Blog - Teaching the Stars

Awesome STEM Activities For Indoor Recess That Students Will Love

May 24, 2022 No Comments

The weather is getting colder and that means that it is the time of year we will start spending our recess time inside. While we can still have fun, we are a little more limited in the ways to let the kids play or the things they can do.

I love using inside recess to create and to build, and STEM is a great way to do that! STEM is great for recess because generally, it doesn’t even feel like learning! It is a hands-on activity that students love doing, so they won’t mind spending their recess on it.

A great way to incorporate it into your recess time is by setting up STEM stations. Come up with 3 or 4 STEM activities (depending on the length of your recess) that you love and put stations or centers up around your classroom with all of the supplies needed. Let students wander to the station that appeals to them or put them in groups and rotate them every 10 or so minutes.

I do recommend keeping it a little more structured so that you can ensure all of the STEM supplies are staying where they belong. The last thing you want is for the activity to be put on hold because someone stuck an essential supply in the wrong bin.

Here are some of my favorite STEM activities that can be used as inside recess builds

STEM Quick Challenges

This STEM resource is perfect for inside recess because it includes 12 simple STEM challenges that would fit into a school box.

Activities to choose from include:

Index Card Tower
House of Cards
Pipe Cleaner Bridge
Popsicle Stick Catapult
Army Parachute
Fidget Spinners
Building Squares Structures
Dominoes Diving Board
Packing Peanuts Structures
Triangle Structures
Button Designs
Button Towers

Another bonus with these STEM activities is that they can also be used for STEM soft starts (more on those here), in your regular STEM lessons, or after school clubs.

If you are looking for some great supplies to have on hand for indoor recess STEM activities, here are the products I love.

STEM Building Blocks

Math Manipulatives Linking Toys

Gears Building Set

Building Straws and Connectors Set

Brain Flakes Interlocking Disc Set

These supplies will give your students activities to do at recess that will engage their brain in STEM thinking as well as allow them to relax and blow off some steam during recess. With these activities, students won’t even mind when it’s time for indoor recess!

What are your favorite indoor recess activities? Let me know in the comments!

Fun End Of The Year STEM Activities To Kick Off The Summer

May 15, 2022 No Comments

The end of the year is rapidly approaching! How excited are you? The end of the year is so fun for us and the kids. If you’re looking for a way to end the year with a bang, you have to try some easy end-of-the-year STEM challenges!

Quick stem challenges are the perfect way to get students engaged in STEM thinking while having fun. This means you can easily add it to your lesson plans or even your class parties! Something I love about STEM is that a lot of times, students don’t even feel like they’re learning.

If this sounds like something you’d love to do but you’re a little confused about how it all works or what makes a good STEM activity- let’s start with the basics!

What is a STEM challenge?

STEM challenges are hands-on activities where students can research, design, engineer, and build solutions to the problems they are presented with. You can use any resources you have on hand to really encourage creative thinking! This encourages students to use their creativity, problem-solving skills, math skills, and more!

What are some STEM project ideas?

The sky is the limit with STEM! You can turn any project into a STEM activity with a little planning. For tons of STEM activities, make sure you check out my activities here.

Looking for some great end-of-the-school-year STEM activities for kids? I have you covered! Here are two of my favorite STEM resources.

End of the Year STEM Student Choice Awards

Have students create some snazzy end-of-the-year awards! These STEM awards require students to use simple supplies like tin foil and cups to create an Oscar! Once all of the trophies are done, hand them out to students Hollywood award show style. This is a fabulous way to reward students for all of their hard work this year and make them feel special.

Popsicle STEM Activities

These STEM challenges for kids are the perfect way to kick off the summer season. This resource connects to the book The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud and Milan Pavlovic and it is sure to be a hit. This popsicle STEM activity allows students to research the invention of popsicles and Frank Epperson, the inventor of popsicles. Students will compare entrepreneurs and inventors. Students will problem solve and think critically as they complete their challenges. Connect research, history, economics, and STEM!

Both of these STEM activities are perfect for ending the year on a high note. If you are learning from a distance, don’t worry. There’s still plenty of STEM fun to be had. For end-of-the-year virtual STEM activities, check out these STEM challenges.

If you are looking for more end-of-the-year celebration ideas, check out these ideas.

End Of The Year Student Gift Ideas

May 15, 2022 No Comments

It’s the end of the year and it’s time to celebrate all of our students’ accomplishments and bid them goodbye. It’s so bittersweet! If you’re looking for a great way to end the year, you’re in the right place. I like to make the last day of school as special as possible.

This means I try to pack the day with things like:

Summer-themed STEM activities
Student Awards
Treats
End of the year student gifts

For summer-themed STEM activities, check out this paper airplane STEM activity. If you need end-of-the-year student awards, I love these. For end-of-the-year treats for students, I like to get something simple and summery like popsicles because they are easy and super affordable.

So what do you give students at the end of the year?

Small gifts that are available to buy in bulk and for an affordable price are the way to go. You can pair them with a small piece of candy or a note from you!

If you are looking for the perfect end-of-the-year student gift ideas, I have some great options for you below.

These options are all easy, fun, affordable, and come in large packs so you have enough for everyone.

Rubik’s cubes: https://amzn.to/3LkG6u5These are a classic favorite! Rubik’s cubes are compact, fun, and great for getting students to use their brains! This comes in a pack of thirty so you’ll have enough for your whole class.

end of the year student gift idea: Rubik's cube

Motivational bracelets. https://amzn.to/3MixlCaThese bracelets are the perfect send-off! Each student will get their own little motivational message that’ll make them think of you each time they wear it. This gift would be especially great for fifth graders getting ready to leave elementary and enter middle school!

World Stress Balls.https://amzn.to/39mmvfO These little stress balls that look like a little Earth would be perfect with a little note that says “You mean the world to me!”.

Mini Pop-It Keychainshttps://amzn.to/3wgXxI1. Pop-It’s are all the rage right now so these are sure to be a hit! This pack of 30 keychains is the perfect simple and fun gift.

Galaxy Slime https://amzn.to/3a2SGBt
. Slime is messy and fun and kids can’t get enough of it! Get a 24 galaxy slime container to send your students off with smiles on their faces.

Animal Erasers. https://amzn.to/3FJGKAo These are adorable and fun! It comes in a pack of 60 so you can send each student home with a little animal pal or two.

Sunglasses. https://amzn.to/39lH8ZE. Sunglasses are classic and always a hit! They are the perfect accessory to head off into summer.

Scratch Off Bookmarks .https://amzn.to/3FPgIvK These bookmarks scratch off to reveal rainbow colors! This pack comes with bookmarks and scratching sticks so students can create their own designs.

Emoji Keychains. https://amzn.to/3lca9tq Students love emojis! These adorable emoji keychains come in a pack of 40 so you’ll have plenty for everyone.

Mini Squishy Toys.https://amzn.to/3LfzCN6 These adorable little toys are the perfect sensory toy for students to squish and fidget with!

If you’re looking for personalized end-of-the-year gifts for students, you can always attach a personal note to each student to their gift. This small touch won’t take much time and it will be a meaningful addition to your end-of-the-year gifts.

What do you think? What is your favorite gift to give to students at the end of the year? Let me know in the comments!

End Of The Year Activities Students Will Love

April 24, 2022 No Comments

It’s almost the end of the school year and it’s time to start planning those end of the year activities for our students! This time of the year is so bittersweet because while I am happy that we will all be getting a much-needed break, it’s hard to say goodbye to the kiddos I spent my last year with. We’ve been through a lot together!

How do you end the school year on a positive note?

This is a great time to look back on all of the fun we have had, reflect on all that we have learned, and celebrate how far we have all come! This is a great excuse to plan a big end of the year celebration!

How do you celebrate the end of the year?

I find this to be the perfect time to have an end of the year party with my students! Here are my favorite end of the year activities and some fun ideas for a class party.

What’s a party without some fun treats? Ask parents for snack donations like crackers, chips, cookies, drinks, or even some cupcakes. These things are super simple but always a hit with students.
If you took pictures throughout the school year, make a slide show showcasing your amazing year together and all you have accomplished!
Set the tone with an upbeat, kid-friendly playlist. There are tons on Spotify or even on YouTube.
Play some games. You can play musical chairs, Simon Says, Freeze Dance, or any other simple and fun game. These are easy to play and low pressure so everyone enjoys them.
Hand out some end of the year gifts. If your budget permits it, this is guaranteed to put a smile on your students’ faces! Check out these exciting and affordable gift ideas to get you started.
Hand out end of the school year awards. Everyone loves getting an award for all of their hard work. Add a STEM spin on it with this STEM challenge. This is a collection of thirty classroom awards. Students create their Oscars (tin foil sculptures) and then vote for their classmates for the award that fits them most. Teachers then assemble the Oscar-like statues and present the awards Hollywood style!

Looking for virtual end of the year activities?

Don’t worry, you can still have fun virtually, just host an online classroom party for your students! You can still play music and games on Zoom. These at-home STEM challenges are simple and engaging activities that students can complete at home with supplies they already have. You can also hand out digital student award certificates!

I hope you love these ideas! What are your favorite ways to end the school year? Let me know in the comments!

Earth Day Activities For Kids To Really Get Them Engaged

April 24, 2022 No Comments

April is one of the best months of the year because there is so much to celebrate! It’s the arrival of spring which usually means the sun is coming back out, we get to celebrate Easter, and we get to celebrate Earth Day!

This year, Earth Day is on Friday, April, 22. Earth Day is the anniversary of the environmental movement in 1970. We have come a long way with technological advancements but that means we have also learned a lot about what is harming our environment. Earth Day is a great opportunity to teach our students the importance of conservation efforts, the things we do that can harm the environment, and how we can make a difference.

This is the time of year that teachers pull out those fun Earth Day crafts or Earth Day projects so that we can make sure students understand why it is such an important day.

If you are looking for Earth Day activities for kids, you’re in the right place. I absolutely love stem activities because of the hands-on and creative aspects. So, I created some activities that would be perfect Earth Day stem activities!

Check out my favorite Earth Day activities for elementary

Wind Car STEM Activity

Based on the book If I Built A Car by Chris Van Dusen, I created this activity to get students engaged in creating their very own (environmentally friendly!) wind car.

This is a fun team-building activity that gets students thinking critically as they design and build a car after reading the book. STEM Wind Car Lab is an activity that engages students in thinking through the Engineering Next Generation Science Standards. It can be used any time of the year or used as an Earth Day or spring challenge!

Students plan and construct a wind car using only a few productive resources. Economics is integrated into the lab through discussions and understanding of scarcity, human, natural, and capital resources. Students collect the data on the distance their cars traveled. Through this experience, students will learn many concepts as they are engaged in a fun activity!

This makes the perfect Earth Day activity for schools because students will have to think critically about the materials they are using and how they will impact the environment. It’s so fun to see what students come up with when they really put their minds to it.

Another activity that is perfect for this time of year is my Kite STEM Challenge.

This is another great activity connected to a book. You can do this activity after reading Iqbal by Francesco D’Adamo or it can be a stand-alone STEM Challenge. This challenge will engage your students as they learn about kites, design, and test their kites. Students will construct kites after they research them. It takes them through the Engineering Process as they build and test their kites using various materials to construct them.

earth day stem activities: kite stem challenge preview

I hope you love these STEM activities as much as I do! What are your favorite Earth Day activities for kids? Let me know in the comments!

For more Earth Day activities for elementary, check out my post here!

How To Get Your Students Motivated To Take Tests

April 3, 2022 No Comments

Standardized testing is a normal part of education. It’s important for us so that we can properly assess where a student falls in their knowledge and if they will be meeting the standards they need to. Opinions on standardized testing seem to be a mix but it does give us a good read on our students’ skills and abilities so that we can properly determine how best to help them reach their educational goals.

While test-taking is essential, most students don’t exactly love it. For many of them, it’s a nerve-wracking experience and that combined with any external pressures they may be feeling can cause them to lose focus and negatively impact their performance and outcome. Naturally, this is something we need to avoid as much as possible so that we can get the most accurate results, but how do we do that?

We get them excited for test-taking!

I know what you may be thinking- that’s impossible! While I know they will never be as excited to take a test as they are to say, go to recess, it is something that we can increase motivation for and, in turn, improve their overall educational outcomes.

Test-taking doesn’t have to be scary. We must start by explaining to students that it doesn’t determine their worth. Taking a test is only a tool to help us understand the bigger picture going forward and is, therefore, nothing to fear.

Here are some tips for getting students excited for test-taking

Tap Into Student Interests

When preparing for tests, try to use prep materials related to your students’ interests. For instance, if your students love Minecraft, try to use it in your practice questions. Just the small act of using their interests can drastically increase engagement in test prep.

Student Autonomy

Give your students a little say in how you practice. Choose a couple of options for review and let students determine what they prefer to do. Giving them a choice goes a long way in how they feel about the process.

Offer a Class Reward

You can come up with a challenging but attainable goal for your students and if they reach it, they get a fun reward. This can be a pizza or cookie party, or you can even just hand out some candy. This will inspire students to work towards a goal that they are interested in and increase motivation to do well.

Offer Lots of Praise

Remember that this is a very stressful situation for them. Offer a lot of praise when you notice that a student does well on something. This is especially helpful for students who are struggling with the concept that you notice that they are working hard.

Offer Brain Breaks

Remember to take a break from test prep for a little funYou can get on YouTube to find some fun brain breaks for kids or you can even just turn on some fun music and have them dance it out for 5 minutes. These little breaks are not only fun but improve the motivation to keep going.

Use Inspirational Posters

Generally, when administering tests, all of our classroom decor and helpful posters have to be removed from the walls. Replace them with some motivational posters!

Offer Treats on Testing Day

Everyone loves a yummy treat, and our students definitely deserve them after all of their hard work. When they hand in their tests, offer a treat of some sort. This can be candy, a cookie, a Rice Krispie treat, etc. Just remember to check for allergies first. If you aren’t allowed to hand out food, you can offer small goodies like erasers, slinkies, fidget toys, etc. These can generally be found for a low price in bulk on places like Amazon. (Like these bendable pencils)

Testing time is hard for teachers and students alike, but it doesn’t have to be scary. We can properly prepare our students for the tests while also having fun and getting excited to prove how much they have learned.

I hope these tips help you this testing season! What are your favorite ways to get students motivated to take tests? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for more teaching tips for upper elementary? Check out my post for helping students write a research paper here!