Bracelet Making Activity. 

1. Give the kids partners 

2.  Give them prompts to ask each other and learn about each other (Favorite activities, colors, movies etc.)

3.  Tell the kids all the supplies they will need to get (String, beads, scissors)

4. Instruct them to get supplies to make a bracelet for their partner that they think their partner would enjoy. 

5.  When the kids get back to there seats start twitching them how to make a bracelet. 

6.  Demonstrate by making your own bracelet and having them follow along as you go through the steps

7. Instruct to make a knot at the end of the string and demonstrate how 

8. Tell the kids to add the beads how ever they would like and to put the bracelet on there desk when they have put all the beads they want

9. Walk around to see if anyone needs any help or has any questions.

10. Then demonstrate how to make a knot to tie the bracelet together. 

11. Walk around and see if anyone needs help making the knot at the end of their bracelet. 

12. Have them show their partner the bracelet and give it to them. 

13. After they give each other their bracelets teach them, when you are meeting new people it is important to learn about them and listen to them so that you can get to know them and it is also important to tell people about you so they can get to know you better.  

14. Explain how this was demonstrated with listening to each other about themselves for the bracelet making activity so they could make each other bracelets they would enjoy. 

I decided to look at Pushpika's lesson. I really enjoyed the lesson and how much detail was put into it. I found it very informative and that the lesson took it's time to explain things that someone who has never tried to knit before might not know, like special terminology and even the history of knitting. I also thought the visuals on what to do did a good job of demonstrating how to do certain tasks.  I feel the lesson would have been easier to follow in video form that takes you step by step, but I am also a very visual learner when it comes to arts like knitting.  I also feel that if someone wanted to teach this lesson to someone it would be nice to have notes on what to focus on and what to spend a little extra time on if you were trying to teach the lesson. Overall I really enjoyed the lesson and learned a lot that I did not know before. 

In a culture of learning I believe that it is very important that everyone feels comfortable answering questions and coming up with there own ideas that they can share with the class.  So I want to help create a comfortable and fun culture of learning that encourages kids to engage in what we are doing. and share any ideas that they have even if they don't think they are right. I also want to encourage that no ideas and bad ideas and feel it's important to encourage that it is ok to fail and it is just a part of learning. 

Positive Note/Sticker Tool 

To help create a Culture of Learning that is safe, promotes ideas, engagement, and ideas that it is ok to fail I would create positive notes/stickers to help encourage kids. If a kid gives ideas or adds to a conversation I will give them a little positive note/sticker that they get to keep. I would also use the same idea with failure. If a kid tries something but it doesn't work the first time I will give them a little positive note/sticker to encourage them to try a new idea and not give up when something fails. I feel this will help teach a positive association with failing and trying again and with engaging in the class and giving ideas and promoting that no idea is a bad idea. I believe that overall this tool will help create and comfortable environment that makes  the kids feel safe and excited to try new things.

Harry the Puffball Lesson - 

1. Go over the classroom rules and make sure the kids understand what you are asking of them. (3 mins) 

2. Explain that in the activity today they might fail at first and that is ok. (1 min)

3.  Then explain how since today we are going to encounter things that we may not know how to do at first we need to have a growth mindset, which means,  trying new things, not shutting down when we fail, listening to everybody's ideas. And then explain how we aren't going to have a fixed mindset, saying we can't do things, not trying, putting down other peoples ideas. (3 min)

4. Tell them we are going to practice a growth mindset and asking questions. (1 min)

5. Have them look at the picture and ask as many questions as possible- Help out by asking a question first yourself.  (3 min)

6.  Explain to the kids that today we are going to be building a home for Harry the Puffball, he likes to sleep high away from Bob the dust bunny. The highest structure will be measured with a tape measurer and the best one will be chosen by a vote. (3 min)

7.  Have the kids break up into groups and then tell them that they have 5 minutes to brain storm and 15 minutes to build there house.  (3 min)

8. Brainstorm (5 min) - Walk around and ask the groups different questions, is there house going to be tall, is it going to be creative, make a list with groups about ways to make there houses tall or creative. 

9.  Build (7 min) - Walk around and encourage kids who may be feeling uncertain. 

10. At the half way point ask the kids about what they have learned so far. Tell them that it is ok if they failed and if they failed that good because it means they are learning and being creative.  (3 min)

11.  Build (7 min) - Encourage kids to try again if they fail. 

12. Reflect - Have the Kids reflect on what worked on their houses and what didn't.  Ask them what they liked about there house and what they might have done differently. (5 min)

13. Clean up - Have the kids put there houses in a place in the room. Measure them and then have the kids walk them like a gallery . Have them vote a winner and have the 2 winners present there houses, if time allows everyone can present.  (10 min)

1. STEM Charades - Someone pretends to be a object of concept dealing with stem and the kids try to guess it. 

2.  Have kids come up with a new way to communicate 

3. Have kids name different Jobs that involve any part of STEM

4. Have kids come up with ideas about what may be invented in the future and what it will do. 

5. Have kids share there favorite science fact

6.  Phases Game  - Have kids act out the different phases of water and play like Simone says. 

7.  Have the kids design a super fast car and describe what it would have. 

8.  Have kids say what they would bring with them on a deserted island

1.  Dinos 

2. Cars

3. Sponge Bob

4. Princesses

5. Sports 

6. Disney

7. Hot Wheels 

8.  Barbie