Kick off the holiday season with a fun creative challenge that prompts young learners to use their imagination and sparks creative storytelling.
A STEAM Storytime challenge uses your favorite read aloud books to create fun and hands-on ways to challenge children’s thinking and problem-solving skills with Early Chilhood STEM activities.
This challenge is inspired by the book, “The Gingerbread Pirates”, by Kristin Kladstrup
STEAM QUESTION: Can you build a ship for gingerbread pirates?
Objective: Students will design and build a pirate ship for the gingerbread pirate and crew.
Materials:
- “The Gingerbread Pirates”, by Kristin Kladstrup
- Various recycled materials (small cardboard boxes, tubes, etc)
- Various craft supplies (fabric, construction paper, ribbon, jewels, etc.) Printable gingerbread pirates
- Tape, glue, scissors
Teaching Strategy:
Adult Prep: Print out the gingerbread pirates. Tape each pirate to a building block.
With students, read, “The Gingerbread Pirates” and discuss the events of the story.
Invite students to design their own ship for the gingerbread pirates. What does your pirate ship look like? Draw your design.
Using the provided recycled and craft materials. Build your ship design so that it can hold three gingerbread pirates. Allow time for students to problem-solve and improve their pirate ship design.
Test your pirate ship. Can you fit the gingerbread pirates in your ship? Improve your design as needed.
Take a digital photo of your pirate ship to record your design.
Guiding Questions:
What makes your pirate ship unique?
How is a gingerbread pirate ship different than a real pirate ship? How is it the same?
Tell a story about the gingerbread pirates on your ship.
STEAM Experience:
Science: Investigate how boats float.
Technology: Use tools to build your gingerbread pirate ship.
Engineering: Build a ship that can hold three gingerbread pirates.
ARTs: Draw a picture of your gingerbread pirate ship.
Math: Sort the students’ pirate ships by size.
Download the lesson and printable pirates inside the Member Lab plus see more Gingerbread STEAM Experiences.
For access to the downloadable lesson, check out the Member Lab, where we share over 200 plus STEAM lessons designed for young learners.
Learn more here –> https://preschoolsteamlab.mykajabi.com/member-lab-open-ev
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