The Best Books and STEM Challenges to Teach Kindergarten Earth Science

The following is a guest post from Dr. Jacie Maslyk.

Kindergarten kids are curious! They enjoy learning about new things, especially the world around them. We can pique their curiosity by sharing interesting books connected to hands-on challenges. There are many great read aloud selections to share with your students.

As our youngest learners begin to explore STEM, one important science topic is the study of earth science. Students will love learning about animal habitats, nature, weather, and the environment. This post will share five children’s books along with a STEM experiences designed to engage kindergarten students

Animal Architects

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Animal Architects Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

This book by Amy Cherrix includes beautiful illustrations by Chris Susaki.

Students will learn about the many animals that build their own homes.

These creative creatures use the environment around them to create a place to live. From trapdoor spiders to the hives of bumblebees, animal construction projects will interest your students.

It may even send them looking for more animal architects in their backyards. Students in kindergarten love animals and will enjoy learning more through this read aloud.

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Animal Architects Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

Challenge:

In this Kindergarten STEM Challenge, students use what they learn about the environment to create an argument. They use evidence to show how animals use their environment to get shelter and other things that they need. Students can also design and build an animal home like one from the story.

Students will conduct a plant and animal investigation and make a picture of what animals need using evidence to support their argument. This activity aligns with NGSS Earth Science Standards for Kindergarten but could also be used in 1st and 2nd grade, too!

The Hike

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The Hike Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

In this story, three young explorers set out to conquer the outdoors in their local forest.

In addition to following the characters on their journey, the book includes a glossary with lots of great information for young learners.There is also a sketchbook by one of the characters that highlights some of the discoveries they make along the trail. In addition, there are lots labels throughout about the various plants and animals.

Challenge:

For this hands-on challenge, students will create a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live.

They will explain how plants and animals relate to their environment through their own experiences as well as through the story. Connecting with other subject areas, you might also tie in social studies and have your students plan and draw a map for a hike that they would like to go on.

The Mess That We Made

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The Hike Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

This beautifully illustrated book explores the environmental impact of trash and plastic on the ocean and marine life.

Readers learn that when we don’t take care of the Earth, there are natural consequences. Hopefully, the book will inspire your students to do their part to combat pollution.

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The Hike Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

Challenge:

Students will create a call to action to help clean up the “mess we made”. They will work together to create posters to share ways that we can reduce our impact on land, water, air, and living things. Student teams can present their posters and display them throughout the school. They could also design or build something that might help to improve the environment or clean up pollution.

The Wind Blew

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The Wind Blew Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

This rhyming favorite will have students retelling all of the things that the wind blew away.

It blew so hard, it took hats, umbrellas, scarves, and balloons. The characters in the story chase after their things all the way out to the sea, creating a fun adventure.

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The Wind Blew Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

Challenge:

In this STEM Challenge, students learn about weather, and record what they see using a weather pattern investigation worksheet. They tally up how many days each type of weather is observed, and draw what they see. This challenge gets students using their observation skills while also practicing math. Their journaling and documenting of the weather helps students to think like a scientist.

What Will the Weather Be

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What Will the Weather Be? Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

The brightly colored illustration and rhyming in this book will have students reading and rereading it.

The book provides a look at weather in all kinds of places. From the desert to the sea to a hillside carnival, this story helps students to explore windy, rainy, sunny, and snowy days. As our weather shifts towards springtime, there are many other engaging read alouds for the month of March.

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What Will the Weather Be? Read Aloud STEM Challenge by Carly and Adam

Challenge:

Your students will be thinking like a meteorologist as they explore weather in this earth science lesson. When scientists study weather, they use lots of information. Students will explore weather websites to learn more about weather. They will create a journal to sketch, label, and document some of the things they learn.  To extend the learning further, students might build a model of one of the weather scenes in the story.

Explore Science!

Choose one or all of these books to jumpstart science exploration in your classroom.

Have more questions or need additional resources?

In addition to earth science, kindergarten students will also explore topics like  motion and stability, energy, and engineering design. We have created lessons for all of these topics. Lessons are connected to a familiar children’s book and engage students in the investigation of hands-on STEM.

All of these lessons are available in our Teachers Pay Teachers Bundle for Kindergarten Earth Science. You can get all 250+ STEM Challenges by Carly and Adam as part of the STEM Teachers Club Membership. Save $5 on your first month using coupon Code: CarlyAndAdamBlog.

We hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!

An educator for the last 23 years, Dr. Jacie Maslyk, has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, elementary principal, and assistant superintendent. She is the author of STEAM Makers: Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Elementary Classroom, Connect to Lead: Power Up Your Learning Network to Move Your School Forward (ISTE), Remaking Literacy: Innovative Instructional Strategies for Maker Learning and Unlock Creativity: Opening a World of Imagination With Your Students. You can read more on her blog, Creativity in the Making, at www.jaciemaslyk.blogspot.com. Connect with Jacie on Twitter @DrJacieMaslyk or email her at jaciemaslyk@gmail.com .