STEM PB #1 - I Knew You Could!

I  am EXCITED about this new blogging adventure! Every other day or so I plan to highlight a picture book and its STEM possibilities! As always, feel free to comment and bookmark!

If you have heard any of the presentations I’ve given over the past 20 years, you know I believe picture books are one of the best tools we have to integrate meaningful STEM, especially at the elementary level.
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One of my favorite parts about being an elementary educator has always been reading picture books and imagining engineering challenges that would engage our young students.
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So here we go!

Featured Picture Book
I Knew You Could! - A Book for All the Stops in Your Life 
by Craig Dorfman and Illustrated by Cristina Ong (2003)

Summary
The narrator in the story continually gives life advice to the little train as it journeys through good times and bad times, as well as everyday life changes.

Themes

• Perseverance
• Independence
• Trying New Things
• Maintaining Hope
• Dealing with Jealousy/Envy
• Staying true to self/being unique
• Friendship
• Asking for help when needed
• Self Confidence
• Maintaining positive mental health

STEM Ideas
This would be a great book to read when introducing the engineering design process to kids. It has short tips for dealing with failure/hard times.

If your class has been integrating STEM activities related to academic standards and needs to take a little break to do a challenging teamwork build, this book would be perfect! It will help refocus everyone on the big picture, especially as they work on developing SEL (social-emotional learning) skills.

Because this story’s character is a train on tracks, I can see designing the following STEM lessons:

• Students have to build a track and program/code a robot to move along it.
• Students build a train using recyclables and have to create a way for it to move. Will it be a propulsion system maybe involving a balloon or other air power? Will it be a pushing system using more of a catapult-type force?
  • Over a bridge they’ve engineered (constraints - bridge has to span a determined gap)
  • Through a tunnel they’ve engineered (constraints - tunnel has to measure a determined distance)
  • Across a certain distance within a given amount of time
  • Carrying a determined amount of weight or the most weight possible
• The book talks about the train changing paths so students have to engineer a simple track-switching mechanism.
• Design a train station and engineer a device that safely puts passengers on the train.​

If you have any funds, I found several great little sets of train cars that could be used for many of these STEM ideas and other future lessons! (Affiliate Links)

​Feel free to leave your thoughts and ideas! If you have a favorite picture book you'd like to see featured, make sure you leave a comment as well! We're better together!