STEMAZing Lessons for Young Learners – Page 2

Tik Tiki Toy from Trash

A modified version of the Tik Tiki from Arvind Gupta’s Toys from Trash – we replaced the button with a wooden bead. The crown cap can be replaced with a plastic lid or metal cap of any kind. Lots of variations to test! Find directions for assembly here: https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/toys/crowncap.html

Flying Things

Lessons with airplanes, rockets, kites, projectile launchers, and more!

STEM Toys – Build Your Own

Lessons that involve making toys from #STEMontheCheap materials to play with, engineer, and explore the science behind how and why they work.

Flying Butterfly

Materials Butterfly Templates (found below) Tape (transparent or masking) Double Stick Tape or Glue Bakers Twine or similar string Large Craft Sticks (also known as tongue depressors) Plastic Drinking Straws Markers or Crayons or Colored Pencils Pushpins Scissors Key Question How do friction and gravity help the Flying Butterfly toy work? Learning Objectives Young scientists…

Clothespin Card Correspondence Game

Key Question What is the number? Learning Objectives Children will … • pair each number card with the equal number of clothespins. • say the number aloud and touch each object as they count aloud. Materials 1 deck of playing cards 100 clothespins (plastic colored clothespins also allow for exploring patterns)

#MicDropMath Card Tricks for Young Mathematicians

Key Question How can we use math to entertain our family and friends with card tricks they think are magic? Learning Objectives Children will be curious about… learn the steps for performing two different self-working card tricks practice counting to 10 learn pairs of numbers that add up to ten Materials A deck of regular…

Stanford DREME Math Ideas – Picture Books, Math Snacks, and Card Games

Stanford’s Development and Research in Early Mathematics Education has eight pages of ideas for young mathematicians! Find them here!

Baby Loves Gravity by Ruth Spiro (author) and Irene Chan (illustrator)

Big, brainy science for the littlest listeners. Accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the ups and downs of gravity. When baby drops food from a high chair, why does it fall? Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby’s sense of wonder. Parents…

Wobble Walkers

Folk toy turned engineering and STEAM project! Start with noticing and wondering using the first 12 seconds of the video below and then let students explore this pHun phenomenon. Templates for small, medium (original scale), and large Wobble Walkers can also be found below. Cut out as rectangle first and then round off feet to…

Walking Rainbow

Learning Objectives Children will… • define capillary action. • observe color mixing. Key Question How can we make a rainbow with three colors? Vocabulary (See What the heck? Explanation of Science at the end for definitions.) Capillary Action Cellulose Materials 6 mason jars or clear plastic cups Food coloring (red, blue, yellow) Timer Paper Towels…