STEM throughout the year- Unit 6 Build

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. (This acronym can also be spelled “STEAM” in which the “A” stands for art.)

This packet is full of fun, hands-on, innovative STEM activities that your preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students are sure to love.

Why STEM?
As educators we are tasked with preparing the next generation for jobs that may not even be created yet. Students need to be able to work collaboratively with their peers and be able to problem solve. STEM offers students the opportunity to work on these skills.

STEM provides students with open-ended activities where they can go through the process of defining a problem, brainstorming a possible solution, planning, creating, and improving on their plan. This process helps prepare our students for their futures in fun and innovative ways.

How Does This Packet Work?
This packet is part six of a ten part series. Each unit is meant to span over the course of an entire month. Therefore, students can revisit the activities and improve upon their thoughts/plan. (These activities can also stand alone.)

This packet is geared to help students think as mathematicians, engineers, and architects. Through a series of challenges, students will learn some of the basics of architecture. They will use problem solving skills to understand foundations, support systems, and how to build structures that can withstand wind and weight.

This month students will get to create a variety of buildings. Through a series of scaffolded lessons, students will begin to understand the basics of architecture. The culmination of this month will have students design and create their own structures.

Activities:
1. The first week students will learn how to think about the importance of a building’s foundation.

2. The second week students will explore frames, beams, and support systems in buildings.

3. The third week students will think through the forces placed on a building.

4. The final week students will design and build their own building.

In this packet you will find fully written out lesson plans, posters, picture cards, activities, recording pages, and extensions to use during an entire month. These activities are perfect for fun Friday experiments, STEM labs, and science and art extensions.

Please look at the preview to get a better understanding of how this pack is set up and what is included. Your students will LOVE these lessons and activities.