PreK-5 STEM Explorers

I was today years old when I learned that bird bones are not hollow to make them lighter!

Despite what many of us were led to believe, research shows that a bird’s skeleton weighs just as much as a terrestrial mammal’s skeleton of the same size! Spoiler alert: Bird bones are actually denser and stronger, featuring a pneumatic system filled with air spaces connected directly to their respiratory system. The extra room provides space for air sacs, allowing birds to process the massive amounts of oxygen needed to power flight. 🐦‍⬛

This article in Science and Children breaks down a hands-on lesson plan geared toward second graders that tackles this misconception using scientific modeling, playful movement, and phenomena-based learning. Here is how you can recreate this 5-part investigation in your elementary classroom:

Phase 1: Hook & Challenge

• Discuss & Demo: Ask what students know about bird bones, then compare a solid pool noodle…

Have you heard the news? Oregon Senate Bill 1596, which takes effect at the start of 2027, officially recognizes play-based learning as valid instructional time for students in grades K–5. The State Board of Education is revising rules so that both free play (child-directed, spontaneous activity) and guided play (adult-supported learning with specific goals) count directly toward required classroom hours (recess and required PE remain separate).

What this means for Elementary Teachers

We often find play-based learning emphasized in early childhood settings, and I'm excited to see more and more of it in elementary school as we are now officially encouraged to make play part of our day. Instead of viewing play as a break from academic content, this bill acknowledges that play is how young children learn best. Importantly, SB 1596 also explicitly states that play opportunities should never be withheld as a behavioral consequence. 🙂

As educators, we can leverage…

Summer is right around the corner! No need to reinvent the wheel; my favorite ECE idea source, Busy Toddler, has shared her Summer Bucket List and Boredom Busters to keep kids of all ages engaged, active, and learning through play all summer long. You can share these with your class, use with summer school students, or try with your own kids!

First on my list to try are making bubble foam and setting up an obstacle course outside. 🙂

This spring, I had the pleasure of racing groups of middle school students from across the region to find out which of us is at the top of the food chain (spoiler alert... not me!).

CGCC's 5th annual Math Day was a huge hit! Middle schoolers got to learn hands-on, applicable math from professors, industry professionals, and local STEM geniuses. Topics ranged from How Not to Kill Your Patients to Stomp Rocket Science. Leaning into this year's "Math in the Wild" theme, I brought an Animal Speeds activity.

First, students recorded three of their own speeds (tortoise crawl, normal walk, and all-out sprint) on a 20-meter track. They then calculated their speed for each using the formula speed = distance/time.

The best part was comparing our results to different animals. While most of us landed somewhere in the neighborhood of a chicken or a pig (a humbling realization), one student actually reached "Almost Elephant"…