5 Ways to Celebrate Before Winter Break that DON'T Include Christmas

5 Ways to Celebrate Before Winter Break that DON'T Include Christmas

While I grew up celebrating Christmas both at home and in school, I also went to a Catholic school where almost everyone was also celebrating Christmas (and kids were there by parental choice). If you have a situation where every one of your students celebrates Christmas, or you are hosting a variety of winter holiday celebrations, then by all means celebrate Christmas...

BUT

if you are looking for ways to celebrate that don't exclude some of your students but are still TONS of fun for all involved, why not try some of these ideas?

Celebrate Solstice Instead with a Sundial Project

Winter solstice is nature's holiday this time of year! I just love celebrating solstice, and look forward to it every year. Why? It signals the end of the short daylight hours and the stretch of increasing daylight hours that I adore!

What better way to celebrate solstice than with SCIENCE (yes, I know I'm a big nerd)!

Here are some websites to get you started:

Scientific American Sundial 
15 Minute Papercraft Sundial
Explorable Sundial

While making a sundial, why not talk about what the solstice is and why we have it? Read a book or watch a video:

Books (Amazon affiliate links, read disclosure here).

The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer
The Return of the Light by Carolyn Edwards
The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson
The Solstice Badger by Robin McFadden
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
Video
Crash Course Kids: Seasons and the Sun

Curriculum Connection: The solar system!

Celebrate Winter with Snowflakes

Even if you don't live in a region that gets snow, there are still a lot of ways to celebrate with snowflakes! One of my favorite things to do is to craft paper snowflakes but you can also make crystal borax snowflakes too, which are so pretty, especially hanging in a window so the light can catch them.

Curriculum connection: If you are studying symmetry this is the perfect tie-in!

Snowflake Creation Ideas

• Paper snowflakes
• Borax crystal snowflakes
• Geoboard rubberband snowflakes (obviously just don't use as ornaments)
• Popsicle stick snowflakes
• Pipe cleaner snowflakes
• Digital snowflakes

Get in my Belly!

This is just one way of fostering connection with kids: baking together! Not only can you sneak in measurement math without anyone noticing, you can create something together that you can all enjoy! Not possible due to food allergies? Why not ask for allergy-free recipes from families, or instead pop popcorn (chemical change! volume!).

Set up an exploration station where students can smell and taste small amounts of ingredients, such as salt, sugar, cinnamon, etc.


Working on sequencing? Have students instruct you how to make hot cocoa, s'mores, etc. and then follow their directions. They will talk about it for MONTHS. Watch this video of a dad making sandwiches instructed by his kids.

Curriculum connection: Sequencing, measurement, senses.

Cozy up with a Good Book

Once you have your baked goods, hot cocoa, etc. have a PJ day or "winter campfire" and read to your students. They might not have someone reading to them at home. Even middle schoolers and high schoolers will enjoy being read to (if it's the right book). Leave out those holiday stories and choose a book about kindness.

Picture Books About Kindness
7 Middle Grades Books that Teach Empathy
Books that Teach Empathy (all ages)

 Curriculum connection: literacy, community, character education.

Play Games

If you do choose to have a party, pick games that include all! Playing together is truly one of the greatest ways to form connections with your students. While some families play games at home, not all do and many kids get left out of this wonderful past time. We play a lot of games at home, but it helps that both my kids are close in age and there are a lot of games we all like to play as a family.

Indoor party game ideas from Red Tricycle.

Try pin the nose on the snowman.

Active Games

• If you are brave, have a snowball fight with cloth snowballs.
• Play musical chairs (leave out the Christmas music!)
• Capture the flag.

If you want something the whole class can play without getting too out of hand, try Winter BINGO.

Pin these ideas for later:

Popsicle Stick STEM Challenges - Fun Craft Stick Activities for Kids

Craft Stick STEM Challenges Your Kids will Love

Whether you call them popsicle sticks, craft sticks, tongue depressors, or paddlepop sticks, you are probably familiar with a number of ways to use this versatile material.
 

Get Started with Popsicle Stick STEM

Disclaimer: I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you downloads of value and information about educational resources. The links below are Amazon affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.
 
You can use standard popsicle sticks, but I find them much more challenging to work with than large, 6" x 3/4" sticks. Make sure you sort through them and remove any that are broken, split, or have splintering edges. If you are looking for jumbo colorful ones like the ones above, I got mine here.

Create a Popsicle Stick Bridge

A really easy challenge to get started with is to create a popsicle stick bridge. Use binder clips to hold the sticks together and make it easily reconfigurable. You can create a simple ladder style design or try something a little more funky. Get creative and see what works! For older kids, you can use hot glue to create some really intricate and large bridges with a long span.

Make it easier for little ones:Binder clips can be hard to work for small fingers. Attach Velcro/hook & loop stickers to the ends of craft sticks for easy building. In addition to bridges, they can use the sticks to create 2D shapes and even letters.

Create a Stick Bomb Chain Reaction 

This one will entice even reluctant kids to get in on the STEM action! Use a weaving technique to apply tension to the sticks. You can work with a variety of patterns, from simple to the more complex. For very simple designs, visit this YouTube channel
as he has some great tutorials (tip - watch at .75 speed because he talks really quickly!). Or you can try to create a pattern like the one below - just search "stick bomb" on YouTube and you'll find a variety of videos explaining how to weave it. I recommend working on a carpet if possible because it's easier to slide the sticks into place.

Popsicle Stick Marble Maze STEM

This one is a bit tricky but SO much fun! Create a marble maze in a box. If you are working with your own kid(s), you can use a box cutter to poke the sticks through the cardboard to secure them. Otherwise, duct tape works well. Pro tip: tilt the box back slightly to help keep the marble from falling out, or construct "channels" by making an L-shape with two sticks.

See a few popsicle stick STEM ideas in action

 

Other Craft Stick STEM Ideas

Craft Stick Art or Bow and Arrow

If you want to get really creative, you can soak them in water for a few hours or overnight, and then bend to the desired shape. This is a lot of fun, but takes some careful planning ahead. You'll need to then clamp the sticks in place somehow until they dry. There are some amazing designs you can create!

Craft Stick Harmonica or Kazoo

Use craft sticks in your STEM station!

Craft stick shapes match up game

Try These STEM Challenges with the Engineering Design Process

If you want to add more rigor to these challenges by following the engineering design process, please visit the resource I put together. It includes the 3 challenges above plus two more. With this  guided STEM resource, students need to meet the design criteria specified to complete the challenge. It's even easy enough to leave with a sub!

You can find Craft Stick STEM Challenges here:

Pin these Popsicle Stick STEM Ideas for Later:

Get crafty with a Thanksgiving turkey or bookmark!

Turkey Craft for Thanksgiving and Thankful Bookmark

A Thanksgiving turkey craft or a thankful bookmark are two fun hands-on ways to celebrate the holiday this season. I have created simple templates that are great for practicing fine motor skills.

The turkey thanksgiving craft includes everything you need to put together this gobble gobble cutie! Why not use it on your Thanksgiving kids' table as a centerpiece? If you have craft feathers, feel free to use them as well.

I have outlined all the steps with photos so that you know exactly how to put it together.

Students Can Be Thankful this Thanksgiving

This is the perfect time of year to reflect on the things we are thankful for. It's a good habit for kids to get in as well, but it can feel overwhelming if they don't know where to start. I created this Thankful Craftivity Bookmark as a guided way for kids to explore who and what they are thankful for. It makes a perfect bookmark!

Not only does the Thanksgiving Activity Bundle include the above activities, it includes so many fun and cross-curricular activities for kids in K-2. Label the turkey, do math and ELA activities, and learn about the first Thanksgiving.

 Click this link to go right to the Thanksgiving Activity Bundle:

STEM Challenge for Fall - Create a Sports Dome

Sports STEM Challenge for Fall: Design and Create a Sports Dome

A math-centric STEM challenge that is fun to create on both a small and large scale: the geodesic dome!

Why try this challenge? I think this Venn diagram says it all:

On a slightly more serious note, this challenge requires patience to figure out but the reward is great. If you have a lot of space you can even have students create one large dome together and turn it into a reading nook or meeting space.

First, gather up the materials:

This project can be done in two ways - freestyle, or with the measurements provided to create the dome as shown.

What skills do students work on? In addition to following the Engineering Design Process to complete this challenge, they will need to make measurements as well as work together with patience and perseverance.

Add more rigor into this activity with the STEM challenge resource (or get the pack of fall STEM challenges) on Teachers pay Teachers:

Top 3 Fun Halloween STEM Activities for Kids

Halloween STEM Builds!

Do you love doing holiday-themed building challenges? Use building bricks in 2D designs for younger kids, or 3D for kids who are expert builders. Here are some fun ideas to get started for Halloween:

What do you think of first with Halloween? I know one of my kids' favorite traditions is carving their jack-o-lanterns.

It is trickier than it seems to get the expression right, so it's a great one to work on with persistence. The above jack-o-lanterns are what I mean by 2D. They aren't really 2D but they are flat. Creating a spherical shape with bricks is far more challenging and should only be attempted if you have expert builders. Also, orange bricks aren't always easy to come by, but remind your kids of white pumpkins! I have grown these in my garden before and they are quite striking.

If you are thinking you need an easier challenge, try a spider:

Maybe the spider has 8 legs of different length, or is red. It might not even look that much like a spider when it's done, which is okay! It's all about exploring with space and building, finding the pieces to make it "just right."

Some kids do well with a defined challenge, such as the two above, but others really soar when the challenge is open-ended. Design and create a creature! Some kids will stick with a traditional Halloween creature, like a bat or a cat. Others might be into zombies or skeletons or vampires. Why not? Let them see what they can come up with:

If you are looking to make this a more educational activity, I have developed a set of STEM mats with design criteria. Students will measure their creations, count bricks, and build according to the mats.

Or, pin the image to save it for later:

What are STEM Mats? Watch the video to find out, and get a sample STEM mat to try it out.

STEM Tale - Robin Hood Activity

Fairy Tale STEM Activity for Robin Hood

STEM and literacy are the PERFECT combo to get kids hooked on engineering! I have created a series of STEM fairy tale stories that take a beloved fairy tale and give it a STEM twist!

Robin Hood has gotten himself into a jam. He needs your students to help him design and create a new bow so he can win the archery competition and pay back the money he stole!

Materials Needed for this STEM Fairy Tale Activity

I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you downloads of value and information about educational resources. The link below is an Amazon affiliate link. You can read my full disclosure here.

• string, twine, or balloons (for balloon animals, please be aware of latex allergies if using balloons)
• bamboo skewers, craft sticks, or plastic spoons
• duct tape (Gorilla tape is my go-to!)
• pencils or cotton swabs (for arrows)

Before Getting Started with the STEM Tale

STEM tales work best if you read the original fairy tale first or do your own storytelling. Discuss the similarities and differences as you read through the story. Another fun thing to do with this STEM tale in particular is to talk about various weapons used in warfare over the ages. One of my favorite book series for hands-on projects with kids is the Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction series:

Once I checked out one of these books at my local library, I knew I had to have them all for our own library! They are fantastic as a reference as well, to help kids get ideas on how to use various objects in their designs.

Fairy Tale STEM with the Engineering Design Process 

I have designed STEM tales so that as students read the story, they will follow the engineering design process. If you do multiple STEM tales, the process will become routine for your students and they will start using it when they solve other problems.

Design a Bow for Robin Hood

After brainstorming design ideas for a bow, the students will then choose one to create. They will test out the bow with an arrow (either a pencil or a cotton swab). I prefer using a pencil, because the string grips nicely on the eraser. Please make sure all students start behind a line and only shoot in one direction, or you can construct a simple "shooting range" if you are concerned about injuries. The image above shows three varieties of bow - spoons, craft sticks, and a bamboo skewer, all with string. This is an example of how to load the arrow:

Testing the Bow Design

Before testing, go over the ground rules several times. One violation and testing should immediately stop!

• Bows can only be aimed at targets (use a printable target or simply stacked cups)
• Only shoot when the range is clear
• Retrieve arrows when instructed to do so

Growth Mindset and STEM

STEM tales are the perfect way to model a growth mindset. It is rare for an engineering design to work perfectly on the first attempt, so students will likely experience failure at some point. In improving the designs and working together, they will work through the issues and solve the problem. In this challenge, I provided long balloons and most of the kids wanted to try them out (what kid doesn't love a balloon?). What they learned is that the balloons stretch too much and the arrow doesn't fly as well as with a string.

Optional - Prepare the Bow Ahead of Time

The instructions for these bows are in the Mini Weapons book. The craft sticks are soaked in water so they are easier to bend, then you set them into the shape and let dry overnight:

This is a good option if you want to keep variability low. You can then Have the students try various rubber bands or strings.

To find the full resource, which includes an 8-page booklet, check list for self-evaluation, and tips, plus 3 bonus STEM challenges, visit this link:

 

 Pin the idea for later:

To read more about how to conduct a STEM challenge, visit this post:

To see all posts in this series, click here:

How to Use Fidget Spinners for a STEM Challenge

Fidget Spinners Driving you Crazy?

The whir might have faded to background noise to you at this point, or maybe you can't get it out of your head. Before you ban fidget spinners completely, why not put a spin on the fidget fad and engage your students in a STEM challenge?

Disclaimer: I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you downloads of value and information about educational resources. The link below is an Amazon affiliate link. You can read my full disclosure here.

Fidget Spinner STEM Challenge

Turn that Obsession into a Learning Opportunity

Start off by learning the science of rotational motion. I have provided informational text about inertia, angular velocity, torque, and more so that students first get an understanding of the spinners from a scientific perspective. This is reinforced with hands-on experiments and demonstrations, such as noting how the center of mass will change based on where weights are placed on an object.

Follow the Engineering Design Process

The engineering design process (EDP) is the method engineers use to solve problems. It has some similarities to the Scientific Method so if you haven't used the EDP before, read through the steps:

ASK - What is the problem? Has it been solved before?

IMAGINE - Some solutions to the problem. How large will your spinner be? How many arms will it have? What materials are available to use? Do you have design constraints?

PLAN - Sketch your design and label it.

CREATE - Build the design and then test it. How long does it spin? Does it fit comfortably in the hand to spin it? Is it assembled well and symmetric? Record and analyze the data.

IMPROVE - Can you make it spin more smoothly or for longer? What might be causing friction?

SHARE & REFLECT - Share your design with someone else. What do they think of it? Could their feedback help you improve the spinner even more?

Math Extension Activity 

How much would it cost to make 1000 spinners? Students create a Bill of Materials (BOM), calculate the cost to assemble the spinner, and find the volume to calculate the cost of the packaging. Why is this important? Engineers need to be mindful of costs when creating a new product. What if the cost of the raw material goes up? How can you cut costs in a different way. Packaging design is a whole branch of engineering - think about all the different packages you encounter in goods you purchase. An engineer was involved in the design of that package, cost was a very important factor in the package design.

Get Creative with Marketing and Graphic Design

Students need to think about who might buy their spinner and then create a marketing campaign to hook potential buyers! They can also create a fun design on a traditional spinner to catch a shopper's eye. Why is this step important? You can have the best product in the world, but if nobody knows about it, it won't sell and ultimately will fail in the market.

Why STEM?

Not only do students work in small teams, which helps foster community and teamwork, but they also learn to fail and embrace a growth mindset. You will see amazing problem-solving and creative thinking with this project. Students use higher-order thinking skills in their STEM projects, and they can use those skills in other academic areas as well. Because there are so many possible solutions to this problem, there are many avenues to success. You may even inspire a student to come up with a new and unique spinner that is better than commercially available ones!

Find it on TpT 

The full resource can be found on Teachers pay Teachers. It includes everything shown here and more. There are samples, teacher notes, and planning pages to help you make this a successful challenge in your classroom or at home. If you are looking for some tips and tricks to try this on your own, though, read on for a video.

Easy Shopping Links

Amazon affiliate links:
Neodymium Magnets or here
Skate Bearings
Gorilla Tape 
Tin of Marbles or here

Watch the Video to Learn More 

Get an overview of the challenge and some DIY tips on YouTube!