Engaging Read Alouds and STEM Challenges for the End of the Year
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Need some ideas to keep students engaged during these final weeks of school? Discover new inventions and new perspectives with your students through read alouds. Keep them engaged up until the last day of school with STEM! The end of the school year is the perfect time to incorporate hands-on projects and cooperative activities.
The following are 4 of our favorite STEM read alouds and STEM activities to engage students at the end of the year.
The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring
The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring by Gilbert Ford is a colorful story of Richard, an engineer and creative dreamer, who accidentally invented a one-of-a-kind toy while trying to solve a different problem. He faced many obstacles along the way, but his determination paid off. His toy, a Slinky, became wildly popular among the children. His ordinary spring was turned into a truly marvelous thing. Accidental discoveries happen all around us every day. Give your students the opportunity to learn about the accidental invention of the Slinky, and challenge them to build their own simple machine spring using the six-step engineering design process.
Learn more about this end of the year read aloud and STEM activity!
The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons
The Crayon Man by Natascha Biebow is a true story about Edwin Binney, the inventor of Crayola Crayons. In a top secret lab located in Pennsylvania, Edwin and his team used trial-and-error experiments to create better, stronger crayons in just the perfect shades of each color. Teach your students about the inspiring origin of this colorful invention and challenge them to build a box that fits 24 crayons inside.
Learn more about this end of the year read aloud and STEM activity!
Just Like Rube Goldberg
Just Like Rube Goldberg by Sarah Aronson is the story of a successful, award-winning artist and famous inventor who never actually invented anything at all. Rube loved to draw but didn’t have the support of his father, so he went to school to become an engineer. Never losing site of his passion for drawing, Rube continued to pursue opportunities to draw comics. After facing many challenges, he found success and quickly became a celebrity. Rube’s creative drawings of complex machines challenged his readers to look closer and question logic. Rube’s success was less of an invention and more of a chain reaction that made perfect sense. Invite students to explore a world of possibilities. Challenge students to create their own Rube Goldberg Machine using materials like dominoes, books, popsicle sticks, toy cars, cups, tape, marbles, or ping pong balls.
Learn more about this end of the year read aloud and STEM activity!
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
After the Fall by Dan Santat reinvents the familiar nursery rhyme of Humpty Dumpty and his accidental fall. He loves to watch birds, but can no longer muster the courage to climb to the top of the wall. Paralyzed by fear and anxiety, this is a story of perseverance and passion. The famous egg overcomes his fear and is determined to rewrite the ending of his story. Teach students about the importance of determination and gravity while they complete an egg drop challenge using simple materials.
Learn more about this end of the year read aloud and STEM activity!
End of the Year Read Alouds and STEM Challenges
It’s not too late to incorporate STEM read alouds and challenges in your classroom. As the school year comes to an end, you have one last chance to encourage creativity and innovative thinking. End your year on a positive note by helping students channel the end-of-the-year craziness into creativity!
These read-aloud lesson ideas are already planned and ready to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
For more end-of-the-school-year STEM challenges, check out these blog posts:
Free Team Building STEM Activity - Paper Chains
Four End of the Year Read Alouds and STEM Challenges Your Students Will Love
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