How many of you love the idea of STEM but are nervous about what it will look like in your classroom? Scared about finding activities? Worried about getting the materials and about the cost of the materials?
Well, my teacherfriends, Carson Dellosa has done it again!!!! I love this company and all that it creates for teachers! I always have! But their STEM box is amazing!!!
They have created a group of STEM lessons just for us! This box has 30 Lessons ( 10 lessons for physical science, 10 lessons for life sciences and 10 lessons for earth science) and they are all for grades 2 to 5 but my first graders could do them with a little changing of the directions (a little more explanation or different vocabulary at times)!
These lessons come on laminated cards with the visual list of materials needed on the front! All materials used are found in classrooms and schools so we do not have to go into debt to supply our kids what they need in order to complete these activities! The challenge is also listed on the front! These activities are kid friendly and can be used independently, small group or even whole group!! There is so much flexibility with this product!!!
The cards are laminated for durability and on the back of each card are questions in each area to ask your students to extend their learning!!! There is also a little more information about the science behind the activity!
I used these cards as whole group activities at first! I did this just to familiarize them with the cards and what my expectations were when they were completing them! After we did two as a whole group then I let them choose activities as a small group! Once I was comfortable with them completing them as a small group, I have put them out to use independently when they are done with their work. I also use them on science days as an activating strategy, the lesson or a science day wind up!
This stem kit is amazing and I highly recommend it for any Classroom!
As most of you already know, I absolutely love Hue products. I learned about them from the very first French Lick Teacher Blogger Retreat I attended 3 years ago! Their products are amazing!! The first product I ever used was the Hue Projector Camera. It is a document camera! I love it and I use it when I Skype. It is flexible, easy to use and the picture is so clear. I love how easy it is to use! Here I am using it to Skype with my dear friend, Rocking Dan in Australia.
The next camera I used and am absolutely in love with is the Hue Animation Camera! This camera is amazing! It comes with a great book to read and become familiar with your camera as well as the process!
Here is what you will get in your box!!!!!!
After I read the book and I suggest reading the book beforehand because it is a great resource, I searched youtube to see what others have done just to get an idea and to make sure I truly understand the process myself. Then I made a smart board presentation to share with my kids! This is a great tool to teach adults as well. My student teacher used this as a guide for her project!
The smart board and the power point presentation (in case you do not have a smart board) are below! Just click on the pics below for the presentation to download and use in your class room!
1. I went through the smart board presentation! We reviewed all the parts of the camera, the different roles that they would have , all expectations of behavior and how to properly treat the camera, and we watched a video (included in the presentation) on how to take pictures.
2. After we went over the presentation and reviewed all the different roles they will have, my kiddos split into production teams and began their journey into making a movie about their why they love their family! They were given charts to fill out and share their reasons with their table mates.
3. Then they got together as a class and took all their materials (notes, pictures, etc) and put it in the order they wanted their movie to be in. Now I have first graders and they just loved this activity!!!!
4. Once they had everything the way they wanted it, the movie production began. They set up the camera and had the view they liked. They took the pictures and they did the narrating. All we did was assist when they asked for help and made sure things ran smoothly!
5. When we have our movie completed and we have exported it, we have three choices: Creatubbles, YouTube and QuickTime.
Creatubbles is an awesome new site that have partnered with HUE. It allows us to upload our Hue Animation Movies to a site that is safe for our kids to use and upload their creations to. It will give their creation a link to share with their friends and family so they can all enjoy their creations!
Here are just a few things we found to be helpful when making the movies:
- take several pictures of the different objects or drawings- this will give you a good amount of space to add narration. We found that it is best to take about 11 different pictures and set them at 1.00.
- make sure it is really quiet around the camera and computer. It does pick up other noises.
- save it as you go along.
- If they are going to use illustrations, we found that the brighter the pictures the more vibrant their movie is! My kiddos used Kwik Stix paint sticks!
Here is the movie they made! I love this for their first one! They are going to make another one this semester and I will post it for you when they do! Click here for the link to their movie!
Here is a video of me teaching one of my classes about how to use this awesome camera!
The last product I want to share with you is the tablet stand! This is amazing! It attaches to your small group table (any table really I just use it at my small group table) and holds your tablet. The arm is movable so you can show your tablet in a variety of positions. It can also be used with your students so they do not have to hold the tablet while they are using it. I love this. It makes my sight word review during small groups more efficient!
Here is what it looks like!
I love these products and I have an exciting giveaway to share with you! Hue has given me all three of these products to giveaway to one of my lucky readers!!! So please enter the rafflecopter below to enter and win this tech pack!!!
Have you ever heard about Love Your Melon? This company is absolutely amazing!!!!
I love children and I love any company that shares this love! And if there is one thing I totally support is any company that supports pediatric cancer!
Love Your Melon is a company that has a mission that is unlike any other! They donate beanies to children with cancer. For every hat sold they donate a hat! Click here to check out their mission!
Their hats are gorgeous! Here is their beanie!!! I love it!!’
It is soft and comfortable! My favorite hat by far!!! Of course it is also my favorite hat because it helps children!
They also give 50 percent of all profits of all Love Your Melon products to their partners to help childhood cancer!!! This just brings tears to my eyes!!!!
Love Your Melon was a class project created by two friends in an entrepreneur class in Minnesota at the University of St. Thomas in 2012! They have been working to find a cure and to help childhood cancer since 2012! They have donated over 4.3 million dollars and have given over 132,000 hats!
Please check them out and please help this awesome company to find a cure or to help them help children fight childhood cancer!! Click here to check them out!
Here is something else that is amazing!! I have a beanie to giveaway to one of my lucky readers!! Just enter below to win an amazing beanie like mine!!!
