Earthenware Explortions: A STEAM Unit Overview

Last summer I applied for and won a License for Learning Grant. The STEAM Lab was a fine art classroom before, so it still has a kiln. Last year I did projects with my kindergarten and fifth grade classes.  My goal for the year was to be sure that all my classes got to participate in a ceramics project. Thanks to the grant funds each of my 18 classes got to do a ceramics project related to math/science concepts taught in the regular classroom.

Here is an overview of the projects that we did:

Kindergarten: Ladybugs (insects)
First Grade: Shape bowls (geometry)
Second Grade: Footprint Necklaces (measurement)
Third Grade: Bells (sound energy)
Fourth Grade: Owls (heat energy)
Fifth Grade: MC Escher hot plates (area)

I consulted with an art teacher I worked with at summer camp who talked me through the ordering process. Each student started with clay and formed their project. We waited for the pieces to dry and did a bisque fire.

This was the first time I attempted using glaze. I was nervous, but it went well.

I managed to keep everything organized. This cart was my organizational crutch. I sorted the projects by class/grade. That being said, we *might* have finished the fourth and fifth grade projects on the last full day of school, but it all got done!

Grades 1-5 took pictures and posted about their individual projects using Padlet. This was a great way for me to remind students to focus on the classroom math/science content.

Created with Padlet

I plan to post about each of the projects over the next week or so. This was one of my very favorite projects. I'm already working on finding funding to continue next year.

Sunday Funday: Tagxedo Word Clouds Using Irish Songs

I’m linking up today with Molly and Deirdre, two of my favorite bloggers. This linky is going to be perfect for me as someone who frequently can’t make it in time for a Five for Friday.

My classes are working on computer projects right now, but being married to an Irishman, I wanted to include some Irish art in the STEAM lab.

I loved this pin I found on Pinterest. I got it in my head that I should add a design to the background. Almost as soon as it started, I was regretting the decision.



We are adding green puffy paint. I’m hoping the finished product look fun and elementary. I’m afraid they are going to end up looking like a political statement. My how times have changed!

While I’m still unsure about my kindergarten project, I am in love with the project I did with my fifth graders.



I have never done word clouds, but after playing around with Tagxedo, I knew I had to find a way to make it fit. I’m thrilled with how it has come out.

I started with a Google Doc that I shared with my students. The file contained a list of Irish songs my Irish husband put together. We were careful to take out the drinking songs and the overly religious songs. Working in teams of two or three, students signed up for the song that they wanted to use. It was our first time using Google Drive, so they were impressed that you could see the other students signing up in real time.

Once each group picked their song, they searched online for the lyrics. The computer part of the lesson was actually using the keyboard short cuts to cut and paste. It sounds simple, but it was a much needed skill.

After watching this tutorial, the students pasted the lyrics and designed their word cloud. We talked about making sure that the design matched the song.

 “Ireland’s Call”

I’ve had a color laser printer in my classroom since August, but it was not connected to the student computers until Monday. Once I approved the design, we printed it on cardstock. The students wrote the name of the song and signed the design. We also posted a thumbnail to our 5th Grade STEAM Lab Gallery Padlet page.

“MacNamara’s Band”

The part of my position that I’ve had the hardest time adjusting to is timing. I see each class for 50 minutes every three days. Adding to that, a number of students are pulled out for SAI instruction for reading and/or math. The students who get extra support in reading only come to my class when it falls on a Thursday or Friday. The students who get extra support in math only come to my class when it falls on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Those who get help in both never come to me. I see a slightly different group of students each time. Add to that the fact that the computers are not set up yet to allow students to save any work, and it is hard for me to do activities that last more than one class period.

One of the students who gets reading and math support came to me after school and asked to make a word cloud like the ones that they did in class. I guess it just shows that they do pay attention to what I put out in the hall. She is going to make her own Monday after school.

I keep thinking of “should have done that” activities. I would have loved to have done more with the songs. We only got to listen to one or two songs. It would have been great to talk about word choice and so on. I keep telling myself that next year I’ll have a better feel for things and how to fit more into my 50 minutes.

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Have you used Tagxedo? I am thinking of having my fourth graders create a word cloud using a content area they are studying back in class. Any other fun ideas?

Irish Loves and Tried it (Techie) Tuesday: Padlet

What a lovely start to the week! With one month to go, we broke out our St. Patrick’s Day gear. Yes, they are sticking out their tongues. At 2 and 4 that was the only way to get them looking at the camera!



The Irishman and I were both off work. We have no babysitters, so we try to take a date day for the two or three days in the year when day care is open and we are off work.

We spent the first hour or two working on a project for school. After a quick trip to Costco, we’d planned to go see a movie. Instead we decided to crash on the beach with Shamrock Shakes. Bliss!



I had my first Shamrock Shake on my first visit to Ireland. This was back in our “long distance” “You’ve Got Mail” days.



On the topic of Ireland, my husband just booked our flights for Ireland this summer! My in-laws are SO excited that we are coming! We haven’t been in years and never in the summer.

Anyway, back to the Tech Tuesday…

I have my student create a lot in my room. Due to the nature of my class, student might draw, build with Legos, create block structures, or design something online. They always hate to clean up when it is time to go.

I had this vision of creating an online gallery of their creations. At FETC I’d been on the lookout for possible sites to use that would work. Last week I started with Padlet. So far I’m loving it!



I’ve set up one gallery for each grade level. Right now our computers are not set up for students to save photos, but in the near future they will be able to create their own posts that I will moderate and approve.



In looking at the ELA standards for technology, there is an emphasis on publishing and sharing starting in K-1. I love this as a quick easy way to publish electronically.



There is a character limit on the writing, but I'm hoping to use this to get them started for some collaborative work in the STEAM Lab. 

We are also looking at possibly creating a board for the Minecraft club to post screen shots of their creations from the server. (I might be the club sponsor, but I’m still learning…a lot! I’m just hoping that my statement actually makes sense!)

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Be sure to check out the others: