and being able to share that information clearly. So a podcast is a really great way for students to be thoughtful about what they are saying instead of standing in front of the class reading off of a note card, their board, or everybody else’s board. The podcast forces the students to listen back to what they are actually saying and be mindful of that. And it’s really cute too. When you do a podcast project like this or any type of recording, the students are actually kind of hard on themselves. It’s very interesting. When they’re creating things with their hands, I feel like I really have to push them to make modifications. But when it comes to video and podcasting, they are so critical of how they sound and how they do things that they want to try it again. So it’s a really great self-reflection tool. For the math standards, this really connects to the mathematical practice where they talk about constructing valuable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others. So they are gathering that information and being critical of what they are reading and then trying to figure out a way to produce it where it makes sense. And then also, when they’re collaborating in a group, they are also having that critiquing and reasoning of others of how they should actually plan out their show, which we’ll talk about in a second. There also goes along with that standard, when in fifth grade, students actually have to think about the timing of their podcast. So when it comes to the actual editing, and the time that it takes, also when they are adding elements of different sounds, and really thinking about how long the sound is, they are thinking about the decimals and how that is correlated with time. Because there are all of those seconds, they have to be mindful of. And especially if they are taking pieces out of their podcast, they are thinking about the time and how long it takes for them to speak in a part. 


Naomi Meredith  07:50

What time that they’re taking out of that? Are they including all the information that they need? So that telling time when it connects to decimals, there is a lot of math involved with that. So you might be wondering, what platform do they actually use when they create their podcast? How can you make this happen? I have heard of some teachers using a platform called Anchor, like the ship anchor, but I would definitely be mindful of that and the age of your students. I looked it up, and anchor is geared toward students who are 13 and older. So yes, anchor is very easy to use. But at the time of this recording, their target audience is not elementary school. So I actually would not recommend using that platform. Alternatives to this, you can do quite a few things. So these aren’t the only things that you can use, but these are three that I think that definitely can work and I have experience with. I use Wevideo, so w-e-v-i-d-e-o, and it has video in its name, but it actually gives students the chance to actually just record audio. It’s a very visual platform where there are different layers of things, they could add in the stock sounds that are there. So if they want to have a little bit of an intro with music, they can do it all on that platform. Wevideos also had some really awesome updates. So in this past year that I did the podcasting, there also is a classroom tab where you can assign assignments a lot like Google Classroom, you can create groups and students can collaborate within that group. It’s all web-based, so you’re not tied to one specific device. It just makes things a lot easier. Even though I have a Mac, I actually have been using Wevideo recently to do a lot of video editing because of that cloud-based feature. It doesn’t really slow down your device. Now if you have Macs available and maybe even iPads, you could do the same thing in iMovie so students can do the narration part. I don’t think iMovie is really that complicated for students. I just feel like the way that we have video setup it is a little bit more visual than iMovie, but iMovie is pretty easy too once you get the hang of it. I also think that on the iPads, a tablet, or phones, it’s a little bit more simple. So you can definitely use that feature. Students can take things and cut them out. Now if you’re really on a budget, I would actually recommend using Seesaw. So Seesaw has a recording feature, I think they can record up to 10 minutes, and students aren’t going to need 10 minutes, trust me, they only record maybe one to three minutes for their podcast, five on the longer side. They’re short, and that’s okay. I tell them that I actually want them to have a short podcast. But you can actually have students record in Seesaw where they open up a project, or you send them an activity. Maybe they have one simple picture that could be their podcast cover art and that could be part of the project. Then when they hit the microphone, they can record what they want to say and then click pause, regroup, and then unpause and keep recording. The limitation of this is that they can’t really edit. So if they mess up, it is what it is. But again, you have that audio piece, and it’s a safe website for kids. So if you’re really on a budget, you can definitely try that out. 


Naomi Meredith  11:08

Of course, if you don’t have any of this stuff, you could have them read it out loud and pretend that they did record it. But just having that element of that technology, T for technology in STEM, it really does make a difference if they actually can record and then it has that natural piece of them modifying their work. After students were researching light pollution, I had some guiding questions for them. They did have a note-catching sheet that had these specific questions I wanted them to understand, and that would go into their podcast. I gave students a script template. This is really important, especially when students are new to creating audio and video, they don’t really know the structure of how it should be laid out. Now, when I am recording this podcast, I’m not really reading a script, I have notes on the side. But I’m not really reading word for word, I just check out my notes and just start talking to you. But I’m not in fifth grade. So they actually need a little bit more support. So I give them a structured outline, and it has all the guiding questions I want them to include in their podcast. Whatever order they want to is totally fine, but it all has to be there. And then there’s also a part on the side where they actually assign the parts to the different group members. Now, before we even get into that recording or even writing the script, we actually listen to different examples of podcasts so they can kind of understand the different styles. I do share with them actually a little bit of my podcast. And then it’s kind of fun because they have a little bit more respect for me. And they’re like, oh, my gosh, you have a podcast, and I’m like, “Yes, people, I do.” So it’s actually kind of fun for them to hear my voice in that way. So we listen to a little bit of that. I also share with them different kid podcasts and just the different styles. Is it an interview style? Is there a host, a single host who’s sharing information? Is that a kid interviewing somebody else? Are the two hosts talking to each other? So we listen to those different styles. So then, they can figure out the style of podcasts that they want. That’s really up to them. I just want them to answer the questions, but then they can be really creative with that. So they have that background about light pollution, they understand the background of what a podcast is, and then the writing the script part actually takes a while for them. Just like this podcast that you’re listening to, all the work before the podcast and after takes the longest. The recording is the easy part, and I tell the kids that the recording they get done in pretty much one class time. So writing out the script, and making sure that it makes sense, takes the longest part. I also want to make sure that their wording is accurate. This is a really great writing activity as well because it’s really thinking about how they can be engaging in their writing, especially having a hook. So I will tell them, you might want to have some little stories, you can make them up. Nobody knows your life. Just make it up and see if it makes sense. Like, did you know like, for example. I was telling the kids that when I was on vacation, I was with all my girlfriends, we were in Florida, and when we were walking through the town, all the lights went off. But then there were red lights, and it was a little bit scary. The STEM teacher in me was like, “Oh my gosh, I actually know why the lights are red.” So I asked my friends, “Do you know why the lights are red?” They said no, I’m like, well, it’s to actually help the sea turtles. Because the lights in the sea are actually distracting and they can’t usually find their way out. It’s actually a big problem for sea turtles. The red lights don’t trigger where they need to go. So I told the story way better to the kids. But I was telling them something like that would be really good in a podcast because you have that story element and that can really grab your listeners’ attention. 


Naomi Meredith  14:59

So I was really trying to have them have that style, not just stating the facts like here was light pollution, here’s what it is, but really having some fun with this, then they really took off with it. It was so cute. When it came to recording, you can have microphones. There are some that I recommend that are really small. You can have USB microphones. You don’t even have to, it’s just the benefit, and they feel so professional when they have their microphones. Also, I use those big fabric IKEA cubes, those big giant ones that are square. What we do is we put the script inside of the box, they are holding the microphone, but then outside of the box the microphone is connected to the device that is recording. So what’s really nice about this is that their head is in this little sound booth, it looks super funny. But it actually helps block out the sound around them. I know that that can be really hard when you’re in a classroom and thinking about the situation with sound. This helps the whole time. I also try to spread out students the best I can. So some might be in the hallways, but it’s also not perfect. In a school, I tell them, your audio isn’t going to be absolutely perfect. A school is loud, even in the hallways. That’s just how it goes. So we do the best we can, spread out the best we can, and go from there. When it comes to the modifications, the kids will of course listen to what they have. But I also give them a checklist of certain things that they need to listen for. I also don’t expect it to be perfect, but there are just those must-haves that they really need to focus on, like, are they speaking clearly? Are they not talking too fast? Did they include everything that was from the checklist from our research? So very specific things that again, are tied to those standards that I talked about in the beginning. There are very specific things from that. If I wanted to grade them, then the checklist is reflective of a rubric that is again aligned with the standards is what’s really fun with students creating a digital piece is that you don’t have to sit there in front of the whole class and listen to all these podcasts. At the end, I show students how they can actually grab their podcast, download it and of course, add it to Seesaw. So they download that from the video. I show them how it’s going to process, then I show them the process of uploading that video to Seesaw, and then how they can actually tag all the group members in there, which is really great. Then I’ll go through on my phone really quick, have Seesaw open, and then I will approve those. The students can go and listen to each other’s work and give them feedback, which of course the feedback comes to me first. So they can’t just say good job. But they can talk about things that went really well for that group and things that they need to work on. So that’s a really quick thing that you can do. When it comes to giving feedback. I also give them the chance to reflect on their work, I always use the same question. So what went well for you? What was the challenge? And then if we were to do this project again, what would you try again and do differently? So this is a really fun project, and the kids get really excited about it. 


Naomi Meredith  18:04

Also,  in my fifth-grade class, they do something called Genius Hour, which is a whole other thing that’d be actually really fun to talk about on the podcast. I haven’t done a Genius Hour in STEM, but I know that’s something that you could do especially if you’re integrating STEM and GT. So I’ll write that down because I think that’d be really good. But anyways, some of the kids after this lesson for their Genius Hour and other projects went and created a podcast to share their work. So a completely different topic. So I know for this project, it was very guided when I gave them the topic that I wanted them to learn about. But then they had all that creativity within the project, learn the structure of a podcast, so then they can take that skill and run with it for future projects. So if you are interested in getting started with this lesson with your class, I have created all the work for you, researched all the links, created those templates, and modified it based on the way that the kids have interacted with it. So, of course, I have this lesson available for you. It’s all linked in the show notes. You can get grab it on its own and its grade level bundle, you can do a three through five bundle or the whole year-long plan for K through five. But this is just a really great lesson to get kids excited about podcasting and really provide them with structure so that they can be successful. Also, when it comes to lesson planning, you guys have asked, and I have definitely answered when it comes to your planning for third, fourth, and fifth, and you can even include six. So my virtual STEM planning workshop for upper elementary students is open, and you will learn how to plan two integrated lessons that are standards-based from scratch, has high engagement, and have resources that will support your project. If you are able to attend live, we are going to collaborate together and create something that you can take away. You definitely don’t have to be there live. It will be recorded, and I’m also adding a private podcast link, so you can listen to the audio on the go. So if you are here listening to the podcast, obviously you like podcasts. That will be available to you just like the K through two STEM planning workshop, the recording is already there. Then there also is that podcast link as well. So you can always do that option. The live is super fun. So we get to chat together and collaborate. But totally understand, I know you’re busy. But think about how two hours of your life can actually change the way that you plan for the rest of the year. So you’re getting the inside access and get to hang out with me and increase your planning. So there are so many options out there for you, I am here for you. And I am so glad that you have asked about this workshop and I’m able to provide that for you. So make sure to check out the link in the show notes where you can get that information. Go out and sign up so we can hang out and help with your virtual planning. So thank you so much again for being here. I hope that you try podcasting with your students, and let me know how it goes.

how can students record a podcast

 

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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!

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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. 

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build a city STEM project

Build a City STEM Project to Try [ep.63]

by Naomi Meredith

Build a City STEM Project to Try [ep.63]

build a city STEM project

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Episode Summary

How can you have students plan and build a community based on Earth’s features in an area? In today’s episode, I share an in-depth overview of the build a city STEM project. In this lesson, I tie in the concept of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data. It also incorporates the Engineering Design Process. This is such a fun, Makerspace lesson that my students loved, and I know that yours will too. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • An overview of the build a city STEM project 
  • An in-depth look at how the lesson went throughout the week when I taught it
  • How you can implement this lesson in your classroom
  • Where you can find the resources for this lesson

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

How can you have students plan and build a community based on Earth’s features in an area? Civil engineers and a lot of other STEM careers use GIS or Geographic Information Systems data to help them create a community that will work in the space that they are given. I’ll be sharing an in depth overview of the STEM lesson that I tie in using these concepts that you definitely don’t want to miss out on. Students will go through the Engineering Design Process and learn more about what GIS is, then they’ll be given different data of a fictional location that shows them the landscape of an area. From there, they will create the map of this data, they will build the physical features, and then they will plan a community based on these features, but also think about the way that their community works as a whole. Of course, they will make modifications to their design when things don’t work. This is such a fun, Makerspace lesson that my students loved, and I know that yours will too. 


Naomi Meredith  01:39

It’s always fun for me to record episodes when I get to talk about the lessons that I’ve implemented with my students. And I’m always taking pictures and writing notes when I am teaching these lessons with my students. And so when I’m preparing episodes like this, I love to go back and reflect on that experience. A lot of fun things pop up for me that I can’t wait to share with you. So for this episode, I’m going to give you an overview of just the nuts and bolts of this lesson and who I taught it to, a snapshot of how the lesson went throughout the week. I will also share some fun stories throughout, how you can get started with this lesson in your classroom, and where you can get all of those resources. Also, thanks to you for filling out the podcast survey a little bit ago. A lot of you really wanted to hear about lesson plans and how I taught them with specific grades. So even if you aren’t teaching that specific grade that I taught this lesson in, don’t stop the podcast. You can definitely get ideas on how this can best work in your classroom. So don’t write me off. It’s fun to hear about other grade levels, especially when you teach all of the grade levels. Even if you don’t need something for that grade level, it’s just good to hear a lot of different ideas. So think of this, like being in a workshop with me, but I’m in your earbuds this time. 


Naomi Meredith  03:03

For this build a city STEM project, I taught this with fourth grade. And of course, you could flex this to third grade, fifth grade, and beyond. There were a lot of different standards that I integrated in this lesson. Of course, the NGSS Next Generation Science Standards that talks about the Engineering Design Process, those were super apparent in this lesson. When it came to a specific grade level standard for fourth grade, there is an NGSS standard that talks about analyzing and interpreting data from maps to describe patterns of Earth features. When it comes to specific math standards that were integrated in this lesson, the mathematical practice was all about attending to precision. And as I am explaining this lesson, you’re gonna understand why students had to be really precise, when they are setting up the format of where their study was going to be built. There are also various math skills that are integrated throughout. I know some of you might think that I don’t integrate math in my lessons, but they definitely are there. Like I’ve mentioned in past episodes, I do like to use science as my base. But then all of the standards really are integrated in there. So I’m not handing out worksheets of this math standard and all that math is really embedded in all of these lessons. And sometimes the students don’t even know that at the time, which is okay. They’re using their math skills. It’s almost like when you are feeding kids vegetables that they don’t like and you’re sneaking them in like making zucchini bread and they really like it. What I have done in the past with my Teacher Honey who doesn’t like carrots. And so I bought mashed carrots, and thought he would be tricked and thought they were sweet potatoes but he wasn’t but anyway, there is math in this lesson. And so students are attending to a position with that mathematical practice. They’re also working on their math facts when purchasing supplies and yes, fourth graders still need this skill when using basic math skills. When we were purchasing supplies, which we’ll talk about in a little bit, this was super important for the kids and they needed that extra practice. Also, students will be graphing using data that is provided for them, and also creating the landscapes. They will have to use their measurement skills, and they are building the landscapes based on the measurement skills that are provided in the data as well. I didn’t do this step with my fourth graders just with the time I had. But for an extension, a great way is students can build a scaled model based on certain measurements that you give them, or they can make up the measurements. So there’s a lot of opportunities for math in this lesson that are definitely embedded all throughout the week. When it comes to English language arts standards, the students will be accessing a lot of nonfiction texts, when it comes to videos, articles, websites, all those nonfiction text features reading a map. And so those are definitely in that lesson and where they can gather information. And of course, don’t forget those speaking and listening skills. Oftentimes we think about there aren’t specific STEM standards as of this, as of now with this recording, totally true. But those speaking and listening standards are apparent in STEM. And so there’s a ton of collaboration and talking about their work in this lesson. Also, when it comes to the ISTE standards for students, students are being a knowledge constructor, and all of those various things that fall under that. So definitely check out the ISTE standards for students, if you’re not familiar with them. Again, another great way to integrate STEM and just planning and how you might want to assess your students. If that is an option or something you need to think about. I did teach this lesson five days in a row. But I know we all have different schedules. So modify what works best for you, take out the pieces that you need or don’t need. But I’m giving you an overview of how this went in my classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  07:06

To start off this project, students were asked the question that they were going to be answering throughout the week, how can you plan and develop a community based on Earth’s features in an area. So not only are students going to be planning and designing a community, they really have to be mindful of the features in the area, and where they can and can’t build things. We talked about how if there’s a muddy area in a landscape, it doesn’t really make sense for a house to be built there. There might be some issues with where the water is filtering, maybe it gets flash floods all the time, that might not be the best place for a house to be built. And there’ll be some issues. Likewise, if there is a river or a lake, typically houses aren’t built on there, maybe you have a houseboat. But having students really be mindful of the landscape when they’re making their decisions, and planning their community it was super good for them to think about. From there, we did some imagining. And students learned more about GIS, geographical information systems, and how they’re used in various jobs. We looked at different videos, different websites and examples of how GIS is used. Sometimes it’s even there to help communities with water. So real life examples of how this is used in our world, and even day to day as well, when we’re using maps in our real lives. From there, we also talked about different people who have jobs that will use data and work together to build and create a community, you have the architects who are really thinking about the design and the structure of the buildings. But then you have the civil engineers as well. And then all of the city planners and just how all those people can work together. There are some great videos out there on YouTube that even talk about this collaboration. And they even talk about words of how the engine, they don’t say Engineering Design Process, but they actually talk about how they collaborate and work together. They plan and have to revise their plan. They build their plan, and then they make changes along the way. They have to make decisions. So all those things that you’re doing in your class and how they are actually used in the real world. So students were really mesmerized by this. And it really brought up some great conversations with the students of how some of their parents or people in their family or people they’ve seen in movies have these types of roles and then they are asking them questions throughout the week when they were designing their projects. 


Naomi Meredith  09:36

If you’re a teacher who needs more of an extension or you are teaching GT or homeschool, or even a classroom teacher, you can definitely do this lesson. You can have students dive in deeper when it comes to the features that are in a city. Google Earth is a great resource for this and you can even create a scavenger hunt where students are finding different locations in the world and then they can notice the different features that a place might have, such as the human features, the cultural features, the physical features. And this can also tell a lot about a place and how people live, and why a city might be designed the way that it is. So that again, another great extension, another way to integrate a technology tool in your classroom, using those mapping skills, even pulling in a little bit of that social studies, and really helping them be thoughtful when they get to the planning of their city. Of course, there is more than enough information to dive in that background knowledge. And of course, all that knowledge really helps with the building. So take it or leave it, do what would work best with your students. I didn’t have time for the Google Earth. But if I were a classroom teacher, or any of those other roles that I mentioned, that’s something I definitely would integrate. Now, this project I did a little bit differently than some of my other Makerspace projects. Before students actually drew the plan of their city, they actually had to use the fictional GIS data that I gave them, and really figure out what their landscape was actually going to look like. I didn’t want them to create a city on something, they don’t know what the city is actually going to look like, what are all the land features, so that was important for them to do. Students got a grid, kind of like a bingo board in a way where one side had numbers and the other one has letters. Then they were given their fictional data, which I shared with them through Seesaw because then they could keep track digitally just by highlighting the data that they colored. And they work together as a partner to color in on their grid, the different landscapes. So let’s say these are the areas that are grassy, here is where a river runs through the city color it blue, here’s an area that’s muddy color at brown, here’s a sandy area color that yellow. So this took about a whole class time for students to collaborate and work together to create what their landscape looks like. Now, don’t worry, you might be saying, Oh, well, everybody’s looks the same. Yes, their map does look the same. I do know this. But once they get into the planning completely different, they needed to have some sort of base to build up off of, then when it came to the physical features of the place, I created clay, some homemade playdough at home that they would actually build on top of this grid, I just put the grids inside of sheet protectors or sometimes large ziploc bags so that the paper didn’t get soggy. And then their data actually told them in these areas that you felt, you need to build up the land to a certain height. So having rulers on hand was helpful, because then they had to actually measure how high certain places on the landscape was. Now side tip with the clay eyes somehow super messed up when I made the recipe. And I brought all of this and I found out all these different sensory needs I wasn’t quite aware of, because I definitely messed up on this playdough this clay that I made and it was extremely, extremely sticky. Kids were screaming, it was all over my floor, it was all over the computers, the trash can and maybe my hair, it was a disaster. So double check your recipe, maybe even buy some Crayola modeling clay, that would be really awesome. If you bought that because it doesn’t dry out. It’s super inexpensive. And then at the end of the project, you can actually have kids give you back all of the modeling clay, so that might be working out a bit better from there. 


Naomi Meredith  13:37

When students understood what their landscape looked like, then I actually had them plan out their city and oh my goodness, kids love this step. It’s very interesting with this project to get different kids like different parts of this project. And even more interesting because I’ve known these kids for a long time. There were kids who were like, they go through the motions, they do the projects, like cool, whatever they get into it or not. But those certain hard kids, I don’t know what it is about this project. They were super invested in it and they were all in. So that’s why I’m telling you having all these different types of experience in your classroom is so important because you never know what students are going to like and not like, but you need to mix it up. Because you can grab those kids at whatever lesson you don’t know when it’s going to hit them and just bring up this light bulb. So that was super fun to watch in the students. So when it came to this planning, they got super into the planning. Some kids even didn’t get to finish their building part because they love the planning piece, almost like creating a blueprint of their city, which is totally fine. That’s where they’re at in the process. So I’m glad that they were excited about it. With their plan, they had certain parameters that they needed to add to their city so I did want to have them specific things and things that most communities have some of those things, were having roads, a neighborhood, a way to cross the river. It could be however they want. It’s across the river. So I got some creative designs there. And yes, I did make the kids have a school, we weren’t doing online learning in this place in this fictional place. So there was some sort of school, a lot of kids also added targets, which was super funny as well. And I’ll even share some of the things that they added. After students created the plan for their city, then they were ready to build, they did not get unlimited supplies. So I did have my Makerspace menu and money out for them. And they had a budget of $25, where they would purchase the supplies for their city. If you want to hear more about exactly how I use Makerspace money and a menu in my classroom. Go back and listen to episode six, I explain the whole reason behind this, and how this actually helps with the materials and management in your classroom. When you are doing and Makerspace projects like this one. Along the way I shared with students a checklist of ways to modify and improve their design, and waves have, they can actually make it a lot better. This was also a great time, you can also have students think about the scale of the things that are in their city. Again, if you want to go even more specific about the measurements and drawing and creating things to scale, you definitely can do that. So just being really thoughtful about the designs and how everything works together as a community is super important when you’re a city planner, and using the landscape to design what you have in front of you. Students were so proud of their creations and they loved collaborating on this. In a lot of ways it was like having a hands on real life SimCity game. I don’t know if any of you ever played the Sims, I did play the human version where they had the houses, you build the houses, then you have the people inside. I also would play SimCity and RollerCoaster Tycoon and Sue Tonkin. So I’ve always had kind of that STEM background, even though I never knew I’d be a STEM teacher. But they loved this hands on thing they got super into it. There are some super cute things that I’m definitely going to link the pictures in the show notes because you definitely have to see what they did. One girl created a restaurant and it looked like a giant fry box with the fries sticking out of it. So a super cute design, and very creative. I love that. That’s very good marketing, if that was a business, you have the fries. 


Naomi Meredith  17:36

Also, another student 3D printed something at home and added that to their design and wanted it to be a wind turbine to collect renewable energy of the wind. So that was super cool that they had a moving piece in their design and that it actually spun around. I did take a video of that in action because they were just so cute. There’s also in the fictional data a muddy area of the town, one group decided to make this a dirt bike area where people could go and pay and ride their dirt bikes. Another group decided this would be fun to have a pig farm, and all the pigs will be rolling in the mud. So how cute is that. So again, all of their cities had the same landscapes, but their designs were 100% different. And they were so invested in their designs, they were so proud of themselves. When it came to the share piece, I highly recommended for them to take a video of their work, especially since they were working in groups, not everybody could take the project home. And so taking a video was a great way for them to share their work with their families. And you know, there’s families who just feel like, hey, we don’t need to keep this project. So a video is a really great way again, of course, I use Seesaw. But you could use another platform, like Flipgrid or something like that. With recording a video, they can take their work by taking a video. For students who finish earlier, if you wanted to extend this project even further, they could take a video of their work and then create a little commercial of why you might want to live in this city, and what are the features of this place and try to convince others of why you should live there. So as you’re listening, and even while I’m explaining this to you, if I was a classroom teacher, I can see all of these cross curricular connections. And you could do this whole thing for a while. You can have them in reading research about GIS and how that’s used in real life and new things that they learned and things that they’re wondering and things they want to explore more and social studies. You could have them explore Google Earth, and all of the physical features that have a place in the land and math and you could just combine Math and Science where they’re creating scale models of their buildings and then implementing that into their design. In writing. They could write a persuasive essay of the commercial of why you should enter this land. So see how it all came. connect together. When I was a classroom teacher, I was all about projects like this that could connect with everything and actually make your planning so much easier. So, so much fun. There’s so many extensions that you can do. So I hope, I hope that you enjoyed hearing more of a deeper dive of a lesson that I taught my fourth graders when it came to planning a city. And of course, I put this all together for you. So go ahead, implement it yourself, I would also love to help you out with the planning. So linked in the show notes is the individual lesson that you can grab for your classroom that has all the research done for you all the vocabulary, all the data, even student examples to get inspiration going with your students, they’re definitely going to be creative, they won’t meet need a whole lot because this one is a lot of fun. Or you can also see in my free K-5 lesson plan how this connects together with my whole K through five engineering units. So this was one of the many lessons in this case, or five, where students took on the role of being engineers and a lot of different ways. Of course, there are lots of different bundles to with this. So you can buy this individually. There’s a grade level unit, you can even look at the whole K through five bundle. Or even if you only teach upper elementary, there’s an option for three through five. So lots of different ways where you can integrate this into your classroom and bring that creativity where students are awesome city planners, civil engineers, even that element of being an architect and having that creativity with their building design, but it really opens up the world of just another way how STEM is used in their real lives.

build a city STEM project

build a city STEM project

build a city STEM project

build a city STEM project

build a city STEM project

 

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!

Force-and-motion-books-kindergarten

10 Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten

by Naomi Meredith

10 Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten

Force-and-motion-books-kindergarten

This list of force and motion books for Kindergarten is a great way to encourage STEM concepts in your classroom. By integrating STEM and literacy, this is another avenue to bring these concepts to life for young learners.

When planning out units for the primary students in my K-5 STEM classroom, I use a three part structure: Mini Project, STEM Stations and STEM & Stories. This model integrates standards and exposes students to a variety of experiences that relate to the content.

In fact, I go in depth with this model in my K-2 STEM Virtual Planning Workshop, which you can join HERE.

 

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.

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee

Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee

Description from Amazon.com “This exhilarating amusement park visit begins with a line of prospective riders, eagerly awaiting their turn . . . with at least one person who has never done this before. Zooming, swerving, dipping, and diving, this delightful story featuring a breathtaking ride and a hilarious range of reactions, will help readers lose their roller coaster anxiety. Marla Frazee’s witty narrative and slyly building of tension delivers an experience unlike any other and will have readers begging to take another ride.”

 

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: What Do Wheels Do All Day? by April Jones Prince

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What Do Wheels Do All Day? by April Jones Prince

Description from Amazon.com “Yeah, what do wheels do all day? Well . . . they push . . . race . . . stroll . . . fly . . . whiz . . . and spin . . . all day long! Simple, direct text, combined with brilliant cut-paper relief illustrations, captures kids’ fascination with “things that go” and opens their minds to the wide variety of wheels and what they do.”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: How Do You Lift a Lion? by Robert E. Wells

force-and-motion-books-for-kindergarten

How Do You Lift a Lion?” by Robert E. Wells

From Amazon.com “How do you lift a lion? With a machine that’s big and powerful with clanking metal parts? There are machines like that. But others have only a few moving parts. In fact, some machines are so simple that they don’t seem like machines at all―like the wheel, the lever, and the pulley. These machines can make work easy―even if you’re trying to lift a lion!”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll by Mr. Jay

force-and-motion-books-for-kindergarten

Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll by Mr. Jay

From Amazon.com “From zippy little pebbles to big strong boulders, the rock friends get together to play and roll around their favorite hill, only to find that one of their friends, Ricky, can’t roll with them. Unlike all of the other rocks, who are all round, Ricky can’t roll because he’s flat on one side. Determined not to leave their friend behind, the rocks set out to help Ricky roll – one way or another.”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca

pushes-and-pulls-kindergarten-books

The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca

With beautiful illustrations, this story goes through the entire alphabet with different racecar elements shown throughout. This can spark a great discussion about engineering and components and contribute to car movement.

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen

pushes-and-pulls-kindergarten-books

“If I Built a Car” by Chris Van Dusen

From Amazon.com “Jack has designed the ultimate fantasy car. Inspired by zeppelins and trains, Cadillacs and old planes, with brilliant colors and lots of shiny chrome, this far-out vision is ready to cruise! there’s a fireplace, a pool, and even a snack bar! After a tour of the ritzy interior, Robert the robot starts up the motor . . . and Jack and his dad set off on the wildest test drive ever!”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: Oscar and the Cricket: A Book About Moving and Rolling by Geoff Waring

Oscar and the Cricket: A Book About Moving and Rolling by Geoff Waring

From Amazon.com “One day Oscar sees a ball in the grass. “Try pushing it!” says Cricket. Oscar learns that the ball rolls slowly in grass and faster on a path, until it bounces off a tree and changes direction. Some things need a push to move, and others use their muscles to move themselves — and to move plenty of other things, too.”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: Motion: Push and Pull, Fast and Slow by Darlene Ruth Stille

pushes-and-pulls-kindergarten-books

Motion: Push and Pull, Fast and Slow by Darlene Ruth Stille

Colorful illustrations and simple text that explains different force and motion concepts. Uses everyday examples of this vocabulary in action so young learners can make connections with the science that is all around them.

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: And Everyone Shouted, “Pull!”: A First Look at Forces and Motion by Claire Llewellyn

pushes-and-pulls-kindergarten-books

And Everyone Shouted, “Pull!”: A First Look at Forces and Motion by Claire Llewellyn

From Amazon.com “Learn about forces and motion as you join the farm animals on their trip to the market. The wheels on their cart help when they push, pull, and stop on their journey. Great way to get kids interested in science in the classroom or at home!”

Force and Motion Books for Kindergarten: The Day Gravity Goes Loco by Ryan P Maloney

pushes-and-pulls-kindergarten-books

The Day Gravity Goes Loco by Ryan P Maloney  

From Amazon.com: This story “paints a picture of a weightless world where everything usually anchored down by gravity, has gone crazy. From standing straight up hairstyles, to construction crews taking vacations because of upside down cranes, “Gravity Loco” is an infectious story that will make kids laugh while introducing them to language learning and science concepts.”

 

Need help with your Kindergarten STEM planning?

In this 2-hour, previously recorded workshop, you will walk away with a standards-based unit plan for a primary grade level that will include:

    • Mini Project (40 minutes)
    • STEM Stations (40 minutes)
    • STEM & Stories Lesson (40 minutes)

Create a system for planning K-2 STEM lessons that are robust, standards-based, and engaging.

To help you be successful, lesson planning templates will be provided during the workshop.

  • Standards Ideas
  • Planning Templates for STEM Stations, Mini Project & STEM & Stories
  • Materials Ideas List
  • STEM Station Slides
  • STEM Book List
  • Professional Development Completion Certificate

Related Blog Posts & Podcast Episodes:

More About the author, 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!