STEMTech Co. Navigator Feature: Binal Kamdar

STEMTech Co. Navigators are teacher representatives for Naomi Meredith’s brand. These educators are here to help other teachers all over the world navigate STEM & Technology in their K-5 classrooms. They have the opportunity to implement and use STEM and technology lessons sent monthly, created by Naomi Meredith.

To learn more about this program and to apply, click here.

In this post, we will learn more about fellow Navigator, Binal Kamdar; a Computer Engineer by education & founder of ‘TeachSTEAM Hands-on Education’.

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

How many years have you been teaching? 

20 years. I have been developing content for children aged 3-13 years & training teachers to promote hands-on education & learning through play since 2005. I am also one of the first certified Six Bricks Facilitators of India. 

I have also facilitated as a coach for the robotics competitions like World Robot Olympiad (WRO), FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) & FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) for over a decade & coached more than 45 teams successfully & marked many national & international achievements.

State/City/Country You're Currently Teaching In

India

What are your top 5 favorite STEM and/or Tech tools? 

1. Six Bricks

2. LEGO Education Story Starter Set

3. WeDo 2.0 set with software

4. Stud.io – a software to build, render & create building instructions for LEGO models

5. Google Doc, Sheet, Slides

How did you become interested in STEM & Technology in relation to teaching? 

Being a science & math student, I always connected them with things around us. Conceptually, STEM didn't exist back then. 

As I began my career as a computer educator in 2001, I began to teach & apply software tools to strengthen Science & Technology. I used to design programs like Planet World to teach solar systems through Microsoft Word. Another program was Jungle Safari to teach animal science through Microsoft PowerPoint for children aged 5-15. 

I came to know about LEGO Education in 2005. Since then, I found the perfect tool to connect understanding with application to reinforce STEM.

 What do you love most about integrating/teaching STEM & Technology? What are some positive changes you have seen in your students and/or school? 

Integrating STEM & Technology brings understanding about how things work in the real world. Each & every concept taught with this combination comes clear & lasts longer.

Some positive changes:

1. Children become life-long learners

2. Better at problem-solving/critical thinking

3. Inquisitive & observant with scientific inquiries

 What is a project or lesson that you've seen be very successful in your classroom that you think other teachers might be interested in? 

• Story Sequence & Depth Perception with Six Bricks
• Coding with Bricks to teach Encryption and Navigation
• Sudoku
• Tangram

Where can teachers find you to connect with you?

Website: teachsteam.in

Instagram: @teachsteam

Unplugged Coding Activities for Remote Teaching

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

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.  

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.

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:

• DIY Paper Dash Robot Instructions by Naomi Meredith
• In-Person Hour Of Code Activities to Try by Naomi Meredith
• 5 Remote Teaching Ideas by Naomi Meredith

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!

Teaching in a Socially Distanced Classroom: STEM Edition

When I started teaching in 2012, I never imagined that I would be teaching in a socially distanced classroom. Nothing in college could prepare you for this.  

It’s actually not as bad as you would think. But, there are some realizations I had when experiencing this for the first time with my K-5 STEM students. 

Teaching in a Socially Distanced Classroom: #1 Teaching with a mask is hard

It’s hot, it’s sweaty. You feel like you are either eating your mask, shouting or both. Grabbing groceries with a mask and teaching with a mask are two entirely different experiences. 

I hope I’ll get used to it…..

In the meantime, this microphone headset and speaker helped project my voice better. It was less than $40 and it makes you feel like a pop star. 

 #2 Transitions & cleaning take longer

Thought you had it down with transitions in your classroom? Throw in some social distancing and you’re starting from scratch. 

Students can still take responsibility for cleaning up materials. Just stagger their movements in the room. Meanwhile, when students enter the space and while they are cleaning up, create a learning opportunity. 

I used my STEM warm-ups for this purpose. There are 5 slides for the week that are researched for different STEM topics and are presented in a kid-friendly way. 

As students enter the room, I show one of the slides for them to read and interact with. We’ll chat about it for a minute, then move on to the main lesson. 

At the end of class while cleaning, I’ll play the corresponding video to solidify their new STEM knowledge. This kept students actively engaged and on task during this transition time.

#3 Have assigned seats & clear boundaries

Flexible seating is abundant in my classroom. However, it’s fairly difficult to use in my space during this time, especially with 100+ kids filtering through my K-5 STEM classes throughout the day. 

The tables and chairs were pushed to the perimeter, which left a large open space for students to work. From there, I marked boundaries (which we call the ‘Maker Box’), for students to work in during their STEM challenges. 

Younger students have a harder time staying socially distant and not sharing materials. Thus, having clear boundaries helps immensely. 

Also numbering spots and having students sit in assigned spots helps as well. For Kindergarten & 1st grade, I used shapes instead of numbers to help them be more successful. 

#4 Be Creative with materials

The lessons you’ve taught in the past might not look the same this year. THAT’S OK!

This is an opportunity to shift the way the lesson looked like when it was “normal” and might actually make it work out better. 

When planning, try creating lessons that can easily be shifted to remote learning at a moment’s notice. This will save less headache later and help you be prepared in the long run. 

Need a sample lesson plan template? We have a template to visually see the difference between a typical lesson, social distanced and remote learning version all in the same place. 

Click here to become a Patreon member of our podcast, the Innovative Teacher Podcast to grab that and tons more bonus content. 

#5 Practice Makes Better

You won’t have it perfect the first time. Perfect doesn’t exist anyway, so that takes some pressure off your plate!

Of course, you are going to try your best to make it right. You will work hard to help the children continue to love school, love learning, and feel loved. 

Some routines that were rehearsed in your head might play out differently when kids are in action. 

It’s going to be hard and different. However, the kids will do SURPRISINGLY better than you might think. 

If you’re teaching in-person during this pandemic, air-hugs your way. You, teacher, are needed more than ever. 

We got this! 

Other blog posts you will also enjoy: 

• 10+ Creative STEM Classroom Decorations 
• How to Teach STEM During Back to School 
• Must have STEM School Supply List
• Social Distancing Activities for Kids in the Classroom by The Innovative Teacher Podcast

Are you starting the school year remotely or in-person? 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!

8 Quotes for Growth Mindset in STEM

By now, you’ve all heard of growth mindset but how does this relate to the STEM and technology setting? One million percent A LOT! In fact, here are 8 quotes for growth mindset to promote during your next STEM challenge. 

There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. When you purchase through my link, it's no extra cost to you but I get a kick back in return.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset 

Before we dive into how this connects to STEM, let’s get some definitions. What is a fixed mindset? What is a growth mindset? 

This video Mindset from Carol Dweck | Animated Core Message breaks this topic down. Could possibly even work for older students! 

A fixed mindset is the belief that you have a certain amount of intelligence and can’t surpass that knowledge.  

A growth mindset is thinking that you aren’t given a certain amount of intelligence, it’s something you have to work towards. With more effort and time, you can get better at something. 

In turn, how does this all connect to the STEM classroom? 

Quotes for Growth Mindset

With my time being a K-5 STEM teacher, I developed quotes for growth mindset that worked well in our space. These were growth mindset quotes that I would refer to on a daily basis when working on projects. 

Likewise, these sayings can be applied to any regular classroom as well! STEM challenges have a place in any classroom setting. So does growth mindset! 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #1: We Do Hard Things

Have you heard any of these phrases in your classroom? 

• ”This is hard!”
• ”I can't do it because it's TOO hard!”
• ”The challenge is impossible. It can’t be done.”

I sure have. A LOT! STEM is supposed to be challenging. If it wasn’t, everyone would have a STEM job! Giving opportunities for students to express their creativity and critical thinking skills is life changing. 

Many answers can be Googled. Nothing wrong with that! However, students need to learn how to think for themselves. In addition, finding solutions to difficult problems aids mindset growth. 

Whenever I hear “This is hard!”, I give the kid a high-five and say, “Good! Then I’m doing my job!” Life is HARD. Not everything goes our way! Students need to build those soft skills when faced with a difficult situation. 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #2: We are creators with technology, not consumers 

Academic technology and using technology for play and two entirely different things. 

I’ve heard many teachers say to me, “Well they were born using technology, so they have to be good at it!”. In turn, they see their students struggle with academic technology tasks. 

Likewise, I’ve used technology most of my life, but I wasn’t born knowing how to do it. In fact, I am learning new skills daily when creating with technology. Creating with technology is something that you learn, not something you are born with. 

Granted, students might have less fear when it comes to using technology. However, students still need to have opportunities that allow them to create and problem solve with technology. With those opportunities, repetition to practice those tasks will build their creating capacity even more. 

Some great ways to get started in STEM are:

• Seesaw (my #1 go-to! You can even get a free month of Premium by using my link here!)
• Coding
• 3D print design
• Stop Motion Animation

Quotes for Growth Mindset #3: We are problem solvers, not problem makers

Being a STEM teacher, one of my goals was to NOT be the gatekeeper of information. I would of course teach new skills and processes when learning new technology. However, I also set up processes in place to help students advocate for themselves. 

How can you help your students be a problem solver in STEM? 

• Create anchor charts of repetitive steps for them to refer back to
• Create screencast/video lessons for students to rewatch. Also works great for students who were absent!
• Use the management technique “Ask 3 Before Me!” Unless it’s a crazy issue I actually do need to solve, there is usually someone in the class who remembers the steps
• Promote helping each other. Tell them that it’s OK to help each other, but they need to be the YouTube tutorial. Don’t touch the other student’s device but talk them through the steps they need to take to solve the problem. I do this with other teachers as well.
• Provide a list of common solutions to their problems. Add to this list as lessons progress

Quotes for Growth Mindset #4: We Make Mistakes to Help Us Grow 

First of all, did you know that Wilbur and Orville Wright owned a print shop and bicycle shop before they ever got into tackling flight? Once they started inventing flying machines, it definitely took more than once to get something off the ground. 

They made TONS of mistakes! Constantly! If they gave up, our airplane history would be a lot different today. 

Making mistakes are OK! Not moving past that, is not ok. 

In fact, a lof the pencils in my classroom lost erasers quickly and I hardly replaced them. I wanted students to leave their mistakes in their plans and designs. This helped show their growth and process. 

This growth mindset quote definitely leads in nicely with our next one. 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #5: We practice to make us better

Practice makes BETTER not perfect. I’m sorry to tell you this, but perfect isn’t real. It doesn’t exist. If every kid out there was perfect, I would be out of a job fast. 

I’ve often seen students who want to get things exactly right the first time. That’s fine, but what’s not fine is when they get upset when they don’t. 

When introducing new challenges, I don’t expect students to be a master at the skill right away, but I do expect practice. This goes back to our problem solving strategies discussed above. 

Just like any professional in anything (sports, technology, cooking…) they PRACTICE. ALL.THE.TIME. Students should know that this should be the norm for anything they want to be successful at in life. Practice is a good thing. 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #6: We create work that we are proud of

Have you ever made something and you can’t wait to show everyone what you did? This doesn’t have to be school related either; a new room you decorated, a cake you baked, the hair you washed and blow dried (that’s my personal fav.)…

On the flip side, have you ever created something that you didn’t really try at and don’t really care if anyone sees? I’m guilty. 

If you are creating something, why not start of being proud of what you are doing? I would often ask my students who would rush through their projects, “Is this something that you are proud of making? Is this showing the world the best that you can do?”

Often responses were a sad little, “No” and they would go back and make changes that showed what they were truly capable of. 

STEM challenges are not a race. They take time and effort. And with that, create something that you are proud to share with others. 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #7: We Dream Big and Take Risks

One of my biggest dreams growing up was to become a teacher. In my reality, knew that my parents wouldn’t be able to support me financially, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I applied for college without knowing how I would pay for it. 

Going to school full-time and working multiple jobs, I graduated college in 4 years. Debt free and teaching license in hand. 

Encourage dreams in STEM. Listen to those dreams. The challenges you do in class might inspire students to try projects at home.

Host clubs that spark a passion students never knew they had. Clubs are a great way to meet the needs of students in a different way. 

Let students know that your class is a safe space to take a risk and try something new in a project. Often, the coolest ideas come out of this. 

Quotes for Growth Mindset #8: We Look at the World in New Ways 

Being creative and innovative is looking at the world in new ways. You are trying things that might not be obvious to others. 

Think about the STEM challenges you put forth in your class. Are they giving students opportunities for multiple outcomes? Or, do your challenges only have one answer? 

It’s ok to teach students the same skills to help them be successful on a project. For example, I teach all of my students how to log into Seesaw and take a photo of their work. (You can get a free month of Premium by using my link here!)  However, the photos of their work should all look different. 

Make sure there are projects and challenges that allow students to be creative and explore possible solutions. 

Posters of Growth Mindset Quotes

I have all of these growth mindset sayings posted in my STEM classroom year round. They are located in a place where it’s easy to see and refer to. 

Since they are low-ink friendly, I printed mine on bright Astro Bright paper and cut them out by hand. Easy! 

You can print and cut them for your class as well. Find these Growth Mindset Quotes for STEM here. 

In conclusion, which growth mindset quotes do you already use? What else would you add to this list? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

When the holiday season comes upon us, that can be tough in a lot of ways, especially as a teacher. I have found through my teaching experience, having hands-on and engaging tasks for my students during this time can help reign in all the extra energy, but still be meaningful. 

STEM activities are a great way to lift student engagement. In fact, my growing STEM & Stories collection integrates books and a corresponding STEM activity that works for multiple grade levels. 

Let's dive into how STEM is integrated after reading the story The Great Turkey Race by Steve Metzger.


**All links are clickable to purchase through my affiliate link. No extra cost to you, but I get a little bonus if you purchase through it!**

Before you do this activity with your kids, there is a tiny bit of prep work you'll need to do to make sure this activity goes smoothly. The goal of this STEM challenge is for students to build a fence for the turkeys to hop over. *Spoiler Alert* This is how the turkeys get away at the end of the book!*

Since this activity is all about the fence design, having the catapults built ahead of time is super helpful. One thing that I like to do for my STEM classes for their supplies is to create Building Kits. It's just a Ziploc bag with their pre-portioned supplies, but it definitely sounds more official! This gives the kids more time to build if everything is already organized. 

Gluing a pom pom to the back of each turkey gives it more weight to help it launch over the fence and help them stand up.

Also, decide how you want to share the student response sheets. Of course you can print, but having the option to share digitally is a great bonus. I used the digital version of the student sheets in Seesaw since I did this activity with over 75 Kindergarteners in one day. That's a lot of paper I saved and parents got to see their work right away! 

Here are all the extras you will need for this Thanksgiving STEM activity along with the Engineering Design Process Student sheets that I've already created for you.

After reading the story The Great Turkey Race by Steve Metzger {or listening to it online on YouTube}, students will do a little bit of research on engineers and how they solve problems effectively. Afterwards, they'll plan how they will design a fence for their turkeys to hop over. Their planning can be done either on paper or digitally. 

They can also utilize the Engineering Design Process checklist to help them keep track of their progress along the way through this challenge. This is also helpful if you need to extend this activity into multiple days or even during different time blocks in one day. 

Once students' designs are built, they can launch their turkeys over the fence. Some preferred to launch all 3 at once, like the book, or do one turkey at a time. While launching, you will notice students making adjustments to their bridges to make them taller, shorter or even wider.

Teaching the students to build their fences already standing up instead of having them flat on the table THEN standing them up is a lot easier and they won't break apart as quickly.

Of course, reflection is essential for continuing a growth mindset, and students can write, draw or even record using a tool like Seesaw, how the Engineering Design Process through this STEM activity worked for them. 

My STEM students always get so proud of their creations and want to take their work home. Since I teach K-5, I often need to reuse materials and students physically keeping their work isn't always an option. However, using Seesaw, I often have students take a video or photo of their work so they can continue that conversation at home with their families. 

Seesaw is always free. However, you can get bonus features with Seesaw Plus through my link. 

This was such a great Thanksgiving activity. If I were a regular classroom teacher again, this would be something that I would definitely implement or even do during a fall party.  You can grab a visual teacher lesson plan all of the printable and digital student sheets, here. There is also a bonus anchor chart for taking clear photos of your work as a student guide.