STEM Challenges and Books for Kids to Explore During the Month of October
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STEM Challenges and Books for Kids to Explore During the Month of October
Looking for some fun ways to engage in STEM and maker learning this October? This month’s read-aloud selections offer hands-on learning that will keep your students exploring the seasonal changes around them, thinking creatively, and designing for a purpose.
There are so many benefits to adding a read-aloud to your STEM lessons. When we connect children’s literature to STEM and maker learning opportunities, we tap into important skills for our students including:
Problem-solving
Comprehension
Creativity
Divergent thinking
When you can captivate students by the possibility of something new and imaginative, it can lead to opportunities for learning in STEM, design and making. This can happen in your classroom 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 to explore in the fall during the month of October. Be sure to check out the October STEM read-aloud menus to find all sorts of activities to connect to each book.
Sophie’s Squash
Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf is an adorable story of a young girl named Sophie who finds a best friend at the farmer’s market. It wasn’t a typical friend, but a squash that Sophie called Bernice. Your students can follow along as Sophie discovers why squash don’t exactly make the best of friends. Seasonal changes bring some fun discoveries along Sophie’s journey. After reading this story, students can try some design-related tasks like these:
Design a face for your own squash. Use craft supplies to create eyes, a nose, mouth, ears, and other features.
Construct a cardboard accessory for Bernice the squash. What will you create? A bed? A chair? A vehicle?
Design a new toy that Sophie might like—one that’s not too hard or too soft. Sketch your idea on paper. Then use play dough to build it.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
The Trip
The Trip by Ezra Jack Keats is the story of a boy named Louie who finds himself feeling lonely and missing his old friends after moving to a new neighborhood. Louie transforms a regular box into a colorful diorama that includes a plane. Without ever leaving, he uses his imagination to escape his loneliness and fly back to his old neighborhood friends. This story provides opportunities for students to engage in innovative thinking and creative expression with activities like these:
Make your own viewfinder like Louie’s using cardboard, paper, and tape or glue.
Louie used an umbrella to remake a unique costume. What kind of costume could you make with a pillowcase? A basket? Or a lampshade? Sketch your design.
Make an airplane using a toilet paper roll and other cardboard pieces. Decorate the outside with your favorite color.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Hiking Day
Take your students on a read-aloud hiking adventure with Hiking Day by Anne Rockwell. Hiking Day is the story of a young girl and her family who hike Hickory Hill. Adventure along as she describes the entire hike day - from the sounds to the berries and the animals. After reading the book, students can explore a variety of hiking related challenges like these:
Construct a map for a hiking trip that you might take. Draw your map or create a 3-D tabletop version. Include two different possible paths.
Find some plants, leaves, or flowers outside, then do a crayon rubbing. What shapes and textures do you see?
Some forest animals use camouflage. Create a camouflage creature and then design an environment that can hide it.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn By Kenard Pak explores the seasonal changes between summer and fall. Take an imaginary walk with this young girl in a red scarf as she observes and experiences the changes happening all around her. Your students can also explore the real-life seasonal changes happening in your area with the following activities:
Record the temperature every day this month. Track the changing temperatures. How is it changing? Why?
Sketch a design for a new scarf. What colors will it be? How long will you make it? How will it be different from other scarves?
Collect leaves of different colors. Can you find some that are green, yellow, orange, red, or brown? Make a bar graph to show how many you collected.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
The Autumn Visitors
Visitors are coming to the cozy cottage in the book The Autumn Visitors by Karel Hayes, but the visitors might not be who you’d expect. The changing seasons bring many changes for everyone and everything. This short read-aloud is a great way to discover all the things fall has to offer. Take a look at the STEM activities below:
Plan and construct a cozy cottage or tiny house. What materials will you need? Where will it be located?
Plan and construct an amusement ride. Ferris wheels, roller coasters, and glider rides are all popular ones.
Design a trap or device to help the bears catch a turkey.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
The Scarecrow’s Dance
This rhyming story is perfect for fall. The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen is the story of a scarecrow who seemingly comes to life. As he dances his way through the farm, he overhears the prayers of a little boy who makes him realize just how important his presence is to the farmers and the fields he protects. This imaginative story provides many opportunities for learners to engage in innovative thinking and creative expression with STEM challenges like these:
Create a model of a scarecrow with bendable arms and legs. Use cardboard and pipe cleaners.
Plan and design a corn maze. Sketch one on paper or build a tabletop version using recyclable materials.
Crows are actually really smart birds that use their beaks as tools. They can snip, peck, and carry things with their beak. Create a tool that you might use to help you to accomplish a task.
Get the read aloud STEM menu for this book here.
This month, take some time to explore these (and other) great books. Whether learning about friendship, cycles of life, or seasonal changes, October is a great time to engage in some hands-on maker learning experiences. For more October STEM ideas, check out our Read Aloud STEM menus.
Our October read-aloud STEM menus are full of activities for each of these books that will keep your students engaged and asking for more! Get the STEM Menus here!
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