Acknowledgments xi
Chapter 1: STEM Education 1
Chapter 2: STEM Learning Centers 15
Learning Center Activity 2.1 Light and Color (physics) 18
Learning Center Activity 2.2 Child-Designed Inclines (physics) 20
Learning Center Activity 2.3 The Great Incline Race (physics) 22
Learning Center Activity 2.4 Wishing Well: Using a Wheel and Axle (physics) 24
Learning Center Activity 2.5 Pendulum Pick-Up (physics) 26
Learning Center Activity 2.6 Worm Tunnels (life science) 28
Learning Center Activity 2.7 Insects and Spiders (life science) 30
Learning Center Activity 2.8 Seed Sort and Grow (life science) 32
Learning Center Activity 2.9 What Grows Above and Below the Ground? (life science) 34
Learning Center Activity 2.10 Five Special Rocks and Minerals (earth science) 36
Learning Center Activity 2.11 Once Upon a Time: Exploring Fossils (earth science) 38
Learning Center Activity 2.12 What’s Inside a Rock? (earth science) 40
Learning Center Activity 2.13 Can a Rock Float? (earth science) 42
Learning Center Activity 2.14 Wonders of the Sea (earth science) 44
Learning Center Activity 2.15 Where Should the Dinosaurs Go? (mathematics: algebra) 46
Learning Center Activity 2.16 Nature’s Shapes (mathematics: geometry) 48
Learning Center Activity 2.17 Feed the Zoo Animals Game (mathematics: number
and operations) 50
Learning Center Activity 2.18 Measuring Pumpkins (mathematics: measurement) 52
Learning Center Activity 2.19 Graphing Reptiles and Amphibians (mathematics: data analysis) 54
Learning Center Activity 2.20 Choosing a Class Pet (life science) 56
Chapter 3: STEM throughout the Classroom 59
Cooking Activity 3.1 Geometric Grilled Cheese (mathematics: geometry; physics) 65
Cooking Activity 3.2 Cornmeal Muffins (life science, physics) 66
Cooking Activity 3.3 Limeade and Lemonade (life science, physics) 68
Cooking Activity 3.4 Baking Bread (life science, physics) 70
Cooking Activity 3.5 Vegetarian Soup (life science, physics) 72
Block Activity 3.6 Building with Inclines (physics) 74
Block Activity 3.7 Building with Pulleys (physics) 76
Block Activity 3.8 Natural Building Materials (life science, physics) 78
Block Activity 3.9 Soft and Hard Building Surfaces (physics) 80
Block Activity 3.10 Building with Mirrors (physics) 82
Sensory Table Activity 3.11 Sailboats (earth science, physics) 84
Sensory Table Activity 3.12 Plumbing Problems (physics, earth science) 86
Sensory Table Activity 3.13 Life in a Pond (life science, earth science) 88
Sensory Table Activity 3.14 Water Slides (physics, earth science) 90
Sensory Table Activity 3.15 Geology Shakes (earth science) 92
Art Activity 3.16 Creating “Tops” for Tops (physics) 94
Art Activity 3.17 Nature’s Imprints (life science) 96
Art Activity 3.18 Creating Fossils (earth science) 98
Art Activity 3.19 Pendulum Salt Prints (physics) 100
Art Activity 3.20 Snowflake Projections (earth science) 102
Music Activity 3.21 Water Can Band (physics; mathematics: algebra) 104
Music Activity 3.22 Nature’s Maracas (life science) 106
Music Activity 3.23 Rattle Drums (physics) 108
Music Activity 3.24 Pipes and Pitches (physics) 110
Music Activity 3.25 Birdsong Patterns (life science; mathematics: algebra) 112
Chapter 4: STEM Outdoors 115
Outdoor Activity 4.1 Balloons Aloft (earth science, physics) 117
Outdoor Activity 4.2 Feed the Birds Pulley (life science, physics) 118
Outdoor Activity 4.3 Tracing Shadows (earth science) 120
Outdoor Activity 4.4 The Ants Come Marching (life science) 122
Outdoor Activity 4.5 Large Variable-Slope Ramps (physics) 124
Outdoor Activity 4.6 Laundry Day: Horizontal Pulley (physics) 126
Outdoor Activity 4.7 Raise the Flag: Vertical Pulley (physics) 128
Outdoor Activity 4.8 Creating Wind Chimes (earth science, physics) 130
Outdoor Activity 4.9 Tricycle Tracks (earth science, physics) 132
Outdoor Activity 4.10 Container Garden (life science) 134
Outdoor Activity 4.11 Spraying the Rainbow (physics) 136
Outdoor Activity 4.12 Bubble Clusters (physics) 138
Outdoor Activity 4.13 Creating Bubble Wands (physics) 140
Outdoor Activity 4.14 Inside a Bubble (physics) 142
Chapter 5: STEM in a Project-Centered Curriculum 143
Classroom Project 5.1 Ice 146
Classroom Project 5.2 Trees 150
Classroom Project 5.3 Class Movie 154
Classroom Project 5.4 Quilts 160
Chapter 6: Quick STEM Activities 165
Quick Activity 6.1 Apple Corer and Divider (physics, life science) 168
Quick Activity 6.2 Sloping Water Table (earth science, physics) 170
Quick Activity 6.3 Window Prism (physics, earth and space science) 171
Quick Activity 6.4 Ice in the Water Table (earth science) 172
Quick Activity 6.5 Instant Parallel Lines (mathematics: geometry) 174
Quick Activity 6.6 Sand Timers (mathematics: measurement; earth science) 175
Quick Activity 6.7 Dry Sponge, Wet Sponge (physics, earth science) 176
Quick Activity 6.8 Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque (physics) 178
Quick Activity 6.9 Holes in Bottles (mathematics: measurement; earth science; physics) 180
Quick Activity 6.10 Reflection Treasure Hunt: Indoors (physics) 181
Quick Activity 6.11 Reflection Treasure Hunt: Outdoors (physics) 182
Quick Activity 6.12 “Rubber Band” Band (physics) 183
Quick Activity 6.13 Fence Percussion (physics) 184
Quick Activity 6.14 The Wonderful World of Coats (physics) 185
Quick Activity 6.15 Tricycles Sound Poppers (physics) 186
Chapter 7: STEM-Based Field Trips 187
Field Trip 7.1 Going to the Zoo 190
Field Trip 7.2 What Lives in Our Neighborhood? 193
Field Trip 7.3 At the Car Wash 196
Field Trip 7.4 Visiting a Garden Center 198
Field Trip 7.5 Exploring a Fabric Store 201
Field Trip 7.6 Visiting a Construction Site 204
Field Trip 7.7 How Food Grows in a Vegetable Garden 207
Field Trip 7.8 Visiting a Pizza Parlor 210
Field Trip 7.9 Watching a Music Rehearsal 213
Field Trip 7.10 Experiencing an Art Museum 216
Glossary 220
Recommended Children’s Books 223
References 226
