Analyze Educational Materials for STR²EAM

 DECODING STEM/STEAM THE TOY ASSOCIATION STEM/STEAM STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

I liked this article because it gives educators, parents, and caregivers information on the importance of introducing STEM and STEAM toys to young children. Playing with STEM/STEAM essential toys helps build children's STEAM skills and gain their interest in STEAM activities. This is not just playing for children; it allows children to develop skills they will need throughout their education and prepare them for the future. 

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Little Tikes Science Lab Table

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I like this product for the children to have at home to keep children engaged in STEM. This science table because it introduces the children to the foundational STEM concepts that give children an early advantage in education. It also allows the children to use hands-on activities that teach them about STEM by using everyday household products to complete different science activities. But this product is not built for a preschool classroom or a childcare center. Using toys like this when my children were younger, the products needed to be more durable and sturdy. And looking at the size, only a few children can utilize this science lab table. 

11 Experiments that Failed

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I liked this book because it can be a fun way to explain to children that our experiments will not always go as planned, and it's okay. Children will learn that this is how scientists test their scientific hypotheses. I did like the way the book was read or the way it was recorded. However, this would likely lose some children's interest in the story.

Resources

Teaching STEM/STEM Resources | STEM Education Portal (uconn.edu)

Hands-on STEM for Your Classroom (sciencebuddies.org)

21 Amazing STEM Resources for Teachers - The Tech Edvocate

Explore STEM Resources for K-12 Educators | NASA

The 27 Best STEM Toys for Kids of 2023 (verywellfamily.com)

The 26 Best STEM Toys of 2023 | by The Spruce

STEAM and STEM toys, gifts, & resources for kids! (Best list we've seen!) (yourmodernfamily.com)

STEM Coding Toys, Gifts, & Activity Kits | Learning Resources

STR2EAM Toys

Science / Learning Resouces Primary Science Set 

Technology / Learning Resouces Science Educational Toys Code and Go Robot Mouse Activities Set

Reading / Interactive Learn To-Read Book Set

Religion / Bible Toy Noah's Ark 17 Piece Play Set with Noah 14 Animals and floating Ark

Engineering / Haptime STEM Learning Toys, Construction Engineering Building Blocks

Art / FUNZBO Arts and Crafts Supplies For Kids

Mathematics / Learning Resouces Floor Game That Teaches Simple Math

Block Play

 Influences of Block Play on Academic Learning in Preschool

Influences of Block Play on Academic Learning in Preschool (csp.edu)

Rating of 💟💟💟💟

This is an excellent article for the study of the theory of block play information. It gives the reader a pleather of information on different studies of children in block play. This article needs to solve the mystery of the importance of block play in early childhood. But can help support one's argument about the significance of block play. 

 Block Play

Not just a theory: Block play builds STEM skills in early childhood - First Things First

Rating of 💟💟💟💟

This article explains how children that build with blocks help support STEM in early childhood. And how introducing block play to children now can help them to become successful in the future as they continue in school. 

Foundations of Learning: Teacher's Role in Block Play 

Rating of 💟💟💟💟💟

I liked this video and how it talked about the role of the teacher and knowing when to interject yourself into the children's play. This information is critical for teachers to know. Giving the children enough support to help guide them in the right direction but not to take over or detour them from playing. Being an active observer gives the children the support they need. But removing yourself once the children get the idea or understanding of block play. I also like that the block is labeled, and the teacher uses the clean-up process as a teachable moment with naming the blocks. This video was informational concerning block play.

Building and Block Area in an Inclusive Classroom

Rating of 💟💟💟💟

I liked this video because it was informative about what I must consider when creating this workspace for the children. The questions the video brings to light can help create a checklist to create a block center. 

Book: Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins

Rating of 💟💟💟💟💟

I really like this book. It is a great way to introduce different ways the children can use blocks in the block center. This book is a great way to start a conversation about what we can use the blocks for, giving examples from the book. I also like this book because it is a picture book and can allow the children to be creative with telling the story. This book also helps children that are non-readers and helps them form associations between the words and the pictures. 

Book: When I Build with Blocks by Niki Alling

                                

Rating of 💟💟💟💟💟

I like this book I children's great ideas for using the blocks in the block area. They can use their imagination to pretend they are an astronaut in outer space or a pirate sailing the seven seas. This would be an excellent book for children who love to use blocks to build things.

Lesson Extensions

Block Rainbow

Rating of 💟💟💟💟💟

In this lesson, the children will learn about the rainbow.

Science- Scientist Isaac Newton explains how a rainbow forms. He said that sunlight is made up of the colors of a rainbow. When those colors of the rainbow are mixed together, it is called white light. White light is the light we see every day.

Technology- https://youtu.be/Cm9ZkYTnCNE How to make a rainbow.

Religion / Relationship - We will discuss how God made the rainbow and His promise to Noah in Genesis 6-9 / rainbows make people feel happy inside. The children can talk about the different feelings the color make them feel.

Reading - The World Made a Rainbow by Michelle Robinson

Engineering- The children will build a rainbow with the Lego blocks.

Art- The children will make rainbows in the art center using materials (paper or playdough) other than paint.

Mathematics- The children will count and sort pompoms matching printed rainbow cards with numbers. 

 

 

Music and Movement

Moving to the Music

I like the article Music, Movement, and, Make-Beleive in the Preschool Classroom. It gave great strategies for incorporating music and movement into children's day.

I would have liked the article to discuss the benefits of children moving to music. Why music and movement are essential for young children? How it improves self-esteem and helps children to develop social skills. And that movement with peers and teachers helps preschoolers focus on teamwork, communication, mutual respect, and trust in others and simply encourages more positive social encounters with those around them. The article seems to be geared toward parents, but it sounds like it was more for educators.

Ratings of 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

Strategies to use in your classroom. This teacher gives us some ideas to get our kiddos engaged in music and movement.

Rating of  5 thumbs up 👍👍👍👍👍

The video Nature Jam's PrescJam'sProdigies Pilot-Sweet Beets-Rhythm Lesson and Song for Kids is excellent for children in Music, Movement, and Make-Believe. The children are learning about rhythm and using their bodies to make music while dancing to the beat. They are learning to create an expression using the body as a percussion instrument. They are also learning about rhythmical pulse, which is related to science, and rhythm patterns, which are related to mathematics which connect this to STR²EAM. The beet and the cherry bouncing to the beat incorporate the make-believe aspect of the video. Adding children to the video would have made it a little more engaging for children. An extension to address all STR²EAM concepts would be science, hearing music coming out of a radio is experiencing frequency, technology using a sound beat app to make beats, reading learning to read music, religion singing praises to God, engineering creating musical instruments, art draw pictures of the music they hear, and mathematic counting the beats in the song. 

Ratings of 4 cherries 🍒🍒🍒🍒

This video will get the children moving and singing.

Rating of 5 bananas 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

Reflecting on the story, Violet's Music is about a girl who loves to make music all day. It sets a reading focus for children to listen to all the different ways Violet makes music throughout the story. Science can be incorporated by teaching the children that Violet played with different objects throughout the story, making sounds that vary in volume (loud and soft) and pitch (high and low). Violet created instruments out of all types of materials, such as paper, glitter, glue, and a racket that can be connected to STR²EAM. An extension to address all STR²EAM concepts would be science exploring how to view sound, technology using karaoke machines, reading the children can use sequencing to retell the story, religion violet had faith that she would find others that love music, engineering creating musical instruments, art play music, and the children draw what they hear. Mathematic counting musical instrument Violet played in the story. I believe I will be adding this one to my book collection. 

Ratings of 5 rattles 🔍🔍🔍🔍🔍

Check out this STR²EAM book for music and movement. 

Rating of 5 drums 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

This book introduces the children to the different instruments they may have yet to see or hear of. 

Rating of 4 cellos 🎻🎻🎻🎻

Ramps & Pathways

STR2EAM Blog 1

What is ramp provocation?

Ramp provocation is to inspire interest in ramps. It provokes thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity, and ideas about ramps. It provides invitations to explore ramps. Finally, it should stimulate children to react by creating bigger and better ramps by thinking about how to build in a new way, trying something different, seeing something from a new angle, or investing their minds in creating something innovative.

                                       

What are STR²EAM concept areas covered in Ramps and Pathways?

The STR²EAM concept covers them building, testing their ramp structures, making adjustments, and trying again until they are successful. It involves moving objects and inclined planes. It also gives the children the to think and be creative.

How can we add the other STR²EAM concepts to promote learning in all areas?

Science can be used to have the children study the speed and momentum of using ramps.

 Technology can be incorporated by watching videos about ramps or documenting the construction of the ramp with a digital camera.

Reading can be added to the concept by reading Roll, Slope, and Slide by Michael Dahi.

Religion the children can discuss how Noah built the ramp for the animals and people to come aboard the boat.

In engineering, children can construct ramps, pathways, loops, and curves differently. 

Art the children can brainstorm and draw what their ramp looks like. 

Math can be added to promote other learning areas. For example, how many blocks did it take to make the ramp? Which car rolled the farthest?

Rate the article by giving it a 1-5 star rating. Justify your rating.

 I rate this article ✩✩✩✩ stars because it discussed the topic of ramps. In addition, it touched on different concepts about young children building ramps and the benefits of doing so. Using ramps to help the children build collaboration skills, language/vocabulary skills, and gross and fine motor skills. 

Then, reflect on the video, Learning STEM Concepts Through Ramp Play.

The children are building ramps to develop the concept of math and science. They make their ramp with an idea in mind and test the theory to see if it works. They are also collaborating with their peers to build the ramps, which helps to build communication skills and cognitive thinking. When the children play with the ramps, they come up with different ways to build ramps, from when they were just on the floor to more complex ramps with hills and loops. This gets the children to think and ask questions to build their learning needs. Enhancing the block area with these types of ramps can increase the way children use the site and be more inclined to construct ramps in the classroom.

Rate the video by giving it a 1-5 star rating. Justify your rating.

 I rate this article ✩✩✩✩ stars because I enjoyed the video. This video builds on to the idea of making ramps more complex by adding hills and loops to the children down sloping ramps. Getting the children to be more creative with building ramps.

Finally, you will critique the activity Discovery Ramp Caddy.

This is a neat carrying and storage ramp caddy. It allows you to store large and small materials for ramps. The children can use this cabby easily with some labeling where materials go. It only needs wheels quickly move from inside the classroom to the outside.

Rate the activity by giving it a 1-5 star rating. Justify your rating.

I rate this article ✩✩✩✩ stars because I liked the products offered for the topic's purpose. And this is an excellent idea for the storage of the ramp material. I liked that the article showed images of the product and information about it. I would have liked to see a video of how the product was used. And what did other users review about the product?