Amazon's STEM Discovery Boxes Now Available for Ordering

Amazon is now offering an exciting subscription box: STEM Discovery Boxes!

STEM Discovery Boxes are exciting science kits for boys and girls ages 7 to teen. Sent out monthly to subscribers, each STEM Discovery Box is filled with hands-on activities and experiments that are fun and educational. These boxes could serve as a resource for the classroom when you need it, or as a recommendation to parents to extend student learning to the home.

Each box is geared to challenge young minds though Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, so despite the name, it actually follows the STEAM approach. Age-appropriate astronomy, robotics, motors, hydraulics, aerospace, physics, and chemistry are among the subjects covered in each box. For example, the whale model in the picture above is powered by a small motor the child can build, which moves it on land and water!

Every box, delivered by mail each month, will include three exciting STEM projects. Children will learn how things work, why they work and how to create them. According to Amazon, the boxes won a Parent's Choice Award for their ingenuity.

STEM Discovery Boxes list these experiments and projects that they have featured in their boxes:

• Robotic bug, electronic dough, working carnival game, hologram, solar system model
• Fizzing science, hydraulic claw, laser mirror maze, crystals, Water-powered clock
• Gooey Experiments, remote control elevator, Drawbot, sun art, fiber optics, digital microscope
• Walking robot, neon lamp, germ experiments, terrarium, structure design, geodes
• Jelly marbles, amphibious vehicle, propeller-powered car, fossil, bubble science
• Color science, instant snow, balloon helicopter, seltzer rocket, periscope, build a generator

Boxes are automatically billed each month at $30, with the first box discounted to $25. You can place an order to try out a box by clicking right here.

We have yet to try out these boxes ourselves, so if you do, let us know in the comments section below what you think!

Tips to Set Up a STEAM Lab in Your Classroom

Setting up a proper STEAM lab for your elementary classroom involves getting the right equipment and supplies, and Sarah Lalonde of StemActivitiesForKids.com has written a nice starter guide for teachers who need advice and tips.

One of Lalonde's best bits of advice to educators is to not go it alone. Teachers can often fill their list of needs from other teachers or from their school's storage room, who may be able to provide the materials for a lab. "In many districts, science is getting squeezed due to the emphasis on ELA and math test scores," she said. "Teachers often have equipment that they are willing to donate!  Many of the materials that are used in a STEM lab are things that are readily brought in by fellow teachers and students."

Tables may seem like a simple selection for a lab, but SchoolSpeciality.com recommends that they allow for a different way of teaching. They think "student stations (should be) modular, allowing for the project-based, multimodal learning outcomes that STEAM requires. Student spaces can be grouped or spread out in the event of a large-scale demonstration."

As far as equipment, here is a list of items Lalonde recommends to get your STEAM lab started.

Here is a list of supplies that teachers can have donated to the lab.

Click the links below to get more recommendations for STEAM lab setups.

Sources: Stem Activities for Kids, SchoolSpecialty.com

STEM Lessons You Can Learn From Iconic Robots!

STEM lessons are more fun with famous robots from movies and pop culture!

Website: We Are Teachers

Article Posted by Stacy Tornio

1. THE IRON GIANT

2. WALL-E

3. OPTIMUS PRIME

4. OLIE

5. CLINK

6. C-3PO

7. LEGO^® MINDSTORMS^® EV3

What do these robots have in common?

Besides the big screen, they make great STEM lessons for your students! This article has gathered seven amazing robots from books, movies, and television that offer unique and creative teachable moments for your students.

Click here to check it out:

STEM Research Report Poster

 
Your students will love using this poster to research and report on their favorite STEM Star.

Activities on the poster include:
1. Picture of STEM Star
2. Important Quote
3. Areas of Contribution
4. Inspiration
5. Achievements
6. Biography

Click here to purchase this unit.

 

 

7 Fun STEM Lessons From Famous Robots

STEM lessons are more fun with famous robots from movies and pop culture!

Website: We Are Teachers

Article Posted by Stacy Tornio

1. THE IRON GIANT

2. WALL-E

3. OPTIMUS PRIME

4. OLIE

5. CLINK

6. C-3PO

7. LEGO^® MINDSTORMS^® EV3

What do these robots have in common?

Besides the big screen, they make great STEM lessons for your students! This article has gathered seven amazing robots from books, movies, and television that offer unique and creative teachable moments for your students.

Click here to check it out:

3 Teachers Who Knew Nothing About STEM Started a Robotics Program

AND YOU CAN TOO!

Website: We Are Teachers

Article Posted by Kimberley Moran

When Maureen Reilly, fourth-grade teacher at PS 261 in Brooklyn, NY, decided to co-lead a FIRST^® LEGO^® League team at her school, she had no idea what to expect. She wasn’t even sure she’d know what to teach, after all, she wasn’t “into” science or math and knew nothing about starting a robotics program. She did know one thing—a team would improve the situation. So she recruited the special education teacher and the technology teacher at her school. Neither knew anything about robotics either, but they all agreed, Maureen laughed, “to forgive ourselves for not knowing things.”
Despite being unsure at first, this robotics program remains one of Maureen’s best teaching experiences. Here are six lessons the three teachers learned when they pushed themselves and their students to discover more through STEM:

1. Every kid can learn through STEM

2. The more the brain is occupied, the better

3. Choose your own adventure

4. FIRST STEM programs build soft skills

5. Problem solving inspires new learning opportunities

6. The skills are directly transferable to a career

Click here to read details on these 6 key points!

Do You Want to Build a Snowstorm?

Here's a great craft project that is cool any time of year! This snowstorm craft is easy and fun - here are the instructions!

 

Materials Needed:

*glass jar

*water

*baby oil

*white paint

*glitter

*Alka Seltzer

Directions:

1. Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with baby oil.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together enough warm water and white paint to make "white water." Make enough "paint water" to fill the remaining space in the jar.

3. Add glitter (as much as desired)

4. Fill the jar (almost to the top) with the "glitter paint water" from the bowl.   

5. Once poured, wait for the "glitter paint water" to settle at the bottom of the jar.

Now it's time to make the Snowstorm!

6. Break an Alka Seltzer tablet into pieces.  

7. Drop the pieces into the jar and watch the storm!

Note: Once the snowstorm ends, you can add more Alka Seltzer to create a new storm.

Qubits offers a special discount to teachers - here's the code!

Have you ever heard of Qubits? They are the easy-to-assemble, snap-together toys that teach about modular design and geometric shapes. If you're a teacher, you can now get a special discount code to save 20% on your order of Qubits!

Qubits were created by Mark and Lisa, a husband and wife team who used their backgrounds in architecture and design. Qubits are a science toy that mimics the structure found in nature, with its triangulated system. Qubits toys let kids know that geometry can be fun, artistic, colorful and challenging! Qubits' unique building system offers practice in math skills related to positioning, patterns, spatial reasoning and logical thinking.

Qubits are also useful to older age groups when applied to middle school projects involving STEM activities and ROBOTICS! Semi-permanent and durable contraptions can be built. It uses your imagination for power.

Qubits are one of the few toys that actually fit into the STEM/STEAM educational philosophy. The Qubits website explains:

The basis for the toy comes from studies completed at the University of Arizona - Department of Architecture. At that time, the compact modular building unit was presented as a construction solution for a South Pole Research Station. The design won the National technical award from the U.S. Judging Committee.

Years after that, Mark became a registered architect in the State of California, working on dozens of beautiful projects in Southern California. Then as parents, Lisa and Mark decided to turn the patented geometry into a children's toy.

The structural system is extremely stable and strong and it can construct functioning pieces of sculpture or design that won't disassemble on impact if you add zip-tie connectors. For example, the Qubits Rover takes about 400 pieces and it weighs 6 lbs. - it can be towed behind a bike at 25 MPH! The Drone can climb 300+ ft into the air and it is registered with the FAA. Towers of many different types can be constructed with Qubits. We even built a tower 17'-5" tall just to show how incredible our building system can be.

You can build bridges that are self supporting or if you add string to the design you can make a suspension bridge! We even built a windmill that could generate electricity! Of course we don't have specific instructions for all those ideas, but our Facebook is a great way to keep up with new ideas and the latest developments for this toy. There are several teachers who are currently developing advanced curriculum for Qubits. It's a Maker Toy for sure.

Benefits of using Qubits include:

• Discover the modular geometry found in nature;
• Strengthen small motor dexterity and hand-eye coordination;
• Enjoy imaginative play;
• Develop math skills related to counting, spatial reasoning and logical thinking as system allows children to build in different directions;
• Explore positional concepts: on, under, near, next to;
• Sort, count, and connect shapes in a variety of ways;
• Foster creativity with open-ended building possibilities;
• Build confidence as pieces are easy for small hands to hold, connect and take apart for construction success!

TEACHERS: YOU CAN GET A 20% DISCOUNT ON ANY QUBITS PURCHASE FROM THEIR ONLINE STORE! TO GET YOUR DISCOUNT CODE EMAIL LISABURGINGER@GMAIL.COM - BE SURE TO VERIFY YOURSELF AS A TEACHER WITHIN THE EMAIL!

Read 'Chasing Space,' the inspiring true story of NASA astronaut Leland Melvin!

There is a fantastic new "young readers" book on store shelves today about Leland Melvin, football star and NASA astronaut. Chasing Space is Melvin's autobiography, and a "young readers" version of the book is out today as well! It is suitable for grades 3 through 7! Even better, this kid's version includes STEAM experiments for readers to try out! It is now available for purchase from Amazon!

Here is a summary of the book, from the publisher.

In this inspiring memoir, adapted from the simultaneous version for adults, young readers will get to learn about Leland Melvin’s remarkable life story, from being drafted by the Detroit Lions to bravely orbiting our planet in the International Space Station to writing songs with will.i.am, working with Serena Williams, and starring in top-rated television shows like The Dog Whisperer, Top Chef, and Child Genius.
 
When the former Detroit Lion’s football career was cut short by an injury, Leland didn’t waste time mourning his broken dream. Instead, he found a new one—something that was completely out of this world.
 
He joined NASA, braved an injury that nearly left him permanently deaf, and still managed to muster the courage and resolve to travel to space on the shuttle Atlantis to help build the International Space Station. Leland’s problem-solving methods and can-do attitude turned his impossible-seeming dream into reality.
 
Leland’s story introduces readers to the fascinating creative and scientific challenges he had to deal with in space and will encourage the next generation of can-do scientists to dare to follow their dreams. With do-it-yourself experiments in the back of the book and sixteen pages of striking full-color photographs, this is the perfect book for young readers looking to be inspired.

You can click here to order Chasing Space from Amazon!