What to Teach on the First Day of STEM Class: Rules, Expectations, and Activities
The first day of STEM class sets the tone for the entire school year.
It’s a chance to establish expectations, build excitement, and spark curiosity about what’s to come. By balancing structure with hands-on exploration, you can make students feel confident, engaged, and ready for a year full of creativity and problem-solving.
STEM Classroom Rules and Expectations
Before diving into building and experimenting, it’s important to establish a foundation of clear rules and procedures. STEM activities often involve collaboration, creativity, and a variety of materials, so students need to understand how to work safely, respectfully, and productively. Without a strong system in place, the excitement of STEM can quickly turn into chaos.
That’s why investing time at the beginning of the year to teach and practice rules, expectations, and procedures is so valuable. The time you spend upfront will save you countless hours later and ensure your STEM classroom runs smoothly all year long. Students thrive when they know what is expected, and you’ll feel more confident leading hands-on activities when routines are established.
First Day of STEM Classroom Slides
The STEM Classroom Management Slides included in the August section of the STEM Teachers Club Membership make teaching expectations simple and engaging. Instead of trying to create everything from scratch, these ready-to-use slides guide you through introducing the most important rules, routines, and procedures for a successful STEM classroom. They also help you introduce STEM/STEAM itself, breaking down what each letter represents and showing students how science, technology, engineering, art, and math all work together.
The slides include multiple sets of rules, so you can choose the version that best fits your classroom culture and students’ needs. For example, you can highlight rules like Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Respectful, and Celebrate Mistakes—all essential mindsets for STEM learning. In addition to rules, the slides walk students through common STEM procedures such as how to work in teams, voice level expectations, and how to clean up and reset materials after activities.
Another helpful feature is the clean-up procedure slides, which visually show students how to put away materials, organize team tubs, and leave the classroom ready for the next group. Because the slides are fully editable, you can even replace the included example photos with real pictures from your own classroom, making the routines feel more personal and relevant for your students.
By using these slides, you can start the year with clarity and consistency while also building excitement about the creative STEM journey ahead.
First Day of STEM Challenge
Once the expectations are set, it’s time to let students get their hands on some materials. The first day shouldn’t just be about rules—it should also give kids a taste of the fun and creativity that STEM offers.
This is where Mystery Maker Missions come in. These are quick, low-prep challenges designed to spark curiosity and problem-solving skills. Each mission comes in a bag with a few simple materials and a challenge card. For example:
Can you build something taller than your hand?
Can you build a tunnel that a toy car can drive through?
Can you build a bridge between two books that holds 5 counting bears?
Students work either individually or in small groups to complete the challenge in 10–15 minutes. Afterward, they can share their creations and reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how they might improve next time
Why This Balance Works
By combining expectations with exploration, you accomplish two important goals on the first day:
Students understand the routines and rules that will guide them throughout the year, creating a structured environment where everyone feels safe and respected.
Students experience the excitement of STEM right away, which builds buy-in and enthusiasm for future lessons.
The first day is not just about management—it’s about sparking joy and curiosity. With the Classroom Management Slides and Mystery Maker Missions, you’ll have everything you need to start the year off strong.
Everything You Need to Teach STEM!
If you’re ready to kick off your STEM year with ease, you can find both the STEM Classroom Management Slides and the Mystery Maker Missions in the August section of the STEM Teachers Club Membership. The STEM Teachers Club is designed specifically for elementary teachers (Pre-K through 5th grade) and provides fresh monthly STEM lesson plans and training every month. Each set of lessons comes with editable Canva slides, so you can tailor them to fit the unique needs of your students and classroom.
Instead of reinventing the wheel every month, the STEM Teachers Club gives you everything you need to plan engaging, hands-on STEM lessons that actually work. Best of all, you can try it out for just $15 a month—and cancel anytime.
Spend Less Time Planning and More Time Teaching!
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