STEMulating Transitions
Need more STEM time in your day?
No budget for extra STEM materials?
Let me share these easy to make, inexpensive STEM busy bag activities that are perfect for transition times. They add STEM learning time to your students' day, allow independent work on the carpet, and help you keep little minds active and engaged during transitions.
Much like the Manipulatives Makeover: DIY Edition workshop, this one also features busy bag activities. But here, we focus more on STEM busy bags. This means adding activities that feature Science and Engineering, along with the Math bags we already had.
In the following posts, I will show several of the 'busy bags' that I have made for my classroom. During transitions/wait time, students may choose an activity to do on their square. This gives them something new and interesting to keep their attention during these (sometimes hectic) transitions.
I introduce the activities during centers/small group, offering to play them with a few kids that are interested. We do it together, so that when they have it on the carpet, they understand what to do. They can also show other students.
I change the games whenever interest begins to wane. I only use one of each activity at a time, so that pieces do not get mixed up in the wrong bags. (Lesson learned the hard way!)
At the beginning of the year, we had books in our carpet box. Those also get changed frequently. But when the books no longer hold their interest, we add the busy bags. We start by adding only a few (maybe 6 for 18 students), then increase it. Having only a few activities, and the remainder books, encourages our bathroom and sink lollygaggers to speed things along and get to the carpet!
Need more STEM time in your day?
No budget for extra STEM materials?
Let me share these easy to make, inexpensive STEM busy bag activities that are perfect for transition times. They add STEM learning time to your students' day, allow independent work on the carpet, and help you keep little minds active and engaged during transitions.
Much like the Manipulatives Makeover: DIY Edition workshop, this one also features busy bag activities. But here, we focus more on STEM busy bags. This means adding activities that feature Science and Engineering, along with the Math bags we already had.
In the following posts, I will show several of the 'busy bags' that I have made for my classroom. During transitions/wait time, students may choose an activity to do on their square. This gives them something new and interesting to keep their attention during these (sometimes hectic) transitions.
I introduce the activities during centers/small group, offering to play them with a few kids that are interested. We do it together, so that when they have it on the carpet, they understand what to do. They can also show other students.
I change the games whenever interest begins to wane. I only use one of each activity at a time, so that pieces do not get mixed up in the wrong bags. (Lesson learned the hard way!)
At the beginning of the year, we had books in our carpet box. Those also get changed frequently. But when the books no longer hold their interest, we add the busy bags. We start by adding only a few (maybe 6 for 18 students), then increase it. Having only a few activities, and the remainder books, encourages our bathroom and sink lollygaggers to speed things along and get to the carpet!