STEM and Literacy Connection

I have been using the book Because of Winn Dixie for my Reading Workshop minilessons in the Lucy Calkins Unit 2: Following Characters Into Meaning.  My students have been using evisioning, empathy, predictions, and character traits to better understand and comprehend their books.

AND

 



My school is a STEM focus school so I try to integrate my students' literacy learning into our STEM activities.  For those of you not familiar with the acronym, STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering Mathematics.

AND

 

Each Friday my students use engineering materials to build.  They can work in groups or individually. They use K'Nex, linker cubes, Unifix cubes, dominoes, attribute blocks, and anything else we happen to get out!

SO

 



Last Friday we discussed all of the places Opal and Winn Dixie have been to in their town of Naomi.  The students used their engineering materials and designed some of the buildings that these characters have been to so far.  They envisioned the town and landmarks.  Some students made the Pick It Quick where the preacher had his church services.  Some children created Miss Franny's library. One made Opal's trailer and another made the Winn Dixie grocery store. See if you can look closely enough and see how some of the students even created the characters!