Students at my school love STEM projects because they are hands-on and engaging. I'm not sure they realize how much problem solving and higher level thinking they are doing!
The story Twenty One Elephants and Still Standing is about how to test the sturdiness of the Brooklyn Bridge (which took 14 years to build), the circus tested it by having 21 elephants cross it.
One STEM project I have done with students is to have students create a bridge for 21 elephants. I did not have elephants, but I did have bears. You could also use other manipulatives to represent the 21 elephants.
When using the engineering design process, students need to be able to design and plan their solutions. Then they make their model and test it. Finally, they reflect on the process.
My STEM Journal is a great way for students to document their thinking.
My STEM Journal is a great way for students to document their thinking.
Some of my favorite picture books that support STEM include the following books:
