Carolyn Kisloski and I have been working on units that integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. (They are actually STREAM packets because they also include Reading and Art.) I'll let Carolyn tell you how she uses them throughout the school year.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-All-Year-Bundle-2882250
I start the year with I am a Scientist, because it gives my students a great overview of what it means to be a scientist.
I use the activities in the Colors packet right along with I am a Scientist, in the beginning of the year. It's a great introduction to science activities using what they know and a great review of colors in September and October.
In October and November, I like to talk about Living and Nonliving Things. This is a fun unit for the children, and I've found that it actually works well with our fiction and nonfiction reading and writing units. We talk a lot about stuffed animals vs real, live animals, and make the connections with fiction and nonfiction stories. I also like working on the Living and Nonliving Unit in October because we do many activities with apple and pumpkin life cycles, so this unit fits in perfectly.
I love teaching The Five Senses in December. The holidays are such a fun time for the children to realize how important their senses are! There are so many wonderful smells, fun things to see, different textured items to touch- as well as different temperature items (hot chocolate and snow, for example!), happy holiday songs to hear, and of course... plenty of great opportunities to taste different things. I teach this unit with Mr. Broom. He is a favorite every single year.
January is a perfect time for Healthy Body! Healthy Me! for all of us- for the kids and for me! This is one of my favorite units. We visit this unit all year long, actually.
In February, I begin our Birds and Bird Nests Unit.
March is all about The Water Cycle, Water, and Clouds. I love this unit. I sort of love the water cycle way too much for some reason. It's so much fun to teach. My children love learning the songs and can teach anybody all about the water cycle and clouds when they are done with this unit!
We Go Green in April for Earth Day. This is a really important unit that gets the children thinking about our earth and keeping it safe and clean. I love teaching the children this unit, because they are at such a great age where they take it to heart and want to make a difference. Having fun activities to remember will hopefully help them remember what they learn for the rest of their lives!
May is a great time for Bugs and Insects. The children LOVE to find bugs- and are so interested to learn all about them. Sometimes I'll do some of the activities from this unit in September- like when I find a centipede or fun looking bug in the classroom, and we need to study that. It's a great time to play a Bug Game during center time when this happens to reinforce any skill we are working on. By May, the bugs are out in full force and we have fun taking magnifying glasses outside and finding all we can find.
I use the activities in the Colors packet right along with I am a Scientist, in the beginning of the year. It's a great introduction to science activities using what they know and a great review of colors in September and October.
In October and November, I like to talk about Living and Nonliving Things. This is a fun unit for the children, and I've found that it actually works well with our fiction and nonfiction reading and writing units. We talk a lot about stuffed animals vs real, live animals, and make the connections with fiction and nonfiction stories. I also like working on the Living and Nonliving Unit in October because we do many activities with apple and pumpkin life cycles, so this unit fits in perfectly.
I love teaching The Five Senses in December. The holidays are such a fun time for the children to realize how important their senses are! There are so many wonderful smells, fun things to see, different textured items to touch- as well as different temperature items (hot chocolate and snow, for example!), happy holiday songs to hear, and of course... plenty of great opportunities to taste different things. I teach this unit with Mr. Broom. He is a favorite every single year.
January is a perfect time for Healthy Body! Healthy Me! for all of us- for the kids and for me! This is one of my favorite units. We visit this unit all year long, actually.
In February, I begin our Birds and Bird Nests Unit.
March is all about The Water Cycle, Water, and Clouds. I love this unit. I sort of love the water cycle way too much for some reason. It's so much fun to teach. My children love learning the songs and can teach anybody all about the water cycle and clouds when they are done with this unit!
We Go Green in April for Earth Day. This is a really important unit that gets the children thinking about our earth and keeping it safe and clean. I love teaching the children this unit, because they are at such a great age where they take it to heart and want to make a difference. Having fun activities to remember will hopefully help them remember what they learn for the rest of their lives!
May is a great time for Bugs and Insects. The children LOVE to find bugs- and are so interested to learn all about them. Sometimes I'll do some of the activities from this unit in September- like when I find a centipede or fun looking bug in the classroom, and we need to study that. It's a great time to play a Bug Game during center time when this happens to reinforce any skill we are working on. By May, the bugs are out in full force and we have fun taking magnifying glasses outside and finding all we can find.
O.K. Time to turn off the computer and hit those big sales today! Happy shopping!