We created this STEAM Innovation Choice Board that is aligned to 5th grade's ELA Benchmark Unit 5: Technology but feel free to use it with your students even if you don't use that ELA curriculum or grade level!
This choice board was designed because we know students gravitate towards certain innovation activities over others, especially in the remote learning setting. These can easily done as an independent learning station in the ELA classroom. The activity options include the following:
We believe these options will supplement and extend their learning in ELA. Please feel free to modify the lesson and directions for your own students. Let us know how it goes, we are constantly modifying & innovating for our teachers and students! Stay tuned for lots more! ~ Christine and Marla (co-creators of Innovation & STEAM activities for San Marcos Unified School District) Preview Your Copy
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CSEdWeek is an annual program to inspire K-12 students to take interest in computer science. Code.org organizes CSEdWeek as an "Hour of Code" campaign to encourage every student to code for at least one hour (but I say they can code for MORE!) Every year I host a school-wide Hour of Code celebration complete with tracking cards, raffle tickets, prizes and more! This year Hour of Code/CSEdWeek is December 6th-12th and I highly encourage you to join the movement (sign up here). Marla Rosenthal and I designed this Computer Science Choice Board to make it easy for teachers and fun for students to learn about computer science while exploring the many coding platforms. Click here to watch a tutorial on the many ways you can use this choice board with your students. I plan on launching this for CSEdWeek then students can use all year long! Check it out and feel free to make a copy and modify for your own computer scientists. Let me know how it goes! Happy Coding! ~Christine TK-8 Version (entire choice board) TK-2 Version (modified from choice board for our youngest coders)
Here is the Life Sciences Virtual Makerspace and Innovation lessons I co-created with Marla Rosenthal for the 4th and 5th grade teachers in our district. This ties in with our ELA Benchmark Unit 3, however, can be used in any grade level or curriculum.
The virtual makerspace is full of read alouds, videos, games, coding and innovation links with the focus on nature and our natural resources. The STEAM and Innovation lessons are linked on the TV in the makerspace as well as below. The 4th grade focus is on our National Parks and the 5th is on renewable energy. Both lessons have students learn about the content then have them "show what they know" by creating an infographic or video commercial (PSA). We have three more units we are sharing:
We are sharing all of these because we are passionate about spreading innovation and sharing with teachers. I hope it brings some sort of relief to you in your planning...our work as teachers is hard enough right now. ~Better Together, Christine Virtual MakerspaceSTEAM/Innovation lessonsUnit 2 Characters: Virtual MakerspacesPart 1: Virtual Makerspaces- Literature Themed These innovation virtual spaces are full of clickable links to videos, read alouds, online games, coding, edtech activities and more! There are 3 makerspace versions (K/1, 2/3 and 4/5) all with a Literature and innovation theme. These makerspaces were created to tie into the ELA Benchmark Unit 2 Characters theme, however, they can be used even if that is not your curriculum. (See here for Unit 1 Government themed Makerspaces) Teachers: The following linked in the Makerspace need you to create a FREE class account so students have logins. If you do not set up, please delete from Makerspace
Unit 2 Characters : design thinking challengesThis Design Thinking engineering challenge has been designed with the goal students can learn asynchronously, however, it would be beneficial for teachers to guide students along the process for accountability. The pacing and how you use this lesson is completely up to your discretion. Part 2: Design Thinking Asynchronous Challenges: Teachers can assign through Google Classroom and encourage students to learn and play with the many innovation activities throughout Unit 2. Kinder/1st Grades 2nd/3rd Grades 4th/5th Grade We hope these help teachers and encourage spreading innovation during distance learning. Please feel free to make a copy and modify for your own student innovators.
Stay tuned for more coming soon! Happy Innovating, Christine and Marla San Marcos Unified- TOSAs Are you looking to include some Innovation & edtech into your Benchmark plans with your students??
My friend and colleague, Marla Rosentha and I have you covered! We are creating Virtual Makerspaces and Innovation Lessons that tie into ELA Benchmark unit themes. You can used these with your students even if you don't use this ELA curriculum. This first unit is on Government and Citizenship. We are both Innovation TOSAs who work with teachers and students on all things technology, coding, robotics, engineering, design thinking and more! We want to help all teachers interested in continuing innovation for students even during distance learning! For each Benchmark theme, we will create a Virtual Makerspace full of clickable activities as well as a robust Innovation Lesson students can learn asynchronously. Below links are a one-stop shop for all grades. Notice the 1st link is the PREVIEW so you can check it out, the 2nd link is your very own copy. Please feel free to modify for your own students and instruction. Let me know how it goes and stay tuned for more coming soon! Happy Innovating, ~Christine Preview Copy (all grades linked) Your Copy (all grade level Virtual Makerspace and Innovation Lessons are linked in Speaker Notes):
As we quickly and without warning pivoted to Distance Learning on March 13, 2020, it weighed heavily on my heart that all my plans for innovation TK-8 would halt abruptly. I knew that no matter what distance learning looked like we MUST keep innovation going for our students. Therefore, my counterpart and friend, Marla Rosenthal and I dove into creating these Thematic At-Home STEAM Distance Learning Resources we could share not only with our schools, but our districts and beyond. We are very happy to share these freely because we want to spread innovation and we know as educators, we are absolutely Better Together! Click on the links below for the lessons, feel free to modify for your own classrooms, schools and districts, and keep innovation happening in every students' education!
Stepping up from the Makey Makey Interactive Posters and moving from the Innovation Lab to the Makerspace are the Interactive Museums and Prototypes lessons. These focus on making prototypes interactive, engaging and teachable. Most importantly, this can be used with ANY subject and content area. Read more below and check out the resource links to try for yourself. SUCH a fun Makerspace lesson!
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