A wonderful STEM K-2 Conference

It is officially summer and I am off at a STEM K-2 Conference hosted by my Math Science Innovation Center (MSiC). I am still Pinning and "learning" lots of great ideas while at the conference. My hope is to write and create more this summer but we shall see. But I wanted to share insights that I have already learned at the conference and sadly today is the last day of the conference.

My Insights (Make sure to try them ALL out and share with others):
From the Technology Training with Tammy Tang (check out her website: www.tammytang.com)
From her Opening Session:
Classtools.net-- Random Name/Word Picker Add students' names or words and it will randomly pick it for you in a Fruit Machine or spell it out like a Typewriter. **Make sure to check out the other tools that you can use too.

 --Useful websites to teach your K-1 students how to use the mouse on a computer:
Baby Eyes (move the mouse)
Pop the Bubbles (move and click)-- can do pop the letters and choose 3 focus letters for students to pop
Feed the Monster (drag and drop)
Brush Teeth (click and drag)
 -- Kahoot! Visit www.kahoot.it and make sure to create yourself a FREE account. This site is a quiz generation website in which you can create quizzes to assess student's understanding. They have to look at your screen to get the answer choices and answer using the shapes on their screen (without the answer shown). Students are ranked by how fast they are able to answer the question among the other players. You can create a quiz in your account (create.kahoot.it), get the GAME CODE and share it with others. Make sure to check out the Public Library in your account to see the many that are already created. Could be used in groups if you only have a few computers in your room or in a computer lab where students are able to see what's on your screen as well.
--Draw a Stickman students use the mouse to draw a stickman and it becomes a character in a story. For K-1 students you may have to read some of the drawing prompts aloud and do as a whole group. **Pay attention to the letters that "pop" out after each drawing you complete in the story... this can be changed to say whatever you want!*
--This is Sand is just an interactive way to play with colored sand. Could be a "calming" activity for some students or something students can do if they finish early.

****** Mind you this was just in the MORNING session of Day 1!! *******
What I am excited about for my students with STEM?
1. Creating class sets of Rekenreks-- if you don't know what they look like, check out my new Pinterest board. But they are all about subitizing (quickly seeing how many) in hands-on form for students.
2. Introducing my students to love bugs and all their wonderful details by using magnifying glasses, a loupe (it was a FREEBIE in one of my sessions) and my EyeClops (hand held magnifier up to 400X; learned about this from a librarian!)

Loupe

EyeClops Bionic Eye

3. Establishing a mathematical community within my classroom where my students are able to share, work and make mistakes and all of their input is valued and respected. How do you establish your Math Talk with students in your room?

I can't wait for Day 3's sessions. On to more great learning! Enjoy :)

Winner and some STEM insights!

Thank you to everyone who responded to my technology post. And if you really thought I was talking crazy, sorry.

Congrats Cindy on being my winner and writing the awesome expanded definition of technology {here, just scroll up!}.

I recently attended an AWESOME workshop about all the ways to incorporate STEM into my classroom. I knew what STEM stood for: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. But I had NO IDEA how to really incorporate more science and engineering into my classroom. Yup, I skipped over the T in STEM because I thought I really had technology down and I was using it. Boy was I wrong. I found out that technology is anything that is human-made and it doesn't have to be used by electricity or with batteries. So we did this activity called Mystery Bag. Yes, if you do show-n-tell you know all about a mystery bag. But inside the mystery bag were all these common materials: light bulb, brad, paper clip, plastic container, pen etc. that we normally use just every day and don't think anything of it. But really they are considered technology... even a pocket chart is technology! So if you were (or are) the teacher who says that they don't use STEM in their classroom, you might use 3 out of the 4 letters every day and just not know it. If you want to learn how to use more of the E in STEM, check out these websites/blogs (some courtesy of Cindy from Kindergarten Love/Scientifically Science Fun):

Science for Kids
Growing a STEM Classroom (TPT store with TONS of 3-5 challenges)
Little Miss Hypothesis (also Little Miss Kindergarten)
The Science Life
The Science Penguin
Engineering is Elementary (EiE)
PBS LearningMedia--Science
Children's Engineering
Lego Education (yup, legos are so much more than just building what is included in the box)
NCTM Illuminations (you have to go here and click everywhere!!)
Get Caught Engineering
Peep and the Big Wide World (ages 3-7) or PBS Kids--Fetch activities and ruff guide (ages 8-10)
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (make sure you have Java installed)
Engineering for the 21st Century (website from the MathScience Innovation Center, place where I had my workshop in VA)
Lamppost in a 1st Grade STEM classroom

I hope these are helpful... STEM is already spinning around in my head trying to make me figure out how to incorporate it all...:) What is one new thing you can incorporate in your classroom that deals with the four parts of STEM. Leave your comment below. Enjoy!