Did you know that November 4th was National Chicken Lady Day and November 2nd was National Deviled-Egg Day? While these quirky celebrations might not leave you feeling egg-static, there’s another observance that’s truly worth cracking open: National STEM Day on November 8th. Unlike those egg-centric holidays, STEM Day 2024 is no yolk – it’s a celebration that’s truly egg-cellent and deserves our full attention!
This shell-shocking revelation highlights an important day dedicated to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM/STEAM Day offers us a golden opportunity to focus on the disciplines that are scrambling to shape our future.
Puns aside, as educators, we play a crucial role in inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals and fostering a love for these disciplines among our students.
TCEA has consistently provided valuable STEM/STEAM resources and activities for educators. This year, I am taking a different approach with three offerings: an inspiring STEM Mantras poster, a visually engaging “Why STEM?” slide deck, and an interactive timeline challenge. These resources are designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding of STEM across various audiences.
1. STEM POSTER
STEM MANTRAS is a poster outlining STEM/STEAM affirmations to ensure a productive learning environment. This epic poster will be helpful for students even after STEM day is long past!
2. WHY STEM? Slide Deck
Why STEM? was made in Google Slides as a visual representation slide deck that explains what STEM is using only photos and graphics. The speaker notes provide direct explanations for each slide which are simple and of few words. The straightforward dialogue is designed to be accessible to various audiences, whether it’s students, parents, or educators new to STEM concepts. Make a copy here.
3. STEM-TASTIC TIMELINES ACTIVITY
I made these “Stem-tastic Timelines” in Canva specially for STEM day. The activity challenges students to explore the evolution of technology across various STEM fields.
How the Activity Works:
- Each slide presents four images representing STEM innovations from a specific field (e.g., Communication Devices, Transportation, Optical Devices).
- Students are to arrange these images in the correct chronological order.
- The following slide reveals the correct order, along with brief explanations and dates for each innovation which you will find in the Notes.
Fields Covered:
- Music Formats
- Communication Devices
- Transportation
- Optical Devices
- Farming Equipment
- Cooking Methods
- Flight and Space Travel
- Space Exploration
- Data Storage
- Energy Sources
If you are looking for STEM/STEAM activities and resources, please check out these blog posts from TCEA.
Ignite Innovation: Online Contests to Spark Inspiration
Seven Story Bin STEM Activities
STEM Resources for High School Learners
STEM Activities and Challenges for Middle School Students
Holiday Themed STEM Activities
As we celebrate STEM Day 2024, let’s remember the importance of fostering STEM and STEAM skills in students, ensuring a brighter and more innovative future for all. Hopefully these resources aren’t just chicken feed – I am hoping they just might crack open some engaging discussions and activities that can extend far beyond November 8. So let’s get cracking and make this STEM Day a truly egg-ceptional experience!
And since I am having so much fun with the egg-stra delightful puns, maybe a National Deviled-Egg blog should be written next year? That is a solid NOPE from me!