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Not a Stick

Incorporating STEM in Program Planning

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Lesson plan developed by Aurora Tollestrup, BS Ed

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Activity:  

Not a Stick

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Age Group:

Preschool

Not a stick

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Objectives:  

Children will:

• use critical thinking and problem solving skills to create a tool out of an ordinary object.

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CDA Competency Standard:

II.5.2a

• Materials and equipment stimulate children’s thinking and problem-solving.

b)    Materials and equipment provide a variety of opportunities for cognitive development.

Online Courses

Teaching Preschool Math Using Manipulatives  
(3 hours / .3 CEU) 
Tuition: $31.50

Use of Puppetry and Plays 
(3 hours / .3 CEU) 
Tuition: $31.50

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Materials: 

• the book: Not a Stick (available on Amazon)
• sticks (collected by the children)
• large white paper
• crayons or other coloring materials
• glue

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Anticipatory Set:

• Read the book Not a Stick at circle time or story time.
  
• After the story, take the class outside for them to collect one stick each.
  
• They can choose a stick that works for whatever they can imagine, just like in the book.

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Procedure: 

• Children will glue their stick onto the large sheet of paper and begin to draw around it.
  
• They will turn their stick into something other than a simple stick, just like in the book.
• When the children are done creating, the teacher should converse with the children about what they have created with their sticks.
  
• The teacher should write “This is not a stick…” at the top of the page and “…this is a __________” at the bottom.

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Assessment: 

• Observe and record the children’s creation process while making something with their sticks. Were they able to recall elements of the story when explaining their stick creations?

Click on the photos to enlarge.

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Preschool Lesson Plans

STEM Lesson Plans

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STEM

Many school-age teachers and classrooms have an existing STEM curriculum that aims to teach children the fundamentals of science, technology, and math, but early childhood classrooms tend to shift their focus away from STEM. A typical early childhood classroom will focus on social, emotional and foundational skills such as early literacy and early math concepts. These are very important early childhood skills to teach and can be developed further when combined with STEM concepts. This has the potential to create a very well-rounded approach to learning certain concepts.

Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom

We don’t often consider teaching technology in early childhood education, but may consider the use of technology. Using technology in an early childhood education program can be beneficial in some ways, but the use of technology as part of STEM curriculum is much more than that. It is more focused on the development of tools as pieces of technology and the process of creating it.

How to include technology lessons in your early childhood program:

• Use technology in your classroom by having computer programs available for students.
• Give students opportunities for open-ended exploration of technological processes.
• Include technology in the science center area, such as a simple children’s circuit with a light bulb, battery pack, wires, and alligator clips.
• Allow children to work in pairs or groups to solve problems and create tools for use in other areas. They may create a pencil case for their desk or a hat for rainy days on the playground.

 

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