Are you looking for STEM ideas? Check out this book!
Are you looking for STEM ideas? Check out this book!Architects, electricians, landscapers, oh my! If you are looking to incorporate a nonfiction STEM book into your science or reading curriculum, look no further! Check out a How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons. This is a great place to start if you’re wanting to pump up STEM in the classroom through a great picture book for young readers!
How a House is Built is easy to understand, but includes technical terms for jobs and materials involved in building. Get ready to journey through the process from start to finish. You will watch the beginning stages of an architect drawing plans to hiring a general contractor. Get ready to learn about foundation builders, septic teams, plumbers, electricians, and more! The vocabulary in this book will spark a lot of discussion.
Use STEM ideas in your learning centers
Incorporate the ideas from this piece of STEM literature into your learning centers! Turn your sand and water table into a building zone for “foundation builders.” Don’t have a sand and water table? No problem! You can easily use materials you have available, such as play dough and noodles. Students will be eager to dig trenches and line them with base “boards” (otherwise known as popsicle sticks) as they create a foundation to their house. Encourage your “builders” to lay concrete on top of the foundation with muddy sand or clay. You can also practice sequencing by adding a photo of each step for your students to work through from start to finish!
Have extra boxes lying around? Inspire students to think like an architect and build a structure out of the boxes! Work on team building by having students create simple structures out of boxes. Make it fun by having a competition of who can make the tallest tower. Have students judge each structure and vote which one would be most likely to survive a snowstorm (or a rainstorm depending on where you live). This is a great playground activity.
Literacy Ideas
Your older learners will enjoy this book by comparing and contrasting the simple shelters of the past illustrated at the end of the book. Teach across the curriculum by using a creative writing prompt such as, “Which shelter of the past would you rather live in and why?” Spark those critical thinking skills by having your students actually design their own dream house. Break out the rules, protractor, T-squares and other architectural tools to help them feel like a pro. Add some measurement skills requirements and voila! You’ve got this STEM building in a bag!
Build STEM Literacy
How A House is Built is a fun and quick read for older primary students and has illustrations that young learners can enjoy too. The STEM ideas and activities with this book are endless!Check it out today. This is the first in a series! Come back for more.
Looking for more science books to use in your classroom? Check out this book about the inventor of the Super Soaker!
Sarah
STEM Education Lesson Plans
