Validation and Inspiration
I’ve been feeling like I needed a reset for a while. Like my teaching wasn’t always hitting the mark. There were students in my classes that I just felt I wasn’t reaching. So, I’ve gotten my reset.
Science and math often show up on surveys as the most difficult to teach. When the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) came out in 2011, there was a mix of excitement and terror!
But the basic scientific skill is asking questions, guessing what the answer might be, and then testing your guess. Setting up simple experiments can be done in any classroom, and they will keep students engaged in learning. Next Step staff can help you:
Develop simple science experiments using inexpensive supplies and equipment
Help with step-by-step instructions
Tie your favorite activities to science standards
Teach science concepts outdoors
I’ve been feeling like I needed a reset for a while. Like my teaching wasn’t always hitting the mark. There were students in my classes that I just felt I wasn’t reaching. So, I’ve gotten my reset.
And check out Next Step mindfulness & movement activities, the decks are on sale for just one more day— $15 each. There are about 50 activities kinda like the one above. Exercises to help you practice breathing, connecting, settling, playing, and more. And they’re not just for kids!
And now you know that “cool as a cucumber” really IS cool–20 degrees cooler than the temperature outside the cucumber. This made cucumbers the perfect STEAM snack on a hot Iowa day!
There aren’t many things I like better than food. It’s key to good health (eat your veggies). It’s fun to eat (ice cream? popcorn?). There’s nothing more satisfying than baking a loaf of bread or cooking up a tasty stew!
…a sense of belonging is one of the most essential needs of humans. We also need to feel power over our lives, belief in our own abilities and a sense of generosity. Seems to me Covid has challenged our ability to satisfy all of those needs.
When things feel turned around and upside down, turn to nature for solace and safety. Breathe the fresh air and find joy among the trees and rocks.
New resources for exploring fruits and veggies, along with some nuggets for appreciating the farmers, truckers, grocery clerks, parents, and all the others who bring them to our table.
Mapping skills, experiments, graphs, and life cycles. The lessons in this post take you through the whole garden year, from planning and planting, to caring for and harvesting in the garden.
Hands-on learning through ready-to-go activities are content-rich AND fun! A water scavenger hunt. A water cycle simulation. AND an edible model of the water beneath our feet. Connect lessons with current events.
Watch your kids’ faces light up as they reveal their first horizon line–priceless! Chalk Mountains is a unique way to create a design and experiment with color. It helps with focus and flow. #aSTEaMactivity