5 Fall Read Alouds to Explore STEM Learning
The following is a guest post from Dr. Jacie Maslyk.
Whether working and learning at school or remotely from home, we can all carve out time to enjoy a good book. Exploring STEM through children’s literature is a great way to expose students to ideas that connect to science, technology, engineering, and math. Fall is a great time of year to explore different topics in literature while also connecting those to hands-on learning opportunities.
How to Choose a STEM Book?
With so many great books available, it’s hard to know what is the “right” book to share with your students. You can pique student interest by choosing books that are visually engaging. An interesting cover or unique images may draw students in. Books that are by familiar authors or illustrators may also be of interest to your students. If there is a specific topic that students want to learn about, you will surely find a book that will be a good match. In this post, I’ve shared a few children’s literature selections that are great for elementary read alouds (whether you are connecting face-to-face or virtually). Students will enjoy the illustrations, connect with the characters, and embrace all that the autumn season has to offer.
Creating STEM Extensions
Extending the learning beyond the text is a great way to support STEM learning, both at school and at home. By pairing hands-on learning experiences with the books that we read, we can not only create more connections for learners but we can also increase their comprehension skills. Each of the books highlighted in this post includes a few quick STEM connections that you can try with your students. While there are plenty of ways to extend STEM learning, here are a few to get you started!
Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer
This story allows readers to explore the layers of an ecosystem. Beginning as an acorn and growing into a forest prompts students to think about their environment and how things work together. Even the animals are impacted because of one small acorn.
STEM Connection: This book provides an opportunity for students to observe the world around them and consider how each part of an ecosystem is connected. Keep a science journal and document the changes in your environment. Sketch and write about what you see or create a video journal and document your learning in a digital format.
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
This book follows two sisters that have a special tree in their yard. They watch as the tree changes along with a robin and her nest. The blossoms turn to apples as the apple tree grows and changes through the seasons.
STEM Connection: Follow a recipe to make an apple pie or learn more about how bees pollinate flowers. This book offers an exploration into several different topics including the four seasons, watching seeds grow, and weather. Students can create a photo journal of a tree near their home. They can also explore apples, cutting them into parts to learn about fractions, or comparing different types of apples. For more apple inspired STEM activities check out this blog post.
A young boy teaches his friends the Chinese characters he’s learned. The book has beautiful cut-paper illustrations. There are also suggestions for activities to celebrate fall.
STEM Connection: Students can explore creating Chinese characters as shown in the story. Creating images and writing keywords from the story like grain, fire, autumn, field, and sprout not only helps students to investigate another culture but also promotes art and fine motor skills in the creation of the Chinese writing.
The Leaf Man goes where the wind blows. His journey is one of imagination and creativity as he travels through the marsh, over the field, and across the meadow.
STEM Connection: The leaf art in this book will certainly inspire students to create some of their own. Collecting fall leaves can lead to learning in math, as well. Counting and categorizing the types of leaves, measuring their size, and exploring their shapes can all foster STEM learning. Have students explore their creativity by designing animals made out of leaves.
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin by Margaret McNamara
In this story, the teacher, Mr. Tiffin, has his students explore skip counting and estimation with a fun and hands-on pumpkin themed investigation. In the book the students explore the question “Is the number of seeds in a pumpkin impacted by its size?”.
STEM Connection: Dissecting and messing with pumpkins can be fun for learners of all ages. Weighing and measuring pumpkins or any kind of cooking or baking would be a great way to extend the learning in this book. Get students involved in design thinking and have them map out a blueprint for a fall garden, determining how much space certain plants need to grow without getting overwhelmed. Have students make a prediction about how many seeds are in a pumpkin and open it up to check their predictions. Is the number of seeds odd or even?
Fall Into A Good Book
There are lots of other books that students can enjoy during this time of year. Pair your favorite fall book with a hands-on STEM activity to extend the learning for your students. Check out my website www.steam-makers.com for book lists and more ideas to explore STEM learning.
Want more Fall Read Aloud STEM Activities? Check out our Fall Read Aloud STEM Bundle!
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