STEM Challenges and Books for Elementary Students During the Month of December
STEM Challenges and Books for Elementary Students During the Month of December
STEM learning is the integration of science, technology, engineering, and math. It is a hands-on way for kids to extend their learning in these subject areas while developing creativity and critical thinking skills. One way to introduce this type of learning is through children’s literature. If you are looking for fun ways to engage your students in STEM and Maker learning this winter, this month’s read aloud selections offer hands-on learning that will keep your students exploring winter weather, thinking creatively and designing for a purpose.
These December STEM read aloud menus provide a variety of STEM activities that can be used after reading or listening to the story. The selected stories are connected by the theme of winter and will offer different ways to engage in STEM experiences.
Benefits of Read Aloud STEM
A STEM read aloud is a book that is read before a STEM activity to provide a context for the challenge. The purpose of the STEM read aloud is to provide students with background knowledge for the challenge as well as to set up the problem that students are going to be solving.
There are so many benefits to adding a read aloud to your STEM lessons. When we connect children’s literature to STEM and maker learning opportunities, we tap into important skills for our students including:
Problem-solving
Comprehension
Creativity
Divergent Thinking
When you can captivate students by the possibility of something new and imaginative, it can easily lead to opportunities for learning in STEM, design and making. Any book can provide a context for making and you can implement these lessons during other months of the year, but here are a few stories that are perfect during the month of December. Be sure to check out the monthly menus to find all sorts of STEM activities to connect to each book.
December Read Alouds and STEM Challenges
Lemonade in Winter
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins is the story of two kids who are determined to sell lemonade in the middle of winter in the big city. Against everything mom and dad warn about selling lemonade in winter, these two young entrepreneurs go through the process of collecting materials, setting up shop, marketing their drink stand, serving their customers, and counting money. Students will love the determined nature of this story, especially when combined with different hands-on activities like these:
Create a budget for your own business. What items will you need? How much will they cost? What do you need to sell your items for in order to make money?
Create a chart or a graph to show the drinks that Pauline and John-John sold. The lemonade stand ended up losing money. How much exactly?
Pauline and John-John kept their money in a green plastic box. Design a new and improved cash register or money box for them.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
The Shortest Day
The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer is a colorful story that explains the importance of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and how people celebrate the Winter Solstice in different cultures. This story provides opportunities for students to explore the theme of Winter Solstice with activities like these:
Create a picture or 3D model to show where the Earth is in relation to the sun during the four seasons.
Design an outdoor nighttime game that can be played in the dark on the shortest day of the year. Since the days are shorter you won’t have sunlight. What can you use to create light or something that glows in the dark?
December weather can be nose nipping and bone-chilling. Design something that you can wear to stay warm in winter.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Blizzard
Blizzard by John Rocco is the story of the author’s childhood experience during the Blizzard of 1978 in Rhode Island. 53 inches of snow fell over two days making day-to-day life tricky. Your students can read along to find out how this young boy had to get creative during a huge snowstorm to purchase milk for hot chocolate. After reading the book, students can explore a variety of blizzard related challenges like these:
Create a unique and symmetrical snowflake design using paper and scissors.
Carrying all of the groceries through the snow might be a challenge. Construct something that can be added to your sled that can help carry everything.
Use cardboard and recyclables to make a sled. What can you use to make sure it is fast?
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Ten Ways to Hear Snow
Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper is the story of Lina who walks her way through the snow to get to her grandma. Your students will journey along with Lina as she experiences her neighborhood in a new way, covered in snow. Take your students on a designing adventure with activities like these:
Lina made waffle-shaped tracks in the snow. Use household items or recyclables to create different imprints in the snow or in play dough.
What are the sounds you hear outside of your house each morning? Create a list of five things you hear and make a sketch of each one. Create a book of your snow sounds.
Construct a model of a shovel that Lena could use to shovel the snow.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Over and Under the Snow
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner will take your students along on an exploration story as the author explores everything that is happening over and under the snow-covered forest. After reading this story, students can do a little research and exploration of their own with challenges like these:
Snowshoe hares and other creatures use camouflage to blend in with their environment. Research another animal that uses this form of protection and create a camouflage image of this creature.
The author names a number of different types of trees in this story. Can you name them all? Which types of trees grow near you? How are aspens different from evergreens? Construct a model to show two different types of trees.
Shrews live under the snow and travel through underground tunnels. Build a system of tunnels and see if you can move a marble through them.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
Snow Globe Family
Snow Globe Family by Jane O’Connor is the story of a little family who lives inside the snow globe that sits on the mantle of the big family’s home. The little family wonders when the next snowstorm will come along. They just can’t wait for someone to shake their globe. Challenge your students to create their own snow globe. This story provides opportunities for students to engage in innovative thinking and creative expression with activities like these:
Construct a small house out of cardboard that is at least 6 inches tall. Add details like a chimney and some shutters.
Create a tiny bathtub that the snow globe family won’t fall out of when the snow globe is shaken.
Create a device to prevent the dishes from flying out of the cupboards the next time there’s a “bad storm” in the snow globe.
Get the Read Aloud STEM menu for this book here.
This month, take some time to explore these (and other) great books. Whether learning about the costs of selling lemonade, the celebration of Winter Solstice, or blizzards, December is a month to engage in some hands-on maker learning experiences. For more December STEM ideas, check out our Read Aloud STEM menus.
Our December read-aloud STEM menus are full of activities for each of these books that will keep your students engaged and asking for more! Get the STEM Menus here!
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