Provides more than 90 activities and learning centre ideas that seamlessly integrate STEM throughout your early childhood classroom. These hands-on STEM experiences enhance cooking, art, and music activities, block play and sensory table exploration, and field trips and outdoor time. Information on assessment and early learning standards is also provided.

Acknowledgments xiChapter 1: STEM Education 1Chapter 2: STEM Learning Centers 15Learning Center Activity 2.1 Light and Color (physics) 18Learning Center Activity 2.2 Child-Designed Inclines (physics) 20Learning Center Activity 2.3 The Great Incline Race (physics) 22Learning Center Activity 2.4 Wishing Well: Using a Wheel and Axle (physics) 24Learning Center Activity 2.5 Pendulum Pick-Up (physics) 26Learning Center Activity 2.6 Worm Tunnels (life science) 28Learning Center Activity 2.7 Insects and Spiders (life science) 30Learning Center Activity 2.8 Seed Sort and Grow (life science) 32Learning Center Activity 2.9 What Grows Above and Below the Ground? (life science) 34Learning Center Activity 2.10 Five Special Rocks and Minerals (earth science) 36Learning Center Activity 2.11 Once Upon a Time: Exploring Fossils (earth science) 38Learning Center Activity 2.12 What's Inside a Rock? (earth science) 40Learning Center Activity 2.13 Can a Rock Float? (earth science) 42Learning Center Activity 2.14 Wonders of the Sea (earth science) 44Learning Center Activity 2.15 Where Should the Dinosaurs Go? (mathematics: algebra) 46Learning Center Activity 2.16 Nature's Shapes (mathematics: geometry) 48Learning Center Activity 2.17 Feed the Zoo Animals Game (mathematics: numberand operations) 50Learning Center Activity 2.18 Measuring Pumpkins (mathematics: measurement) 52Learning Center Activity 2.19 Graphing Reptiles and Amphibians (mathematics: data analysis) 54Learning Center Activity 2.20 Choosing a Class Pet (life science) 56Chapter 3: STEM throughout the Classroom 59Cooking Activity 3.1 Geometric Grilled Cheese (mathematics: geometry; physics) 65Cooking Activity 3.2 Cornmeal Muffins (life science, physics) 66Cooking Activity 3.3 Limeade and Lemonade (life science, physics) 68Cooking Activity 3.4 Baking Bread (life science, physics) 70Cooking Activity 3.5 Vegetarian Soup (life science, physics) 72Block Activity 3.6 Building with Inclines (physics) 74Block Activity 3.7 Building with Pulleys (physics) 76Block Activity 3.8 Natural Building Materials (life science, physics) 78Block Activity 3.9 Soft and Hard Building Surfaces (physics) 80Block Activity 3.10 Building with Mirrors (physics) 82Sensory Table Activity 3.11 Sailboats (earth science, physics) 84Sensory Table Activity 3.12 Plumbing Problems (physics, earth science) 86Sensory Table Activity 3.13 Life in a Pond (life science, earth science) 88Sensory Table Activity 3.14 Water Slides (physics, earth science) 90Sensory Table Activity 3.15 Geology Shakes (earth science) 92Art Activity 3.16 Creating "Tops" for Tops (physics) 94Art Activity 3.17 Nature's Imprints (life science) 96Art Activity 3.18 Creating Fossils (earth science) 98Art Activity 3.19 Pendulum Salt Prints (physics) 100Art Activity 3.20 Snowflake Projections (earth science) 102Music Activity 3.21 Water Can Band (physics; mathematics: algebra) 104Music Activity 3.22 Nature's Maracas (life science) 106Music Activity 3.23 Rattle Drums (physics) 108Music Activity 3.24 Pipes and Pitches (physics) 110Music Activity 3.25 Birdsong Patterns (life science; mathematics: algebra) 112Chapter 4: STEM Outdoors 115Outdoor Activity 4.1 Balloons Aloft (earth science, physics) 117Outdoor Activity 4.2 Feed the Birds Pulley (life science, physics) 118Outdoor Activity 4.3 Tracing Shadows (earth science) 120Outdoor Activity 4.4 The Ants Come Marching (life science) 122Outdoor Activity 4.5 Large Variable-Slope Ramps (physics) 124Outdoor Activity 4.6 Laundry Day: Horizontal Pulley (physics) 126Outdoor Activity 4.7 Raise the Flag: Vertical Pulley (physics) 128Outdoor Activity 4.8 Creating Wind Chimes (earth science, physics) 130Outdoor Activity 4.9 Tricycle Tracks (earth science, physics) 132Outdoor Activity 4.10 Container Garden (life science) 134Outdoor Activity 4.11 Spraying the Rainbow (physics) 136Outdoor Activity 4.12 Bubble Clusters (physics) 138Outdoor Activity 4.13 Creating Bubble Wands (physics) 140Outdoor Activity 4.14 Inside a Bubble (physics) 142Chapter 5: STEM in a Project-Centered Curriculum 143Classroom Project 5.1 Ice 146Classroom Project 5.2 Trees 150Classroom Project 5.3 Class Movie 154Classroom Project 5.4 Quilts 160Chapter 6: Quick STEM Activities 165Quick Activity 6.1 Apple Corer and Divider (physics, life science) 168Quick Activity 6.2 Sloping Water Table (earth science, physics) 170Quick Activity 6.3 Window Prism (physics, earth and space science) 171Quick Activity 6.4 Ice in the Water Table (earth science) 172Quick Activity 6.5 Instant Parallel Lines (mathematics: geometry) 174Quick Activity 6.6 Sand Timers (mathematics: measurement; earth science) 175Quick Activity 6.7 Dry Sponge, Wet Sponge (physics, earth science) 176Quick Activity 6.8 Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque (physics) 178Quick Activity 6.9 Holes in Bottles (mathematics: measurement; earth science; physics) 180Quick Activity 6.10 Reflection Treasure Hunt: Indoors (physics) 181Quick Activity 6.11 Reflection Treasure Hunt: Outdoors (physics) 182Quick Activity 6.12 "Rubber Band" Band (physics) 183Quick Activity 6.13 Fence Percussion (physics) 184Quick Activity 6.14 The Wonderful World of Coats (physics) 185Quick Activity 6.15 Tricycles Sound Poppers (physics) 186Chapter 7: STEM-Based Field Trips 187Field Trip 7.1 Going to the Zoo 190Field Trip 7.2 What Lives in Our Neighborhood? 193Field Trip 7.3 At the Car Wash 196Field Trip 7.4 Visiting a Garden Center 198Field Trip 7.5 Exploring a Fabric Store 201Field Trip 7.6 Visiting a Construction Site 204Field Trip 7.7 How Food Grows in a Vegetable Garden 207Field Trip 7.8 Visiting a Pizza Parlor 210Field Trip 7.9 Watching a Music Rehearsal 213Field Trip 7.10 Experiencing an Art Museum 216Glossary 220Recommended Children's Books 223References 226