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k-2 STEM planning

3 Hacks for K-2 STEM Planning [ep. 53]

3 Hacks for K-2 STEM Planning [ep.53]

k-2 STEM planning

Check out the full episode on 3 Hacks for K-2 STEM Planning:  

 

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Episode Summary

Are you struggling with how to structure your STEM time for grades K-2? Well, these little friends in our STEM space can often have a lot of energy, but they also have a ton of creativity that they can bring into this environment. 

In today’s episode, I am sharing with you three hacks for K-2 STEM planning to help you make the most of your time with these little ones.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 3 hacks for K-2 STEM planning
  • Examples of the types of materials I use with K-2
  • Examples of how I structure my time with K-2

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

Are you struggling with how to structure your STEM time for K-2? Well, these little friends in our STEM space can often have a lot of energy. They also have a ton of creativity that they can bring into this environment. Planning for K-2 is often one of my most favorite grade levels to plan for. I am going to be sharing with you three hacks to make the most of these lessons for these little ones. 


Naomi Meredith  00:40

I know that I have been starting these episodes with some announcements and things to keep your eye out for, but this time, my special announcement is going to come at the end. So make sure you listen through all the way and not miss out on this special thing. I am so excited and have been working behind the scenes for a while on this for you, so make sure to check that out, you definitely don't want to miss it. I've mentioned this before in past episodes, but when I was in college, I was really thinking about getting my degree in early childhood education. I've always loved children. I've been around children my whole life as the oldest of five, and babysitting all the kids in the neighborhood. I am just so used to being around little kids. So I was really close to getting my degree in early childhood education. I was working at a preschool at the time, but ultimately, I went with elementary education. I'm so glad that I did. But I still have a special warm spot in my heart for those younger students. Before I became a K through five STEM teacher, I taught second grade for two years, and then third grade for four years. All those student teaching experiences, those were also in the primary space. So I definitely have a love for this, and I can always see that potential of what those littles are able to do. I feel like they have even more creativity sometimes than the older students. So let me share with you three hacks that I use to manage these little guys in my classroom, and really go forward with the planning. So I think you're really going to enjoy this one because I know a lot of you struggle with younger kids. There is no shame in that whatsoever. I think that this is going to really help you out with your planning. So let's jump in. 


Naomi Meredith  02:58

One of the biggest game changers that has been for me with my younger students is how I structure my week. The way that I plan for my little ones, mainly K and first, but sometimes second grade, at the beginning of the year, is a lot different than how I plan for my third through fifth graders. This is super, super important. I was planning the same way for everybody, but then I realized that wasn't working out. So let me let you take a behind the scenes of how I actually structure my week when I'm making my plans for my younger students. Now, I see my same students, so I have K through five, and I see my same six classes for five days in a row. So you can modify this schedule that I'm going to explain to whatever works best for you. I know a lot of you actually see different kids every single day, which is a lot. But this structure can definitely work out for you as well. So I will switch up the order. So what I'm going to talk about in a second, I might not always start with the same thing on the day one. It really just depends on what's happening in the school, and with breaks and everything. But here is how I actually plan a unit for my younger students. So in general for all of my classes, I plan with a unit in mind. So there is a progression of learning for all of my students. If you want to take a peek at this, I actually have my FREE K through five STEM year long plan that you can access for free. It'll be linked in the show notes or you can find it at Naomimeredith.com/year long plan. So I have this same theme. So if I'm doing 3D printing, everyone is doing 3D printing. If I am doing LEGO Education building kits, everyone is doing that. So that way you can actually see that progression of learning and it actually makes the planning a whole lot easier. So start with that. Of course you're integrating the standards, so there are past episodes that I have as well to help you with the actual planning. So I'm just talking more about the structure of my week. So I have my overall theme, I have the standards that I want to attack, and then I have a special structure for these little ones. 


Naomi Meredith  05:17

For two or three days, depending on the project, I will do a mini Engineering Design Process project with the kids. I will go through all of the steps with the students, but it won't stretch out for the full five days. We know that with the little ones their stamina is not as great as those bigger kids. In some ways, the bigger kids don't have great stamina either when it comes to work time, but they can dive in deeper, and they have a lot more when it comes to their projects. So my projects for the younger kids still follow along the Engineering Design Process. But we will go through all of the steps a lot quicker. There is no rulebook that says you have to do a different thing every single day. I like to do that, but it doesn't really always work out for the younger students. So we will go through the process really fast. Sometimes even the creation of the project is one day and that is plenty. So here's how I go. Let's say I'm starting off my week with this mini project. So day one would be to explore the question to gather research and to do a plan. Sometimes if we have enough time, depending on the class, I might even have them gather their materials, and hold on to that. So then the next day, day two of the project, we can jump right into the building, and they're usually fine with one day of building. Then if we extend it one more day, day three, then students who still need to finish can finish their projects. This also gives them the opportunity to share, which often in my class is taking a picture or a video of their work and sharing that through Seesaw. 


Naomi Meredith  07:00

So they're happy with this structure, and sometimes it's even two days. So we might not get to the final share piece. By day two, they're pretty much done with their projects, and then they can even take them home. So we don't need a whole lot of time. It does take some careful planning and having all of those resources and things ready to go. But once you have it, and you have a project that works, it's so nice, and you get it done a lot quicker. So let's say our project in a five day week, is three days. Then the next two days, I like to do STEM stations that are still going along with that overall theme and standards. So let's say for my project, let's say for first grade, the beginning of the week, we were working on the 3D printing project, which is about animal babies and their adults and the traits that they have on their bodies that make them similar and different. So that would be that main standard. There's one in the NGSS I can't think of it off the top of my head, but that's the 3D printing project that we do, not counting the printing time. Obviously, that takes more time, but the creation and the digital platform, we get that done. Then the next two days would be STEM stations that are related to that standard. So I like to plan my stations with the four letters of STEM, so science, technology, engineering and math station. So they will go through two stations a day. So that makes for and then we will even start off with a video that is related to the content. So it really is great where kids aren't rushing through all four stations, but they can actually take their time, and it gives me time to explain them. 


Naomi Meredith  08:37

The second day I'm even able to re-explain them. There's always those kids who say I already know, and I'm like, well, there's kids in here who might have forgot, or they just showed up today. So I will do two days of STEM stations. Now if it's a weird week, I might do one day and then there's two stations, so then they can flip flop. So that doesn't happen very often. But that's just another structure that you can do as well. What's also really great about STEM stations is that you're not always doing whole group instruction all the time, for every single day with the little kids that can get really exhausting. They are way more independent than you think. Think about what they're doing in their regular classrooms. More than likely they are doing station rotations with their teachers because they don't teach in front of them all day every day. Maybe some do. But most of the time, they're doing stations as well. So take what they're doing in their regular classroom and put it into yours, it will work and the kids are really good at it. So be very clear with your expectations, and you're going to have just like a sigh of relief. The kids love STEM stations, they asked for them all the time, and when we're not doing them they actually get a little bit sad. So again, take some careful planning, but it is a lifesaver. So that would be five days. So if I did three days with a mini project, and then two days with STEM stations that would take up five days. However, I like to have a backup plan just in case if the project goes a lot faster, or if I need a sub plan in a pinch. So I always plan on the side a STEM and stories lesson that is related to the content. Again, it could be a fiction or nonfiction book, and they have a quick one day challenge that they can go through using Makerspace materials or even reusable things like blocks, LEGO bricks, or whatever you have. So it's always good to have this on the side. Again, if you plan this all out, you can use it year after year, obviously, with some modifications, but then you are really creating things, a structure that kids are getting used to and looking forward to. 


Naomi Meredith  10:47

The next hack, when it comes to my K-2 planning is having low prep materials. There are a lot of reasons for this. This goes with the many projects is STEM station, STEM and stories, all the things that you're planning, you want some low prep materials, and here is why. First of all, less materials means there is less to clean up. That is the biggest thing, you always want the kids to clean up on time. Well, if you have a 5 million things out, they're not going to be able to clean it up in time, it's just not going to happen. You always have the stragglers, and then the ones who are always cleaning up the most. So that's not going to happen. So less materials, less cleanup time. Sometimes with things like if the kids are going to cut, glue, and color, I won't even get all the materials at once. I'll have kids get the buckets of crayons, and then they'll color. Then maybe five minutes later, they can get the scissors and then five minutes after that, get the glue. Then slowly, we'll put the crayons back, they've slowly put those scissors back and slowly put the glue back. So it's a gradual release of the materials and a gradual release of putting them back. So less materials, the better. Along with that, when it comes to you and your instruction, if you have 5 million things going on, then it's going to be a lot harder to explain. Also when in turn, it's going to be harder for kids to remember what they're supposed to do. So having maybe a maximum of five different materials that they're going to be using at the time, that is easy to remember. It can be repeatable. So keep that in mind when you're using the different materials. Also, with these low prep materials, think about how you can reuse things. This can include Makerspace items, and even blocks, bricks and all of those things. Sometimes when I have kids build something, they might use the items from my Makerspace. But they aren't using tape, scissors or glue, they just get to use those things to build their creation for a one day challenge. For example, in Kindergarten, we were talking about shade structures. We did a one day challenge where students were building shade structures in the classroom and using flashlights as the sun. We use some blocks to help them build, and then I also pulled out some things like coffee filters, cupcake liners, paper plates, that they could build within their design. But then they couldn't cut them or glue them. So I integrated those materials. Then we also put those back. So using less materials, but also any creative way can be really helpful when you're planning for your younger students. 


Naomi Meredith  13:26

And finally, you might think I'm a little bit crazy on this one. But with those K-2 students integrate more technology. Yes, I said it. Now in my role, I have taught K through five throughout the whole week. But I've also done a lot of co-teaching with the teachers in my building as well. Those little ones can do a lot more than you think. It takes a lot more explicit instruction and a lot of strategies and all of that. I have a blog post that I'll link in the show notes where I actually talk about how I structured teaching technology, specifically integrating it in the classroom. So we'll link that for you. But integrate more than you think. They are really, really fast learners with whatever you do, they're really fast. So they will catch on, and they are even more eager to help out each other. So it's really good to integrate the technology, they want to use it, they're excited to use it. So use it more in your classroom. It doesn't always have to be engineering and building challenges, you can integrate more technology. Here are some ways that you can do that. So think about how you can use the same tool over and over again like k one and two, but you change out the content. One way that I do this is I love the Bee Bots more. I upgraded to the Blue Bots. Same little guys or code and go mice. You know how I feel about those, but using those robots with different grade levels, but we changed out the content. So I had first grade first and we were learning about things that you can see during the day and during the night. So using the Bee Bots, they were coding to different pictures of things that can be seen during the day, during the night, and both. Sometimes you can see the moon during the day and the night. So they use the Bee Bots for that challenge. Then I actually had kids take out the cards for me, I had mats that have a clear cover sheet, or you can laminate whatever works best or whatever you have. Then I had different cards for Kindergarten, same robots, but they were coding to different shade structures or coding to the sun, because we were talking about the sun in the shade. So really ask them because first grade had some background knowledge of how to use the robots from Kindergarten. But the whole challenge was completely different, the content was different. They were also adding more components to their codes, they were doing more multi-step codes instead of one thing at a time. So it's also really good to help them have that progression of learning. Along with that, for that progression of learning, think about technology tools that have multiple pathways, and ways that can differentiate or get harder and harder. Another tool that I love using with the primary students are the Osmos. If you haven't seen Osmos, these are super cool. These are specific for iPads or Kindles. When you purchase these, just make sure that you get the version that is applicable to the device you have. There are different versions, they have the same components, but it just fits the device and works with the device in the way that it should. So what's really cool is you have your tablet, and there is an attachment that goes over the camera, the front facing camera. What it does is this attachment has a mirror, and it's reading the manipulatives that come with the kit that the kids are using on the table. So with the corresponding app, let's say it's a numbers app where they have to combine dots to create the number on the screen, they have the little manipulatives. What it's going to do is let's say there's a five, they have to get on the screen, they're going to use the little chips, the little manipulatives on the table, they're going to make a five, so add up all the dots. Then the attachment is going to read what they make with their hands and then send it back to the application. Then it's going to self correct. So it's going to let them know if it's right or wrong. What's awesome is these apps have so many different ways to differentiate. The kits are a little bit pricey, but they're really sturdy, and there are many levels. So I can do the numbers game K-2, because there's a lot of different things in math that they can learn. What's also great too is yes, you can start them off at the same level. But once you get to know your kids more and their needs, you can differentiate for them within the app. So there's some really cool ones, the ones off the top of my head, there's a tangrams app, which is great for spatial awareness and problem solving. There's a numbers app, which helps them with those different progressions of math learning. So counting with dots, I'm doing the subitizing. I'm probably saying those wrong, but you know what I'm talking about. So have the different progression of learning with math, and then it also moves into that numerical form. There's also a coding kit and the coding one actually has three separate apps, which is super cool. I've been playing around with that one for the younger kids. There's different ways to code with that. So definitely think about tools that have these differentiation options. Back to those Blue Bots, I upgraded to those specifically, because the kids can code without a screen. But then with the older kids, my second graders, they can actually code the robot using the tablet. So think about those multi-use tools and ways that you can use a progression of learning with that technology. Another thing for technology is thinking about tools that you can repeatedly use over and over again. Bonus points if this is a tool that they're already using in your classroom. The one that I am thinking of that you guys probably know what I'm going to say is Seesaw. They get a lot of free publicity on here because I love them. I used it all the time when I was a classroom teacher and I use Seesaw K through five because it works for everybody. There's great differentiation options for all learners. Anyway, the students in some classes use Seesaw as a way to show their learning with their homeroom teacher. So I might as well use it in STEM because the skills I might show them might be a little bit different than what their teachers are showing them. They might be learning things in their classroom that I don't know yet. So vice versa, they're using a tool that is repeatable, that they are familiar with, and then they can showcase their learning, of course and STEM. You're going to do things that are different and that's okay that is kind of the whole point of it also, but think about those tools that you can use over and over again. Maybe it is Google tools. If you have to for the littles you can definitely do that. I prefer Seesaw, but there are very similar things. Also, Epic Books is another great one when it comes to research. So think about those tools they might be familiar with, and then give it that STEM twist, because kids can definitely be successful with that. They're just using it in a different way to showcase their learning. 


Naomi Meredith  20:18

As a recap, here are the three hacks for planning for your K-2 students that we talked about in this episode, and then we have the special announcement that I have for you. The first is to create a structure for your week. Next is think about having low prep materials. And finally, you might think I'm a little bit crazy on this one, but trust me, integrate more technology. Okay, this is the moment you've been waiting for, and I get so many questions about this. So I'm so excited to finally be sharing with you that the doors are finally open for my first ever live workshop, and it is a K-2 virtual planning workshop. So you get to spend two hours with me live and with some other STEM teachers around the world. We're going to tackle that planning for K-2. I shared with you some great hacks, but we're actually going to plan out a unit for one of the grade levels. I'm going to show you exactly how I plan for my students and give you the tools to be successful. You probably feel so confident and so good about planning for your older students, but when it comes to the little ones, it can definitely be overwhelming. But I'm going to be here for you where we can tackle this together. During those two hours, we're going to plan some STEM stations, or mini projects and a STEM and stories that you can directly take back to your classroom, that is also standard space and encourages creativity and engagement with your students. Now, if you aren't able to attend live, or if you are listening to this way off in the future, don't worry, it will all be recorded. So you definitely can get access, rewatch it, and work at your own pace. The benefit of joining us live is you can ask me questions in real-time, and I can answer you. You can also interact with the other teachers who are going to be there. So I'm so excited about this live virtual workshop. It's awesome. It's a two-hour commitment, you get a certificate of completion when you're finished, and then you get a whole bunch to take back in your classroom. So it's very actionable. The key is workshop. So it's not a sit and get kind of thing. It's something that you definitely can benefit from. Don't feel overwhelmed anymore. I'm here for you, I hear you. So this is definitely created for you to be successful so that you have this unit planned. But then, you can also apply this same model and strategy to all the other units for the rest of the school year. So this is definitely going to build that base for you. So all of this is going to be linked in the show notes for you to join in, whether it's live or access the recorded version. I would love to have you be there. And definitely jump on and get your hands on this. The doors are open, and I can't wait to see you there.

k-2 STEM planning

 

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More About your host, Naomi Meredith

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

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

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

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

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

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

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

robot-ideas-for-winter-time

5 Robot Ideas for Winter Time [ep.44]

5 Robot Ideas for Winter Time [ep.44]

robot-ideas-for-winter-time

Check out the full episode on 5 Robot Ideas for Winter Time:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

Looking for some fun robot ideas for wintertime?

In this episode, I will be sharing with you five winter-themed robot lessons that you can teach in your classroom.

These are lessons that I have taught my students that they have absolutely loved, and I know that yours will too. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 5 winter robot ideas
  • How to implement each of these ideas in your classroom
  • What the children learn during these activities

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

What are some fun robot ideas for wintertime? In this episode, I will be sharing with you five winter-themed robot lessons that you can teach in your classroom. These are lessons that I have taught my students that they have absolutely loved, and I know that yours will too. 


Naomi Meredith  00:48

Before we jump on in not a whole lot of announcements today, but I have one very exciting one. So in 2023, I'm going to be hosting live virtual workshops. I definitely don't want you to miss out on all the fun. So it will be a great time to learn and connect with other STEM teachers about various topics. Again, I don't want you to want to miss out on that. So you can join the waitlist here, and you'll be the first to know when they are open. You can join the waitlist at Naomimeredith.com/workshopwaitlist. 


Naomi Meredith  01:26

For all of the lessons that I'm going to be talking about in this episode, I use various specific robots and a variety of robots in my classroom. However, don't be so stuck on the robots that I'm going to be talking about for each of these lessons. You can definitely mix in whatever robots you have on hand. For example, if I'm talking about the Sphero robot for a specific lesson, you don't necessarily have to use it. So it can definitely work with whatever robots you have. Also, I'm just sharing with you a snapshot of how I taught these lessons. For second through fifth grade, I went through the whole Engineering Design Process throughout the week, so this wasn't a one-day challenge. You could, of course, modify it to be a one-day challenge, but we really went through all the stages of the Engineering Design Process for each of these lessons, besides the Kindergarten and the first one that I will be sharing at the end, the one for Kindergarten and first grade was for a STEM station. So it was one of many activities that we did throughout the week. So just keep that in mind when you're hearing about these lessons. They're way more involved than what I'm really talking about. I just wanted to give you an idea for winter theme robotics lessons that you can use Well, of course, during the wintertime, and help spark creativity with all of these fun, different themes. 


Naomi Meredith  02:48

The first robot idea for wintertime is Sphero sleds. As I said, don't get too caught up in the type of robot that I used. For this lesson. I was inspired by the Iditarod, and I'm not quite sure why I got inspired by it. But I was inspired by the Iditarod, and I'm so glad I picked this topic for this lesson because where I'm at in Colorado, most kids actually don't know what the Iditarod is. Now once I started talking more about it, they had a little bit of background based on maybe some movies that they had seen. But overall, most kids had no idea what the Iditarod was. In general, if you can pick very obscure topics, that's going to really help with the engagement. So not only were the kids engaged in the topic of the Iditarod but they were also excited to code and integrate some engineering challenges as well. So a whole lot of things to be engaged in. So basically, the Iditarod is a dog sled race, a very famous one that takes place in Alaska in March. That's a basic snapshot for you to look up, but the kids are super into it. Of course, if they love animals and dogs like me, like my little dog, Frederick, he could definitely not do a dog sled race, that would not be happening. He doesn't even like going outside when it's sprinkling water outside. He will avoid sprinklers when we go on a walk so he would not be an Iditarod dog. But the kids love seeing videos of this. There are a whole lot of great things out there. 


Naomi Meredith  04:24

The Iditarod website is awesome for research. They can research a musher and learn more about that and their sled race, all of that. So students will research and learn about the Iditarod, and then they will design a sled for the robot to pull through the race. So depending on the type of robot, this could definitely vary your materials. When I did this in my class was Sphero. I had red solo cups or similarly shaped cups that they could cut and manipulate plastic straws, paper, and tape, and that was actually it. Those were all the supplies that students had to work with, so they really had to be creative. This actually helped that the weight of the sled wasn't too heavy so that the robot could pull it while it was being coded. Then students would have to code their robot through the Iditarod race. So I have a race track that has all of the checkpoints that are actually listed in the actual race. Students can learn about that pathway and how treacherous it is, and how there are so many different angles to go through. It's really fun, too, because depending on their sled design, it really changes how the robot moves and how it affects the race track. This is a really fun challenge. The kids are super engaged and super excited. Then they get to learn about something that they may not have heard about before. 


Naomi Meredith  05:46

The second robot idea for wintertime is Sphero snowflakes. Again, use whatever robot you want. I did this lesson with the fourth grade. Students learn about different types of angles, lines, and symmetry. This is really well represented in snowflakes. There are some awesome videos out there when it comes to the math behind snowflakes and how they have all these different things. It really helps students build on that vocabulary when it comes to lines and angles and even how to measure angles. Depending on the type of robot that you have. You can even code the robot to go in certain angles, which is really helpful as well because we know this is a very hard math concept for students to grasp. So why not implement it within your STEM classroom? After students learn about the math behind snowflakes, they will create their own snowflakes that will be taped onto the floor. In my classroom, I have tiled floors, so I actually have pulled out the sidewalk chalk, and the students will sketch out and measure their snowflake designs on the floor. They were going absolutely nuts that I let them draw on the floor like it's just chalk is totally fine. 


Naomi Meredith  06:57

So again, there's some engagement, but students would draw their snowflake design on the floor, and then they would cover it up using masking tape. It's so much fun too because it looks like Buddy the Elf decorated your classroom for Christmas or the holidays. So you have these fun snowflake designs for the week, and then students can pull them up when they are all finished. You could build your own snowflakes, but it's way more fun to have the kids build the snowflakes, and they get so creative with their designs. Now, if you get really strict with a snowflake design, where it's not just a free build, and you really have students measure using protractors and yardsticks, they can actually have a snowflake that is legit symmetrical. They can have parts of their code where they can actually loop the code because there are identical lines at angles. So this, again, is a great application of their math skills and putting it in a concrete way. So this was so much fun for the kids. It really differentiates itself based on its snowflake design and what they create. 


Naomi Meredith  08:41

The third robot idea for wintertime is Winter Games robot mapping. This is a lesson that I did with third grade, and we talked about the Winter Olympics and all the places that they have been located within a certain amount of time. We used Google Earth to explore all of these places and learn a little bit more about them and just some cool facts about the Winter Olympics in general. Students placed them on their maps. Likewise, we realized that the most current Winter Games are all located above the equator, and we talked about the reasoning behind that. So this was a cool integration to actually expose students to Google Earth. Noticing those tools and even practicing their mapping skills, and where things are located on a world map, from there students coded their Ozobots, their little tiny robots to travel to each of the places where the Winter Games were held in the order when they happened. When the robot landed on that location on the map, then it had to perform an action. So this also helped too, where they had to code in chronological order, and in some places, they had to go backward. So it really helped again, really notice the pattern of where things are located in the world. If you did this with larger robots, you could use the same map template that I used, and you could blow it up even bigger. If you Google ways to print a PDF on multiple pages, you could print the map and make it very ginormous. Then you could laminate it if you wanted to and then use larger robots. So don't feel limited if you can't use the Ozobots. I know at the time of this recording, those are actually hard to get your hands on. So you can use a variety of different things as well. So it was just a really cool connection to think about the Winter Games, what they are and where they're located in the world. 


Naomi Meredith  11:37

The fourth robot idea for wintertime is winter animal migration robots. This one was for second grade, and we did mapping in a different way. We talked about different animals, the reasons why they might migrate, and how there are a bunch of animals that decide to migrate during the wintertime. Students are given articles about specific animals that migrate during the winter time that I pre-researched and wrote articles for them, shared the articles in Seesaw, and recorded my voice. So they had all of that information for them. They chose an animal out of that selection that they were most passionate about. Then they had to code their animal with the migration path that it takes during the wintertime on a specific map. So I had all this created for them, they had the specific maps, and they had an idea of the locations of where the animal migrated to. But then they actually had to create the path and where it stopped at different locations. Again, the robot had to perform an action. So this was super engaging for them. We even made the little Ozobots be the animal that was migrating. So I have little pictures that they could tape to the robot, and it was super fun for them to even record the robot in action on Seesaw, I didn't mention this with the other ones. But I actually have students record a video of their robots in action with Seesaw, which you could do with Flipgrid or whatever you use. But this is a great way for students, I have air quotations, to take their work home because sometimes it's hard for kids to really talk about what they did in STEM class because we use such obscure things. So I highly recommend taking photos and videos of their work. So then it feels like they are taking the work home, I say you're taking the work home by taking a picture, it doesn't always have to be a physical object. So it's just super fun for this winter animal migration project and all the other projects for them to share the learning with their families. 


Naomi Meredith  13:38

The final robot idea for wintertime is build a snowman robot coding. This was part of a STEM station rotation out of all the different winter-themed STEM challenges that I did throughout the week with the younger students. So this was one of many where we didn't go through the full Engineering Design Process. Students were given different images of fun snow people and characters that had different accessories on them, they had a full image of that character, and the cards that they were given had all the different parts that would make that specific snowman. From there, students had to code their robots. I use Beebots but again, definitely up to you what robots you would like to use. But students would code their robot to collect the pieces to build that snowman character in the order of how they thought it should be built. So this even included the round ball at the bottom of the snowman, the middle, if there was a middle, would you put the eyes on first before the glasses or would you not so it really helped them with that sequential order of how things are being built. So it's almost like that reverse engineering where it actually is taken apart for them, and they have to think of what order would it be to build that snowman character. So it was super fun for them. They could definitely take turns, they can take the cards off the grid as soon as they collect them. You can even add in more snowman stories if you would like. But this was a really fun and engaging STEM station. It was quick, it was engaging, but there was plenty for the students to interact with. 


Naomi Meredith  15:16

As a recap, here are the five robot ideas for wintertime that you can implement in your STEM classroom. First, we had Sphero sleds. Next are the Sphero snowflakes. Third are the Winter Games mapping, which I used Ozobots. Fourth, the winter animal migration, again with Ozobots. And fifth, build a snowman coding. I hope you enjoyed all of these different fun winter-themed robotic lessons. Of course, mix in the robots that work best for you, what you have on hand and the age level of your students. If you're interested in grabbing all these lessons and getting them in full detail, I have them all packaged together nicely in a bundle in my TPT shop. Or you can even purchase the lessons individually based on the students and the needs that you have. But that way, it will save you some time, and then you can see the engagement in your classroom that I saw and mine.

 

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robot-ideas-for-winter-time

 

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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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Wonder Workshop Tools, Resources & Events with Bryan Miller [ep. 32]

Wonder Workshop Tools, Resources & Events with Bryan Miller [ep. 32]

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Check out the full episode on Wonder Workshop Tools, Resources & Events with Bryan Miller:  

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Episode Summary

One big thing that I know a lot of teachers struggle with is what type of robot they should use in the elementary space. My top recommendation is always Dash by Wonder Workshop. You're definitely in for a treat!

For today's episode, I had the chance to interview Bryan Miller, who is now in his seventh year working at Wonder Workshop, leading Strategic Outreach and Educator Success. Bryan prides himself on remaining connected to the voice and choice of students and educators.

He's an international keynote presenter and speaker and loves working with others in the field of Edtech and, most importantly, supporting computer science. We had such a fun time talking together, and I'm really excited for you to listen to this episode and all of the goodies inside.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Bryan’s background and role at Wonder Workshop
  • What solutions Wonder Workshop offers
  • About the Fall International STEAM Summit

Meet Bryan Miller:

Bryan's 20-year career in education and EdTech has awarded him a lot of opportunities to explore the field of education. From first starting out as a kindergarten teacher and K-5 computer teacher to Director of Ed Tech at one of the largest, private, independent schools in the United States, and now Bryan's 7-year career at Wonder Workshop leading strategic outreach and educator success, Bryan prides himself in remaining connected to the voice and choice of students and educators. He's an international keynote presenter and speaker and loves working with others in the field of Ed Tech and, most importantly, supporting computer science.

Connect with Bryan Miller and Wonder Workshop:

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

One big thing that I know a lot of teachers struggle with is what type of robot they should use in the elementary space. My top recommendation is always Dash by wonder workshop. You're definitely in for a treat! For today's episode, I had the chance to interview Bryan Miller, who is now in his seventh year working at Wonder Workshop, leading Strategic Outreach and educator success. Bryan prides himself on remaining connected to the voice and choice of students and educators. He's an international keynote presenter and speaker and loves working with others in the field of Edtech and, most importantly, supporting computer science. We had such a fun time talking together, and I'm really excited for you to listen to this episode and all of the goodies inside. 


Naomi Meredith  01:21

Thank you so much, Bryan, for being here today. I was so excited when you replied yes to my email right away, which I'm like, “Oh, my gosh, this is gonna be awesome.” I know that our audience is gonna be so excited to hear from you about all things Wonder Workshop. Like I was telling you before we started recording when I was an ambassador for Wonder Workshop a while back, I remember you had video presentations, and you were super energetic and explained things really well. I thought you would be a great guest on the podcast. So I'm really excited to chat with you today. He has a little Dash Robot in the corner, which is so cute to look at. Well, if you wouldn't mind telling us about yourself, your teaching background, and your role at Wonder Workshop, we would love to hear about you.


Bryan Miller  02:15

Yeah, well, first off, thank you so much for this opportunity to join you and have this conversation. I truly love talking with educators and just sharing my experiences, education, and Wonder Workshop. It's always fun to jump on and talk about this stuff. I am a former teacher. That's where I started. You may have read my bio, but can you guess what I taught? Where I started?


Naomi Meredith  02:42

Like your first thing? Like subject or grade. 


Bryan Miller  02:42

Grade. 


Naomi Meredith  02:43

If I were to guess if I didn't know your bio, I would think maybe fifth grade.


Bryan Miller 02:48

I get that a lot. I think it's because I'm a guy, right? I'm a male teacher, but I started as a Kindergarten teacher. So I was a Kindergarten teacher, and I actually taught next to my Kindergarten teacher at the school that I went to for Kindergarten. It was so cool. I learned a lot, and it was just, you know, awesome. I've always loved kids and working with kids. I did it at camps and stuff my entire career, but started in Kindergarten. Then I became a K through Five computer teacher. This was before there was even an EdTech curriculum. So I've been doing this for about 20 years now, even though I look like I'm like 25. I mean, it's really been 20 years that I've been doing this. At the time, it was the type of class where you just sit and type in Word documents, and you do a typing program. That was 100% of what that program was. When I stepped into that role it was a public school outside of Philadelphia in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is where I grew up. I stepped into the role, and I was like, “There's got to be more to this. This is not what kids should be doing.” I mean, yes, typing is an important skill. It's going to change. This was 20 years ago, I was saying that. Everyone's like, “No way, we got to be doing cursive. We got to be doing typing, we got to check those off the list.” And that's it. I came in, and I, fortunately, had a really great principal who trusted what I was doing. Let me really take the curriculum on my own despite what the district wanted me to be doing.


Naomi Meredith  04:38

 A good principal, good! 


Bryan Miller  04:40

Yeah, yeah. I mean, to have that level of administrative support early on in my career was just so so life-changing, honestly. So I did that. I took it and ran with it. I built a website before there was a learning management system with all of my stuff. It was Mr. Miller tech.com which no longer exists. However, there is a Facebook Memorial group for it that my former students created. My former students got to go home and use everything that we were doing in class because I was finding fun websites to use and ways to incorporate what they were doing into the classroom. I really listened to what was happening with the teachers in the classroom to know maybe I should start incorporating presentations and learning some of these important skills into the everyday classroom, which then I no longer had a curriculum, and I would just be having the students come down and use that time to support the learning that they were doing in their classroom, but bringing technology into the mix. I did that for a number of years, and then I, fortunately, got a role in a similar position as a computer teacher in a private school in Florida. I took the leap of faith and did that move down there. Within that first year, our director of Ed Tech, Dr. Joan McGettigan, who is an absolutely incredible Ed Tech leader. So find her on Twitter, and follow her, she's amazing. I was so excited to come down and work and learn from her that I did the move. When I got down there, I found out that she was going to leave that role and move to another school. So being the new guy in a new position, I came up with a lot of new fresh ideas. That first year, I became the Acting Director of Educational Technology. That next year, I became the Director of Educational Technology and did that for about five years. I then started working with Ed Tech startup companies, like Nearpod, which was one of the early ones literally sitting in their garage. Started presenting, keynote speaking, and traveled the world doing all of that stuff. Then I found myself in my role at Wonder Workshop. So that's my background. I literally went from being in the classroom to finding a space that I love, a company that I love that I've had the opportunity to grow with through the years. I've been with wonder workshop for eight years or going on eight years, so I have kind of experienced a whole lot of things. But you know, teachers ask me all the time how did I make that transition. You become friends with companies that you love and enjoy, and magic happens from there. It just happened to happen that way for me. So, yeah, a long-winded answer to your question. But that kind of gave you the rundown, the cliff notes of everything.


Naomi Meredith  07:39

No, it's great to hear your background because that's really important too. You're not just some random person who's working at Wonder Workshop. Your experience led you to where you are today. I feel like what your experience in Ed Tech was is kind of what is happening with STEM education, where there are just little inklings of things. I feel like a lot of teachers can resonate with what you said. I was in the classroom before as well and also had a very supportive admin in this role. So I think a lot of teachers can connect with you. Also, they probably use Wonder Workshop products in their classroom too. So no, I think it's so great. Your teaching experience can't be taken away from you. I told that to another guest. Like, it's so powerful, and you're still working in education. So you're still a teacher?


Bryan Miller  08:34

Yeah, I mean, I still call myself a teacher. So my role at Wonder Workshop is a fancy long name that is Senior Director of Global Strategic Education Outreach. Well, it's long-winded, but really what it means is I get to work with schools and districts and, you know, lead a team of former educators in our customer success roles to become a partnership manager for Wonder Workshop and work with organizations closely. So I still have very close ties to education and to the classroom. Anytime that I'm invited into a teacher's classroom, I hop, skip and jump over there because I'm so excited to get on the floor, play and see the excitement of computer science and STEM through the eyes of children and learn from them to find out what's working, what's not working. So I'm still very connected to that space and learn a lot from teachers every single day.


Naomi Meredith  09:37

Well, I have to have you come into my classroom and start robotics soon. So I know, I know who to call. I need some help.


Bryan Miller  09:44

You're in Colorado still, right?


Naomi Meredith  09:46

I am. Yeah. 


Bryan Miller  09:48

So I am a huge fan of Colorado, so I will gladly pay a visit.


Naomi Meredith  09:53

Yeah. Perfect. That sounds good to me. We'll chat after this. So for people who haven't heard of Wonder Workshop, what solutions do you guys offer?


Bryan Miller  10:04

Wonder Workshop has evolved through the years. As I mentioned, I've been with it for about eight years, but Wonder Workshop has been around for about 10. From the very beginning, it's all been built around this little guy, Dash robot. We create a robot, a physical robot, that teaches children how to code starting as young as Kindergarten, and curriculum and software that wrap all around it. Through the years, we have built a lot of products. We've built Dash, we've built Dot, which is its companion robot, we've built Q, which is a middle school robot, and we've built accessories. Now we've learned through the years that the importance of the content with what you've created is so needed for educators, especially quality content. So we are still continuing to develop Dash and its capabilities. It's funny because I was having a conversation earlier today with the state of Hawaii. They were telling me that they've had robots for years, Dash robots and that it's the one robot that has not phased out because we keep developing for it. So now, we have not pivoted, we have complemented the work that we're doing with a software product called Class Connect, which brings in a tracking teacher management, Learning Management Console, where teachers are able to assign computer science lessons, activities, puzzles, challenges, all through that Virtual Console Class Connect, and students can interact with it and get feedback for the teachers to see how they're performing. When they want a pair of physical robots, they can do that. Otherwise, every student through that gets a virtual Dash robot that looks and acts the exact same way as physical Dash. So having that physical companion plus the ability to have every student coding at the same time and only pair when you need to have been a total game changer for us. I really feel for the classroom because gone are the days now, if you're using this, students sitting and waiting around to go to that station or be able to interact with the thing that they want to, and now they can do all that stuff ahead of time. Then they can watch it come to life when they're ready to actually see it come to life. So that's what we create. We're also developing a lot more stuff. So it's really an exciting time for the company.


Naomi Meredith  12:38

I'm so excited. I love Dash. I am not just saying that because I'm talking to you. But Dash is my favorite robot. I've used it even when I taught third grade. It's true, if it doesn't phase out, it's still relevant. It's multi-use and multi-grade. If there's any robot that people are like, “Oh, what should I buy?” I suggest Dash because you can use it for everything, which is great. So I definitely recommend it from a teacher's perspective, not sponsored to say this, but I love Dash, and he's great. Like, I think your guys' stuff is awesome. I love the option of Class Connect because I know a lot of teachers when they were remote, they were really dependent on that, especially a lot of STEM teachers who needed to teach online. You don't have enough Dash robots to send home. We wish we had unlimited money to send them home with the kids. Class Connect is a great option for sending Dash home with the kids. But even since COVID, it's still relevant. Kids can be excited since they can practice at home if they want to. I love seeing that they're excited to learn coding. They're seeing the thing come to life, and they know who Dash is and that it's on my computer, but it's also in my classroom. So I really liked how you guys added that option for classrooms.


Bryan Miller  13:46

It was a move that we were actually planning to make before COVID. We actually had already been developing it for almost a year. Then March 2020 came around, and the world shut down. Right. We weren't planning to release Class Connect until ISTE that year. We had not even gone through beta testing with it at that time. We said we joined in with all the other companies that were out there, you know, graciously donating services to teachers that needed it at that time. We said you know what, what better way to beta test it than with the entire world. So we're going to open it up. It's going to be live for anyone to use for free during that time, and we'll learn as we go and listen to what the users have to say. So we can then go back and develop it even further. So we released it that April before we even planned to publicly release the announcement. We announced that at our STEAM summit, so it was really neat to be able to give something back to the community that they had never seen before and get their first reaction right in the field, which really was crazy to think about happening. It has continued to grow and get better and better as we listen to the feedback of the teachers and the students. We continue to develop new features, we have a lot of new features that we'll be announcing soon, so it's really cool.


Naomi Meredith  15:18

I appreciate companies that are really focused on the students and teachers and take feedback like that really just shows that you are doing this for the right reasons, that you guys are here to support us, and you care what we have to say in our feedback. I'm sure you got a lot of interesting things. But that's true. Like, why not? Let's see, let's see what happens. What's the worst that can happen?


Bryan Miller  15:42

You're right. I mean, I think as a company, Wonder Workshop, we say that we support our teachers, but we actually do it and show it and give evidence of it, which is really important. This podcast is for teachers that are moving into the STEM world and not sure how to start. I started using these products, Ozobots, Sphero, LEGO Mindstorms, NXT's, and Dash when it first released. I really looked at not only the product, because they were just coming out at that time, but also like how they felt about teachers in their community because all of those products, except for LEGO, were not originally focused to sell to the school market. Ozobots were only sold at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. I was one of the first teachers to even implement them in a school. Sphero was only sold at Brookstone stores like that was the only place to buy them, there were no coding capabilities with them. Then they evolved into these teacher exciting, awesome tools. I have a love for all of the products that are out there because they're doing great things for the space. But for Wonder Workshop, the mission from the very beginning has been, you know, for kids, teaching them how to code that was the original idea. I fell in love with that mission. So if you're a teacher looking for products, really pay attention to the company and how they talk about educators, how they respond to educators, not only through email, but through social media, and look to see what kind of resources they've already thought about for educators. There's a lot of stuff that's coming out on the market right now. Some of them are really great, but they don't have the support for teachers in place. Teachers are at a spot now where they're being thrown into these STEM roles in some cases, and they don't know what to spend their money on or to buy, and they look at the new shiny thing. But that new shiny thing doesn't always have the wraparound support that you need as a teacher. So to find companies, like I've mentioned, that do all of those things is really important during that vetting process.


Naomi Meredith  18:04

Definitely thinking about who they hire. Obviously, they prioritize teachers because your experience is so helpful. You are a teacher, and I'm sure you work with other people who are teachers, and you have that perspective. So that's important, especially thinking of the support you guys have the International STEAM Summit coming up. So tell us a bit more about that. I will be presenting there about video and audio production in the STEM or STEAM space. But tell us about that, because I was really excited that you guys started. These summits are really fun.


Bryan Miller  18:39

Yeah. So again, this summit came back to the need for educators to have a space during COVID. So like I said, COVID, we all know, happened in March. We were planning at that time to go to CUE, which was canceled. Then ISTE, which had announced was canceled at the end of March. I've done a lot of stuff with virtual presentations and building out virtual meetings and summits. I had a platform that did that. So I said to the company, I said, “Listen like we're at a point right now where teachers are at home. They don't know what to do because that transition from students getting devices one to one device had not happened yet during this March to April timeframe. I said, “I think I can reach out to our community of users, our ambassadors, and my friends who are in the EdTech space, and I think I can pull together a virtual summit.” I said, “But here's my criteria. One, it has to be completely free. I don't want any teachers paying for it. This is something that we should be giving back to the education community and furthering the conversation of STEM education in the school space.” So they agreed to that, and they said to go ahead and build it out, and within less than three weeks, I had a little over two weeks' worth of sessions. That was when we were running this summit for, like, a long period of time. They were all pretty much live at that point as well, too. So I was emceeing everything for two weeks straight in the evenings. It was a lot, but it was incredible. We pulled it off. I mean, that first year, we had almost, I think it was almost 8000 attendees from across the world joined because that was the only thing that was happening like there was nothing else. So we've done it every fall and every spring since. We've learned a lot through the years. We've made the sessions replayable all throughout the year, we have previously recorded sessions, we go live once a night, and we've shortened it from 10 days to three days, but it's three days of very high-quality content. Naomi, you've done a bunch with us over the years, and we thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge in this space. It's just a lot of fun to hear from new people. So this year, we have Andrew Arevalo, who is going to be the closing keynote speaker. His Twitter handle is @GameboyDrew. He is going to be a featured speaker at CUE this year. He's a new voice in this space, and really excited to give him an opportunity to share his voice. This is the first keynote that he's doing. We're so excited that we get to be the ones to do that with. We've had Kantis Simmons in the past, who is a former rocket scientist. We've had Kevin Honeycutt, who has done it in the past for us. I've done the closing keynote, and I'm the opening keynote this year. So it's just a lot of fun over the three days, and it's completely free. You can register at Fall.internationalSTEAMsummit.com. It's free, and it's available, and you get continuing education certificates for it for joining. So there's really no reason not to at this point.


Naomi Meredith  22:02

Oh, yeah, it's so great. If people don't have time, just play it in your car like a podcast. I do this sometimes. I'll just play it that way so I can catch up. So you don't have to just sit there. I mean, you can sit there if you want. But there are other options when you're walking your dog. That's a great way to engage. So definitely worth your time. We'll link that in the show notes. I know everyone listening will go. You're listening to this, go listen to the summit.


Bryan Miller  22:28

Exactly. It's fun, and we have a good time. We do giveaways during the live sessions at night, and we go live each night at seven o'clock pm Eastern Time. Then the rest of the day is all previously recorded and released on the hour. So even if you don't catch it while it's being released, it's available three minutes after it's gone live for you to watch it back at any point in time. 


Naomi Meredith  22:49

That's so perfect. That's what we teachers need. We need that, we need the replay. So you have this summit coming up, is there anything else you guys have coming out? I'm sure you're gonna announce some stuff at the summit. So you don't have to give away all the secrets, but anything you're allowed to talk about.


Bryan Miller  23:06

So there will be some new capabilities coming soon for Dash that will unlock the software, which is actually really cool. So the firmware team and hardware team have done a lot around that, which is going to be something that we'll continue to have students learn the next steps after Blockly, I'll say. So it's going to be able to do a lot more stuff, which is really cool. Then, of course, we have our Wonderly robotics competition that officially goes live on November 3, the last day of our summit. This year's theme is space exploration. So all of these missions are about space and Dash trying to make his way through space. It's all story-based. So if you're looking for a way to engage your kids with competition and win prizes, it's a really fun couple of months of missions that your teams would go through and experience, so that's what I can share for now. You'll have to catch the other stuff at the opening keynote, which will share some more details.


Naomi Meredith  24:19

Perfect. That's so good. I highly recommend doing the Wonderly robotics competition. I've done that ever since I started teaching STEM, and it's my fifth year in STEM. It's a great after-school option, and everything is laid out so nicely. So I know it's a lot when you're teaching all day. You're like, I don't want to do a club. No, this is like the funnest club. It's great. It's so much fun. I love how it's all laid out, and it's different every year. It's just another way to get those kids who are even like who are really interested in coding just to practice in a different way, but they really have to collaborate, so there's a lot of collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. It's not an individualized activity, it is a team thing and you can do competitions or not. If you're thinking about what I should do for my spring clubs or winter going into spring, definitely, you should do that.


Bryan Miller  25:15

Yeah, and at this point, we're going into year eight of the competition. So far, over the years, we have had around almost 87,000 kids from 96 countries throughout the world participate. 48% are girls that are a part of this competition, which we are the only competition for coding that's out there that has that almost equal number of 50/50. There have been more girls that have won the competition over the years than the boys have here. I think that's extremely important. Because you know, a lot of competitions are engineering based, where you have to construct, build, solve, where there's a lot of creative storytelling, art design, you know, things that might interest other students beyond just the traditional computer science driven students to join this and be on a team. Because without those people that have that level of creativity, you won't be able to score as highly as teams that don't have that. So it really does encourage a wide variety of skill sets to become a part of it that other competitions typically don't involve. 


Naomi Meredith  26:26

Oh, I agree. When I did, I actually did a girls' team. I had one girl who was super creative. She reminds me of the kind of person who should be working as a Disney Imagineer, just that level of creativity and design. She just has that different way of thinking and like, I'm going to tell you about this job doesn't mean you have to do it, but you just have that thing. So it's just so cool. Like how the competition just brings it all together. It's just code this, code that is just more engaging and interactive, and the themes each year really fun.


Bryan Miller  27:10

It's wonderful to hear year after year. Coaches have come back in the surveys and have said that even though they didn't make it to the next round, they're proud of the work that they did. They're proud of the community that they built through the competition, you know, getting kids together that may not typically have worked together previously. That for them has been a win for the teachers because they're able to get them to learn these social skills that are so important. They need to understand and know how to communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve together as a team. Year after year, we hear the same things from those coaches that this was the best part of all of it, you know, aside from the chance to win a prize for them. The kids just get so excited to be able to submit their video and be proud of something and show what they've just spent the last two months engineering and set designing. For them, that's the level of excitement of turning it in, knowing that they hit the deadline. So, yeah, it's great. I'm glad that you guys are gonna be joining again too.


Naomi Meredith  28:28

Oh, yeah, I'm so excited about it. So with all of these amazing resources, is there anything else you want to share? Or how can people connect with you? We'll definitely link everything in the show notes.


Bryan Miller  28:42

Visit the Wonder Workshop website, makewonder.com. We do have, as I mentioned, Class Connect. Check it out, you can try it for free. We have a free trial period at makewonder.com. So play with it. Then, if you have any questions, you can reach out to me at bryan@makewonder.com. You can follow me on Twitter at Bryan L. Miller. As I said, I love to connect with educators. So if you have any questions, just reach out, and I can point you in the right direction or connect you with other educators on our team who can answer additional questions for you.


Naomi Meredith  29:18

Perfect. So I know people will definitely be reaching out to you, joining, and seeing you speak at the summit and join my session.


Bryan Miller  29:27

Yes, join Naomi's session. 


Naomi Meredith  29:28

Absolutely. Not live, but it'll make you feel like it's live.


Bryan Miller  29:34

We'll have to get you on live for the next one. For sure.


Bryan Miller  29:37

I will. Yeah. Well, I'll take a day off, and I'll go.


Bryan Miller  29:41

It's in the evening. You don't have to worry.


Naomi Meredith  29:44

Yeah, yeah. Well, thank you so much for your time. There are so many goodies in this episode. Thank you so much and perfect timing for the summit coming out this week. I know everyone's going to be excited about everything that you shared. So thank you again!


Bryan Miller  30:00

Thank you, it was a pleasure chatting, and good luck, everyone. I mean, this is such a fun space to be in, enjoy every minute of it and learn from as many people as you can.


Naomi Meredith  30:11

Great words of wisdom. Thank you so much

wonder-workshop

wonder-workshop

 

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!

teach-digital-citizenship-in-the-classroom

How Do You Teach Digital Citizenship in the Classroom? [ep. 28]

How Do You Teach Digital Citizenship in the Classroom? [ep. 28]

teach-digital-citizenship-in-the-classroom

Check out the full episode on How Do You Teach Digital Citizenship in the Classroom:  

 

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

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

Episode Summary

Digital citizenship is an important topic to discuss with students of all ages, even in the elementary classroom.

With a world of technology constantly growing, we need to equip our students better to be able to adapt and respond online when different situations arise.

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with you how to teach digital citizenship in the classroom with a STEM twist. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Google’s Be Internet Awesome Resources
  • BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr.
  • Common Sense Media digital citizenship lessons
  • Digital citizenship books
  • STEM challenges to highlight these concepts

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

Digital citizenship is an important topic to discuss with students of all ages, even in the elementary classroom. With a world of technology constantly growing, we need to better equip our students to be able to adapt and respond online when different situations arise. In today's episode, I'll be sharing with you how to teach digital citizenship in the classroom with a STEM twist. 


Naomi Meredith  00:25

During the month of October, there is an official digital citizenship week. If you are listening or watching this in real-time, this week is October 17-21, 2022. This episode is coming out just in time for that. Likewise, I want to make sure that you download the free guide I put together for you when organizing all of your digital citizenship resources. This is a breakdown of how I use the resources in my K through five STEM classes throughout the week that I'll be talking about in this episode. You can grab the free download at naomimeredith.com/digitalcitizenguide. 


Naomi Meredith  01:06

Yes, there is a digital citizenship week. This is a topic that should be talked about year after year and throughout the entire school year. Some of my students come in, and they're all, “why are we talking about digital citizenship again?” Well, I tell them the same thing I just told you. This is something that is not going away, how to interact online. We need to be prepared for those situations and not be blindsided when something happens. We know how to be prepared upfront during the situation and even after. So let's dive into those resources that you can implement in your classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  01:45

The first one is Google’s Be Internet Awesome Resources and Interland. Over the past five years, these resources have really blown up. You can see why once you go and check out this free resource for teachers. It is geared towards grades third through middle school. It is an amazing resource that adds gamification to the lessons that you'll teach in your classroom. This is an awesome addition that they've added to these lessons within the past couple of years, as they have created Pear Decks to make the slides interactive with your students. Not only are the slides created, but they have specific questions where students can collaborate and respond and share the responses. I am so glad for this update because when I first used these lessons, when I first started teaching STEM, I was trying to make them interactive in my own way and creating Google forums for all the different discussion questions and scenarios that they have for each of the topics. Now it is so much easier with these Google Slides and Pear Decks that you can bring this experience to life within your classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  02:54

During the pandemic, I used these slides online, and it was perfect because students were at home and they were able to interact with me using these slides. I know some of you still teach online, do I definitely recommend this resource if you teach those grades that I mentioned. Something that I also like to do when I use this resource and the other ones that I'm talking about is I will supplement with other videos that are related to the topics that they're talking about. For example, one of the lessons is about sharing information, and they talk about AI-Artificial Intelligence. I found a video on YouTube that is quick and to the point and helps students understand the very basics of what AI is and how we use it in our everyday lives. Also, the biggest draw to this Google the internet awesome is Interland. My students are absolutely obsessed with playing this. Since I've had the kids now in my fifth year of STEM, the little kids are, oh, I've seen my siblings play this at home, which is awesome. I am so glad that they are practicing their digital citizenship at home through the games that are on this platform. This game doesn't require a login or anything for you to set up. Students' scores won't be saved after they play, so something to keep in mind when you're using this tool in your classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  04:17

The second resource that I love to use when teaching digital citizenship in the classroom are the videos and resources on BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. Some of the videos offered are free, and hopefully, your school purchases this subscription for you because there's a lot of great content for all subjects. BrainPOP is constantly researching and improving its videos to make sure that they are relevant to what we're teaching our students, and they have definitely stepped up the game when it comes to digital citizenship resources to share with your students. A lot of these videos I will pair with the Google Be Internet Awesome lessons and the other ones that I'm going to talk about in just a bit. Not only are the videos engaging and amazing, as we know that BrainPOP is, but I definitely recommend checking out on the side of the videos all of the activities and resources that you can do as a whole class, or you can even assign to students. This is a great way for students to reinforce those skills in an interactive way, and it's already done for you. Definitely check those out with any BrainPOP video because it's worth your time, and they really try to make these engaging for your kids. 


Naomi Meredith  05:32

The third great resource to use in your classroom and teaching digital citizenship is the Common Sense Media  Digital Citizenship lessons. These are always being researched and constantly updated to make sure that they are relevant, especially the lessons for primary students. They had things before where it was grouped K-5, but now, in the past few years, they've broken down these lessons where it's specifically for Kinder, specifically for first, and so on. This is an amazing resource, and you can use all of these things. Like I said in that free guide, I have all of this organized for you. In the free guide, you can see a breakdown of my week, how I teach digital citizenship, and my K-five STEM space. So make sure to grab that free guide because this will help you make sense of all of this cool stuff. In the Common Sense Media lessons, there's way more than you can get through throughout the week. So if you are a classroom teacher, dive into these and go through them with your students because they have great lessons that you can talk about all year long. 


Naomi Meredith  06:40

For my K through two students, their absolute favorite is these little guys called the digital citizens. They are these little characters who have different physical features that are exaggerated to help students remember of the lessons that they're learning. For example, one of the characters' names is legs, and it has really, really long legs to help students remember to stand up to bullies online. There's another character who is literally a giant head with feet, and its name is head, as you guessed. Head's job is to help students remember to think about the lessons that they learned and be smart when they're online. A lot of the lessons that are linked for each grade level have different videos and songs that the kids can sing along with, and they absolutely love them. Secretly, I love them too. I start dancing along and singing because, as you know, as a special teacher, you teach things a lot. You start memorizing some of the stuff, so I start singing and dancing, and I get weird looks or laughs, or both. So definitely check those out. 


Naomi Meredith  07:48

They also have slides ready to go for your lessons and worksheets that you can pair with the lessons. For many of those worksheets, instead of printing them out, I put them in Seesaw for my students. I might even add in some interactive pieces so students can respond digitally, and I don't have to print out a ton of paper for them. This is especially helpful again if you teach all the students in your school that they have this right at their fingertips, unlimited colors, and they might be a little bit more engaged in the lesson. A little side tip about these lessons, they have some older videos that relate to digital citizens on their YouTube channel. So go and search on YouTube Digital Citizens Common Sense Media, and you will see some older videos that are still really awesome. You can fit them into what you're teaching for the week and all year long. 


Naomi Meredith  08:39

The fourth resource to use when teaching digital citizenship in your classroom is to check out some digital citizenship books. There are a lot more books being made about this topic to make this not as overwhelming for students but age-appropriate, and we know students K through five love hearing a good read-aloud. I talked about this in a past episode, but I highly recommend pre-recording yourself reading any picture books to your class, doing a screencast, or reading it on the computer. Bonus points if you do this at home and you have your little pets. But this will actually help you save time when you have limited time with your students. They can still see your face, and you can set up any materials that are needed for the lesson. There is a whole bunch of digital citizenship books out there, but here are the top ones that I love to use in my class that relate to the lessons that I am teaching that week for each grade level. These will all be linked in the show notes with all of their full titles and author names, so you don't have to pause and write these down. All of that work is going to be done for you. 


Naomi Meredith  09:46

For media balance, these books are really great: Good Night iPad Tek. It's spelled t-e-k, and the book is actually shaped like a giant tablet, which is super cute; If You Give a Mouse an iPad. This book is not written by the same author who wrote If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but it has a similar style, and it is a little bit funnier too. For online privacy and sharing private and personal information, I really like reading Chicken Clicking and #Goldilocks: A Hashtag Cautionary Tale, or Being Kind and Sharing Information Online Nerdy Birdie is a great one, especially for those older students. There's a little bird and a vulture who are friends, and they like to tweet, literally tweet like tweeting birds, but also tweeting. So it's a cute little story. So definitely mix up these books throughout the week. But from there, I use these books, along with all the lessons that I'm talking to you about, for some STEM challenges that I created that go along with all of these lessons to make it more hands-on. If you're a specialist teacher, you're hoping that in the classrooms, they're talking about digital citizenship, and it's okay that you overlap some, but you also want to give the lessons your own STEM twist and do something that you know they're not doing in their homeroom classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  11:07

Here are the lessons that I like to use for K-five that integrate all of these topics and make it more hands-on and engaging in a different way. In Kindergarten, we talk about media balance. Students create their own balance using some simple supplies, including a clothing hanger, pipe cleaners, and small cups. We discuss what the word balance means. After they create their balance, they put different items in their balance to see which side weighs more than the other and test different materials to see how their balance will work. They also have a sort that I can do digital or paper, and they have different items that are screen-free or screen related. They have to sort the items to make sure that their paper and digital balance is well balanced. It also has different activities that they can refer to. For first grade, we talk about different types of websites that are out there because the internet is a huge, scary place. There are things that are green means go websites for a first-grade age, yellow means slow down for things that are meant for bigger kids, and red means stop which is for things that are meant for adults. We talk about these different kinds of websites. We even explore a few like the NASA kids website or the San Diego Zoo kids' live animal cameras. Then students create their own internet traffic light using construction paper or small cups. Then they have different types of websites or apps that are explained. We color each of those things together, and then they sort them on the internet traffic light using green, yellow, and red. 


Naomi Meredith  12:50

For second grade, we talk more about the information that is safe and not safe to share online, the private information that we need to keep to ourselves, and personal information that can be general and pretty much be true about anyone and that is generally safe for kids to share. We talk about different examples of those, and students will create their own paper laptop that shares their personal information that is safe to share. The ultimate goal for this little laptop is for the information to spin around, so it looks like the screen is actually changing. You get some really cute and interesting designs for what they think computers look like. Many of the kids like to draw the little keyboard, and they always write it in ABC order, which is so funny because keyboards aren't in ABC order, but they come up with some really cool designs. 


Naomi Meredith  13:42

For third grade, we talk about private and personal information in more detail. Students create a coding unplugged game where they have all of the safe personal information as game pieces and the general topics when it comes to private information that needs to be kept to themselves. They have a game board with different game variations that they can play to collect information before they get to the end. For fifth grade, I do the same project, but they have a different topic that they need to relate their creation too. They are taking on the role of a Digital Designer, and they create a sticker that will be shared with other kids their age to help remind them of the lessons that they learned about during the week. 


Naomi Meredith  14:25

For fourth grade, their sticker is for talking about ways that they can be kind online, and I make sure that my students' stickers don't say Be Kind online. Instead, I have them put what they can do to be kind online. Likewise, the fifth-grade stickers are about online privacy and safety, and the different types of things they should look for and not fall for. I have students create their stickers digitally using Google drawings. You could use a similar platform, but they have that one-page digital sheet in Google drawings where they create their digital sticker, and it can be shared digitally. Or if you have a machine that can cut out items, like a Cricut machine, I have students share their design with me in a Google forum that has all the different colors of sticker paper, their name, and what color sticker paper they would like. I end up actually cutting out their sticker design that is from that Google drawing in the Cricut platform. I have found having students create this way instead of creating within the Cricut program has been a great way to integrate this lower cost tool in the classroom because that way, I don't have to create a Cricut account for all of my students. They also get the benefit of learning how to use Google tools when it comes to digital design. You can use similar platforms like Adobe Spark, Canva, or PowerPoint. My students have Google accounts, so that's what has worked best in my classroom. 


Naomi Meredith  15:50

As a recap, here are ways to teach digital citizenship in your classroom. First is Google's Be Internet Awesome resources. Next are BrainPOP and BrainPOP, Jr. Third are the Common Sense Media digital citizenship lessons. Fourth, integrate digital citizenship books, and the fifth, STEM challenges to highlight those concepts. I know that this seems like a lot, and it's a lot of great resources to tackle. That's why I have that free guide for you that you can download to see how I structure my week integrating all of these resources within my K through five STEM spaces. You can grab that free download in the show notes, or you can also grab it using this direct link naomimeredith.com/digitalcitizenguide

teach-digital-citizenship-in-the-classroom

teach-digital-citizenship-in-the-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!

fall-stem-activities

5 Fall STEM Activities to Try [ep. 23]

5 Fall STEM Activities to Try [ep. 23]

fall-stem-activities

Check out the full episode on 5 Fall STEM Activities to Try:  

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Watch the full episode

Episode Summary

Fall is in the air, and it is a great time to mix in some themed STEM challenges. These five fall STEM activities to try are perfect for one-day lessons, sub plans, or even class parties, especially since they are low prep challenges. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Apple and pumpkin lifecycle robotic coding
  • Fall-themed engineer inspiration boards
  • Pumpkin bridges
  • Pumpkin digital activities
  • Designing a harvest basket

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

Naomi Meredith  00:00

Fall is in the air, and it is a great time to mix in some themed STEM challenges. These five fall STEM activities to try are perfect for one-day lessons, sub plans, or even class parties. Let's jump right into these low prep challenges.  


Naomi Meredith  00:27

If you haven't learned this about me by now, I love a good theme. You heard all about how I themed out my first unit of the year back in episode four, Welcome to STEM Survival Camp. If you take a peek around my house, I have some fall decorations peeking in the corners on my tables. Of course, I have all of those fall-flavored candles. In turn, I don't always teach themed lessons in my class. It can be really fun to integrate these within your lessons, especially if you need something quick that works for one day. If you really want to extend it throughout the week, all of these challenges will work perfectly for you and across many different grade levels. So let's jump into these five ideas that you can implement in your STEM space.  


Naomi Meredith  01:40

The first fall STEM activity to try is apple and pumpkin lifecycle robotic coding. This is a great low prep challenge that you can use as a station, and students can learn all about the lifecycle of favorite harvest fruits like apples and pumpkins. You can do this challenge for anything, but these two are very popular during the fall season. All you need to do is have each stage of the lifecycle of the pumpkin or apple on different cards, and students will code in a variety of ways to help them learn more about those life cycles. So here are a few variations of this that you can use with the robots that you have in your classroom. This will work well with pretty much any type of robot that you have. The only one I think it might not work best with is Ozobots unless you have a special grid, you could definitely do this in a different way.  


Naomi Meredith  02:40

Speaking of grids, there are grids that you can purchase that are fancy for all of the robots. However, when you are on a budget like most of us, it is sometimes easier to create your own grid that the robots can move along is really helpful for students to visualize the steps that they need their robot to travel. Most robots for children have very specific movements when they are moving forward in one space. You can create your own mat by measuring the distance of one forward move for each robot. However, I have created a lot of these for all the smaller robots and RDS with all the measurements done for you. So you can just print, cut, glue, and create whatever size mat that you want. Of course, all of the challenges that I will be talking about and these gridlines will be linked in the show notes to save you some time with your fall theme planning.  


Naomi Meredith  03:35

So for this lifecycle coding, create a map or use one that you have on hand and have those cards that are about the lifecycle of that living thing. You can even have students be more involved in this creation process. They can create the cards that they will code for that specific lifecycle. Once all of these resources are created, here are variations that you can play with these cards. If you're creating the grid ahead of time, you can laminate the different stages of the lifecycle of the pumpkin or apple. Students will code to those different locations on the grid. Another variation of this challenge is students can be in partnerships. Instead of having the cards laminated on the grid, they can be movable. One partner can place the cards on the grid-facing app, and the other partner will code the robot to gather all of the pieces in order of the lifecycle, and then they can switch. The third variation would be having that partner system, but then they have to code the lifecycle backward. The fourth variation is they can either go backward or forward, but instead of the grid-facing app, they can have them facing down, and it can be more like a memory game.  


Naomi Meredith  04:53

So there are a lot of different variations to this and with the age of your students and their coding experience. It's fun for them to try these different challenges to practice their coding skills. The second fall STEM activity to try is creating one-page inspiration boards that follow along with any of the fall holidays you are discussing in your classroom. These could be things like the Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Halloween, or even for the whole month, such as what different things are typical for that month. For instance, for the month of September, October, and November, what are different items that people think of for that month? You can have different pictures on this one-page board that can inspire students to build, such as apples, pumpkins, baskets, you name it. You can have these visuals for students, and then they can build with any materials that you have on hand, whether it'd be items in your Makerspace or if you want to pull out LEGO bricks. I really like using this type of engineer inspiration board with my younger students, especially when a lesson might go quicker than expected. These are really great to have on hand that you can have printed at a station, or you can display on the projector or TV in your classroom.  


Naomi Meredith  06:14

The third fall STEM activity to try is creating a pumpkin bridge. Again, this can be a one-day challenge in your classroom, or, if you want to dive in deeper, you can extend this for the whole week and use the Engineering Design Process. If you are a bit unsure about what the Engineering Design Process is, fairly recently, I had a whole mini-series about the Engineering Design Process where I dove into every single stage of that process to give you ideas on how to teach this in your classroom. So make sure to go back and listen to those because that will help you extend your knowledge whether you use the Engineering Design Process already or looking to gain more knowledge about it. For this pumpkin bridge challenge, you can use any materials you have on hand. I like to use popsicle sticks, tape, and cups. Students will build one of the types of bridges that we talked about in class to hold as many pumpkins as possible. This is fine if you use the pumpkin candies that you can find at the store. You can also use unifix cubes as I have. I'll tell the kids that the pumpkins are square because they came right out of Minecraft. There's a whole lot of buy-in for that, and they don't mind that the pumpkins are different colors. You could do a whole lot of math afterward, like how many pumpkins could it hold, and compare the different bridges in the classroom. You could measure how long the bridge was, how wide the bridge was, or how tall. So there's a whole lot of math that you could do with this STEM challenge.  


Naomi Meredith  07:30

The fourth fall STEM activity to try is pumpkin digital activities. Now this one isn't as hands-on, but it's a great way to implement the T-technology within your classroom if you want something that is paperless and easy to assign. I have two different variations for the grades. So for K through two, I like to create a digital interactive activity that they can use on Seesaw or Google slides that are quick little tasks on each slide. These tasks are helpful for the students because they can practice their digital skills, such as dragging and dropping, drawing on the screen, and labeling a picture. All of those tech skills are important for any type of activity, not just pumpkins. You can create each slide that goes along with a theme, like pumpkins. They can do things like measuring a vine using digital unifix cubes. They can use the shape tools to decorate a picture of the pumpkin or even an alphabet match where students are dragging the letters to help them spell different words such as pumpkins. Having these slides with quick activities helps students be successful. They can work at their own pace and also help each other out when they get stuck. For the older students, you could do something similar, but I also like to give them digital interactive notebooks that help them explore other outside resources that are kid friendly. This is where I like to pull in other resources such as podcasts, videos, paired selections, and nonfiction and fiction texts, and they can respond within the digital interactive notebook. You could share just one slide a day. You could have it be differentiated where certain kids might have specific slides, or you can have it even open-ended, and kids pick the slides that are most interesting to them. So this is a great way to pull in those outside resources that you might have been collecting over the years and assign them to one digital platform.  


Naomi Meredith  08:01

The fifth fall-themed STEM activity to try is having students design a harvest basket. Now, this isn't a lesson that I have in my store yet, maybe by the time this recording comes out, it will be in there. But this would be another fun challenge that you can use the Engineering Design Process or even do it in one day. You can have tiny pumpkins or tiny apples, or even pretend if you're worried about them getting damaged, and students could use materials like straws, popsicle sticks, or string to create a harvest basket to hold as many of these fruits as possible. This will be a great collaboration challenge, and also learn different techniques when it comes to securing items and being able to hold weight. If you wanted to extend this challenge even further, you could have students weigh how many apples or how many pumpkins their basket was able to hold. Then you could compare the weights using greater than and less than place value, or even graphing, depending on the age of your students and the math standards that would tie into those.  

 

Naomi Meredith  09:04

This was a quick episode today, but just some fun fall STEM activities that you can try in your STEM space and bring the fall into your classroom. So let's go over those five different activities that you can try. First is the apple and pumpkin lifecycle robotic coding. Next, our fall-themed engineer inspiration boards. Third, are pumpkin bridges. Fourth is pumpkin digital activities. And fifth is designing a harvest basket. I hope you enjoyed these fall-themed activities and definitely share with me what you have done in your classroom. I would love to see how it goes with your students. 

 

fall-stem-activities

 

fall-stem-activities

fall-stem-activities

fall-stem-activities

fall-stem-activities

fall-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!

what-are-creative-ways-to-present-a-project

What are Creative Ways to Present a Project? [EDP Series: Share, Ep. 21]

What are Creative Ways to Present a Project? [EDP Series: Share, Ep. 21]

what-are-creative-ways-to-present-a-project

Check out the full episode on What are Creative Ways to Present a Project?:  

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Episode Summary

Once students have completed a long-term STEM project, it’s important for them to share their work with an authentic audience. 

How can they share their work besides standing in front of their class and sharing one after the other?

In today’s episode, I will be sharing four creative ways students can present a project and have their voices heard. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn four creative ways students can present a STEM project:

  • Digitally
  • Answering reflection questions
  • Peer-to-peer sharing
  • Creating a museum-style type of sharing

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

00:00

After students have completed a long-term STEM project, it's important to share their work with an authentic audience. How do you do this besides having kids stand in front of the class and share one after the other? In this episode, I will be sharing with you creative ways that you can have students present their projects and have all of their voices heard. 


00:52

This is the last episode of our mini-series all about the Engineering Design Process. I've had a lot of fun recording these episodes and diving deeper into each stage of the Engineering Design Process. All of these ideas can be modified for any grade level that you teach, which makes the EDP such a great way to plan for the STEM space. If you haven't grabbed it already, I have a free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that you can download for your classroom. You can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/podcastEDP, and I'll also link it in the show notes. 


01:31

You know, when kids get super excited and want to show you what they have created in STEM? I'm really talking about Kindergarten here because they physically want to show you. You can't look across the room and say, “Oh, wow, you've worked so hard on that.” No, you physically have to go see it. If you are talking to a kindergartner, this is a great way for kids to share. However, there are even more creative ways that students can share their long-term STEM projects. This is an important step not to skip when you are teaching using the Engineering Design Process. So let's dive into these four creative ways that you can have students share their work.


02:14

The first way you can have students share their work is to go digital. This is one of my top favorite ways, and this is something that I do with K through five in my classroom. If I'm using the Engineering Design Process or other teaching methods, I love using Seesaw in my classroom. You can also use Flipgrid as an alternative. I provide the Seesaw code for the class regardless of what stage they are in the Engineering Design Process, but especially during that final share stage. I will do this a few ways with my kids. Oftentimes, I will have them take a video or create an audio recording of their final project. This might be a scripted experience, or it might be off the cuff, and they record an action. Both are valuable, and they can have different purposes. 


03:11

One way that I've used a scripted model is with my first graders when they were sharing their final 3D printed designs when we talked about animal families and their traits. Throughout the week, students researched their favorite animals and learned all about the babies and their adults, what they have on their bodies, and how they might be the same or how they might be different. One thing to keep in mind with 3D printing, I usually don't get the prints done by the end of the week. This share piece was the next month once I saw the kids, they got their 3D prints back. They colored their designs with Sharpies to make them look like real animals. When they were ready to share their work, I had a very specific script that was written and first-grade friendly language that we practiced together as a whole class. We made it a fun game, and the kids really liked how when they got to their specific part, they were supposed to share. It was super crazy but really fun. So we practice this script as a whole class repeatedly, and then students were sent off with their iPad. They were to take a picture of their final 3D printed design, draw the habitat using the seesaw Drawing Tools, and then record audio of their script. 


04:35

This script was very specific, and it helped them share the differences and similarities between the baby animal and their adults. The first graders were able to be successful and independent in this task because they understood what the script was saying. It was shown on this screen, and it was also printed on paper if they wanted to use that version. I also had on the script some visual markers, so little picture icons, to help them remember what the script said. It was so great having the kids in first grade be independent with this task because there were a few kids that needed more support from me. I was able to do that since I'm the only teacher in the classroom. 


05:16

Another way that I've had students share it digitally when it's off the cuff is really showing their work in action. I've talked about this in the other Engineering Design Process episodes of this podcast, including how students have been able to take videos during the experiment and improve stage. This can also be part of the sharing stage. For Kindergarten, I have them create a wall maze using recycled materials to show how the different things on the wall can change the path of the ball moving down the wall. Students again use Seesaw as the platform where they can take a video of their work in action and feel like they are taking the project home. In STEM, we use a lot of different materials. Students aren't always able to take all of that work home. Even if it's recycled materials, it just doesn't always make sense for them to take it home, such as the cardboard wall maze. So having them take a video of their work in action is a great way for them to share their designs with me, each other, and their families at home. Now, this can get a little overwhelming to manage, and it does take a lot of work and practice to teach kids how to use technology appropriately in this stage. Sometimes I will go around with my phone, I have Seesaw loaded on my phone, and I will take a video of their work in action. This is also another great option. If you don't have iPads or tablets in your classroom, you could use your phone as an alternative. But that's definitely up to you. 


06:50

The second way that I like students to share their work at the end of this process is to have reflection questions. I use the same three questions for all of my Engineering Design Process challenges year-round and for all of my grade levels. I like having the same three questions because the responses definitely change based on the types of experiences that we do for each unit. It also helps build that consistency where kids are mentally keeping track of how they are growing throughout these processes and working to try their best. The three questions that I like to give students are, I am proud of; if I were to try this challenge again, …; I would change blank, or blank was challenging for me. These are some great questions for students to type their responses to. So you can mix in that digital sharing, record audio or even video of their response. There's a lot of differentiation within these questions. Some students might even want to draw a picture or take a photo to respond to these questions as well. You can even mix these questions and have them as a class discussion throughout the week. Or, if you are pressed for time, this could just be the last day of your share. You have students share as a small group and then as a whole class. 


08:15

The third way that you can have students creatively share their projects is peer-to-peer sharing, especially in the older grades. They love to hear what their other friends in the class think about their projects. Yes, they want me as a teacher to notice their work, but as they get older, they're so focused on what their peers think. So give them that opportunity and teach them constructive ways to respond to one another. One way that I have done this is with the fourth grade, and they created videos that were all about space junk. So throughout the week, they were researching what space junk is, what the problems are, and what are some possible solutions and even thinking of their own solution. They created a short video in Adobe Spark with a voiceover to share their findings in a concise and clear way. 


09:06

From there, students pasted the link of their video in Seesaw. You guys know I love Seesaw by now. They pasted it in Seesaw, and we talked about ways that are constructive to comment on one another's work. Students commented on the videos, and they wrote at least one thing the students did well in their video and one thing that they needed to work on. The great thing is that these comments come to me first, so I was able to review those before they were approved so that the other students in the class could see. During the same unit for second grade, second graders researched different natural disasters that happen in our world, and they created a scripted video that utilized a green screen to teach us about these natural disasters. Again, students have that video posted in Seesaw, and instead of giving feedback through typing, students were given a paper feedback checklist, where they could circle what went well in the video and things that they needed to work on. 


10:10

This could definitely work for the older grades as well using a peer feedback checklist, especially when it comes to video and audio productions of their work. This same checklist was also used for the students when they were modifying their videos and before they were posting them. So all of the qualifications that their peers were marking them on weren't a surprise because these were things that they needed to add to their video anyway. Having a mix of digital and paper was a great way to have students reflect on their work and hear their peers' viewpoints on what their STEM project was. 


10:47

The fourth way that you can have students share their designs is by creating a museum experience. This is one where you will need space within your classroom or somewhere else in the building where other classes can move about and check out the students' work. Maybe consider if there are any display cases in your building that you could use for a month or so, or maybe somewhere in the library on top of the bookshelves, get creative. And This is a really fun, interactive way where again, students have an authentic audience to view their work. I did this when I was teaching third grade. So before I became a STEM teacher, I taught second grade for two years and third grade for four years. My third graders were really obsessed with rocks and minerals. That was one of the standards that we were teaching in science at the time. This isn't, per se, a STEM project. But this is more so to help you get an idea of how to do a museum-style sharing in your classroom. 


11:50

Students were given a specific rock or mineral that they wanted to learn more about. I actually had the real rocks and minerals for them to explore. They researched their rock or mineral using a variety of resources. Then they created an interactive poster for other kids, other third graders, and their book buddies to explore. Students created little short videos and audio recordings that were created in Seesaw. There is a share button that could create a QR code that could then be posted on the poster. When we were at recess, lunch, or specials. The different classes had the opportunity to sign up for those times when my room was empty. They could borrow the iPads and check out our interactive displays and all the different rocks and minerals that we had in our classroom. So this was not only a great way for my third-grade students to have an authentic audience throughout the day. But the other classes had an in-house field trip that they could come and explore as well, and the classroom teachers appreciate it because there are no permission slips or bus forms required. 


13:01

Another way that I have done this museum-style is for a semester when I first started teaching STEM. I taught gifted and talented science on Mondays for the kids who had been identified in giftedness within science. We would work on projects for the whole semester, and then students had the opportunity to share their projects with their peers through a museum style. I did provide a peer feedback checklist a lot like the one that I just talked about and that the other third, fourth or fifth graders were given so they could give feedback to their peers on their project. After this museum experience, students collected those peer feedback forms, and actually created a graph based on the responses that they were given, and then reflected on how they could improve their work for a different type of presentation for next time. Again, those authentic audiences can definitely be those peers. Use the kids who are in your school, use your teachers, and you can really be creative with the time and the space to make this museum type of experience come to life. 


14:12

As a recap, here are the four different ways that you can have students creatively share their STEM projects at the end of the Engineering Design Process. First, they can share digitally. Second, have reflection questions. Third, peer-to-peer sharing, and fourth, create a museum-style type of sharing. This is the final episode of this mini-series about the Engineering Design Process. But we will definitely be talking about the EDP again, and a lot, but I wanted to make sure to go in-depth about each stage, so this can help with your overall planning. Also, don't forget to grab your free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that is linked in the show notes to help you organize and streamline those lesson plans and to dive deeper into the EDP. You can grab that using this direct link Naomimeredith.com/podcastEDP. 

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

what-are-creative-ways-to-present-a-project

Check out these creative ways students have shared their designs in some of the projects discussed in this podcast episode: 

3D Print Project: 1st Grade Animal Family Traits

2nd Grade: Earth’s Exciting Events, Green Screen Video

4th Grade: Space Junk Short Video

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!

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

Helping Students Improve STEM Projects [EDP Series: Experiment & Improve, Ep. 20]

Helping Students Improve STEM Projects [EDP Series: Experiment & Improve, Ep. 20]

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

Check out the full episode on Helping Students Improve STEM Projects:  

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Episode Summary

As students are building their STEM projects, are you unsure of ways they can improve their designs?

The experiment and improve stage of the Engineering Design Process is so important to teach kids that things might not be perfect the first time, and there are always ways to make them better. 

In this episode, I will be sharing with you strategies that you can use with your students to help them improve and modify their designs. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn strategies to help students improve their STEM projects:

  • Using a modification checklist
  • Create a rubric for each STEM project
  • Give students opportunities to show what happened in their project

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

00:00

As students are building their STEM projects, are you unsure of ways they can improve their designs? When students come up to you, and they say, “I'm done,” do you say, “Oh, now go and just add more details.” In this episode, I will be sharing with you strategies that you can use with your students to help them improve and modify their designs. 


00:53

I can't believe we have already made it to Episode 20. It has been so much fun recording these podcasts and creating episodes that you can immediately apply to your classroom. I am excited about how far this podcast has come and what is in store for the future. Trust me, I have a ton of ideas brewing. So lots more fun to be had in the future. If you haven't grabbed it already, I have a free Engineering Design Process poster and planning guide that you can download for your classroom. You can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/podcastEDP. I'll also link it in the show notes. 


01:36

I know I've talked about this before, but I like comparing the Engineering Design Process to the writing process because there are a lot of similarities between those two processes. Being a former classroom teacher, that is just something that has stuck in my brain after teaching it for so many years before becoming a STEM teacher. The experiment and improve stage of the Engineering Design Process is similar to the editing stage within the writing process. It is the process for both of these things. A growth mindset that I like to teach my students in my classroom is that practice makes better, not perfect. Everything can be improved, even when you think you're done. This step in the Engineering Design Process is so important to teach kids that things might not be perfect the first time, and there are always ways to make them better. 


02:30

Here are some strategies that I like to use in this stage to make it more impactful and meaningful for students. These strategies keep me from rushing and running out of ideas for kids to make things better, or, after they build something, I don't just send them off to go do a fun activity. This stage in the Engineering Design Process can be very beneficial with some careful planning. 


02:54

The first way that you can enhance the experiment and improve stage is to use a modification checklist. Now, in my first year teaching STEM, I was completely lost on this. I was feeling probably like you are like I have no idea where to even begin with a checklist. I don't even know how the projects are going to turn out. Trust me, I was in your shoes, and I'm in those shoes whenever I'm starting new projects. So here's a little tip that has worked for me. When starting a new project, I will create an anchor chart of ways students can improve their designs as students are working. So with observations and how their projects are going, I will add to this anchor chart and list. I even get feedback from students as to what they would like to add to this list to help the future classes that I'm going to teach. Using the student feedback has been a game changer because I might think the project is going to go one way, but the way students are interacting with the lesson and the supplies are going in a completely different direction. I will always take their feedback when it comes to these checklists. 


04:03

In fact, when I was teaching STEM survival camp for fifth grade, the checklists for the build a shelter design was actually fully developed by my fifth graders. They had the checklist I'd given them, and they were writing all over it and adding in their own categories since I didn't design it in a way that worked best for them. So I recreated that checklist based on their feedback. My fifth graders really liked the layout because kids like them helped me create it. Now, years later, being in this position of K through five STEM, I have created my full year-long plan when it comes to engineering design challenges. Each challenge has different checklists included already, so you don't have to think about them. They are all done for you. There are even checklists for the little kids. 


04:54

For example, with my first graders for a unit, we were talking about Earthlight and light living things. What is that fancy word? Bioluminescent. The kids love learning this word and the meaning behind it. They sounded so fancy when they were sharing this with their teacher when they picked them up for the day. Students were to create their own living thing, either one that already exists or a living thing that would be enhanced if it did give off its own light and the reason behind that light. They were given a checklist the second day of creating, and there were just three lines in this checklist with a thumbs up, and a thumbs down that they could circle on the piece of paper or within Seesaw when I sent it to them digitally. These things weren't required for them, but I did say they had to do at least one of these three things when they were thinking about improving their design. On this checklist, those three things were does your living thing live in water? Does your living thing fly? And does your living thing eat other animals? So this was interesting for them to really think about who their animal was and even the purpose behind the light that they gave them. My example was that I would love it if my little dog Frederick's ears glowed. They had that bioluminescence, so when we're going on walks, he can see more clearly where we're going, and I can also see when I have to pick up his poop. Sorry, super gross TMI right there. 


06:30

Also, when I give checklists to my older kids, I give them those things on the checklist that they may or may not have to do. It depends on the project and the purpose behind the project. There's a space on the side where they can actually explain how the modifications made their design even better. When it comes to my 3D printing lessons, there are specific things they have to do within their project so that it will print correctly. Most of the things on the modification checklist have to be yes before they turn it in. However, there are other projects that we do where only a couple have to be a yes, and the rest are just ways that they can make their design even better. 


07:13

In addition to the checklist, another way that you can enhance your experiment and improve stage with the Engineering Design Process is the use of rubrics. You can use this instead of checklists or in addition to. If I were to use both, especially if I were to give grades within the STEM space, I would have students use the checklist when they are creating and experimenting, and improving. Then, when we are finished with the building stage, and this might even happen on the last day right before we share,  students are given that rubric, and they can reflect on the work that they did within this project. So they might even be done experimenting and improving, and they're thinking about how they really attacked those things. You can use a lot of the same things, even from the checklist, especially if you are planning with standards, which you should be anyway. But you can add some of those elements within your rubric. 


08:14

If I were to create a rubric for my STEM classroom, I would have it on a four-point scale, the one would be categorized as I am missing some things. This is if students really struggled in completing the project. Hopefully, they're not in that one category. Or maybe they were absent, so I would actually leave this part of the rubric blank so students could write in their responses, or I could add my responses. The two category would be I can do it with support. So those would be those qualifications that students were below grade level and had most of those things, but they have some holes. The three would be I can complete the project. So those would be all those qualifiers that are at grade level. They can demonstrate an understanding of the standard and the project. The four would be I can extend my learning. I also like to leave this blank. Or, if I know some ways students can extend their learning, I might write those in as well. So having that four-point scale would be really helpful, and have it written in student-friendly language, so it's not a surprise for them as to how they did on their project. This could be a great addition to the stage of the Engineering Design Process. 


09:34

Another thing too, when you're creating this rubric, I would think about the process first, then the product. I would have both within your rubric. So part of those qualifiers on your rubric you could talk about is did they demonstrate certain processes within the project. So learning a new skill when they are working on the project. The product could actually be how they demonstrate the state standard when attacking this challenge. Having a combination of both, which is really important in STEM. Are they understanding the standards? How are they learning new skills within STEM? Whether it's 3D printing or Makerspace coding, how are they demonstrating mastery within those? If you're interested in more things about grading, we could talk about that in the future. I will say I don't actually give grades in my STEM space. But this is the process I would use if I had to do that. So definitely something to consider and talk about when you're thinking about rubrics. 


10:38

Finally, the third way to enhance your experiment and improve stage is to give students the opportunity to show what happens. My two favorite platforms to use within the classroom, and especially in STEM classrooms, are Seesaw and Flipgrid. Both are very similar, but they also have differences. Having these platforms in your classroom is super beneficial for families to see what takes place within your classroom. We know that kids can't always take home the awesome supplies that they're using in STEM. Of course, they really want to, especially LEGO minifigs that go missing. Those never come back. But kids always want to share all the cool things that we did. These platforms are a great way for students to bring those experiences home through video, photos, and audio. Also, when you use these platforms, this is also a great way to keep kids accountable for the work and make sure that they are staying on task and completing the project. 


11:40

One of my first favorite ways is for students to use video during this improve and experiment stage. A big way that I used it with my fifth graders is when they were creating Rube Goldberg Ecosystems. Every time they were testing their design, I wanted them to take a video of inaction, whether it worked or not. It was great for them to have video evidence of their actual experiment. This was also helpful because they could go back and watch what happened the day before and set it up the same way or differently, depending on the results within their Seesaw journal. They had an abundance of videos to go back and reflect on, and this actually helped them when they came into the share stage when we talked about the project throughout the week. 


12:27

Another way that I've used video within an engineering design project was in second grade. They were working on animal migration Ozobots. Ozobots are those tiny little robots that read color codes when you color them with markers or use the stickers provided. Beforehand, students researched the migration patterns of different animals and understood why they were migrating and how that affected them. Students created the path of the migration within the maps that were provided. I wanted students to film the process of their code and action. It's so cute to see them filming this because you can see them experiment within the video when the code doesn't work. They'll pick up the robot and put it where it needs to go. Again, I wanted them to take more than one video so that if their code doesn't work, they could create a new coding sheet on a new map and then record it. So these are just two great examples of experimenting and improving within your STEM lessons. 


13:31

Sometimes video might not be the best fit to share. This is when photos are a great opportunity. Of course, you can have students take pictures of their work but if their invention is supposed to do something, consider having students take before and after photos. Again, in another second-grade lesson, I had students create an invention to help control the effects of water erosion. We actually tested this using dirt that we found outside, so there was a hill I took students out on, and I wanted them actually to test their invention with the water that we brought. Before taking the students outside, I had them take a picture of their invention before it got wet. Then some kids even went on to explain with audio how their invention was going to work. I then had students bring their inventions back into the classroom. After we tested them using the water and the dirt, they took an after photo and then explained what actually happened. I didn't want the iPads outside with the dirt, so that's why I had them bring the inventions back in. 


14:42

If there are before and after opportunities, consider taking photos. If you're doing projects that are all computer-based, there are some platforms that allow students to do screen recordings. This would be really cool if students are creating a code for a game or if they're 3D printing. They can actually film their screen in real-time and play it back on a hyperlapse to see the progression of their projects along the way. On the flip side, when you're thinking about teacher management, it would be great to keep kids accountable and ensure that they're staying on the screen that they're supposed to stay on. A great platform for students to use for screen recording is Screencastify. They have come out with a whole classroom set. You definitely should check that out because I love using Screencastify as a teacher, but it would be a cool asset to use for your older students when it comes to screen recording. Wii video is another platform that allows screen recording capabilities. So definitely check out those platforms and see how you can fit that in when students are designing digitally. 


15:49

As a recap, here are ways to help your students improve their STEM projects when you are in the experiment and improve stage. First, consider using a modification checklist. Next, create rubrics. Third, give students opportunities to show what happens. We have one more stage left in this mini-series about the Engineering Design Process. So thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure to grab your free Engineering Design Process poster and Planning Guide, which is linked in the show notes and are also found at this direct link: Naomimeredith.com/podcastEDP.

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

helping-students-improve-stem-projects

 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

 

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

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

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

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

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

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

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

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

dot-day-stem

5 Dot Day STEM Activities to Try [ep. 16]

5 Dot Day STEM Activities to Try [ep. 16]

dot-day-stem

Check out the full episode on 5 Dot Day STEM Activities to Try:  

Subscribe to the podcast HERE on your favorite podcasting platform.

Watch the full episode:

 

Episode Summary

Dot Day is an international celebration of inspiration and creativity. 

This is a fun one-day celebration that you can implement within your STEM space. 

In today's episode, I will be sharing with you five Dot Day STEM activities that you can implement in your classroom to celebrate this fun day. 

 

In this episode you’ll learn five Dot Day STEM activities you can implement in your classroom:

  • Augmented reality dots
  • Chalk dots
  • Spiral graph dots
  • Dot launchers
  • Stop motion animation dots

Resources Mentioned:

Episode Transcript: 

00:00

Dot Day is an international celebration of inspiration and creativity. This is a fun one-day celebration that you can implement within your STEM space. After reading the book, The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds, students have the opportunity to create their Dot that represents them. In today's episode, I will share with you five STEM activities you can implement in your classroom to celebrate this fun day. 


00:55

Dot Day, as described on their website, is celebrated on September 15ish. So really, this means you can celebrate on the day of or choose the day in which you want to celebrate creativity, which can be year-round. I have seen all sorts of posts all over social media over the years. There are schools that go all out on Dot Day and even celebrate for a full month. These activities might not take you a month to complete. They're fairly simple, but they're also engaging and can inspire creativity in your classroom. 


01:41

I tried to choose a variety of things and a variety of media to help you celebrate in a way that would work best for you and for whatever grade levels you teach. Don't worry, there are going to be a lot of links and resources that I'm going to be talking about in this episode. I will link all of them in the show notes so you don't have to pause and write them down. I have done all of the hard work for you. So let's jump into these five Dot Day activities. 


02:11

The first activity is Augmented Reality dots. Just to clarify, here is the difference between Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Augmented Reality is seeing things in our world. So it looks like things are popping up right in front of our eyes on our screen. It seems like they are there with us. Virtual Reality is when we are entering a world. So it feels like we are in that space. This activity is about Augmented Reality, bringing these dots to life, and making them pop out on the screen. This activity does require tablets, preferably iPads, and you will download the free app called Quiver. 


02:58

In addition, there is a free coloring sheet where students can design their Dot using markers. When they scan the Dot using the app, it looks like a magical 3D sphere is sitting on the table. This activity is so magical for students, and they love it. It's especially great for the younger grades because there is high engagement and low prep. I recommend for your coloring pages, instead of printing one full page, print four to a page and make sure to have extras because kids want to create an extra to try out other designs. This is also a great takeaway because students can take their coloring sheet and download the app at home to try it out with their families. 


03:51

The next Dot Day activity is sidewalk chalk dots. Of course, you're going to read this story before you do all of these activities. Then you will take your students outside to have them design a Dot that represents them. You can also have them decorate the outside grounds of your school. This is especially great if you teach multiple classes in the day and you can take them to different locations around the building. So by the end of the day, there are colorful dots that are just covering your sidewalks. This activity reminds me of the book The Questionnaires, that I truly love, and the book Aaron's Slater Illustrator, where he designs things in his way. So if you want another book pairing to the Dot, I highly recommend these books. Sidewalk chalk is very easy to get your hands on. My favorite couple places to grab it besides Amazon is the Dollar Tree and the Target dollar spot or even clearance sections. 


04:56

This next Dot Day activity has a couple of different options depending on your available resources. This is all about spiral graph dots. Spiral graphs are so beautiful and have so much symmetry. With the way the lines curve and using different colors within those designs, you can do this activity by using a free spiral graph maker. It didn't require a login when I last used this with students. Students can choose different colors within the palettes on the computer and then choose different spiral graph templates or those spiky things and create different spiral graphs within the different kinds of symmetry. I also found a really cool video that shows different artists and how they use spiral graphs within their artwork, which I also recommend adding in that connection. 


05:55

You can even make this an even more hands-on activity if you have spiral graph templates in your classroom already. I've been lucky and have been able to find some in the Dollar Tree. But also check out Amazon as well because you might be able to find those. So this is a great math and art connection to teach students about symmetry and how it's used in this artwork, and how they could design a fun spiral graph to express their creativity. Now, with the online version, there isn't a way to technically save the spiral graphs. So what I recommend is having students take a screenshot and share it within a platform that you use in your classroom, like Flipgrid, Seesaw, or Google Classroom. 


06:39

The next Dot Day activity is Dot ball launchers. One of my favorite robots to use in the K through five STEM space is the Dash robot by Wonder Workshop. This is not sponsored by them; I'm just recommending this robot. If you want to purchase something for your classroom, the Dash robot is so much fun. There are a lot of different coding options. You can also purchase the external accessory, which is a ball launcher. This is a one day activity. The ball launchers are a little bit finicky. And it's not an accessory I use for a ton of different activities. But it's a whole lot of fun, and the kids love it. 


07:24

Set up the ball launchers, download the ball launcher app that connects to the Dash robots, and have different cups or a one-page target sheet with different identifiers and STEM that students can relate to. These things can be like I am a mathematician, I am a creator, I am an illustrator, and they can be the targets that students are launching the ball toward or the thing that they are identifying with for the day. I have a whole collection of these made. I use these light bulbs with these identifiers in my affirmation station that I talked about in the back-to-school episode of the podcast. So make sure to go back and listen to that episode. But this is a fun way to use that same resource with a hands-on encoding activity. 


08:14

For the launcher, there isn't a whole lot of complicated coding. So if you haven't introduced robots or coding within your classroom yet, you can still do this activity. Again, it's a fun one-day thing to try. I like to put students in groups of three and give them specific jobs, which I like to do with robots. Here are the three jobs that I like to assign in their small groups. First, we have the driver, and they are the one who is holding the device and tapping the code that will launch the ball. The second is the navigator. They aren't necessarily touching the device, but they're watching the driver to ensure they're using the right code to launch the ball correctly. The third job is the retriever, and they're the one, like the name says, who will retrieve the ball. Wherever the ball lands, they can switch off jobs based on their own decisions. Or, if you have groups who have a hard time hogging certain jobs, you can set a timer on your screen, and when the timer goes off, that can signify the switch. So a fine coding activity to bring the Dot Day balls to life. 


09:30

The fifth and final Dot Day activity you can try in your classroom is stop motion dots. I love teaching with stop motion animation. It is a really old filming technique, but it pushes kids to think critically, and problem solve in front of the camera. There isn't much screen time when it comes to stop motion animation. It requires so much patience to make the characters and objects move smoothly in front of the camera. In reality, it is just a click of a button to put all the pictures together. My favorite app for stop motion animation on tablets is Stop Motion. I will link that in the show notes. There is a paid version. You can get it, but you don't have to. It works a lot bthan just having kids take a bunch of pictures all at once and just scrolling through the camera roll. 


10:27

If you're using Chromebooks, laptops, or tablets, there are a couple of Chrome extensions that I've played around with before. Or you could get the Hue Document camera. There is actually a whole line of software that goes along with the stop motion animation. For their Dot, for this activity, students can use modeling clay. My favorite clay is the Crayola modeling clay because it's super cheap, and it doesn't dry out, which is awesome. You can reuse it over and over again. Students can create a Dot that will roll into the screen, transform it into something that represents them, and then roll off of this screen. So if I were to create my Dot, I would, of course, have a hot pink Dot, but you all knew that by now. I'm sure I would have a hot pink Dot ball that would roll onto this screen, and possibly transform into a podcast mic. I could add other colors, and then it could squish down back into its pink little ball and roll off the screen. This will be a great way to introduce stop motion animation. It's a pretty easy activity but will take a lot of patience and collaboration to make it all work. 


11:43

As a recap, here are the five STEM inspired Dot Day activities you can try in your classroom. First is the Augmented Reality dots. Next, the chalk dots. Third, the spiral graph dots. Fourth, Dot launchers, and fifth, the stop motion animation dots. Again, all of the resources I mentioned will be linked in the show notes, so you don't have to remember them. If you try any of these in your classrooms, tag me on Instagram at Naomi Meredith underscore. I would love to see how I helped inspire creativity in your classroom.

dot-day-stem

dot-day-stem

dot-day-stem

dot-day-stem

 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

 

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

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

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

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

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

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

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

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

technology-skills-for-elementary-students

Top 7 Technology Skills for Elementary Students [ep. 10]

Top 7 Technology Skills for Elementary Students [ep. 10]

technology-skills-for-elementary-students

Check out the full episode on the top 7 technology skills for elementary students:  

Episode Summary

Although most of our students are comfortable with technology, we still need to teach them rules and routines when it comes to using technology in the classroom. 

What are the main technology rules and skills we should teach our elementary students?

In today’s episode, I will be sharing the top seven tech skills to teach your students, whether it is back to school, coming back from a long break, or your class is in need of a refresh. 

In this episode, you’ll learn the top 7 technology skills for elementary students:

  • #1-Reviewing general technology rules
  • #2-Caring for your headphones
  • #3-Understanding schoolwide technology norms
  • #4-Being a problem solver and troubleshooting with technology
  • #5-Learning how to clean devices
  • #6-Knowing your username and password
  • #7-Logging into various platforms that will be used throughout the year

Resources Mentioned:

Free Technology Skills Badges & Mini Lesson

Classroom Rules for Technology 

Technology Troubleshooting Tips for Students

Episode Transcript: 

00:00

We all know by now that our students are comfortable with technology may be a little bit too comfortable. But, like everything we teach in our classrooms, we still need to set up those rules and routines regarding using technology. So, here are the top seven tech skills to focus on with your students, whether it is back to school, coming back from long breaks, or if your class needs a little bit of a refresh. 


00:31

I can't believe that we are already here on episode 10. I am just so excited about what this podcast has already grown into and all the positive feedback you have shared with me as listeners and people on social media. I knew this podcast was needed but didn't realize how needed it was. I am just so thankful for all of you that you are listening to me each week and letting me help you with your STEM routines in your classroom. With that, I wanted to read one of the reviews I received on Apple podcasts. I read these; they just light me up and help me keep going. So thank you so much to Bree Smith 13. Here's what Bree had to say, “Just what I needed. I am so excited about this podcast. I've seen Naomi speak at conferences and follow her on social media. She has wonderful ideas, tips, and resources for implementing STEM in a meaningful and purposeful way. Now, instead of having to spend all the time researching STEM ideas and lessons, I can just listen to your podcast on my way to work.” Thank you so much for this review! It means the world to me. If you want to share a review, go ahead and do that on your podcasting platform. I love to see what you guys think of the podcast. These reviews help other teachers like you find this because I know there are few elementary STEM podcasts. So we can reach more teachers, and I can help create content for exactly what you need. 


01:44

So let's dive into this episode. There is a purpose when using technology for academics, fun, and entertainment. Sometimes it's hard for our students to differentiate between the two. It doesn't always mean that their technology skills will always transfer to the classroom in those academic settings. They probably can learn all those academic skills more quickly, but we just can't assume that kids know how to use technology in school. These skills need to be reviewed and explicitly taught throughout the year so that students are using technology appropriately and for their intended purposes. 


03:25

This episode will be slightly different from the others; it will be more of a list style. If you read blogs, it's called a listicle. I'm not sure what it's called for a podcast, a podcast listicle, maybe a popsicle. I'm not sure, but in this episode, I will list seven skills you can teach your students. These would all be mini lessons to teach your class throughout the day or one a day, depending on the time you have with kids. Now, I created a freebie for this, and it is in my TPT shop completely free. Inside this freebie is a list of videos that I made. You can see my beautiful face and teach these mini lessons to your kids. You could show these videos to the kids, or you can watch them and teach them on your own. For each of those videos, there's a badge that you can print or share digitally with students to help them keep track of the lessons they have learned. There is also a little organizer, a little placeholder for those badges that kids can put in digitally or printed. This will help them remember the lessons and ensure they use technology appropriately in your classroom for success. 


04:40

The first tech skill you want to teach your kids is your basic technology rules in the classroom. Don't have more than 10 rules. Having more than 10 rules can be a lot for you and the students to remember. The rules should be your basic rules when using technology in the classroom, no matter what the tool is. So this can be things like we always carry devices with two hands. So that could be related to laptops or robots. I also like to include the rule we're respectful of everybody's work. This includes helping each other when you're working on the same device and commenting on other students' work. That's important as well, that digital citizenship piece. So think about the classroom rules you want to have in your classroom and teach those to your kids. 


05:26

In episode seven, I shared some Back to School activities you can use in your classroom. One of those was a fun activity that you can use to help review and teach the rules in your classroom. So if you haven't checked it out, go back and have a listen. This activity will make your rule reveal much more fun concerning this tech skill. This may or may not be a rule, but a general routine in your classroom is to show kids how to store and plug in the devices properly. Whatever they are using, kids need to have this responsibility in your classroom. I recommend giving students a number in your classroom that you can use for various activities and their devices. So just number kids one through 24 plus. That would be so nice to have a class of 24, right? But number them one through 24 plus and then have the devices go in that slot that matches with their number that can make things a lot easier whether you have the kids for specials or in your regular classroom. 


06:27

So teach the proper care of how to carry, store, and plug in those devices, whatever kind that you have. Also, make sure you're following any district or school guidelines. Our school computers have some little quirks to them when putting them away and the logging out process. Make sure to teach those to your kids as well. 


06:49

The second tech skill you want to share with students is taking care of their headphones and wrapping up the cords. Those cords, I don't know how many I have untangled over the years. Teaching the kids how to care for those headphones and cords is important. I have a couple of ways to store headphones in my STEM classroom, making it easy for the students to grab. I have those shoe organizers from Walmart or Amazon that have clear pockets. Once students wrap up the headphones, they can put them in the pocket. It's great because it's long, but it can fit the needs of all heights and students of all ages, which is great. I have some other headphones on this side that I just wrap up and put in gallon ziplock bags. These are just extra headphones from storage spaces; sometimes, students will leave fancy headphones behind. I will hold on to those first just in case a few students might need headphones in their classroom for the school year. 


07:51

A little tip, I know this isn't headphones, but I do have a bunch of computer mice with tails. That's what I call them, at least a bunch of computer mice with cords. I have another hanging shoe rack for the computer mice. Now, you're probably wondering why in the world I would have computer mice when I'm not even in a computer lab. I love having computer mice on hand because some students prefer using a mouse. I prefer using a mouse. So I completely understand that some students prefer it. This is especially true when we get into coding or 3D printing lessons. A computer mouse is a lot more efficient than a touchpad. So this is a great asset to have on hand. You could go out and purchase them or even reach out to local businesses if they have extra computer mice with the tails that they could donate to your classroom. So again, teach your students how to care for these things in your classroom and where to store them when they are finished. 


08:49

The third tech skill to teach your students is your school-wide norms when using technology in your building. This might be site-specific, and you probably want to modify the lesson I have linked in the freebie. What are your school's expectations when using technology in your school building? Is there a specific checkout system for that? Our kids bring the devices to and from school, or the students using devices from their classroom bring them into the STEM classroom. 


09:21

A big thing that I like to tell my students is that we're not changing the backgrounds. That is just so tempting for them. I know some teachers are okay with that. Now, you might be the technology lead in your building, just like I am. I'm our K through five STEM teacher, but I'm also our school-wide tech person. So whether that's your role or the tech teacher's role, think about those school-wide technology norms that all teachers follow so that you can relay that information to the students. 


09:58

The fourth tech skill you want to share with your students is troubleshooting tips and tricks that they can use. In general, with most pieces of technology, this is extremely helpful to teach all students instead of just having one or two tech experts in your classroom. I don't like having that role in a class because I think all students can learn. Some kids are more comfortable with technology, but these are all basic things that all kids should know, even teachers. So teach kids those basic skills like refreshing a page, closing a page out or closing something out when it doesn't work, turning something on and off, and unplugging and plugging back in a device. So it's those basic troubleshooting techniques that can work with most pieces of technology that are helpful to teach kids and keep referring to throughout the year. Whenever there's a technology problem in the classroom, instead of me touching on the issue, I always ask, “Well, what did you do? Talk me through the steps you took.” So if they didn't try anything, we could think of a solution to solve the problem. My role is to teach them how to troubleshoot these things, not just to be their superhero. I want to help kids troubleshoot those issues. So go through those things. You'll have to go through them all the time, but trust me, it will be so worth it throughout the year when you have kids who are problem solvers and not problem makers. 


11:30

The fifth technology skill you want to share with students is cleaning devices. Another important part of digital citizenship is ensuring that we care for those devices and use them the right way, but also clean them periodically so that they look good and are the best they can be. You could make a cleaning video with students and have this on your school-wide news. I've done that in the past. You can email the video to teachers, so everyone knows the proper cleaning methods for your school devices. When I have students come to STEM, I try my best to have kids help clean devices at the end of the week, so they're ready to go for the next group of kids. If they bring in their own devices from their classroom, they will also clean them with me. So again, this is a great skill to teach kids to keep your technology squeaky clean and looking good. 


12:28

The sixth tech skill to teach your kids is knowing their username and password. Depending on your school, there might be one username and password used for multiple platforms, or you might have a bunch of usernames and passwords for other platforms. Now, it's okay if they don't know all of them. That can be a lot, even as an adult. I have probably at least 100 usernames and passwords. They need to know how to get that information and type it correctly. As a STEM teacher, I don't hold on to all of the kids' usernames and passwords. I know this sounds very counterintuitive. However, my role is not to be the gatekeeper of knowledge. If I always have their usernames and passwords, they're always relying on me for that information. 


13:27

In episode nine, I talked about how I have students in grades second through fifth who bring their devices from their classroom. They use them so they can connect that the same device can do the same things that we do in STEM and their classroom. The big thing I tell kids and their teachers is that if they bring their device and still need support with their username and password, they need to get that information from their classroom. It's taken a lot of training in my school to ensure students have access to their usernames and passwords independently instead of relying on the teacher to pull those out for the kids. So this has helped students be independent and responsible for their username and password and know where to gather that information. Some classes have them taped in their pencil boxes, homework folders, or planners. Wherever that information is in their classroom, the classes will bring that in if needed, so I'm not the gatekeeper of all the knowledge. I just can't keep track of that information, so do what works best for you. Teaching kids their usernames and passwords and how to get that information and login will be a great success. 


14:52

The final tech skill to teach your students is how to log in. Now, you could make a separate badge for specific platforms you like using with kids. For example, I use Seesaw with all of my classes, so I might want to show them a couple of ways that we can log into Seesaw. You might use Google Classroom, Schoology, or epic books and make a separate badge for each platform. You can keep adding in badges throughout the year. Working on those systems and routines using those same tools repeatedly will help build the independence and responsibility of the students. I don't always expect kids to be the experts at logging into unique platforms, such as when we're using LEGO education tools or 3D printing. That will come with time. Instead, I want to be explicit in teaching those platforms that we will repeatedly use so that they know that's a resource they can get to and be successful for our projects.


15:57

Let's review the seven tech skills you want to teach your kids and be explicit about what we discussed in today's episode. Number one, going over those general technology rules. Number two, caring for your headphones. Number three is understanding school-wide technology norms. Number four, being a problem solver and troubleshooting with technology. Number five is learning how to clean devices. Number six is knowing your username and password and how to gather that information. Number seven, logging into various platforms that will be used consistently throughout the year. Of course, you can add in more skills, but these are the skills I have taught with my K through five STEM students throughout the years and when I have co-taught in their classrooms. You can refer back to these things and have that consistent language with kids so that they can be successful when using academic technology in your classroom. 


17:07

Also, don't forget to get the freebie for this episode. It can be found in my TPT shop using this link: Naomi meredith.com/tpttechskills. In this freebie, you can get all the badges that relate to the skills that we talked about in today's episode, video sample lessons of me teaching that you can share with your students or watch on the side and teach the lesson yourself, and a system where students can collect those badges either digitally or in the printed form. Thank you so much again for listening to today's episode! I can't wait to chat with you on the next one.

 

technology-skills-for-elementary-students

technology-skills-for-elementary-students

technology-skills-for-elementary-students

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

STEM Favorites that you’ll enjoy: 

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!

emoji-chrome-extension

How to Use the Emoji Chrome Extension in the Classroom

emoji-chrome-extension

Emojis are a modern day version of hieroglyphics; they visually convey a lot of meaning and emotion. Learn how to use the emoji chrome extension, and bring this tool into the classroom.

Emoji Chrome Extension: Getting Set Up

First, add the extension in your Google Chrome toolbar. Chrome extensions are like little apps that you can use to enhance your experience only when using this web browser. 

There are many emoji extensions out there. Currently, I’ve been enjoying the Joypixels Google Chrome extension. 

Here’s how to get started. Follow the steps below or watch my quick video tutorial. 

  1. Open Google Chrome and login

2. Go to the Chrome Webstore, chrome.google.com

3. Search ‘Joypixels’

4. Click the ‘Add to Chrome’ button

5. Follow the prompts

{Optional} Close out of Chrome & restart computer to ensure extension was added properly with full functionality

Emoji Chrome Extension: Organizing your Google Drive

Google Drives can get messy fairly quickly. However, there are ways to streamline organization and keep it visually appealing and easy to access. Of course you can color code your folders (which you can watch that video tutorial here) 

Why not make your Google Drive organization EVEN BETTER by adding in an emoji in the title? With color and a picture, it will make searching for your go-to files so much easier (and a little more fun!)

Emoji Chrome Extension: Label assignments & directions

Struggling readers and even strong readers love pictures. No matter what reading level someone is, having a visual to match the words increases reading comprehension. 

emoji-chrome-extension

Use emojis when labeling assignments and directions. My favorite places to do this are in Seesaw and Google Classroom. While I love both of these platforms immensely, both streams can get overwhelming quickly. Try and match the emoji to the assignment name and the kids will be even more excited to click on the assignment. 

Curious about Google Classroom but don’t know where to begin? Click here to go through my free 3 part video series and feel more comfortable with this platform. 

Emoji Chrome Extension: Giving student feedback

On the flipside, student feedback can receive some love with some emojis. The emoji Chrome extension is great for this when giving feedback while on the computer. 

Often when I am swiping through student posts on Seesaw while watching The Bachelor, I’ll throw in some emojis to help students pay attention to the comments I am giving them. The emoji keyboard on your phone is also great asset for the classroom! 

 

Emoji Chrome Extension: Student Responses

For most written assignments, I don’t encourage students to use emojis within their work since the goal is to have them write in complete sentences. However, when it comes to quick assignments where I want to know their thoughts on a topic, using an emoji might be more appropriate. 

This is a topic as a classroom teacher you want to be very clear on the boundaries and when emojis are/aren’t ok on certain assignments.

 

emoji-chrome-extension

How have you used emojis in the classroom? What questions do you still have? 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!