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5 Tips for How to Use G Suite for Education

by Naomi Meredith

5 Tips for How to Use G Suite for Education

how-to-use-g-suite-for-education

So you’re ready to teach your kids how to use Google Tools, but where do you begin? Here are my top 5 tips for how to use G Suite for Education with students. After using these tools when I was a classroom teacher, K-5 STEM teacher and even training adults, these strategies have seen positive results over the years. G Suite for Education tools are a major asset to have in the classroom and allows students to be using applicable skills they can build on with various assignments.

 

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

 

How to Use G Suite for Education  | Watch the recording down below:

How to Use G Suite for Education | #1 Assess Prior Knowledge

One of the biggest things I’ve learned when it comes to students using academic technology is to never assume. Although students might be proficient using video games and YouTube at home, this doesn’t always translate to using academic technology. Kids are very capable and should know how to use basic technology skills proficiently; it might not be natural at first.

Before teaching a new technology tool, including G Suite, assess quickly what students may or may not already know about the tool. This can be a quick check in or even a class discussion with responses written down.

As a teacher, this will help with planning as to which skills should be taught first as a whole class, and others that may be taught separately in smaller groups.

 

How to Use G Suite for Education | #2 Keep Login Steps Consistent

When starting with a new technology tool, students need to know the exact steps for logging into the platform. Honestly, based on my experience, this step is the one that takes the longest and most practice for students. Don’t be discouraged when logging into the platform takes 20 minutes the first few times; it’s completely normal.

Create a class anchor chat with the exact steps as to how to log into the platform. Drawing, (or if you make a digital version, inserting images) images of what the step looks like is extremely helpful as well. This can be a great aid for all students when repeating this common step. Also, as a teacher, you can quickly point to the correct step when a student asks you, “What do I need to do next?”

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Likewise, keep student login information where students can independently access it. It’s important to have this information on hand as a teacher, but the goal is to have students be successful and advocate for themselves. Here is an example of how I’ve done this for Google Classroom. 

Don’t waste important class time passing out student log in cards when they can be taped inside of their pencil box, next to their keyboard or student planner.

How to Use G Suite for Education | #3 Use Universal Icons

Universal Icons are simple pictures that are used to represent an action in multiple platforms. For example, the ‘play’ icon is seen on YouTube videos, phones and TV remotes. Google Tools also have universal icons within their platforms that signal a specific action.

Have students take note of these universal icons and notice what they mean. As you begin to use more Google Tools in your classroom, like Docs, Slides and Forms, students will recognize how these icons are across the platforms.

Keeping a running list in an area in the classroom or even student journals can help that visual recognition and build meaning. Here is one that I created for Google Drawings that can translate to many of the other Google Tools

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How to Use G Suite for Education | #4 Explicit Baby Steps

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the steps you want students to learn while using G Suite for Education. As a teacher, you may know most of the tools naturally and it can be frustrating seeing students who might not even know the most simple tasks.

In addition, think about the basics you want students to know when using the tool. Then, break each of those skills into their own, separate task.

As simple as possible.

For example: Highlight the word you typed. Find the U icon and click on it. What happens to your word?

For an even bigger impact, have each of the tasks build on one another so students can begin to see how the tool is connected and interacts.

How to Use G Suite for Education | #5 Focus on One Tool at a Time

Just as it may seem overwhelming with all the skills you want to teach your students, it may feel the same as to which Google Tool to teach students first.

Whenever I am teaching my classes new technology tools, I focus on one tool during a lesson. I’ll use that same tool for multiple lessons throughout the week in various ways and subjects. When I see that students are becoming more comfortable using that tool, I’ll integrate another they might already know from a previous lesson.

As the year goes on, I’ll keep adding in new G Suite tools. Studente begin to see patterns within these tools as we use them for various assignments.

Here is the order I typically teach G Suite tools to students, but you can definitely change this up:

  1. Google Docs
  2. Google Classroom
  3. Google Drive
  4. Google Drawings
  5. Google Slides
  6. Google JamBoard
  7. Google Forms
  8. Google Sheets

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How to Use G Suite for Education | Putting it All Together

After using G Suite for Education tools for awhile, you’ll recognize how you want to teach the skills you’ve developed to your students. These are the steps that I’ve taken and perfected over the years.

In fact, to help you save time, I have created and continue to keep updated my Google Tools Scavenger Hunts.

Each hunt comes with a pre and post assessment while also giving students specific, basic tasks to complete to learn each tool. The hunts can be printed or shared digitally.

Also, there is an editable version that comes with a mini-lesson to support teaching this tool to your students. (The non-editable version doesn’t include the mini-lesson).

Click here to grab these scavenger hunts for your class!

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Products mentioned that can support your classroom:

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

What questions do you have about these tips? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

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5 Snow STEM Activities

by Naomi Meredith

5 Snow STEM Activities

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Looking for a winter themed STEM lesson? Check out these 5 Snow STEM activities that you can implement into your classroom. There is a variety from robot coding to quick hands-on activities. These lessons can be taught in whole group settings or within a station rotation model.

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

 

This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through the link, no extra cost to you, but I receive a kickback from purchases. 

Snow STEM Activities  | Watch the recording down below:

Snow STEM Activities  | Sphero Snowflakes

A lesson that’s been popular with 4th grade is Sphero Snowflakes. Using the Engineering Design Process, we explored the science and math behind snowflakes. Students plan their snowflake design using graph paper, then build on the floor using masking tape. The coding of Sphero involves a lot of angles and symmetry, which snowflakes have that in their design.

Click here to grab this lesson for your class!

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Snow STEM Activities  | Snowman States of Matter

Learn about the 3 states of matter & how to build the best snowman. Build your own snowman and use the corresponding states of matter activity and measurement activity.

Students will model what each of the states of matter are, according to a snowman.

For the next challenge, students will build a snowman as tall as they can and use different tools to measure their creation.

This is perfect for a station that students might rotate to throughout the week or even during a class party. The must-have material needed before getting started is playdough of some kind.

Click here to grab this for your class! 

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Snow STEM Activities  | Winter Animal Migration

In this lesson, students learn about some animals that migrate in the winter time, why they migrate and where they go. I’ve typically taught this lesson to 2nd graders. Students will watch video clips and read various resources to research more about the animal of their choice from the list; walruses, salmon, sea turtles and monarch butterflies.

After taking notes, students will experiment and understand how the Ozobot robot works. Then, they will receive a map that corresponds with the animal they chose. Finally, they will code the winter migration path for their Ozobot animal.

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Snow STEM Activities  | Winter Olympics

This lesson also involves the Ozobot robot. Students will learn about some of the history of the Winter Olympics and where it’s been held. This lesson I’ve typically taught 3rd graders and it doesn’t have to be only taught during Olympic years. After researching about different Olympic years, students will find each location on a map.

Again, these students will also experiment with the Ozobot to understand how its coding system works. They will then code their Ozobot to travel to each Olympic location on a map in order of when it happened in history.

Snow STEM Activities  | Igloo Building

For a quick, one day lesson with minimal materials, igloo building works well with younger students. Before building, we watched the video How Does an Igloo Keep You Warm? by Thinking Captain .

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Using various blocks you may have on hand, students can build an igloo design. Some students wanted to ensure their design was circular and used recycled plastic tops from our Makerspace to build around.

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Other blog posts you might enjoy:

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What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

winter-stem-activity

Winter STEM Activity & Book Pairing Guide

by Naomi Meredith

Winter STEM Activity & Book Pairing Guide

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Need an easy to implement Winter STEM Activity? Try pairing it with a children’s book you might already have! Literacy and STEM go well together. It’s a great way to enhance student’s comprehension of the story in a hands-on way. Keep your students engaged in a different way while easily implementing STEM into your classroom.

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

Amazon Affiliate links are included for each of the books listed. While purchasing through my link, it’s no extra cost to you, but I receive a small commission in return. 

Winter STEM Activity  | Watch the recording down below:

 

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

 

Winter STEM Activity  | Ten on the Sled

This rhyming story takes younger students on a quick winter adventure. The animals all try to clamor onto the sled throughout the story; all 10 of them!

For this STEM challenge, students go through the Engineering Design Process for this challenge: How can you build a sled that fits all 10 animals on top? Students will first learn about sled design and plan how they want their creation to look like. Once their plan is ready, students can start to build.

Minimal materials are needed:

  • popsicle sticks
  • pipe cleaners
  • straws
  • unifix cubes (to tape the animal images onto)

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Tape isn’t one of the materials listed; that definitely makes this a challenge for students (in a positive way). This allows students to learn how to bend, twist and connect the pipe cleaners, which might be a skill they aren’t used to.

While testing their design, students will try to fit all 10 animals on top. While the sled doesn’t have to be functional, that can be a great next step fro this challenge.

Click here to grab this lesson for you class! 

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Winter STEM Activity  | Gingerbread Man Boats

This STEM challenge can go along with any version of the Gingerbread Man you may have in your classroom. I know I have a quite a few versions myself!

Based on some of the more original versions of the story, the Gingerbread Man comes to the river at the end and climbs on the fox’s back to try and make it across. Well, we all know what happens next….

What if there was an alternate ending? Students can create a solution to this new ending and help the Gingerbread Man have an engineer mindset instead.

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Students will use their knowledge about sinking and floating and design an invention that will help the Gingerbread Man cross the river. SciShow Kids have a great YouTube video about sinking & floating for younger students.

Provide various Makerspace materials to choose from. Here are some that were available when I tried this with students: 

  • bubble wrap
  • cardboard scraps
  • straws
  • masking tape
  • small plastic cups
  • recycled plastic lids
  • aluminum foil
  • wooden blocks
  • popsicle sticks

Having items that also sink and those that also float at first, but get logged with water (paper) is helpful as students make their decision and test their designs.

Click here to grab this lesson for your class!

 

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Winter STEM Activity  | Snowmen at Night

Again, this STEM challenge can be used with any of the Snowmen at Night series or other snowman books you have in your classroom library. This lesson uses robots, again, can be any moving type your classroom has. Don’t have any robots? Here is my ultimate list of suggestions to check out! 

There are various images of snowmen dressed up in different outfits. Using the cards provided, students will place them on a grid or whichever layout they desire. Next, students will code the robot to build and dress the snowman in order that would make sense.

For example, if the image of the snowman show them wearing glasses, glasses wouldn’t be collected first because there is no where to put them! By using the image to help visualize, students will reverse engineer the order the snowman should be built, then decorated. Of course, there are multiple solutions to each snowman image card which makes this a great challenge for students.

Click here to grab this lesson for your class! 

 

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

winter-stem-activity

 

What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

winter-holidays-around-the-world

Winter Holidays Around the World Website for Kids

by Naomi Meredith

Winter Holidays Around the World Website for Kids

winter-holidays-around-the-world

Winter Holidays around the world is always such an interesting topic for the classroom. It’s a great way to “travel the world” with students and be mindful of ways other people celebrate. Sometimes finding meaningful resources to use can take up a lot of time. I totally understand!

Luckily, I enjoy the challenge of finding digital resources. I’ve put together some websites to check out when teaching this topic that will save you searching time!

Winter Holidays Around the World | National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids is one of my top 5 favorite websites for kids research. This is a resource I’ve been using since my first year of teaching and it’s constantly being updated. It’s bright, engaging, and easy to understand.

They’ve put together an article that gives a nice summary of major winter holidays around the world. This would be a great starting place for a lesson.

Click here to grab the website link.

 

Winter Holidays Around the World | Epic Books

Epic! Books is again in my top 5 favorite websites. I love it so much, that I am an Ambassador for them. (I don’t get paid to say this, this is a resource that I absolutely adore). This is a free for teacher’s website, once they sign up using their school email account.

If you are teaching your own children at home, you can still grab an account for a small monthly fee. Really, it adds up to about two fancy coffees, which is definitely worth the cost. If I had to pay for Epic!, I would!

This online library has eBooks, audio books, read-to-me and kid-safe videos not connected to YouTube. I became obsessed when I was a 3rd grade teacher, and the obsession hasn’t stopped!

They have a large selection of winter holidays around the world. Their collection changes quite often, so check out what they currently have to offer.

Click here to grab the website link and create an account. 

 

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Winter Holidays Around the World | Scholastic Website

Scholastic also has a great starting place website where there is an overview of most major holidays. There are a few free printables as well that might be helpful for some lessons as well. Again, this is another good trusted website that can be useful when planning this lesson.

Click here to grab the website link. 

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Winter Holidays Around the World | How To Keep Track Of Learning

If this is a unit you want to try with your students? How can students compare each of the holidays?

I’ve put together a digital and printable graphic organizer that specific relates to Winter Holidays. This can be used in conjunction with the above listed websites.

 

The types of files included are: 

  • PDF (non-editable, various sizes)
  • Google Slides pair perfectly with Google Classroom. Once you click the button, it will automatically make a copy for each student
  • PowerPoint works well with Microsoft OneDrive users. Share with students within Microsoft Teams
  • Seesaw Activities can be assigned to students with the pre-created activity link and automatically make a copy for each student

Click here to grab this resource for your class! 

 

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Other Blog Posts Your Might Enjoy:

What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

5 Holiday Virtual Class Party Ideas

by Naomi Meredith

5 Holiday Virtual Class Party Ideas

virtual-class-party-ideas

Celebrate the winter season with these virtual class party ideas. Of course being in person is amazing, but if that’s not possible, there are some fun remote options. Check out these ideas and see which ones will work best for your class.

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

 

Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Watch the recording down below:

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Gift Wrap STEM Challenge

This will take a tiny amount of prep before the party date. All students need is wrapping paper, tape, a ruler & a small box. You can also print the Engineering Design Process notebook beforehand or just share digitally; up to you! One possibility is have a pick up station at school a few days before the party with the supplies. Make sure students know to not get into the items before the party.

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In this STEM activity, students will determine the most effective method for wrapping a gift. There are three video tutorials included that students can watch and rewatch to help them wrap their box. Afterwards, they will unwrap the box and make some math calculations such as the area and perimeter of the paper used and pieces of tape.

Set a timer for students to choose their method and wrap their gift. After making their calculations, students can share out their findings using the discussion questions provided.

I used this lesson with my 4th and 5th grade classes and was successful. A lot of kids actually appreciated they knew how to properly wrap with wrapping paper too!

Click here to grab this STEM Challenge for your class!

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Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Virtual Field Trip

There is nothing wrong to having a classroom party being a bit educational. A virtual field trip can be a fun way to explore the world and have a shared experience. Below are some winter themed explorations that would be great for a holiday party.

Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Scavenger Hunt

Get kids up and moving with a scavenger hunt and some competition. Before starting, the teacher will explain the rules and guidelines of the game. For an element of competition, the teacher can split the class up into teams and each team gets a point if every member finds the item. Or, it can be individually scored.

Next, the hunted item is displayed along with a timer. Students have the set amount of time to collect the item and bring it back to the meeting space. Be prepared of lots of laughter and creativity in this game!

Click here for the FREE scavenger hunt slides to use in your class. 

Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Sleigh Makerspace

Like the Gift Wrap Challenge, sending home materials a few days before the party can be helpful. All that is needed for this Sleigh Makerspace challenge is thin cardboard, straws and tape; which can commonly be found at home. While the challenge is to fit as many presents as possible in the sled by using unifix cubes, students can always make presents or fit various small toys they have instead.

 

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As a class, students will learn about sled design and the difference between a sleigh and a sled. Next, students will have time to build their sleigh and make modifications based on the checklist provided.

If possible, create virtual breakout rooms where students can share their sled designs.

Click here to grab this Sleigh Challenge for your class! 

Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Virtual Bingo

Again, games are such a hit at children’s parties! Try a virtual game of bingo. There are a few ways this can be delegated to your class depending on their age. When there is a winner, you can always send them a sheet of stickers in the mail, which would be fun to look forward to.

 

  1. Using this Virtual Bingo Card Generator, you can type in your own list of words and it will create 30 different cards that you can send to your class using the provided link. Send this in your party chat box when ready to play.

2. This website also allows you to create a custom board or search through ones already created. Picture versions are included. You can only download 8 different boards, so there will be a few winners at the same time.

Consider sending the individual boards to students using Seesaw, Schoology, Google Classroom or the LMS your school uses.

3. Have students create their own boards! Model how to draw a grid and provide a word bank for students. They can fill in each of the spots by drawing and/or labeling.

 

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Virtual Class Party Ideas  | Holidays Around the World, Rotating Rooms

Have a team that you love planning with? When I taught 2nd grade my first couple years of teaching, this an idea we used while teaching in person. Try rotating rooms, virtual style. Benefits to this is the teacher only has only activity to worry about and switches into the Zoom code, which the kids stay where they are. It’s a nice change to meet with other kids and also make your experience amazing since it’s the only one you’re teaching.

The above activities can be hosted in each of the rooms or even a Holidays Around the World Experience could be meaningful.

Each teacher would teach about a different holiday from around the world. This can be done by:

  • short video clip
  • reading a story about the holiday (there are many options on Epic! Books)
  • playing a game as a class from the holiday
  • participating in a short craft or directed drawing experience

This graphic organizer can be a way for students to keep track of their learning through this cultural experience. There are printable and digital options.

Click here to grab the graphic organizer for your class! 

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

 

virtual-class-party-ideas

What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

unplugged-coding-activities

Unplugged Coding Activities for Remote Teaching

by Naomi Meredith

Unplugged Coding Activities for Remote Teaching

unplugged-coding-activities

Unplugged Coding activities can work great for synchronous learning during remote teaching. Whether you are celebrating the Hour of Code or introducing coding to your class, check out these suggestions for your next unit.

If you are interested in what other activities you can do during the Hour of Code, check out my blog post here. 

 

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

 

Unplugged Coding Activities  | Watch the recording down below:

 

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

Unplugged Coding Activities | What are they?

Unplugged coding activity that can be done without the computer. Students still practice computational thinking and ordering tasks sequentially with these device-free tasks. These types of activities work well for stations, when device access is limited, or even for sub plans.

Code.org have a great variety of unplugged coding activities to choose from. Of course, I’ll be suggesting some of my favorites as well down below.

Unplugged Coding Activities | Human Robot Station

STEM Stations are a great way to encourage creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. With the tools that I created for you, it should save you time with prep and give you more time to provide an awesome experience for your kids.
For this station, students practice being the programmer and the robot with this hands-on, get-your-body moving STEM lesson. When first getting started, I’ll model this as a whole class; the teacher is the programmer and the students are the little robots.
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Hold up each different type of card and model what the action looks like. For example, when the forward arrow is shown, step forward. After students are comfortable with each movement, gradually add on more cards to create a line of code.
Once the kids understand the process, choose a student to be the programmer while the rest of the class (including the teacher) are the robots. Wheel of Names is a great name picking tool, which you can read more about that in my blog post here. 
Students can write the directions on a piece of paper and hold up the camera, say the commands, or even use the virtual whiteboard within the meeting, like Zoom has. Eventually, split students up into virtual breakout rooms. Explain that each student will eventually have the role of being the programmer or the robots.
Within this resources, digital & printable files are also included to learn more about robots and how they work. Click here to grab this easy-to-prep station for your class! 

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Unplugged Coding Activities | Google CS First

I’ve used Google CS First’s coding curriculum a lot during my after-school clubs. It’s a wonderful resource! They have also come out with a coding unplugged resource which is a great asset as well.

There are lesson ideas to try and printable. Some of the printable activities I can envision being shared within a platform like Seesaw.

What I like about their resource is how all the lessons walk through the learner each step sequentially. Definitely check this free resource out.  

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Unplugged Coding Activities | Cup Coding

This activity I’ve done as a station during in-person, Hour of Code. 3rd-5th graders were the most successful with this task since there are a lot of steps. All students need are 10 (plastic) cups which most students have. If students don’t have cups at home, they can cut out 10 small pieces of paper that can be stacked flat on the table instead.

The teacher will help create the common vocabulary for this lesson and where to place cups in their proper location. I’ve had students draw a grid in the past to help visually see each step. For example, box 1 is step 1, the line is step 2, box 2 is step 3 and so on.

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Also, the arrow vocabulary is introduced. Right, left, up, down. So, if a student wants to move a cup to the second box, their code would be: up arrow, right arrow, right arrow.

Next, the picture of how the cups should be stacked is shown. Students can use their own cups as a guide to help them write the code.

There are a lot of variations of this and if done whole group, can be something that could be done a couple of class sessions.  The full detailed lesson plan can be found here. 

 

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

 

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What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

hour-of-code-activities

In-Person Hour Of Code Activities to Try

by Naomi Meredith

In-Person Hour Of Code Activities to Try

Here are some Hour of Code Activities to try in your classroom while in person. There are so many options to choose from! I’ll share the ones that have been the most successful in my K-5 STEM classes. These are all low-prep, and highly engaging to help expose students to the world of coding.

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

Click here for the FREE printable PDF of this resource.

Hour of Code Activities  | Watch the recording down below:

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

Hour of Code Activities | Resource Prep

Before getting into the lesson planning, these are questions that I ask year after year to ensure that I’m prepared for the Hour of Code unit.

    1. Check out hourofcode.com for ways to promote Computer Science at your school and promote to families
    2. Prep necessary vocabulary that will aid student instruction. I created Coding Vocabulary that you just need to print-and-go!
    3. Organize supplies so they are easy for students to access and clean up when finished. I like to use clear plastic containers to leave in the center of each table with the necessary supplies for the lesson. Especially as a specials teacher, this helps tremendously so I am not running around in between classes gathering supplies!
    4. How you will share computer coding links with students? {Google Classroom, Seesaw, Schoology…}
    5. Do you need to set aside instruction instruction time for students to set up any coding accounts? {Example: Scratch}
    6. Will kids be using one device for paired programming or each student code on their own device?
    7. Is a station rotation model or whole group going to work best for your class?

 

You can teach these lessons in a way that works best for your kids, your classroom and the resources you have available. Each resource below is clickable or type in corresponding link.

Click here for the FREE printable PDF of this resource.

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Hour of Code Activities | Kindergarten

Day 1 & 2: Teaching the Difference Between Software & Hardware

Day 3: Device Coding

Day 4 & 5: Coding Unplugged & Device Coding *1/2 class do an activity a day

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Hour of Code Activities | 1st Grade

Day 1 & 2: Teaching the Difference Between Software & Hardware

Day 3: Device Coding

Day 4 & 5: Coding Unplugged & Device Coding *1/2 class do an activity a day

hour-of-code-activities

Hour of Code Activities | 2nd Grade

Day 1: Device Coding

  • Intro Video: The Hour of Code is Here
    • Student Practice: (iPad/tablet) Scratch Jr.
    • Under ‘Teach’, there are 9 great beginner printables that progress off one another for students. I like doing pair programming the first day to help students problem solve together. I also made a little checklist to help students check off when they complete a challenge.

Day 2 & 3: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

Day 4 & 5: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

  • Intro Video: Computational Thinking by Brainpop Jr. & Conditionals by BrainPop Jr.
  • Student Practice: Robot Turtles Board Game
  • Since only half the class is playing at a time, when I’m introducing the game, we will play as a group in teams of 4. Once they get the hang of it, I will split them up onto the 2 remaining game boards.

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Hour of Code Activities | 3rd Grade

Day 1: Device Coding

Day 2 & 3: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

Day 4 & 5: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

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Hour of Code Activities | 4th Grade

Day 1: Device Coding

Day 2 & 3: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

Day 4 & 5: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

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Hour of Code Activities | 5th Grade

Day 1: Device Coding

Day 2 & 3: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

Day 4 & 5: Device Coding & Coding Unplugged

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

 

hour-of-code-activities

What questions do you have about these activities? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

Want more resources to support Technology & STEM all year long? Grab this FREE downloadable guide that I’ve put together for you!

3 Easy Holiday STEM Decorations

by Naomi Meredith

3 Easy Holiday STEM Decorations

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Let’s get festive for the holidays with these easy STEM decorations! All of these ideas are low-prep and have a nice STEM-twist. Whether you are teaching in the classroom or want a fun virtual background, these ideas will get you into the holiday spirit!

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

 

 STEM Decorations  | Watch the recording down below:

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

Cut & Hang Bulletin Board

It always seems like that during the holidays, there is a bulletin board or door decoration competition to compete in. Or maybe, it’s been awhile since the Halloween decorations have been switched out.

Working virtually? These also make for a fun, festive background while teaching.

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I’ve saved you creative-time with this idea. Print, cut out, and hang these decorative pieces for your next bulletin board or door. They can be printed in color or onto colored paper. Of course laminating the pieces so they can be used year after year is also helpful!

Click here for the Let It Code bulletin board kit. 

Larger Than Life STEM Characters

Make sure to have ample floor space for this project (and no furry friends or kids running around!). Think about the STEM tools that are used the most in your classroom and ones that kids love. Some ideas might include: LEGO Mini Figures, robots and technology-tools. Create life-sized versions of these to hang in your room for the holidays. Or even year round!

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stem-decorations

Head on over to your favorite craft store to grab colored poster board to make your creation. Scared of messing up? Sketch what you want each of the pieces to look like on a scratch piece of paper. Notice how each piece is a simple shape that can be cut out, then put together to make the larger design.

See how I created the Dash Robot and a large LEGO Mini-Figure of myself HERE! 

Cardboard Maker Tree

Create a makerspace themed tree for your classroom by using this free template. All the materials you need are:

  • cardboard tube
  • thin cardboard (think: cereal boxes, pasta boxes, soda can boxes…)
  • recycled container (for the tree to stand up in)
  • scissors
  • razor
  • tape and/or hot glue gun
  • (optional) clear plastic ornaments found at craft stores
  • (optional) small makerspace/STEM type items to fill the ornaments with

cardboard-christmas-tree-diy

cardboard-christmas-tree-diy

To add another layer of the holidays into your room, gift wrap STEM & Winter themed books and place them under the tree. Every day leading up to winter break, unwrap a book each day to count down. It’s your own book advent calendar!

 

Want to find the perfect way to wrap a gift? Try this Gift Wrap STEM Challenge with your class!

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Have a great holiday season with a bit of STEM Style! 

Other blog posts you might enjoy:

stem-decorations

What questions do you have about these decorations? Have any other ideas to share? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

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STEM & Technology Holiday Gift Guide for Kids 2020

by Naomi Meredith

STEM & Technology Holiday Gift Guide for Kids 2020

STEM & Technology Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

The ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for kids! This is to help you decide on which STEM and Technology gifts you should keep an eye out for your classroom or even your own children. Each item is paired with a resource from my shop that can implement in your classroom right away.

These are tools that I’ve used in my K-5 STEM classroom as well as a few others that are on my wishlist. Below each image are the clickable links to each of the resources.

 

Want a magazine-style of this guide? Click here to get the FREE downloadable version you can flip through.

 

Amazon Affiliate links are included in this guide. When you purchase through my link, there is no extra cost to you, but I receive a small commission in return.

5 STEM Gifts for Kids You Need in Your Classroom | Watch the recording down below:

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

holiday-gift-guide-for-kids

Science | Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

1 // Human Body Model Torso Kit & Human Heart Digital Interactive Notebook

2 // National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit & Rocks & Minerals Reading Comprehension Worksheets

3 // National Geographic Mega Fossil Dig Kit & Fossils Reading Comprehension Worksheets

4 // Talking Microscope for Kids featuring Bindi Irwin & Life Cycle of a Spider | Robot Coding & Unplugged

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Technology | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // Makey Makey & All About Donuts | Unplugged Coding Activity 

2 // Osmo Genius Starter Kit & Digital Math Manipulative Bundle 

3 // Touchscreen Chromebook & Getting to Know Google Tools Scavenger Hunts

4 // Blue Yeti USB Microphone & Video Recording in the Classroom | Printable & Digital Posters

 

holiday-gift-guide-for-kids

Engineering | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // Marble Genius Marble Run & How to Make a Cardboard Marble Maze

2 // Brain Blox Wooden Blocks & After the Fall Book Activities

3 // LEGO Bricks Basics & Monthly STEM Activities Bundle | Engineer Inspiration

4 // Straw Connectors & How to Make a Cardboard Airplane

holiday-gift-guide-for-kids

Art | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // 3D Doodle Pen & Themes Bundle | Engineer Inspiration Boards

2 // Holographic Wrapping Paper & Gift Wrap STEM Challenge

3 // Pipe Cleaners/Chenille Straws & STEM and Stories: Ten on the Sled

4 // Assorted Playdoh & Snowmen Playdough STEM Station

stem-gifts-for-kids

Math | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // Plugo Count Math STEM Game & Digital Unifix Cubes

2 // Geoboard & Toothpick Snowflakes STEM Station

3 // Wooden Tangrams and Pattern Blocks & Cardboard Maze STEM Station

4 // Visual Countdown Timer & Cardboard Wall Maze

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Robots | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // Sphero Bolt & Sphero Sleds STEM Challenge

2 // Dash Robot & Snowman Robot Coding

3// Ozobot Starter Kit & Animal Winter Migration Ozobot STEM Challenge

4// Bee-Bot & STEM and Stories: Very Hungry Caterpillar 

stem-gifts-for-kids

Makerspace | Holiday Gift Guides

1 // Magnatiles & All About Magnets | Beekle Lesson Plan 

2 // Crayola Modeling Clay & Stop Motion Animation for Kids | Basics for the Elementary Classroom

3 // Elmer’s Celebration Slime Kit & Engineering Design and Kid-Safe Slime

4 // Jumbo Colored Popsicle Sticks & Pumpkin Bridge STEM Challenge 

Other Blog Posts You Might Enjoy:

stem-gifts-for-kids

holiday-gift-guide-for-kids

What’s on your holiday list this year?  Feel free to direct message me or tag me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

 

how-to-organize-your-email

How to Organize Your Email Hacks

by Naomi Meredith

How to Organize Your Email Hacks

how-to-organize-your-email

When I first started teaching, communicating with parents via email wasn’t a “thing” in my district. Of course, I got a few emails from my co-workers and administration, but my email life was pretty manageable. Then I switched to a district where emails get flown at me left and right. I knew I needed to find a way to streamline my digital communication outlets, specifically in my email. 

Managing your email inbox doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Learn how to organize your email and stay on top of all of the important messages. 

This video originally aired LIVE on my Facebook Page; Naomi Meredith: The STEMTech Co. 

Come and join in on the fun on Facebook, or watch the recording of this episode.

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

How to Organize Your Email  | Watch the recording down below:

Email Groups

This can be time consuming to set up, however, once it’s complete, you’ll be thanking your past self! Create groups of people that you typically send to the most; parent lists, specialist teams and grade level teams.

That way when you to send out a mass email, type in a couple of letters of the group name and it inserts everyone’s in the email box.

Address Emails All (Work Day) Long

Add your work email app onto your phone (not connect it to the mail app that’s already there.) For example, my school district uses Outlook, so that specific app is loaded onto my phone.

Then, go into the settings and play around with the notifications. Set specific work office hours (also included within my email signature, see tips below) and only have email notifications go on during those hours.

Turn email notifications off during the nights and weekends! It will be hard at first not emailing people back at 8:00pm on a Friday. Along with that, don’t answer emails after those work hours.

how-to-organize-your-email

Most emails can wait. If it’s an emergency, they can call. Setting up email boundaries for yourself is extremely important and necessary for work-life balance.

Also, don’t wait until the end of the day to delete your emails. This takes a large portion of your time that can be used for other things. Yes, usually a couple require longer reponses. However, most can be addressed in the moment and can be done quickly on your phone.

Delete!

When my email notifications are on, I address emails immediately. I have emails connect to my Apple Watch (which you can read more ways to use your Apple Watch in your classroom HERE).

A large portion of the emails that come in I can delete right away. After I scan the email, I immediately delete.

How to Organize Your Email: Folders for Everything

I also set up A LOT of folders to organize emails as they come in. Some people set their folders up, emails come in, it will go straight to the folder for you and you don’t have to do anything about it. I don’t usually use this method since I like reading the email first and organizing it second. Strive for only have 10-15 emails in the inbox at all times. (Most tips about this next.)

When naming folders, add in the school year range at the end. That way, at the end of the year, the emails are still organized but you can “hide” the folders from my sidebar. This makes the list a lot cleaner. I also don’t ever delete my trash can just in case I need to search for something within there.

Included here in my email signature template, there is also a list of go-to folders I use each school year to keep me organized.

Email Templates

Think about typical emails that are sent regularly; weekly newsletters, student updates, technology troubleshooting and tutoring sessions.

Create templates emails that can be inserted as “canned responses”. Some email providers have options to save templates. If not, save in your drafts, then copy & paste the pre-written message. Everything is saved and formatted how you like, and can be used right away. This saves so much time in the long run!

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For technology troubleshooting emails, I have an on-going Google Slide that I’ll add to throughout the year when common issues arise. It has step-by-step directions, typically with visuals, to help troubleshoot the issue.

When I receive emails about these common issues, I will download the particular slide that shows the steps (click here to learn how to download Google Slides), then attach that to the email. Again, a major time-saver and I’m not rewriting the steps every time.

Upgraded Email Signature

It can be tiring typing your name after every single email. This seems silly, but it actually all that time adds up.

I quickly figured out how to make an email signature, but it was really ugly. {And those of you who know me, I like to make most things pretty.} It’s actually possible to have an image as the email signature with all the info you want as well! Also, adding in your picture helps families and those in the district put a face to the name.

Click here to grab the pre-made template that you can edit and create your signature quickly.  Included as a bonus, you’ll also receive checklists to help you clean your email list, and my go-to list of email folders.

how-to-organize-your-email

how-to-organize-your-email

 

Other Blog Posts You Might Enjoy: 

how-to-organize-your-email

What questions do you have about these email tasks? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!