Teach Outside the Box

Enlightening Young Engineers

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All I Want for Christmas is STEM!

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Happy Holidays, teacher friends!

If you’re anything like me, you’re scrambling around like crazy right now prepping #allthethings for the holidays. (Teacher mommas, I’m talking especially to you!) December is a short month but a very BUSY one, with lots of little elves who need to stay engaged as we count down to Winter Break. STEM Challenges are the perfect ways to keep our kiddos creating and collaborating, and I’ve got you covered with LOW PREP lessons that you and your kids will absolutely love. These challenges are perfect to get parents in on the fun during Winter parties or even to pair with another class for STEM buddies. Here are all my holiday STEM favorites!

Shelf for the Elf Challenge

Has the elf officially joined (ahem, invaded) your home or classroom yet? Why not embrace the craziness with a Shelf for the Elf engineering challenge that ties in three-dimensional structures, lines and joints, balance, and more! This challenge is found in my Christmas STEM pack and is ALWAYS a favorite from K-5th grade. Differentiated recording sheets are provided that are developmentally appropriate for both lower and upper grades.

Check out my newest YouTube video for a walk through of all the components in my Christmas STEM Challenges!

Santa’s Parachute Challenge

The Santa’s Parachute challenge is a HUGE hit, especially among upper grades, and is great for student to experiment with a range of designs and improvements. Students choose from a variety of construction materials to determine which ones work most effectively for the canopy and basket of their parachute. The ultimate challenge is for students to get Santa to land upright on the target, all while exploring the forces of gravity and drag! This challenge is found in my Christmas STEM.

Tallest Tree Challenge

Low prep, simple, and crazy fun, the Tallest Tree challenge is perfect for Holiday parties, centers, or even a minute-to-win-it style timed challenge! Students use either standard sized cups or mini cups to create the tallest possible “tree” while exploring a variety of three-dimensional solids.

Red and Lulu Storybook STEM

Looking for a gorgeous, magical, heartwarming read aloud to share with your students?! Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares has quickly become my all time favorite holiday picture book, and the story of two cardinals and the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will warm your heart. For the “Red Flies High” challenge, students will learn about forces of flight as they construct a model of a flying cardinal and navigate through a series of New York City themed challenges! The book provides tons of cool facts about the history and significance of the Rockefeller Tree, and students can even use STEM Bins as an extension to build models of famous NYC landmarks.

Holidays Around the World Storybook STEM

This special edition of Storybook STEM combines informational text, research, simple building brick STEM challenges, and math extensions for six winter holidays around the world: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, St. Lucia’s Day, La Befana, and Christmas! Holidays can be taught one or two per day or all six holidays can be taught in one day. The provided informational PowerPoint and QR code research mats provides necessary background knowledge for each holiday and can be read and discussed as a class. There is even a culminating Readers’ Theater that incorporates all six holidays!

December Storybook STEM

Looking for more December Storybook STEM Challenges? These are some of my kids’ favorites!

Four units are included to accompany favorite seasonal children’s books, with supplemental STEM challenges for each and differentiated literacy and math options for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade.

Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett (Musical Instrument Challenge)

The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg (Train Bridge Challenge)

A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe (Tallest Tree Challenge)

The Night Before Christmas by Rachel Isadora (Santa’s Sleigh Challenge)

I hope you LOVE these holiday STEM challenges and I hope your classroom is filled with peace, joy, and STEM this year!

***This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.  By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.***

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Teach Outside the Box

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Teach Outside the Box
And then there were TWO!! 😱💡⚙️🎉I was SO excited to receive Arlyne Simon’s newest book in the series, Abby Invents the Foldibot today! These books are the perfect edition to your STEM library to inspire little makers and inventors. 📚Did you know that Dr. Simon is a biomedical engineer and patented inventor herself?! We are so lucky to have her as one of our featured presenters at Elementary STEM CON this year!💗PREORDER: www.timouns.com/products/abby-invents-the-foldibotSTEM CON: brookebrown--feelgoodteaching.thrivecart.com/elementary-stem-con-beyond-2021/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Teach Outside the Box

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Last chance to save 20% on my newest Build and Write pack! 💗💌🏮The price will go up tomorrow morning! ⏰bit.ly/buildandwritefebruarybit.ly/buildandwritebundle ... See MoreSee Less

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Teach Outside the Box

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Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'“Doing for others, building beloved community, and reaching the full potential of our peoplehood requires us to get to work. It requires us to match our words with action as a way of life. A world that is fair, just, and equitable is possible but it is only possible when we push for it. Today, ask yourself how you can turn your life into an offering. Ask yourself what within you may be spiritually or emotionally blocking you from believing Ask yourself how you can live in service to others. Ask yourself how you can connect with those around you more deeply, love them more fully and respect them more thoroughly. Answering these questions is the first step in finding and understanding our roles in building the world Dr. King dreamt for us. ... See MoreSee Less

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Teach Outside the Box

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Teach Outside the Box
100th Day of school is coming up! 🎉🎉🎉Grab this freebie in my shop! It’s a hit with my kids every year! 💯www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-for-the-100th-Day-of-School-FREE-2297288 ... See MoreSee Less

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Teach Outside the Box updated their cover photo.

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Join us April 16-19!brookebrown--feelgoodteaching.thrivecart.com/elementary-stem-con-beyond-2021/Registration Dates / Prices:● Early Bird Registration ($35.98): January 14 - 31, 2021● Regular Registration ($39.98): February 1 - March 31, 2021● Late Registration ($45.98): April 1 - 15, 2021● Last Chance Registration ($49.98): April 16 - 30, 2021Conference Content:● 45+ sessions, panels, and interviews from 25+ passionate educators● 30+ hours of video & live sessions● Daily freebies, raffles, & giveaways● Private conference Facebook group to interact with presenters and win prizes● Bonus Bundle of 13 STEM resources for all attendees ... See MoreSee Less

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Brooke Brown
And then there were TWO!!😱💡⚙️🎉 I was And then there were TWO!!😱💡⚙️🎉 I was SO excited to receive @arlynesimonphd’s newest book in the series, Abby Invents the Foldibot today! 🧺(Available now for Preorder) These books are the perfect edition to your STEM library to inspire little makers and inventors. 📚Did you know that Dr. Simon is a biomedical engineer and patented inventor herself?! We are so lucky to have her as one of our featured presenters at Elementary STEM CON this year!💗https://www.timouns.com/products/abby-invents-the-foldibot
Valentine’s Day, Lunar New Year, President’s D Valentine’s Day, Lunar New Year, President’s Day, and 100th Day of School are all included in my brand new February Build & Write pack!❤️💌🏮🇺🇸💯 I have absolutely loved seeing the January challenges in action in your classrooms! 🎉The February pack includes printable, Google Slides, and Seesaw components and is only $3.60 through Monday! It has also been added to the 10-month Growing Bundle. Hope you love it as much as I do! 💗 #stem #stembins #literacycenters #googleclassroom #seesaw #virtuallearning  #teachoutsidethebox bit.ly/buildandwritefebruary
Guys, I wasn’t sure it was possible that we coul Guys, I wasn’t sure it was possible that we could beat the amazingness of last year’s STEM CON, but just WAIT till you see what we’ve got in store for you this year!😱🙌🎉  Early Bird Registration for Elementary STEM CON 2021 is now OPEN!!!  Snuggle up with some coffee and laptop and join your favorite STEM Presenters on April 16-19 for:  ●	45+ sessions, panels, and interviews from 25+ passionate educators
●	30+ hours of video & live sessions
●	Daily freebies, raffles, & giveaways
●	Private conference Facebook group to interact with presenters and win prizes
●	Bonus Bundle of 13 STEM resources for all attendees 
Oh, and I’ve also thrown in my Calm Down Construction download as a bonus for registering!  Cannot wait to see you there! 🎉  https://brookebrown--feelgoodteaching.thrivecart.com/elementary-stem-con-beyond-2021/
I pulled out my “Volume 2” binder over the bre I pulled out my “Volume 2” binder over the break and was so thankful to see all the STEM challenges that easily transition to virtual learning! We’re starting with Sledding Ramps this week and ending the semester with Roller Coasters. Swipe to see our plans!💡⚙️ #stem #iteachstem #stemteacher #stemteachersofinstagram #iteachk #iteachfirst #iteachsecond #iteachthird
Combining my two great loves: Engineering and Writ Combining my two great loves: Engineering and Writing...😍🙌 Whether you’re teaching virtually, in person, or both, I hope you love my new Build & Write activities as much as I do!🎉They’re perfect for first through third grade as a weekly literacy center or distance learning assignment. January is now posted (marked down to $3.20) as well as a Growing Bundle! ❄️⛄️9 more editions are coming in 2021!🙌 bit.ly/buildandwritejanuary
My brand new STEM Bins Build & Write activities fo My brand new STEM Bins Build & Write activities for January are SO CLOSE to being finished and I can’t wait to show you the full pack! ⛄️❄️🤗🎉 Simple seasonal engineering tasks + 3 writing prompts each in printable and fully digital formats for 1st-3rd grade! If you’d like me to message you when it’s posted, leave me a comment!👇
I think my “word” for 2021 might be “Keeponk I think my “word” for 2021 might be “Keeponkeepinon.”🤪😉I’m feeling strong, hopeful, and so proud of how far we’ve come. Soaking up these last couple days of break and excited to dive into some virtual Winter STEM challenges next week!!❄️❄️❄️Happy New Year, y’all! 🥂  January/Winter STEM Challenges:
1️⃣Sledding Ramp
2️⃣Hibernation Station
3️⃣Snowball Structure
4️⃣Snowflake Symmetry  (Oh, and I’m working on something brand new that I can’t WAIT to share with you soon!🎉)
#stem #teachoutsidethebox #iteachstem #stemteacher #iteachk #iteachfirst #happynewyear #iteachsecond
Hashtag blocks, LED building sets, and desk pets i Hashtag blocks, LED building sets, and desk pets in Target Dollar Spot! 🎉🎯 (Check out @goodwinnovate for desk pet ideas! We’re gonna make tiny habitats for them at home. 💗) #target #targetteachers #teachersofinstagram #targetdollarspot #stem #stembins #deskpets
Home is wherever I’m with you.❤️ #14yearsstr Home is wherever I’m with you.❤️ #14yearsstrong #thebrowns
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