The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Attending STEM teacher conferences can be such a blast, but also exhausting! You are gathering so much information within a few days, so how do you even implement it all? (Spoiler: you don't!) I'll be sharing my strategy on how I organize information I learn from these conferences in a meaningful way and actually use what I learned in the classroom. Resources Mentioned Beekle & Unimaginary Fri...

Have you wanted to 3D print with younger students but realized Tinkercad is too hard for them? Trust me, I've been there too! I love Tinkercad and prefer using it starting with 2nd graders. But for my younger students and one-day challenges, I prefer using Doodle 3D Transform. I'll be digging more into this app and sharing some lesson ideas along with tips when using it, including multi-color prin...

While this show is all about elementary STEM, some of you teach beyond K-5 and even dive into preschool. What are some ways you can effectively plan preschool STEM lessons and keep them engaged? I'll share with you my strategies and a lesson topic that you can adapt for your classroom. Thanks to Laural S. for sending in this question! Send me your STEM questions, big or small, and you can be featu...

Welcome back to another year of the podcast! Excited to be back with this new podcast refresh! We are chatting all about easy and helpful ways to get STEM Professional Development for elementary teachers that you'll actually use! Likewise, you can access all of this in the comfort of your own home or school; no need to travel anywhere! Get credit for listening to the podcast! Download the free pod...

3D Printing with kids can be intimidating, especially if you don't have any outside experience to teach them. I felt the same way, and I almost wanted to give up on 3D printing. In fact, 3D printing is a STEM lesson I enjoy teaching and continue to learn about! In this episode, I'll be answering these common questions I get from teachers about 3D printing. What printer should I get? How do kids de...

Spooky season is coming to a close, so what are you going to teach in STEM now? These pumpkin STEM stations aren't Halloween specific, so they can work in November! What I like about them is that they can be adapted for all grade levels, K-5, and are low-prep. Once you have all the materials prepped, you are ready to go for a couple of weeks! Here is a snapshot of the stations: Science: Build and...

You've spent the first part of your teaching career as a general education teacher, and now you are stepping into the elementary STEM space. It's equal parts exciting, but also overwhelming. What types of supports are out there to support you in this new-to-you role? Well, you are definitely going to enjoy today's interview! I am chatting with CEO of SmartLab, Dr. Jennifer Berry. The company's phi...

Have you been on the fence about starting video school-wide news? Maybe you think you don’t have the right equipment, you need to go live each day, or that it’s too complicated. Whatever your hang-ups are about getting started, I was there too. However, I still got this started at my school, and it was such a success! But don’t just take it from me.  In this guest interview, I am chatting wit...

If you wanted to dedicate a week to teaching students what each letter of STEM was, where do you even begin? You want the lessons to be simple enough to last for one class session, but still engaging. This is Part 2 of a 2 part series where I will be giving you a week of lesson plans for Kinder-2nd grades on how to teach each letter of STEM in a week. Grab the free PDF with the lesson plans here:...

If you wanted to dedicate a week to teaching students what each letter of STEM was, where do you even begin? You want the lessons to be simple enough to last for one class session, but still engaging. This is Part 1 of a 2 part series where I will be giving you a week of lesson plans for 3rd-5th grades on how to teach each letter of STEM in a week. Grab the free PDF with the lesson plans here: htt...

As you are setting up your STEM classroom, what are things you can decorate with but still connect with what you are teaching? A word wall, or vocabulary wall, can be a great asset to your units to help students make connections across content themes. I'll be sharing practical ways you can set up a word wall that you can use throughout the school year and with all grade levels, K-5. Resources Ment...

If you were to ask your students what the word "STEM" actually means, could they answer you correctly? And if they do know that "STEM" represents Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, do they know what THAT means? In this episode, I'll be sharing practical and easy ways you can explain what STEM means to your students that doesn't take a lot of time, but will still build a foundation for all...

If you have a low or no budget going into your STEM classroom but are wondering what lessons to teach kids, my go-to is Makerspace lessons.  There is some prep work to gather supplies to make it happen, but it’s one of the best ways to have hands-on lessons in your classroom that are still engaging.  I’ll be sharing my top three favorite themes when teaching Makerspace to students in K-5...

We are back at it with some fun interviews this summer! I took a little break from interviewing, but missed it, and I had so much fun with who I talked with for today’s interview.  I chatted with Kara Houston, who is a proud member of SelfCAD. If you haven’t heard of SelfCAD before, it is a cloud-based CAD modeling (or computer-aided design) that allows students to model, sculpt, slice, and p...

If you're in back-to-school mode and starting to set up your classroom, this quick tip will help you think through how to organize your Makerspace or STEM supplies for the year. In this mini-episode is a clip from Episode 150, and I’m sharing how I set up my supplies to stay organized all year long, without constantly resetting things for every lesson. Whether you have a full Makerspace or just a...

If you're in back-to-school mode and starting to set up your classroom, this quick tip will help you think through how to organize your Makerspace or STEM supplies for the year. In this mini-episode is a clip from Episode 150, and I’m sharing how I set up my supplies to stay organized all year long—without constantly resetting things for every lesson. Whether you have a full Makerspace or just a f...

These 5 Makerspace activities are quick, easy, and collaborative and focus on things that roll. By using simple materials, you can have fun lessons that students well remember even after the school year ends! Resources Mentioned: Download this freebie with 20 End of School Year Makerspace STEM Challenges Cardboard Straw Maze Paper Plate Coaster Cardboard Wall Maze Mini Golf Course Cardboard Race C...

It’s the end of the school year, which means it can be a crazy and overwhelming time in your STEM classroom. Even with the kids excited about summer break, you can still keep them engaged and learning in your STEM classroom. In today’s episode, I’m sharing 3 end of year science activities that you can easily implement in your classroom. Even if your school year has ended, these are great activitie...

Summer is just around the corner and if you are looking for some ways you can map out your STEM Teacher Professional Development for 2025, I have some ideas for you. From free to paid, virtual and in person, I have a good mix to help you dive in deeper with a variety of topics. STEM Teacher Bookshelf book lists 2023 & 2024 2023 List 2024 List Elementary STEM Coach Podcast Playlists Spring Inte...

Earth Day is April 22. It’s a good way to teach students ways to take care of the Earth. I’ll be sharing with you 5 STEM lessons that you can teach to celebrate this day or even lessons you can use year round. Earth Day Engineer Inspiration Board Recycling Plant Makerspace Lesson Ways to Take Care of the Earth-3D Printing Lesson Environment Inventions-3D Printing Lesson Light Pollution Podcasting...

Are you planning on having a long-term sub soon in your elementary STEM space? I recently completed long-term subbing for 4 months in K-5 STEM, and have a lot of insight as to what you should (and shouldn’t do) while you are prepping to be away. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode191 Download my Free K-5 STEM...

Math manipulatives are an often overlooked tool in the STEM space. You may have some hiding in your cabinets or other areas in your school right now that you're missing out on! I'm sharing 3 easy ways I've used math manipulatives for various STEM lessons that you and your students will enjoy. Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomime...

Whether you are planning a classroom Valentine's Day party or looking for some fun, themed lessons, you're going to love this episode! There are a variety of activities in this episode that you can implement for Valentine's Day that are low-prep, but highly engaging. You most likely have most of these materials already in your classroom! Candy Heart Baskets Valentine's Day Engineer Inspiration Boa...

It seems like January is the cold winter month where you are stuck inside, in many parts of the world, trying to keep your students entertained. Take this as a great opportunity to help students make connections to their environment and plan out STEM lessons that are connected to snow! In this episode, I’ll be sharing with you a variety of lessons you can do over the course of a week, or if you se...

We are back for another new year for the Elementary STEM Coach podcast, starting with the questions you wanted answered on Instagram, @naomimeredith_, and others that popped up in my email. I will be answering the questions you wanted the answers to in this fun, new episode. Are you [Naomi] teaching STEM in a classroom again? Should You Apply for a STEM Position? Listener Tip: Using Google CS Firs...