steaming up our playtime

STEAMING UP OUR PLAYTIMEAdding inquiry and metacognition to make purposeful, engaging activities for our littlest learners.

TEAM BUILDING: 5 MINUTES

Stand up. Find 2-4 of the teachers that teach the age

closest to your class. Claim table space for your team. Move all of your possessions to that table. Your table’s shape is your team name! Choose a team cheer.

When I say “Go”

WHAT IS STEAM?

STEAM STANDS FOR…

Science

Technology

Engineering

Arts

Mathematics

WHY IS STEAM IMPORTANT?

Problem Solving Critical Thinking Scientific Argument Persistence Teamwork Lifelong Learning Higher Earnings

WHY IS STEAM IMPORTANT?

ALL WRITE ROUND ROBIN

1. Each person needs one paper and a pen.2. Write your team’s name on the top of your paper.3. You will have 30 seconds to write the ways children act in the STEAM

role your paper lists.4. List as many things as you can and keep going until the timer rings.5. When the bell rings, pass your papers CLOCKWISE, or to your left. 6. We will go on until everyone has had a chance to write for each

paper.7. If you get the same paper twice, try to add even more ideas.8. Share and celebrate.

YOU ARE NOW A CHILD IN YOUR CLASS

IT’S TIME FOR CENTERS!

Listen to the center explanations. Pick four centers you’d like to do. You will have five minutes to do each center. Each center may only have four people. As you play, talk about how you’re engaging in

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

LINE UP FROM SHORTEST TO TALLESTNO TALKING ALLOWED

WHAT STEAM CONCEPTS DID YOU SEE?

Talk with your partner about the different STEAM interactions you had.

Each partner will choose TWO centers you enjoyed.

Take an index card and a pen for each person. Write 2-3 guiding questions for each team

mate’s age level based on the concepts you could teach with that center.

Walk through the room as the music plays. When the music stops, you stop, find the person

closest to you, and team up. Teams hold hands and lift them up to show

you’ve found a partner. NO following a friend around to be their partner! Share by using the directions I give you. Don’t forget to encourage your partner!

MIX-PAIR-SHARE

GROUP PLANNING

Go back to your group team. Work together to plan at least three play-based

activities you can use next week to engage children in STEAM.

If you can explicitly incorporate all 5 of the STEAM components into your activities, you’ll get bonus points.

Turn these in at the end of the lesson for feedback.

EVALUATE YOUR LEARNING

Self-Evaluation