One big thing I know a lot of teachers struggle with is what type of robot they should use in the elementary space. My top recommendation is always Dash by Wonder Workshop. You're definitely in for a treat! For today's episode, I had the chance to interview Bryan Miller, now in his seventh year working at Wonder Workshop, leading Strategic Outreach and Educator Success. Bryan prides himself on remaining connected to the voice and choice of students and educators. He's an international keynote pr...
Oct 31, 2022•31 min
SEL is quite a buzzword in the education community, but the overall concept isn't new. In fact, no matter what subject or grade level you teach, there's always room for integrating social-emotional learning, growth mindset, and developing soft skills in your everyday teaching. Today, we have a special guest, Jill Loesch, from the Self Nurtured Teacher, and she is going to be talking about just that. She'll explain what SEL means to her, ways that you can embed it into your STEM and hands-on lear...
Oct 27, 2022•35 min
While there are a lot of similarities between the general education classroom and the STEM classroom, there are a handful of things that surprised me during my first year teaching STEM. Whether you are currently a STEM teacher and this is your first year, or maybe you've been doing it for a while, or you're a classroom teacher who's trying to implement STEM, or maybe you're even a classroom teacher who is thinking about stepping into a STEM role, you will relate to many of the topics discussed i...
Oct 24, 2022•25 min
Writing a student learning objective or SLO can be a little bit tricky, especially when you teach all the grades in the school K through five STEM and beyond. You may be wondering, "Where do I even begin?" I felt the same exact way when I first became a STEM teacher. If you are looking for examples of student learning outcomes, in today’s episode, I share three SLOs I have written over the years that you can use for any grade and the type of evidence you need to collect to gather the data. Head ...
Oct 20, 2022•13 min
Digital citizenship is an important topic to discuss with students of all ages, even in the elementary classroom. With a world of technology constantly growing, we need to equip our students better to be able to adapt and respond online when different situations arise. In today's episode, I'll be sharing with you how to teach digital citizenship in the classroom with a STEM twist. HERE is the link to the Free, Digital Citizenship Guide to keep track of all the resources from today's episode. Hea...
Oct 17, 2022•19 min
With Halloween right around the corner, you are most likely thinking of Halloween-themed STEM activities to try. If you’re looking for fun ideas for STEM activities perfect for class parties, one-day challenges, and class rewards, then I have you covered. In today’s episode, I will share five Halloween STEM activities for you to try. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode27 Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach...
Oct 13, 2022•14 min
When writing a sound lesson plan, there are a lot of components you want to make sure you include, such as the standards, resources, and what students will be creating. There is a lot to think about. In this episode, I will give you a behind-the-scenes look into how to write your STEM lesson plan from start to finish and help you improve the experiences in your classroom. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode2...
Oct 10, 2022•21 min
With all the cool tools and resources out there, it's important to structure your STEM lesson so that it is rooted in standards but still engaging. In this episode, I will be sharing with you four different ways that you can plan and structure a STEM lesson and make it work for the time that you have in your classroom. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode25 Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan...
Oct 06, 2022•18 min
STEM lessons are so much fun to plan, but they can be overwhelming. There are so many cool lesson ideas out there, but how do you organize them all, especially when you teach Kindergarten through fifth grade STEM? How do you even fit it all in? In today's episode, I'm sharing with you my system to organize your STEM lesson ideas and help you choose lessons that will work best for your STEM space. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://n...
Oct 03, 2022•15 min
Fall is in the air, and it is a great time to mix in some themed STEM challenges. These five fall STEM activities to try are perfect for one-day lessons, sub plans, or even class parties, especially since they are low prep challenges. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode23 Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan Leave a voice message HERE for the podcast with your questions and comments! TpT Shop...
Sep 29, 2022•13 min
Today’s episode is very special because I have my very first guest here on the Elementary STEM Coach Podcast. In this episode, I talk to Jen Sevy, a K through Five STEM teacher in Colorado. Jen shares with us how she implements engineering design sprints during her students' design challenges in a day. You're going to love her creative ideas for how she taught these quick one-day lessons using the Engineering Design Process, which are perfect if you see students once a week or if you need an ext...
Sep 26, 2022•23 min
Once students have completed a long-term STEM project, it’s important for them to share their work with an authentic audience. How can they share their work besides standing in front of their class and sharing one after the other? In today’s episode, I will be sharing four creative ways students can present a project and have their voices heard. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode21 Free Engineering Design P...
Sep 22, 2022•16 min
As students are building their STEM projects, are you unsure of ways they can improve their designs? The experiment and improve stage of the Engineering Design Process is so important to teach kids that things might not be perfect the first time, and there are always ways to make them better. In this episode, I will be sharing with you strategies that you can use with your students to help them improve and modify their designs. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictur...
Sep 19, 2022•17 min
The create stage of the Engineering Design Process is a fun stage and tends to be the kids' favorite stage. Although a fun stage, it is easy for chaos to ensue during this stage. In today’s episode, I will be sharing teaching strategies to help student projects so that you can have control instead of chaos in your classroom. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode19 Free Engineering Design Process Poster & P...
Sep 15, 2022•21 min
The planning stage in the Engineering Design Process is an important step. How do we get our students to enjoy the planning stage as much as the create stage? In today’s episode, I will be sharing creative ways to enhance the planning stage so that students enjoy planning designs instead of rushing through this stage. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode18 Free Engineering Design Process Poster & Planning...
Sep 12, 2022•17 min
What resources should you be using to teach the science part in STEM?\ How do you fit it all in? In today’s episode, I will be sharing good research websites and resources to help teach elementary students the science in STEM. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode17 Free Engineering Design Process Poster & Planning Guide: https://naomimeredith.com/podcastedp Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long ...
Sep 08, 2022•18 min
Dot Day is an international celebration of inspiration and creativity. This is a fun one-day celebration that you can implement within your STEM space. In today's episode, I will be sharing with you five Dot Day STEM activities that you can implement in your classroom to celebrate this fun day. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode16 Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan Leave a voice message HE...
Sep 05, 2022•13 min
Have you tried using the Engineering Design Process in your STEM classroom? Maybe you’re wondering what the Engineering Design Process is and what its stages are. Should you be teaching the Engineering Design Process in elementary STEM? In today’s episode, I will be answering these questions about the stages of the Engineering Design Process so you can get started implementing it into your STEM lessons. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: ht...
Sep 01, 2022•22 min
When you first become a STEM teacher, you most likely weren’t given any curriculum. This was my experience when I left the regular classroom and jumped into teaching K through Five STEM. Through trial and error, I have written a year’s worth of K through Five STEM lessons connected to the STEM standards. In today’s episode, I share the behind-the-scenes of my method for creating STEM curriculum scope and sequence. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all th...
Aug 29, 2022•19 min
Back to school night for STEM teachers and classroom teachers can look very different.Back to school night expectations for STEM teachers is different for each school. As a STEM teacher, what should you set up for back to school night? In today’s episode, I will be sharing 5 back to school night ideas that STEM teachers can incorporate into their classrooms. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode13 Download my ...
Aug 25, 2022•10 min
Are you a STEM teacher that teaches 5 different classes a day? Do you feel overwhelmed with figuring out how to structure your time throughout the day? Teaching 5 different STEM classes a day is the equivalent of teaching the entire school. In today’s episode, I share different ways to structure your STEM lessons when you teach different classes daily. Using these strategies to restructure your STEM lessons will help you feel more confident in the lessons you teach and less overwhelmed. Head to ...
Aug 22, 2022•19 min
Are you a former classroom teacher who has made the switch to a STEM teacher? Maybe you are thinking about switching to STEM, but you are unsure if you are qualified to teach STEM? Making a major change in the teaching world can be scary, especially when switching from general education to STEM teaching. In today's episode, I will be sharing with you why classroom teachers make great STEM teachers and how your past teaching experience is actually an asset in the STEM space. Head to the show note...
Aug 18, 2022•13 min
Although most of our students are comfortable with technology, we still need to teach them rules and routines when it comes to using technology in the classroom. What are the main technology rules and skills we should teach our elementary students? In today’s episode, I will be sharing the top seven tech skills to teach your students, whether it is back to school, coming back from a long break, or your class is in need of a refresh. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, p...
Aug 15, 2022•19 min
Being a STEM teacher is so much fun, but going from teaching in a general education classroom to a STEM classroom usually means time goes by faster. Your transitions between classes might only be a few minutes long or nonexistent. While you can't change the time you are given, you can effectively change how you use your time throughout the workday. In this episode, I share strategies on how to manage transitions in the classroom so you can accomplish what you have planned with your students and ...
Aug 11, 2022•19 min
As STEM teachers, we teach multiple classes daily, meaning we see, on average, 100 plus kids. In addition to incorporating STEM activities daily, we must also have behavior management strategies. What are some of the best behavior management strategies for a STEM teacher? In today's episode, I'll be sharing my top three STEM teacher behavior management strategies. Whether you are a STEM teacher, classroom teacher, or library specialist, this episode will provide you with three behavior managemen...
Aug 08, 2022•17 min
No matter how long you have been teaching, preparing for back to school is a lot of work. From setting up your classroom and figuring out systems and routines to attending back to school meetings and lesson planning for the first few weeks, it can feel overwhelming even for the seasoned teacher. With so much on your plate, what types of activities should you plan that will be meaningful to your students? In today's episode, I will share five STEM activities you can use in your K through Five STE...
Aug 04, 2022•15 min
Setting up and organizing a classroom Makerspace is half the battle. The second half is managing the supplies and ensuring students can be independent when using them in their work. Now that you’ve set up your Makerspace, how do you manage it? In this episode, I will be sharing with you my Makerspace management hacks that have been a game changer in my Kindergarten through 5th STEM classroom. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures and all the links: https://naomim...
Aug 01, 2022•18 min
Having a classroom Makerspace is a wonderful opportunity to help students think of the world in new ways and design creative solutions with simple materials. How do you get started creating one? In this episode, I’ll be sharing with you my top tips when setting up your Makerspace. Whether you are a STEM teacher, classroom teacher, or library specialist; this episode will make this process more manageable and easier for you! Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures a...
Jul 28, 2022•18 min
Are you looking for a fun way to start off your STEM school year that will build community, promote creativity and utilize resources from the outdoors? Welcome to STEM Survival Camp! This unique experience will hook your students immediately to start off your school year. You’ll learn about STEM Survival’s camp origin story, behind the scenes set up and the unique challenges that each grade level can participate in, K-5. Grab your favorite camp shirt and let’s get started! Head to the show notes...
Jul 25, 2022•13 min
Are you in charge of setting up the STEM space in your school? Have you been gifted a classroom with a collection of supplies but not sure what to keep, what to toss and what to buy? And let’s mention budget; what should you be buying within different budgets and balancing that between consumable and non-consumable items? Let’s break down what you actually need for your STEM classroom and create a system that will work best for you. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, p...
Jul 18, 2022•14 min
