Virtual PD for Elementary Teachers

WHOLE Teacher Training and Nurturing

Fill in the Blank

I am a ___________ teacher.

Whatever blank you filled in, you probably also have a missing piece.

Do you want to be prepared whether you are teaching in the classroom or in a distance learning environment?

Do you want to be a culturally responsive teacher who meets the needs of ALL your students?

Do you want to be a ROCK STAR in every subject area, not just the ones you already LOVE to teach?

Whole-Teacher EclecticCon to the Rescue!

We often talk about educating the whole child, but what about whole teacher PD?


Most PD focuses solely on academic content, but we KNOW great teaching is about


so


much


more than that.


There’s a LOT to explore and learn about the art of teaching, and now there’s one easy place to start: Whole-Teacher EclecticCon!

This online conference is chock-full of trainings, free resources, and more!

While the academic sessions are geared for upper elementary (grade 3-5), there are a LOT of sessions that apply to any grade level. Even if you aren’t teaching those grade levels, you’re welcome to join us if the sessions resonate with you.

All The Awesome Virtual Teacher Conference Details

60+ sessions presented by a group of master educators, authors, and subject matter experts

Topics include: best practices and tips & tricks for all academic content areas (grades 3-5), culturally responsive teaching, arts integration, social-emotional learning, special education, educational technology, avoiding burnout, tools to help you in the regular classroom and with distance learning, and more!

Private pop-up Facebook group where you can interact with presenters, get your questions answered and win daily raffles during the conference


Live panel discussions, special presentations, and interviews


Revisit all the conference content as often as you’d like for a full year


Bonus Bundle with teaching resources (yes, STEM activities are also included -- this conference pays for itself!)

Opportunities to earn PD credits (see site FAQ for details)

Check out all the details here: Whole Teacher Conference

Winter STEM Challenge with Frosty the Snowman

STEM Activities for Frosty the Snowman 

STEM That is Easy to Implement

This story is one of my favorites of the "Pick Your Path STEMventure" series. This story is about beloved Frosty, and helping to make his day the BEST.DAY.EVER. Students decide how they want the story to progress; in completing the story students will complete 3-4 challenges. The story not only guides students through the engineering design process, it includes design constraints and areas for them to fill in their thoughts, plans, and testing data. However, you don't need the resource in order to do just the building parts. Read on to find some fun and creative STEM activities you can do to make Frosty the snowman have a great day!

If you do use the resource I created, students will read through a story about Frosty, and then choose where they would like him to go. Depending on their choice, they will encounter different STEM challenges along the way.

Sled STEM Challenge 

Sleds are an excellent tool to teach students about force and motion, potential and kinetic energy, and friction. Can your students design and create a sled that Frosty can fit in and use? You could use a mini figure or paper Frosty as shown:

Race sleds down a cardboard box on a slope, or use a large sheet of plastic cardboard (find at your local hardware store). It makes a great snow hill! Try different materials to see which ones travel best downhill. Shown are legos, and a section of plastic egg carton covered with vinyl tablecloth.

An Unlikely Winter STEM Challenge - Hammock

Why would Frosty need a hammock? Well, you'd have to read the story to find out. This is a simple challenge that kids always love. Who doesn't love relaxing in a hammock?

Do you want to build a snow-less snowman?

There are several other challenges you can do with a snowman, including building one (use baking soda to make inexpensive fake snow). Students can challenge themselves to build a regular snowman and one that is upside down, as well! For older students, have them hypothesize the correct ratio of baking soda to water to make "snow" that sticks together and holds a shape. They can then test it out and create a recipe, then build their snowmen.

Find this STEM Resource on Teachers pay Teachers

If you would like to use the story and printables I've created, you can find them on Teachers pay Teachers at this link, Snowman STEMventure:

or save these ideas for later by pinning this on Pinterest:

Bird Beak STEM - Animal Adaptations STEM Adventure

STEM Activities for Elementary Students to explore Bird Beaks and Pollination

STEM That is Easy to Implement

This is the fifth installment of the "Pick the Path STEMventure" series. This story is about a budding ornithologist, Beth, as she visits a nature sanctuary and learns about various birds. Students decide how they want the story to progress; in completing the story students will complete 3-4 challenges. The story not only guides them through the engineering design process, it includes design constraints and areas for them to fill in their thoughts, plans, and testing data.

If you are studying animal adaptations, pollination, or even ecosystems, these are some engaging hands-on activities that your students will enjoy exploring!

Pollination STEM Challenge 

Pollination is a concept that can be difficult for kids to understand. In this challenge, they will transfer "pollen" (which can be chalk dust, flour, etc.) from one flower to another.

A bonus in the resource I created is a page all about pollination. Students learn the basics and can color in the flower diagram to get a better idea of how plant reproduction takes place.

Another Bird Themed STEM Challenge - Eating

Do you know how hummingbirds eat? They don't use their long beak like a straw, but use their tongues to lap up nectar much like a dog does. In this challenge, kids will have to try to grab the food at the bottom of a tube. They will be glad this isn't a requirement for their own meals because it's harder than it looks! The food can be anything that can be picked up, but I use pompoms. In addition to grabbing the item (such as with chopsticks), students can "hook" onto the food. If you are learning about magnets, you could absolutely work this in. Have the magnet be the food, and students will need to use an item in their "tongue" that is attracted to magnets in order to pick up the food.

My favorite challenge in this story explores wading birds and different types of beaks. Can you pick up the food but allow the water to drain out? Can you stab the food?

There are other types of bird beaks to explore as well, and this is a great time to talk about the food chain, the environment, and being a good Earth citizen. What would happen if a bird's food supply goes away? Would they be able to adapt? Would their beak work well to eat another kind of food? These are big questions but I find most kids are ready to tackle them.

Find this STEM Resource on Teachers pay Teachers

If you would like to use the story and printables I've created, you can find them on Teachers pay Teachers at this link, Bird Beak STEM:

or save these ideas for later by pinning this on Pinterest:

Wind Powered Sailboat - Spring STEM Challenge

STEM Challenge for Spring: Harness the Wind with a Sailboat

A multifaceted STEM challenge that can be done outside on a nice day!

Warning: You May Get Wet with this STEM Challenge

Why try this challenge? In addition to creating something that is useful, students will be honing their spacial reasoning and mathematics skills while designing and creating their garden box. It may even inspire your students to create a full sized garden bed where they can plant their favorite flowers, plants, or vegetables. 

Tie it in to a Read Aloud

If you love STEM books as much as I do, this is the perfect book to read before doing a wind-focused STEM challenge (affiliate links - read disclosure here):

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (picture book)

 

or go more in depth with the full story: 

 

Gather Materials for Sailboat STEM

First, gather all materials needed for the challenge:

You will need a tub, storage bin, kiddie pool, etc. for this challenge. You will also need a desk fan to supply the wind. Please use caution operating the fan near the water. You can partition the container to have racing lanes if you want to let your students race the boats. I used a piece of pipe insulation. Students can create their boats with aluminum foil, Popsicle sticks, plastic egg carton pieces, etc. They will need to use material for a sail and mount it to their boat. Not only does the boat need to float, it also needs to move forward with the wind.

Go Deeper with Science in this STEM Challenge

Have your students research drag and buoyancy. Ask:

Where is drag advantageous, and when do engineers try to avoid it? 

When might you want a water vessel to NOT be buoyant?


What skills do students work on? In addition to following the Engineering Design Process to complete this challenge, students will need to work together and may need to make several modifications to improve their sail designs.

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

Pin these ideas for later:

St. Patrick's Day STEM with a Leprechaun

Fun STEM Activities for Elementary Students on St. Patrick's Day

STEM That is Easy to Implement

This is the fourth installment of the "Pick the Path STEMventure" series. I wrote a short story about a leprechaun called Larry for St. Patrick's Day. No, we are not trapping the leprechaun! That has been done enough. In the story, Larry the leprechaun gets the opportunity to earn gold coins on St. Patrick's day by successfully completing various STEM challenges. Students choose how they want the story to progress; in completing the story students will complete 3-4 challenges. The story not only guides them through the engineering design process, it includes design constraints and areas for them to fill in their thoughts, plans, and testing data.

A Few of the Challenges Included 

Up first, is a rainbow challenge. If you are studying light, this is a great time to do this challenge. In addition to the stories requiring students to design and test structures, they will be exposed to various science and technology concepts, such as dimensional constraints, malware, and the color spectrum.

Another St. Patrick's Day STEM Challenge - Unplugged Coding

Not all kids love coding, but it is still great to expose them to simple logic problems that are the basis of coding. Creating a path is a simple way to have kids think ahead and plan out a set of directions.

This challenge has two versions, plus I included extension options in the digital download for additional challenges. The other challenges include:

• a slide
• a musical instrument
• a bank that holds gold coins
• two bonus challenges, including a gold coin flipping device!

You can do several of the challenges mentioned above (aside from the coding one) without the resource I created, though if you would like it for the story and guided design process, keep reading. Here is an example of the slide challenge:

Watch a Video Overview of St. Patrick's Day STEM

Find this STEM Resource on Teachers pay Teachers

If you would like to use the story and printables I've created, you can find them on Teachers pay Teachers at this link St. Patrick's Day STEM:

or save these ideas for later by pinning this on Pinterest:

STEM Tale - The Three Little Pigs Fairy Tale Activity

Fairy Tale STEM Activity for The Three Little Pigs

UPDATED POST! Please find the updated post for this activity here on STEM Activities for Kids! 

 

The wolf needs a new house. Why? He isn't as bad as the pigs think. He doesn't really want to eat them after all but is just suffering from a bad case of seasonal allergies. No, really. 

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.

 

• cardboard boxes, recyclables, tape 
• weights (pennies, wooden blocks, etc.)
• cereal box to make the testing station
• a fan to mimic the wolf's sneeze at the testing station (one that can be tilted to blow straight up is desirable for this challenge)

Watch the video (or continue reading):

Before Getting Started with the STEM Tale

STEM tales work best if you read the original fairy tale first or do your own storytelling. What is the same or different about this story? 

You will also need to build a testing station. Cut a small rectangle out of both the front and back of a box. You will then attach this to the fan as the testing station. Scroll down to see the finished testing station in action.

Use either the wolf printable provided in the resource I've created (linked below) or a figurine.

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. The new house for wolf needs to be large enough for him to get in and out of, and it must withstand the force of his allergic sneeze.

Designing a House

After brainstorming house design ideas, the students will then choose one to create. They will need to take measurements to make sure that the wolf will fit in the house and that the house will also fit on the testing station. Then they need to test out the house to make sure it doesn't blow away. Depending on the materials used, this is easier said than done!

Test and then modify as needed!

The design above now works! There are many possible house designs for this challenge. Here are some samples:

Note that they don't have to be fancy to work, but they do need to meet the design constraints.

Problem Solve with STEM!

STEM tales are a great way to foster teamwork and problem-solving. They are also 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.

To find the full resource, which includes an 8-page booklet, check list for self-evaluation, and tips, 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: