• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Shop 1200+ Teaching Resources in Our TpT Store

  • Whimsy Workshop Teaching

    Teacher Clip Art, Literary Resources, Classroom Ideas

    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
      • Phonics
      • Sound Wall
      • Reading
      • Writing
      • Poetry
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Clip Art
      • Phonics
      • Animals
      • Fairy Tales
      • Math
      • Seasonal
      • Specialty
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    Home
    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
      • Phonics
      • Sound Wall
      • Reading
      • Writing
      • Poetry
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Clip Art
      • Phonics
      • Animals
      • Fairy Tales
      • Math
      • Seasonal
      • Specialty
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    • Shop on TpT

    S.T.E.M. and Growth Mindset

    stem-activities-growth-mindset-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-bundle-2-fairy-tales
    stem-activities-growth-mindset-challenge-lessons-program-kids-students-easy-bundle-2-fairy-tales

     

     

    Here’s some real talk about my experience using STEM in the classroom.

     

    When I am coordinating S.T.E.M. curriculum for grades 1-5, I observe many students exploring the STEM process who are truly engaged with hands-on learning.

    For the most part, students LOVE it!

    However…

     

    Sometimes I also see students who are not yet comfortable with taking risks.

    Some students are not emotionally equipped for dealing with the disappointment that arises when their great idea doesn’t quite work out the way they wanted.

    Other students feel threatened by other students who have “better” ideas, and feel defeated rather than inspired.

    For some students, there’s an emotional side of being expected to take risks, make mistakes and collaborate with others. You can probably think of students you know who think their first idea HAS to be perfect. When it’s not, they might give up, or worse – act out negatively.

    For these students, S.T.E.M. challenges can also be an emotional challenge.

    So should we avoid doing S.T.E.M. with those students?

    Absolutely not! On the contrary, it’s the perfect learning opportunity.

    These students need some tools to help them cope with challenges, and I’ve found Growth Mindset concepts in particular to be a highly effective strategy to teach these coping tools.

    How to teach STEM and growth mindset together for success

    Growth Mindset and Stem

    I feel that I owe it to my students to give them coping strategies; I am presenting situations that I know will be particularly difficult for some of them.  I want to give them the tools they will need to handle it. Hopefully these tools will help them in many other life situations as well!

    My solution to this situation has been to combine Growth Mindset concepts with my STEM projects.

    S.T.E.M. and Growth Mindset concepts complement and reinforce each other perfectly, so teaching them together is a perfect match!

    Growth Mindset and Stem

    Growth mindset encourages exactly the kind of positive thinking that will help with STEM challenges.

    For example, growth mindset thinking teach us that:

    -mistakes help us learn

    -we can persevere through unexpected problems and disappointments

    -sometimes it takes several tries to solve a problem

    Growth mindset concepts also foster an inner dialogue that is essential for STEM exploration. 

    For example:

    -I can always improve.

    -I’m on the right track.

    -I can keep trying even when it’s hard.

    -This may take some time and effort.

    -I can build on previous ideas.

    -I haven’t solved the problem – YET!

    Teach STEM and Growth Mindset together with fairy tale partner plays!

     

    Watch the preview video for my S.T.E.M. bundle below!

    Growth Mindset and Stem

    We use fairy tales to explore both Growth Mindset and STEM!

    Students love fairy tales because they are fun and familiar, so we begin by reading short partner plays together. You can easily write your own plays with student input, or pre-write simple partner plays like I have.

    In our partner plays, the characters have either a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. After several readings and discussion, students become experts at recognizing which is which. I little humor goes a long way, too!

    For example, in the passage below from Little Red Riding Hood,  Granny has a fixed mindset, and Little Red Riding Hood has a Growth Mindset!

    Students quickly learn how to tell the two apart:

     

    Growth MIndset Fairy Tale partner plays all end with a STEM challenge!

    Read about how STEM and Growth Mindset can be taught together through funny partner plays, and download a set of FREE STEM posters

    We also do some writing and sorting to solidify the concept.

    We use simple workbooks or flip books as shown below.

     

    Growth mindset and STEM challenges are a perfect match. Read about some easy ways to combine them and download some free STEM posters.

    STEM and growth mindset together using workbooks and flip books for a writing component

     Setting Up A Stem Challenge

    This is a bundle of 5 Seasonal STEM sets (30 challenges altogether) that will make it SIMPLE to explore STEM in your classroom, while incorporating literacy through fun PARTNER PLAYS to set up each challenge!

    What is STEM? And why are Partner Plays Helpful?

    STEM involves:

    ★ presenting students with an authentic problem
    ★ challenging students to collaborate for possible solutions
    ★ making specific plans for the solution
    ★ testing the model to see if it solves the problem
    ★ reflecting, revising, and re-testing
    ★ reflecting on success and recognizing mistakes as part of the process

    In our classroom, each STEM challenge is introduced through a simple seasonal partner play so that the engineering challenge will be purposeful and authentic.
    The STEM challenge is meant to be completed after reading each partner play, and involves solving a problem for the characters in the play.

    For example, at the end of each fairy tale play, students are presented with a STEM challenge that directly relates to the story.

    Here is an example of how the partner play ends with a specific STEM challenge:

     

    STEM and growth mindset concepts are perfect to teach together through fairy tale partner plays. Download a set of free STEM posters to get started

     

    In the above example, students are given the task of helping Rapunzel out of her tower.

    Students now have a relevant purpose for their challenge!

    Each table is given a bin of supplies, such as tape, cardboard, stir sticks, paper cups, elastics, pipe cleaners, and anything else I have handy.

    Students plan, collaborate and build! Here are some pictures of our creations for various fairy tale STEM challenges:

     

    Teach Growth Mindset and STEM challenges together with this bundle of partner plays based on fairy tales. All the work is done for you.

    STEM and growth mindset together using workbooks and flip books for a writing component

     

    Here is a video of students designing and testing the catapult they made in order to get the cookies over the forest to land at Granny’s house!

     

     

    I always like to have a written component to document our learning. This way we can also look back to past challenges and see if they might help with our current challenge. We use either WORKBOOKS or FLIP BOOKS to write about our STEM exploration.

     

    STEM and growth mindset concepts are perfect to teach together through fairy tale partner plays. Download a set of free STEM posters to get started

    Use fairy tale partner plays to explore growth mindset and set up STEM challenges (free STEM poster set download)

    STEM and growth mindset together using workbooks and flip books for a writing component

    quick review stem-growth-mindset-bundle-2-how-it-works-astem-growth-mindset-bundle-2-how-it-works-b

     

    STEM resources

    Do you use STEM challenges in your classroom?

    Are there students who would benefit from pairing Growth Mindset lessons with STEM? You can create your own partner plays, journals or flip books to go along with any fairy tale.

    If you’d prefer to try some of the examples I’ve shown above, they are available two different bundles:

    Bundle 1 

    Growth Mindset and STEM are a perfect match in this bundle of stem challenges paired with fairy tale partner plays that explore growth mindset.
    8 Fairy Tale partner plays, 8 STEM challenges, and 8 workbooks for both growth Mindset and STEM writing.

     BUNDLE 2

    stem-and-growth-mindset-2-with-8-fairy-tales-and-two-flip-books-each
    8 fairy tales, 8 partner plays, and 8 STEM challenges and 8 Flip Books

    STEM for the Whole Year (Bundle 1&2)

    STEM and Growth Mindset Mega Bundle for the Entire Year
    Both sets are available together at a reduced bundle price! This covers 16 Fairy Tales and lots of literacy opportunities to help students become experts in Growth Mindset and STEM challenges!

    LOOKING FOR SEASONAL STEM?

    These partner plays set up seasonal STEM challenges for each season of the school year, plus a bonus pack just for Christmas! They are simple, engaging, and very little prep. Click HERE to see it!

    Seasonal STEM with partner plays bundle

     

     

    FREE RESOURCES

    I have some free downloads to get you started with STEM and Growth Mindset in your classroom.

    First, you can try a Growth Mindset flip book which can be used with any version of the Little Red Riding Hood. It is part of the preview for Bundle 2, so click the preview button to grab it HERE.

     

    Growth Mindset Flip Books for Little Red Riding Hood

    Pin this free flip book for later!

    This free flip book can be used with any version of the fairy tale, and explores both STEM and Growth Mindset concepts!

     

    MORE STEM RESOURCES

    Are your students clear on the steps involved with STEM process?

    I have posters outlining the steps on my wall so I can refer to them often during lessons and discussions.

    If you’d like to download my posters to use in your classroom, you can download them for free.

    FREE STEM poster set

    Pin this free flip book for later!

    FREE pack of STEM posters to use as reference during STEM lessons or introducing STEM ideas in your classroom!

     

    Pin this post for later!

     

     

    STEM resources

    There are lots of other ways to create a GROWTH MINDSET classroom!

     You can write different ideas each day in Growth Mindset journals, fill your room with encouraging Growth Mindset posters and coloring activities, use Growth Mindset task cards and writing prompts, and even positive notes for students!

    Click  HERE to take a look at all the options for your classroom.

    Check out this bundle of Growth Mindset themed activities, posters, banners, journal prompts and task cards!

    Growth Mindset Posters and Activities

    You can also grab two FREE posters and activities for writing, math and coloring (as pictured above) by clicking below!

    Click to download free growth mindset poster and activities

    <

    Pin these free posters for later!

    Free posters to promote a growth mindset - perfect for writing prompts and discussions about growth mindset concepts!

    Or, pin this whole post for later!
    A detailed description of ways to teach STEM and growth mindset together for success in elementary grades. Lots of free downloads on this post!

    5 Ways To Teach STEM and Growth Mindset together to support students self-regulation and positive attitude towards risk taking in class.

     

    Thanks for taking a look!

    Continue exploring with any of the links below:

     

    Teaching Social Skills

    Art History & Seasonal Crafts

             Phonics & Word Work     

        Sentence Building Kits  

    STEM with Growth Mindset Sets

      Poetry Sets 

    Sight Words Sets

    Writing Prompts

    Math, Science/Social Studies, Literacy, Social Skills, STEM, Growth Mindset

    You May Also Enjoy These Posts

    Simple Phonics CenterTeaching Phonics With CentersExploring STEM outside the classroom with pictures from our classSTEM Exploration Outside the Classroommath-puzzles-bundleMath Puzzles

    Primary Sidebar

    Ad Space

    Check out these related resources...

    math-first-grade-bundle-worksheets-workbook-centers-curriculum-assessment-full-year-skills-strategies 1st Grade Math Full Year MegaBundle math-first-grade-worksheets-curriculum-assessment-intervention-full-year-skills-strategies.png Math Assessments & Math Intervention math-art-crafts-curriculum-projects-lessons-kids-easy-activities-first-grade Crafty Math Bundle #1 math-art-crafts-doodles-curriculum-projects-lessons-kids-easy-activities-kindergarten-first-grade Math Doodles Seasonal Bundle math-art-crafts-curriculum-projects-lessons-kids-easy-activities-first-grade Crafty Math Bundle #2 math-art-crafts-curriculum-projects-lessons-kids-easy-activities-first-grade-3 Crafty Math Bundle #3 math-art-crafts-directed-drawing-projects-kids-easy-activities-kindergarten-first-grade Directed Drawing for Math math-puzzles-centers-games-activities-bundle-full-year Math Puzzles Full Year Bundle literacy-directed-drawing-phonics-sentences-math-bundle-projects-kids-easy-activities-kindergarten-first-grade Directed Drawing for Math, Phonics and Sentences Bundle
    More Like This

    Free teaching resources

    Join over 100,000 other primary teachers who have access to EXCLUSIVE free resources and teaching ideas! We'd love to share them with you!

    Click here to access!

    Footer

    • Social Skills
    • Literacy
    • Math
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Directed Drawing
    • STEM
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use

    Join over 100,000 teachers!

    Copyright © 2023 Whimsy Workshop Teaching •  All rights reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs