Part one: STEM Activity Description

         In this day before a simply, I told the children that we will do something interesting and they were exiting to know what they will do. Like a normal, I started my lesson with the morning massage and then I remind the children about what we learned yesterday. After that, I start asking them about what they can see in the cove of the Goldilocks and the three bears story. I choose this story because it is related to their theme "my five senses". I liked this task with different ADEC curriculums. Firstly, I linked with science by used (KLW3: Students will be able to describe the five senses and their corresponding body parts). I used this curriculum with all five senses, especially the sense of taste because the children have tasted the porridge during reading the story. Secondly, I also connected this task with Math by used (M2MDT1: Order a familiar sequence of event "story's events"). In math, the children have the events of the story and they tried to remember the story to order the event in the correct way.

 

 

          Although, the school in very old, but I tried to use the technology as I can for example, data show, computer, and whiteboard. Also, the students used the engineering by drawing and planning for the thing that they will create it "bed". Actually, this task can support learning within the preoperational stage of development. According to Piaget, in preparation stage the child between two to seven years begin to use language; memory and imagination also develop. Furthermore, children engage in make believe and can understand and express relationships between the past and the future (Piaget's Stages, n.d.). As in this task, the children used their memories to remember the events of the story. Also, they used their imagination when they imagine how the bed that they will create it will be look like. In addition, this task let the children be more collaboration because they work in groups and work together hand by hand.

 

Part Two: Reflection

 

        During this task, I asked the children different types of questions. Some of these questions were Yes/No questions like "Do you think the baby bear will feel happy?" and some WH-questions like "How can we help the baby bear?". In addition, During I asked the children the questions I used Bloom's Taxonomy levels like remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create.

 

1. Remember question: How do you think the bears felt that someone was in their house without their permission?

• In this question the children tried to remain the events of the story that what happened.

 

2. Understanding question: Do you think the baby bear will feel happy? Why?

• Here the children explain the ideas or concepts that in the story.

​

 3. Apply question: Who can we help the baby bear?

• So here the children used their information that they have to think how they can help the baby bear.

 

4. Creating question: Can you make a bed for Goldilocks?

• Here the children create a bed for Goldilocks in groups.

 

5. Evaluate question: what do you think their bed will be, happy face? Sad face …act. Also here the children evaluate themselves. So in the last step they used create and evaluate level in same time.

​

 

 

         One of the newer educational terms that I see frequently in the news is STEM education. In my opinion, the STEM activity is very important for the children especially for kindergarten students because it is refers to an educational approach which integrates more than one discipline such as science, technology, engineering, and math (Sneideman, 2013). In fact, the STEM activity can let the children a chance to engage in STEM learning and develop their critical thinking skills (STEM EDUCATION & ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS, n.d.). In addition, the activity helps the children become creative thinkers and problem solvers and may help them and our world in the future.

 

 

          During this day, I faced a little of difficulties. Firstly, during creating the bed some of the children want to do by themselves and they should sharing other because the cooperation is very important. Secondly, one of the children is special need student that he have learning difficulties and it is hard to both of us. However, I tried as I can to let him think and sharing the ideas.

 

 

          If I will do this lesson in the future I would fix a few things. The first thing, in this day I gave them the whole roll of tape and I think this was easy for them to make a strong bed. In the future I will give them six pieces of tapes to challenge them to make a strong bed for Goldilocks. The second thing, in this lesson I used the thick panicle to test the Goldilocks' bed. I the future I would use something heavier than thick pencil like small water bottle with a little water.                

 

 

         STEM activity can develop many different skills communication, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and data analysis. In real, there are a lot of benefits of STEM activity such as it is allows to the children to be innovative. I mean that is can helps the kids to transform new ideas into the best inventions by creating something new or something unique. Also, it is fosters creativity. "According to the NYTimes, James Michael Leake, director of engineering graphics at the University of Illinois, said that learning to make even rudimentary drawings is critical to development as an engineer. Design can help students understand how to effectively use the space within the structure". So, give the children a chance to see their wonderful creations.