Have you
been meaning to try out some STEM activities in your classroom before the end
of the year?
Well,
now's the time!
Here are some activities that are fun and students will love trying out!
1.Makey Makey - The Makey Makey is an invention kit for the 21st
century. Your students will be able to turn everyday objects into touch-pads
and combine them with the internet. It's a simple Invention Kit for Beginners
and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between. (Grades 2-5)
http://makeymakey.com/
At the elementary level, iPads are plentiful and one innovative way to utilize these devices in your classroom is with OSMO.
If you have not had a chance to try OSMO in your classroom, I highly recommend it! This tech tool uses digital apps and hands-on pieces that students can manipulate. The iPad rests in the OSMO base and the red reflector that attaches to the iPad reflects the movement of the pieces into the camera so the app can respond accordingly. Here is a quick overview of the apps already installed on the iPads and OSMO kits we have available in the elementary buildings:
Newton-Physics, creativity, and problem-solving-students work to manipulate falling on-screen balls onto various targets. The more students succeed, the harder it gets!
Masterpiece-Art-students can use their device to help them draw pictures of their choice. The app helps keep proportions and perspective correct, so any student can be an artist!
Words-Spelling and Vocabulary, which can be connected to any subject area-Students guess and spell the word corresponding to the on-screen image. Great for color words, sight words, geography, and more!
Tangram-problem-solving and spatial reasoning skills-Classic tangram puzzles where the students arrange the 7 tangram pieces to match the on-screen shapes. Puzzles range from easy to hard and are perfect for students of all ages.
Monster-art and creativity-This app brings students creations to life. They will see what they've drawn on the screen and it will become an animated part of the monster's activities! The students can't get enough of this one!
Numbers-Math-This app is a great way for younger students to practice subitizing and for older students to practice their facts and composing and decomposing numbers. Students use either the dot or digit tiles to build numbers. Students gain confidence and flexibility in working with numbers.
Pizza Co.-Math-Students run their own pizza shop and get lots of practice working with money, addition, subtraction, and fraction skills. Students do not need reading skills in this game and it can be adjusted to meet their ability levels.
Coding with Awbie-Coding, logic, and problem-solving-Students are introduced to coding using physical blocks. Again, students do not need reading skills so this is great for K-5.
Note: Newton and Masterpiece only require the iPad app and the base. All other games also need the kits, which we have in each of the elementary buildings.
Teachers can set-up a free OSMO account and keep track of what activities students complete. Through this account, teachers can also download custom word lists for the Words app, access lesson plans for OSMO activities, and see how other teachers are implementing OSMO in the teacher forum.
OSMO is definitely an engaging tech tool that students love and is perfect for small groups, centers, and independent work. If you need some help getting started, please let one of us know or if this is a tool you're already rocking the the classroom, be on the lookout for the OSMO badge-coming soon!
--This week's guest post comes from Laura Smith at SSMSES --
Did you ever notice how Google changes their logo for holidays or just for fun? Recently, my 5th grade students, under the direction of Angie Catalone, completed a Google coding activity where they were able to create their own Google logo. We started by watching a video in the classroom to catch their interest and give them a brief summary of what they were going to be doing. We worked in the computer lab by first signing in and registering which went smoothly. The kids then had to watch short video clips of how to change different features of the Google logo. They did this on their own with headphones. They could create backgrounds, use themes, change the letters to swirl or animate, and many other things. The kids had a lot of fun doing this, and I was surprised how quickly they caught on. They were proud of their work. Each student created something very different and unique. It was a fun activity and I liked how they could work at their own pace.
-- Laura Smith
If you would like to try the Google logo coding in your classroom click here:
Almost exactly a year ago, we first mentioned the Hour of Code on the blog. This year's event is scheduled from December 5-11, which is right around the corner! Check out the featured post for more details on this global event and if you're interested, sign-up at the following link to participate in the Hour of Code this year: https://hourofcode.com/us#join
The only variable that we have to account for yet is... YOU! The world of 3d printing is complex and many waters are uncharted for core subject teachers. However, this doesn't mean we cannot get our feet wet with a few simple ideas.
Idea #1: Math teacher is teaching formulas to calculate surface area & volume. - Have the students each create a cube on Tinkercad. (quick and easy activity)
- Choose a few students to have their cubes printed.
* or alternately have a tech coach print you some samples.
- Use these cubes to measure and solve for area and volume.
- Have groups get together with the various cubes and compare the dimensions.
Idea #2: Print a visual parabola manipulative to demonstrate slope.
- Print this Parabola manipulative to demonstrate slope in Algebra class.
The .stl file that your tech coaches can print for you can be found here.
Idea #3: Print manipulatives for a visual presentation for fractions. - Many ready-to-print manipulatives can be printed by your tech coach for use in your classroom.
- Find manipulatives that you wish you had more of. Contact a tech coach to see if we can print them for you here.
Other thoughts:
The end of the year is a great time to have students express their knowledge with a comprehensive project. If you have a tech-savvy student who can go above and beyond the call of duty, use him as your guinea pig for the incorporation of new tech, such as 3d printing in your classroom. Use a project you already have, and have him take it one step further using a design software like Tinkercad.
If you are looking for premade lessons / projects Autodesk ProjectIgnite is free and links straight into your Google Classroom. The lessons are easy to follow can be used from Elem-High School levels. Sign up for free and search the projects. Eventually you as a teacher can create a lesson that your students can follow to make their own 3d printable files.
SMAHS drafting teacher Mr. Rieger has welcomed any pen/paper designs (complete with specs) to be sent to his drafting students. They will gladly take your students' ideas and create a printable file with them. In no time your students can hold their work in the palm of their hands.
Above all, you as teachers are busy. Why not let the TechCoaches do the legwork for you? Have a manipulative you would like printed? Looking for a premade lesson? Have a group project that would like to utilize 3d printing? Let us know! Tech Coaches aren't just for teachers, we can coach your students as well.
Please keep in mind that starting small is the best option for exploring your ideas. 3d projects can take hours to print, and do cost money. (e.g. Having 30 models that do not have any long-term use or value is not ideal.) Projects in groups and projects that bear continued use over time are encouraged.
You can Google many ready-made 3d printing files to gather ideas. Here are some sites worth browsing:
Although the official week for Hour of Code is over, the fun doesn't have to stop there! It was amazing to see students who are rarely engaged in their learning begging for just another minute to work on code. I have heard rave reviews from both students and teachers who participated in this event, so why not keep the momentum for computer code going? In addition to the resources that can be found on the code.org website, there are dozens of resources available for all different types of experience levels. Many of these resources have free student accounts available, so students can save their progress.Here are just a few:
If you'd like to learn more about coding and how you can use it in your classroom, there is a growing number of resources for this. Edutopia has a collection of articles and discussions about Coding in the Classroom that you can find here. Edudemic also has a collection of resources for teachers entitled "Coding in the Classroom: 16 Top Resources."
If you're still not convinced, check out this infographic from Kodable:
Did your students try the Hour of Code? If so, please comment below with your thoughts. As always, if you have any questions or need help getting started, please contact a tech coach.
I was first introduced to the Hour of Code during its inception in 2013. Computer coding/programming was not something I was familiar with, but trying it out for an hour with my 5th grade students seemed like something that would be easy enough to do. Not only were my students and I instantly hooked, but coding has become one of my favorite ways to integrate technology into the classroom!
The vision behind the Hour of Code is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. One week a year is dedicated to encouraging students, teachers, schools, and districts to give computer programming a try. Check out this brief video from Hadi Partovi, the mastermind behind the Hour of Code and developer of code.org:
The organizers of this event have compiled a wealth of resources and coding activities that are appropriate for students from kindergarten through high school. No experience necessary! These activities are truly meant to take just one hour, but if you're short on time, they can be tailored to fit your needs. Worried about devices? There are Hour of Code tutorials that work on PCs, smartphones, tablets, iPads, and some that require no computer at all. Even though you may not be a computer science, math, or technology teacher, coding may still be something you can incorporate into your classroom. Some compelling reasons to integrate coding include helping students develop and strengthen:
problem solving skills
logical thinking
collaboration
creativity
perseverance
and learning that it's okay to fail
Additionally, it is estimated there will be more than one million computing jobs available by the time the year 2020 rolls around. Why not help our students get a jump start on their futures and be ready to take their place in a 21st century world?
Mark your calendars! December 7-13 has been designated as the week to try an Hour of Code with students. If you can't do it during that week, feel free to introduce code to your students at any time. The idea is just to give millions of students an introduction to computer science and to show them that anybody can learn the basics! If you're interested in participating, you can visit the Hour of Code website to register and learn more: https://hourofcode.com/us (There are prizes for every event organizer and participating classrooms have a chance to win even bigger prizes!)
Eduspire, a continuing education company, is offering a free webinar focused on the Hour of Code. It will take place November 18th from 7-8 pm. If you read this blog post and thought to yourself, "There is no way I can teach programming," or if you're just itching to learn more, maybe this free webinar is for you! Click here to register or here for additonal details.
What happens after the Hour of Code, when you and your students want more? Beyond the Hour of Code will be an upcoming blog post with more coding/programming resources.
If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail a tech coach. Thoughts on how you might incorporate the Hour of Code into your classroom? Please post a comment below!
