Welcome to Vivify’s Blog!
7 STEM Activities in the Sun {Perfect for End of Year & Summer!}
Need ideas for outdoor STEM challenges for the end of the year or summer time? My students always get restless as the weather warms up, so we take STEM outdoors! What’s a better way to enjoy the weather and to learn science and engineering than to do STEM with the sun? From a UV light shelter to a s’mores solar challenge, read on for awesome STEM outdoor activities using the sun!
Pi Day STEM Activities
Happy Pi Day week! Are you planning to memorize all the digits of pi or maybe just eat some blueberry pie? If you are looking for new ideas, read on for STEM activities all about Pi! We have everything from a virtual pie to a spinning pie to help celebrate Pi Day with your students.
Inspire with 3D Printed Rockets
Inspiring kids to pursue their dreams in STEM has been our main goal with Vivify. There are now so many resources available to motivate students with hands-on STEM experiences, but how do you find the best ones? We had a chance meeting with the founder and CEO of RocketEd and are blown away by his passion for STEM education and reaching every student through the awe-inspiring wonder of model rocketry!Read on for our interview with Sam Pedrotty of RocketEd to learn about his wonderful company, FREE resources, and great products to use in your home, classroom, or program.
STEM Summer Activities!
In honor of all that you do to balance your life and pouring love and learning into the lives of those you teach, head over to Teachers Pay Teachers today and tomorrow only to save up to 28% site wide! Our recommendation would be to take advantage of this sale to stock up on all things STEM! We have created a 3 months full of STEM activities that will continue to inspire and enrich your students' learning all summer long!
STEM Family Night Planning Guide
STEM Family Nights are awesome! They generate excitement for STEM in your school and community by allowing students, teachers, and families to explore STEM together in a fun way! I planned my first STEM Night this past November, and after a big success, we planned three more! We worked with each middle school campus to create a family night that best fit the school culture, and we were excited to have over 400 participants engaged in activities each night. We got the whole school involved from administrators, teachers, coaches, student organizations, and parents to put on a meaningful night of STEM exploration. Want to plan your own night? Read on to learn how!
Help! My Elf is Stuck on a Shelf!
With days until Christmas, kids can be bundles of restless energy! We can help you channel all that craziness with a fun Christmas themed engineering challenge that will keep your child or students entertained while learning!
Many families across the country participate in the fun tradition of the Elf on a Shelf. The elf is a magical helper that manages his naughty and nice lists by reporting back to the North Pole each night. Parents have fun placing the elf in all sorts of crazy positions each night, and kids wake up each morning looking for the elf.
Vivify Presents: Summer STEM Calendar!
Are you looking for STEM activities, but don’t know where to begin? Does engineering or science seem like a foreign subject? These thoughts often prevent teachers and parents from using STEM activities, but STEM is not difficult to implement! All parents and teachers can use STEM activities for an engaging way to practice math and science skills. STEM is all about connecting academics to the real world to awaken a passion in students for learning and discovery!
Catapult Challenge
After years of STEM activities, including towers, bridges, race cars, and rockets, one of my favorites is the classic catapult challenge! It incorporates all aspects of a quality STEM activity: easy math connection, engineering design process, student-driven learning, and hands-on fun! Read on to see my ideas to incorporate into your classroom.
Pipe Cleaner STEM Challenge
The Pipe Cleaner (aka "Fuzzy Sticks") Challenge is one of my favorite STEM activities to introduce students to STEM learning. This is a fun, inexpensive, and engaging challenge that can be tailored to different ages, settings, and time-frames. This challenge is also an excellent team icebreaker.
Vivify Presents: Winter STEM Calendar
Just in time for the winter holidays, we have created a STEM winter-themed calendar! Students will pop frozen bubbles, make fake snow, design a new Santa sleigh, build a wrapping paper bridge, and much more. The calendar is jam-packed with ideas to keep the learning going during these holiday months. This calendar is recommended as a STEM challenge to students for the holiday break!