In 45 minutes, 2nd, 4th & 5th graders worked independently or with a partner to build the tallest jack-o’-lantern possible using only orange, black, green & yellow bricks! They explored balance, stability & how to build UP without building OUT. Inspired by Sarah Dees #EduSky #stem #LEGO

Behind every Halloween Magnetic Maze: FREE Costco cardboard, help cutting strips, take-home magnet kits, and hours of prep! Worth every minute to see students problem-solve, persevere, and experience the joy of engineering! #EduSky #stem

A 4th grader requested more mazes in her end-of-year reflection. I listened! Our 1st maze was rectangular & used a marble. This time, students made hexagonal spider pits, using magnets underneath to guide a person to safety! I repeat challenges, but never the same way! #EduSky #stem #steam

Page 46 of My First Book About Engineering inspired K–5 students to build 2D/3D orchard trees while exploring biomimicry and agricultural engineering! When books inspire hands-on engineering, students connect what they read, what they create, and the world around them.

Our 4th graders explored leaf veins through crayon rubbings beside our school orchard. Just as veins transport water, engineers design branching networks of roads and pipes. Nature inspires engineering solutions! #STEM #Biomimicry #EduSky

Our orchard-inspired cardboard challenge was powered by community support! Tissue paper + glue sticks: donated by colleagues ChompSaws: grant-funded Cardboard: FREE (Costco) Grants & donations expand student choice, creativity, and engineering possibilities for 700+ students. #EduSky #STEM

If you leave a puzzle out, they’ll naturally play with it. Some sort. Others flip, rotate, rearrange, and build the biggest arrangement possible. Same materials. Different choices. Everyone thinking mathematically. Give students access to materials worth exploring! #EduSky #STEM

POV: You’re a teacher who can’t walk past cardboard at Costco! The pallet separators are teacher gold. They’re clean, blank, flat, residue-free, and perfect for my ChompSaws. They make prepping 1-inch cardboard strips for student engineering challenges quick and efficient. #EduSky #STEM

What does a condiment container have to do with fire safety? In our fire evacuation chute challenge, students had to design, test & redesign until their people/materials safely reached the “meeting spot” every time. I hope this will ignite fire safety planning at home! #EduSky #stem

A parent shared that Audriana watched my students’ maze video and said she wished her school had a class like that. Today, she came home excited about a 2nd grade STEM Club and hopes she gets in! Sometimes seeing what’s possible inspires families to seek new opportunities. #STEM #EduSky

One of my favorite parts of teaching engineering is watching students transfer what they’ve learned into a new challenge. The printed maze gave them the experience. The cereal box gave them the opportunity to apply their knowledge, take risks, and push their designs further. #stem #EduSky

Me: What do we build first? Students 🗣️: THE PERIMETER! I intentionally embed academic vocabulary into design challenges to connect standards with hands-on learning. Building the perimeter first connects math to engineering, and keeps the marble from escaping if time runs out! ⏰ #STEM #EduSky

Civil engineers design roads, and it’s a lot like designing a maze! Students brought an engineer’s plan to life by measuring, cutting, & gluing cardboard strips onto a printed maze. Then they tested their designs with a marble, guiding a “new neighbor” from home 🏠 (start) to school 🏫 (finish).

Why LEGO for the 1st challenge? I read 600+ end-of-year reflections, & hundreds of students ranked LEGO among their favorite challenges. So, I listened! My engineering challenges are prioritized by student interest & available materials. This year, LEGO is kicking us off! 👟 #STEM #EduSky

First engineering challenge of the year! Students kicked off the school year by building the first letter of their name or their age. The challenge? Make it 12 inches tall and strong enough to stand on its own without leaning or falling. #STEM #EduSky #LEGO

New school year, old materials, new possibilities! A retiring colleague gifted me these pentominoes at the end of last school year. Rather than let them collect dust in my closet, I added dot magnets to the back and turned them into a new hands-on engineering station! #STEM #math #EduSky #STEAM

STEM treasure hunt! 🔍♻️ My favorite summer routine: 50%-off Mondays at the thrift store. These inexpensive finds become design challenge materials, prototype supplies, & fresh additions to my scrap/surplus bins. You never know what might spark a student’s next creative idea. #stem #steam #EduSky

Anyone else get attached to their prototypes? 😅 It was hard to toss the quick builds I made this school year. They were never meant to be fancy, just 10-minute prototypes to test ideas before students spent 30–40 minutes creating their own take-home versions. #stem #steam #EduSky

The last day of engineering class still included the design process! Students chose their own materials, machines, pacing, and whether to work independently or collaboratively. What did they create? Watch! #STEM #StudentInterest #studentautonomy #EduSky

Why do I save cardboard scraps? ✏️ Many K–5 students are still developing spatial reasoning, scale, & efficient material use. Smaller pieces often lead to even smaller designs! We’ll use the scrap bin to create even more engineering learning opportunities next year! ♻️ #stem #EduSky

I’m honored to receive a retiring colleague’s pentominoes & pattern cards (1984). She wanted them to go somewhere they would continue to be used & appreciated. Like Tetris, they’re a timeless tool for building spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and geometric thinking! #stem #EduSky

It’s the last days of school, the lights are dimmed, & the engineering stations are buzzing. K-5 students are free to explore, collaborate, and create at their own pace with Lite-Brites, Ultimate Fort Builder, magnetic marble runs and gears, ChompSaws, and more. No time limits! #stem #steam #EduSky

Woohoo! 🙌🏾 Last 6:30 a.m. haul of Costco cardboard sheets/pallet separators for the school year! They’re free, clean, print-free, no tape to peel, easy to cut to size, under 3mm thick, and perfect for students using ChompSaws. #stem #steam #EduSky

Our first ChompSaw challenge focused on slot cardboard attachments and free choice. In our final class together, students are leveling up by creating pivoting connections with brass fasteners. Simple joins to moving mechanisms… confidence is growing! #stem #steam #EduSky youtube.com/shorts/CRDAI...

Cardboard Attachment Techniques with ChompSaws

YouTube video by Ekuwah Mends Moses, Author

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700+ students…unlimited cardboard practice?! How?? No space for a cardboard library, just bins! I cut sheets, save scraps, and restock daily so students can independently create whatever they want, as much as they want, with the ChompSaw. Take a look! 👀 #stem #steam #EduSky

Today’s classes averaged 30–38 students, & 8 ChompSaws kept them creating safely & independently! Students focused on designing, problem-solving, & bringing ideas to life instead of waiting for turns. ChompSaws are a win for autonomy, classroom management, & STEM! #EduSky #stem #steam

Let’s play I Spy… 👀 ChompSaw edition! What’s one interesting thing you noticed my students creating with the ChompSaws? Drop it in the comments using an emoji! #stem #steam #EduSky

Mother’s Day is year-round. Students are thankful for opportunities to design, create, and problem-solve while making something meaningful for their loved ones. It’s not about a perfect product, it’s about student voice. It’s about their ideas & ability to create with purpose. #EduSky #stem #steam

On Wednesday, 1st graders got to play the cardboard games they designed for homework and the excitement was everywhere. Students proudly shared their creations, explained their ideas, and cheered each other on. I enjoyed walking through and celebrating their success with them! #stem #steam #

If you’ve ever wondered how art, engineering, and storytelling can help us heal and connect, I’d love for you to listen. I’m honored to be a guest on Episode 54 of The Fierce Urgency of NOW in Today’s Schools with @drcmamaj.bsky.social ▶️ youtu.be/POYWkB3tpL0?... #EduSky #stem #steam

Episode 54 - Learning About a Mother’s Life, Struggle, and Protective Care by Going Through Her Art

YouTube video by The Fierce Urgency of NOW in Today's Schools

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