Looking for ways to make this summer both fun and educational for your scholar? You’ve come to the right place! Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors while exploring the wonders of science. From observing nature to conducting simple experiments, there are endless opportunities to embrace the season. In this article, we’ll delve into some exciting ways to incorporate science into your summer adventures. After discussing the engaging activity of gardening, we’ll now explore arts and crafts activities, such as Chalk Art and “Recycled” Art, as part of our Summertime STEAM Fun series. Get ready for a summer filled with creativity and learning!
Art has the power to breathe life into the realm of science, and one interesting medium for this is sidewalk chalk art. Whether it’s illustrating scientific concepts or creating inspirational messages, chalk art offers a unique and engaging way to express creativity. This form of art isn’t confined to just outdoor sidewalks; it can also be brought indoors using blackboard wall paint as a background or a blackboard. With the ability to be easily erased and recreated, sidewalk chalk art provides a dynamic and interactive outlet for artistic expression. So, go out and buy some Sidewalk Chalk and create something magnificent.
People are becoming more environmentally conscious due to Global Warming. Many people are taking on the task to recycle materials, reuse materials, and reduce the amount of trash they create. One way to help reduce the amount of materials entering the landfill is by repurposing items. “Recycled” art is just that, recycled or reused items being used in artwork. When recycled and reused materials are used to create artwork, the amount of trash entering landfills will be reduced. Pieces of cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, bubble wrap, styrofoam peanuts, and more can be used in Recycled Art. All you need is glue, a glue gun, or any adhesive of your choice, depending on how heavy each item is and a variety of different color of paint (spray or brush). You may also elect to include glitter in your artwork. With recycled art, you can use just about any material you would normally toss in the recycled bin; however, make sure that the items used in your artwork are clean and free from food particles.
In closing, embracing art as a therapeutic and creative outlet can greatly benefit individuals, especially in today’s fast-paced world. By allowing ourselves the time and space to engage in artistic activities, we can tap into our creativity and produce something truly remarkable. So, let’s make the most of this opportunity and spend some time with your scholar creating Sidewalk Chalk and Recycled Artwork.
Are you looking for fun and educational activities to do with your child during summer vacation? Look no further! Summertime offers the perfect opportunity to engage in outdoor activities that not only provide entertainment but also highlight important concepts in Science. From exploring nature to conducting simple experiments, there are plenty of ways to keep the learning momentum going while enjoying the great outdoors. So, let’s dive into some exciting ways to incorporate Science into your summer adventures! Last week, I shared a fun activity, weather journaling and recall, STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics This week’s Summertime STEAM Fun activity is gardening.
Gardening is the perfect outdoor activity that can also be considered a form of aerobic exercise and strength training for you and your scholar, especially if you want to plant a large garden. But even the smallest garden requires work, especially when first starting out. You and your scholar have to clear a plot of land by tilling the ground or you can use above ground planters and just add soil. You can also use regular flower pots in which to plant seeds. No matter which route you take gardening will be fun.
Think about which seeds you want to plant, flower, herb, or vegetable seeds. Keep in mind that seeds are either annual or perennial seeds. Annual seeds only last for the season, while perennial seeds produce flowers or plants that come back every year.
Once you and your scholar decide on what and where to plant, purchase your seeds. All Walmarts have a garden section where you can purchase different types of seeds. You can also buy plants, such as vegetable, herbs, and flower plants to speed up the growing process. The plants can also be purchased at Walmart, Home Depot, and local nurseries. If you start from seeds, you will need to water frequently until the seeds sprout. Continue to check on your young plants and keep all weeds away.
In conclusion, gardening is the perfect STEAM activity for the entire family because it is, both, educational and fun. In addition, gardening provides a great opportunity for aerobic exercise, getting the heart pumping. No matter how small or large your garden, you and your scholar will be in motion, exercising your hearts. So, get to gardening!
Summertime is the perfect time to get outdoors and do some things. Science is the one subject that makes up every aspect of lives, from walking to cooking to opening and closing doors, Science is involved. The acronym, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) describes all aspects of Science. Summertime is a great time to be outdoors and explore! There several things you can do with your scholar during their summer vacation that will maintain learning momentum and spotlight some concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).
I was a Summer Camp Coordinator for several years and I enjoyed planning fun and engaging activities for my students. Many of the activities were connected to Science in some form; however, the acronym, STEAM had not been established back then. Now, I plan fun and engaging STEAM lessons in my classroom. I want to share with you this week’s Summertime STEAM Fun activity – weather journaling.
Weather Journaling
Weather Journaling is an activity that gets students outdoors and focuses their attention on the weather. Students look at different weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation (rainfall), humidity, cloud cover, and intensity of sunlight. The materials for this activity are listed below followed by instructions.
Materials
Weather Log (attached below)
Clear Glass Jar/Clear Glass
12-inch Ruler
Weather Thermometer
Internet Access (to access the WeatherChannel.com or weather Apps)
Download the weather log so your scholar can record visible weather factors (You can make as many copies as you need). Find a space outside where you can place the clear glass jar/glass; you can dig a hole deep enough in the ground that will fit half of the jar or glass. This hole in the ground will stabilize the jar/glass. The top of the jar/glass should be open, without a lid or top. This jar/glass will be used to measure the amount of rainfall in your area, and you will use the ruler to measure the amount of water in the cup. Measuring rainfall should happen after a rain shower or storm has finished, and be sure to pour the water out after measuring it. Also, DO NOT MEASURE RAINFALL DURING A THUNDERSTORM. The weather thermometer can be purchased on Amazon or at Walmart in the garden section. The thermometer should be placed outside of your home. They are sometimes hung from a nearby tree or other outdoor structure close to the home; it will need to be checked daily. Students will need to access the weather forecast, for the day, to obtain the wind speed and direction, unless you have a tool that can do it. The local meteorologists on the News channels usually provides the wind speed and direction. The weather app that is found on most cell phones can also be used. My favorite weather app is The Weather Channel; however, you can also go to their website.
Now, if you and your scholar track the weather for several weeks or even the entire summer, you can have your scholar find the average rainfall in each month(June, July, August). This activity requires math; adding and dividing. They would add all of the measurements for each day of week, then add each week’s total, and then divide by the number of weeks. For example (See below), let’s say it rained 1 inch all 7 days for 2 weeks, that is a total of 14 inches for 2 weeks. Now you want to find out what the average rainfall was for those 2 weeks, so you will divide 14 by 2 and the average rain fall for each week would be 7 inches.
1 inch of rain x 7days (1st week) = 7 inches of rain in week 1
1 inch of rain x 7 days (2nd week) = 7 inches of rain week 2
Grand total of rain for 2 weeks is = 14 inches of rain for 2 weeks
Average rain fall for two weeks = 14 inches / 2 weeks Average Rain Fall/week = 7 inches
You could also have your scholar create their own weather video, which will help develop speaking skills and writing skills because they should write a script of what to say before video recording. This is why I love STEAM activities, because they consist of multiple subject areas. Have fun with this Summer STEAM activity and next week I will share another fun activity to enjoy.
Each school year has its rewards and challenges, and usually the rewards outweigh the challenges. Educators become acquainted with new groups of scholars and families. The beginning of the school year is exciting for both educators and scholars. We come with a refreshed outlook on the new school year. Educators think about ways to increase student engagement and improve student achievement. Students think about ways to make new friends and perform better in all of their classes. The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for educators, scholars, and families of scholars, it’s a fresh start.
On the other hand, the end of the year is filled with excitement, as well, especially for seniors in high school, eighth grade scholars, who are preparing to leave middle school and enter high school, and fifth grade scholars, who are preparing to enter middle school. These three grade levels are transition grades for scholars and signal both an end and, soon, a new beginning. As I reflect on this year as a middle level educator, I think of the three main areas that have made this year, and every year enjoyable: lending a listening ear, showing a caring heart, and laughing out loud.
Listening Ears
In my educator preparation program, there were no courses that taught me how to be an effective listener, it is a skill that I nurtured and developed over the years. Growing up, I was a very quiet child and did not speak much, but I would always listen. I listened to and followed instructions given to me from my parents and teachers. I listened intently while in college to gain new information. I listened to friends and family members when they share their stories with me or seek advice. So, listening is second nature to me.
As an educator, I have learned to use my listening skills to enhance my pedagogy. Most of my scholars like talking about their lives and I, genuinely, like listening to their stories. As I listen to their several stories about home life and events they experience at school, I am using that time to build relationships with my scholars, and these relationships help me in the classroom. Building relationships is vital to increasing student achievement because I have gained the trust of my scholars, and this trust pours into classroom instruction and learning tasks assigned to them; they give me their best work. In addition to a trusting relationship, I get to know my scholars outside of their academic performances. I learn about their favorite sports and when they have games coming up so that I can attend. Listening is a skill I will continue to use every school year to help me learn more about my scholars, both academically and personally.
Not only do scholars need access to a listening ear, but other teachers need someone who will serve as a sound board or provide them time to “vent.” Many of my co-workers have come to me to just share their frustrations about a scholar, a parent, or an administrative action or email, and every “vent session” is always confidential; I never share information shared with me to others. During these “vent sessions” I simply listen, I don’t try to fix the problem, unless asked for advice; most times teachers just want to get their frustrations out. Usually, I share the same frustrations, but I don’t share, during the vent session, I just listen, because that is what they need at the time. Listening is a powerful tool that builds trusting, positive relationships and it is a skill I will use every year in my teaching.
A Caring Heart
Working with people requires a level of care which will help build trusting and positive relationships. Working with young adolescents requires a “caring heart” because many of them don’t know how to care about themselves and, or their life goals. Displaying a caring heart toward my scholars, shows them what “care” looks like, sounds like, and feels like. Unfortunately, some of my scholars live in, somewhat, negative environments and they may not interact with someone who has a caring demeanor, and so when they come to school, I try to make their experience at school be the best experience ever. I want school to feel like a fun and safe place where there are several caring adults that can be trusted.
I remember reading this quote by John C. Maxwell, “students don’t care what you know, until they know how much you care.” This saying is so true. The first few weeks of school are challenging because my scholars do not know me and they do not know what to expect; they do not trust me. However, when I begin peeling back their many layers and listening to their many personal narratives, and building trusting relationships, my scholars become more invested in their academic tasks and they perform at a higher level. Scholars know which teachers care about them and which teachers don’t care about them; scholars usually do not enjoy the classes of teachers that do not care about them or for them. I have to literally walk scholars into those classrooms to ensure they will attend the class. These are also the classes that scholars do not care about arriving to class on time. Showing students a caring heart will help to increase student achievement, engagement, and also help them develop a love for learning.
Laugh Out Loud
This is perhaps the one skill I had to learn through my years of teaching, laughing with my scholars. When I first began teaching, I took my calling to teach too seriously, I would not smile or laugh because I wanted to make sure my student respected me. However, in the latter years of my teaching career, I learned that there is an urgency in closing the achievement gap and increasing student achievement, but that did not mean that I could not laugh with my scholars and make learning fun. The more I smiled, the more my scholars smiled. The more I laughed, they too began to laugh.
Closing the achievement gap and increasing student achievement would require me to get to know my scholars and view them as intelligent young people. Young people like having fun with each other, so why not try and connect the fun to learning. However, there are times when scholars have to maintain a serious demeanor, such as during testing or presentations to the class. Even so, I like to have as much fun teaching my scholars and I still maintain an orderly and respectful classroom environment. When we laugh we are not laughing at each other, we are laughing with each other; most often my scholars are laughing at my jokes, or funny comments. Then there are those times where one of my students will do something so funny until I can’t hold back my laughter, and we are all laughing. Laughing helps me to connect to my scholars, which in turn will help to build positive and trusting relationships that will, eventually, contribute to closing the achievement gap and increasing student achievement.
So, not only do I laugh with my scholars, I have also learned to laugh more with my colleagues while at work; sometimes teachers and students are laughing together. Laughing out loud creates a positive atmosphere because some social scientists believe that laughing is, in fact, contagious and reduces stress. I know when one of my scholars begins laughing deeply, I begin laughing, as well as other teachers walking by my door. There have been times where, when scholars arrive to my class and they are laughing at something that happened in the hallway or in the previous class, and I see that they are not slowing up with the laughter, I will just say, “okay class, let’s laugh for one minute.” We all laugh for one minute and then I am able to move on with the lesson. We all need to laugh more and stop taking life so seriously.
In conclusion, being a reflective practitioner helps me identify skills and strategies that help to increase student engagement and achievement. All teachers should reflect on their pedagogy and identify areas of “glows (+) and grows (-).” Our scholars cannot be held accountable for our lack and we can’t keep blaming our scholars or their families; it is our professional duty to build relationships and help our scholars become great thinkers and provide support to their families. My reflections on this school year have brought to light the skills that have contributed to my effectiveness in the classroom, which are having listening ears, having a caring heart, and laughing out loud when a situation calls for it. So have fun teaching so that our scholars will develop a love for learning!
