Key Takeways:

• Incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist

• Kids work cooperatively to build a structure

• The learning is in the struggle.  Explore, revise, and rebuild!

One of my favorite winter books to read each year is The Mitten by Jan Brett.  I was so excited to see that Let’s Find Out featured these characters in a January issue. 

It let me create a lesson that included reading skills and a fun STEM challenge. 

Shared Reading Activity

As always, we start each weekly lesson by applying our word attack strategies.  Let’s Find Out is a perfect resource for practicing these skills.  I start by covering one or more of the words in the magazine.

I then remind our emergent readers that the picture sometimes offers a clue to the unknown word in the yellow box with the owl.  The students guessed: wings, down, and feathers.  Someone also guessed fur, but my little friends reminded each other that birds do not have fur.

Then we peel back the Post-It note to reveal the initial sound.  

BINGO!   Feathers! 

Then it was time for our hands-on activity!

The Mitten STEM Challenge

The Challenge: Design and build a den that will hold all the animals from the story.

First, students planned how they would build a den for all of the animals.  They estimated the materials they would need.

Next, students worked in groups to build the den.  At first, the students simply made a chain of marshmallows, like a corral.  However, none of the structures were going vertical.  

I let the students explore for about 5-6 additional minutes, then called for their attention.  I said,  “Friends, as you are building your den think about how you want the sides of the den to look.  Do you think the animals would want to have a roof over their heads?”  They all agreed, a roof would make it a cozier den.

Students continued to work together as they tested out options for building walls.  Many looked like this with many hands needed to keep the walls upright. 

However, a few started to look like this one from the Green Team. 

After letting an additional 5-6 minutes pass I, once again, called for their attention.  As a teacher, it is very tempting to say, “Friends, look at what this group is doing to make walls and try that!” BUT we must remember, the learning is in the struggle.  Instead, I asked what sort of challenges they were having.  I invited students to walk around and look at other designs.  When they spotted the Green Team’s success, they rushed back and started to use the smaller marshmallows to build the higher walls.

I heard more than one student exclaim, “Let’s use the smaller marshmallows for the walls because they are not as heavy!”

Once their design was complete, the students worked together to record the materials they used. I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist.

Here’s a link to the art and activity sheets I put together for this. Feel free to use them in your classroom.

Deedee Wills has spent more than 15 years in the classroom as an early childhood teacher, instructional coach and educational consultant. She writes the blog MrsWillsKindergarten.

Key Takeways:

• Incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist

• Kids work cooperatively to build a structure

• The learning is in the struggle.  Explore, revise, and rebuild!

One of my favorite winter books to read each year is The Mitten by Jan Brett.  I was so excited to see that Let’s Find Out featured these characters in a January issue. 

It let me create a lesson that included reading skills and a fun STEM challenge. 

Shared Reading Activity

As always, we start each weekly lesson by applying our word attack strategies.  Let’s Find Out is a perfect resource for practicing these skills.  I start by covering one or more of the words in the magazine.

I then remind our emergent readers that the picture sometimes offers a clue to the unknown word in the yellow box with the owl.  The students guessed: wings, down, and feathers.  Someone also guessed fur, but my little friends reminded each other that birds do not have fur.

Then we peel back the Post-It note to reveal the initial sound.  

BINGO!   Feathers! 

Then it was time for our hands-on activity!

The Mitten STEM Challenge

The Challenge: Design and build a den that will hold all the animals from the story.

First, students planned how they would build a den for all of the animals.  They estimated the materials they would need.

Next, students worked in groups to build the den.  At first, the students simply made a chain of marshmallows, like a corral.  However, none of the structures were going vertical.  

I let the students explore for about 5-6 additional minutes, then called for their attention.  I said,  “Friends, as you are building your den think about how you want the sides of the den to look.  Do you think the animals would want to have a roof over their heads?”  They all agreed, a roof would make it a cozier den.

Students continued to work together as they tested out options for building walls.  Many looked like this with many hands needed to keep the walls upright. 

However, a few started to look like this one from the Green Team. 

After letting an additional 5-6 minutes pass I, once again, called for their attention.  As a teacher, it is very tempting to say, “Friends, look at what this group is doing to make walls and try that!” BUT we must remember, the learning is in the struggle.  Instead, I asked what sort of challenges they were having.  I invited students to walk around and look at other designs.  When they spotted the Green Team’s success, they rushed back and started to use the smaller marshmallows to build the higher walls.

I heard more than one student exclaim, “Let’s use the smaller marshmallows for the walls because they are not as heavy!”

Once their design was complete, the students worked together to record the materials they used. I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist.

Here’s a link to the art and activity sheets I put together for this. Feel free to use them in your classroom.

Deedee Wills has spent more than 15 years in the classroom as an early childhood teacher, instructional coach and educational consultant. She writes the blog MrsWillsKindergarten.

Key Takeways:

• Incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist

• Kids work cooperatively to build a structure

• The learning is in the struggle.  Explore, revise, and rebuild!

One of my favorite winter books to read each year is The Mitten by Jan Brett.  I was so excited to see that Let’s Find Out featured these characters in a January issue. 

It let me create a lesson that included reading skills and a fun STEM challenge. 

Shared Reading Activity

As always, we start each weekly lesson by applying our word attack strategies.  Let’s Find Out is a perfect resource for practicing these skills.  I start by covering one or more of the words in the magazine.

I then remind our emergent readers that the picture sometimes offers a clue to the unknown word in the yellow box with the owl.  The students guessed: wings, down, and feathers.  Someone also guessed fur, but my little friends reminded each other that birds do not have fur.

Then we peel back the Post-It note to reveal the initial sound.  

BINGO!   Feathers! 

Then it was time for our hands-on activity!

The Mitten STEM Challenge

The Challenge: Design and build a den that will hold all the animals from the story.

First, students planned how they would build a den for all of the animals.  They estimated the materials they would need.

Next, students worked in groups to build the den.  At first, the students simply made a chain of marshmallows, like a corral.  However, none of the structures were going vertical.  

I let the students explore for about 5-6 additional minutes, then called for their attention.  I said,  “Friends, as you are building your den think about how you want the sides of the den to look.  Do you think the animals would want to have a roof over their heads?”  They all agreed, a roof would make it a cozier den.

Students continued to work together as they tested out options for building walls.  Many looked like this with many hands needed to keep the walls upright. 

However, a few started to look like this one from the Green Team. 

After letting an additional 5-6 minutes pass I, once again, called for their attention.  As a teacher, it is very tempting to say, “Friends, look at what this group is doing to make walls and try that!” BUT we must remember, the learning is in the struggle.  Instead, I asked what sort of challenges they were having.  I invited students to walk around and look at other designs.  When they spotted the Green Team’s success, they rushed back and started to use the smaller marshmallows to build the higher walls.

I heard more than one student exclaim, “Let’s use the smaller marshmallows for the walls because they are not as heavy!”

Once their design was complete, the students worked together to record the materials they used. I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to incorporate STEM challenges with a storybook twist.

Here’s a link to the art and activity sheets I put together for this. Feel free to use them in your classroom.

Deedee Wills has spent more than 15 years in the classroom as an early childhood teacher, instructional coach and educational consultant. She writes the blog MrsWillsKindergarten.