August Read Alouds and STEM Challenges
*This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. By clicking on the links and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Looking for some fun ways to engage in STEM and maker learning? This month’s read aloud selections offer hands-on learning that will keep your students problem-solving, thinking creatively, and designing for a purpose at the beginning of the year.
A STEM read aloud is a book that is read before a STEM activity to provide a context for the challenge. The purpose of the STEM read aloud is to provide students with background knowledge for the challenge as well as to set up the problem that students are going to be solving. There are so many benefits to adding a read aloud to your STEM lessons.
When you can captivate students by the possibility of something new and imaginative, it can easily lead to opportunities for learning in STEM, design, and making. This can happen by adding read alouds to your STEM challenges.
Any book can provide a context for making and you can implement these lessons at any time of year, but here are a few stories that are perfect during the month of August and back to school season. Be sure to check out the monthly menus to find all sorts of activities to connect to each book.
The Secret Shortcut
The Secret Shortcut by Mark Teague is an imaginative story of two friends trying to make it to school on time. Their excuses for the teacher are running out as space creatures, pirates, and a plague of frogs continue to make them late each day. Wendell and Floyd devise a plan to get to school on time. Wendell thinks he knows a shortcut, but instead the boys find themselves on an adventure through a wild, thick jungle. This story provides opportunities for students to engage in innovative thinking and creative expression with activities like these:
A lot of strange things happen to Wendell and Floyd on their way to school. Choose your favorite scene from the story. Use recyclables or other materials you have to recreate the scene from the story.
Draw or build a map of your own crazy and creative shortcut to get to school. What interesting places will you explore?
Design a tool or gadget to help Wendell and Floyd on their adventure. Will the tool help them to climb trees more safely? Or swing from vines with ease?
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
One Drop of Kindness
Your students can be part of the ripple effect of kindness started by Gus and Truly. One Drop of Kindness by Jeff Kubiak tells the story of how the power of kindness transformed Gus, his school, and his town. Your students can journey with Gus as he transforms from a boy full of despair and hatred to a boy who finds kindness within himself. One drop of kindness is all it takes to fill a heart with love. After reading this story, students can try some kindness related tasks like these:
Brainstorm some ways to improve the way your school looks. Sketch a design and share it with your teachers and friends.
Kindness rocks are one way to share a positive message with others. Paint a picture or some kind words on a rock and leave it for someone to find.
Writing notes of gratitude is another way to offer kindness. Write a thank you note during the first week of school and thank someone who was kind to you.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Izzy Gizmo
Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones is a story of determination as Izzy, a young, female engineer, repeatedly creates and fails. Izzy’s frustrations grow as all of her inventions fail to work. Just when she’s about to give up, Izzy comes across a crow with a broken wing. She wants to help, but her inventions continue to fall short. Izzy’s grandpa is always nearby to encourage her to keep trying and eventually she creates the perfect solution for her new friend’s broken wing. Faced with challenges at every turn, students will love to inspire Izzy to problem-solve and design some solutions with activities like these:
If something needs mended it means it needs fixed. What is one thing that you could mend in the classroom? In your bedroom? In your neighborhood?
The injured crow needs help. Come up with at least 3 different ways you could help the crow’s wing. Ask an adult for old or broken electronics. Explore what is inside. Can you re-purpose it or use it for something.
Izzy made an invention for serving tea and for making spaghetti but these don’t work right. Choose one and draft a plan to improve it.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Dear Teacher
Dear Teacher by Amy Husband is a colorful and clever collection of letters from Michael to his new teacher, Ms. Brooks. This is the perfect read aloud for back to school. From pyramids to pirates and rocket ships, Michael’s imagination is working hard to keep him from going back to school. Take a look at the activities below or check out more back to school read alouds here.
The book itself is packaged like an envelope and the story is read from top to bottom instead of left to right. Create your own book with a design twist.
Michael continues his adventure and finds a treasure map. Draw a map to find a treasure in your yard or neighborhood.
Michael took a rocket on a space mission. Build your own rocket using cardboard and duct tape.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Wemberly Worried
Wemberly is a shy, little mouse who worries about everything! As she prepares for her first day of school, Wemberly worries about that, too. She finds her confidence after making a new friend who is just like her. Together they discover that school is too much fun to be worried all the time. Students will love Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, especially when combined with different hands-on activities connected to the things Wemberly worried about in the book like these:
Wemberly worries about a crack in the wall. Create something that might make the crack useful or beautiful.
Wemberly worries that her stuffed animal, Petal, should have a car seat. Build one!
Wemberly worries about the noise coming out of the radiator. Make something for her to cancel out the loud sounds of the radiator.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
The Thing That Lou Couldn’t Do
The Thing That Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires tells the story of how Lou faces her fears when her adventurous friends want to play in the tree. Lou loves an adventure, but prefers adventures on the ground. She is faced with a big problem. Lou has never climbed a tree before and she doesn’t think she can do it. She comes up with plenty of excuses for why she cannot join her friends, but decides to give it a try after all. Loaded with plenty of excuses, students will love to help Lou problem-solve and design some alternate solutions for this lovable character with activities like these:
Lou and her friends run faster than airplanes. Make a paper airplane and see if you and your friends can run faster.
Lou needs to overcome her fear of high things. Brainstorm some activities she could try out first that aren’t quite so high.
Lou makes an excuse that an asteroid is coming right towards the tree. Create something that can shield Lou and her friends from this disaster.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
If you need more ideas for implementing Read Aloud STEM virtually, check out the following resources:
This month, take some time to explore these (and other) great books. Whether reading about back to school or facing fears, engage in some hands-on maker learning experiences. Our August read aloud STEM menus are full of activities for each of these books that will keep your students engaged and asking for more!
Join our FREE Facebook group Elementary STEM Teachers with Carly and Adam! Learn more about how to incorporate STEM in your classroom or at home and collaborate with other STEM teachers! JOIN NOW!
We hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!