inquiry based learning Archives

Do you like having outdoor projects? I love getting my hands dirty and working in the garden or spending time outside trying to build things. And I’m sure your kids love it too! The fresh air, the feeling you are doing something productive and having fun at the same time. The beauty of the outdoors is you can even get sidetracked and explore something else because there is so much out there that is pulling on your senses. This STEM project will get you out and about and will challenge your engineering spirit.

So today I wanted to bring you a fun outdoor STEM project, building a house out of natural materials. It is a guided STEM project that follows engineering design principles and explores natural materials and construction. It is an open-ended activity that lets your child think and design, plan, explore outside, build and most importantly have fun while learning.

My experience as an engineer taught me that every project is different and requires different solutions. Getting into the habit of questioning things and reflecting on how things work is key in STEM. And this is what I wanted to offer with this activity, a chance for you and your children to explore and question in order to solve something using engineering principles.

Some Background Information

This guided activity is designed to introduce or reinforce the STEM project method that engineers follow whenever designing a product. The general steps followed are:

Identify a problem
Gather information
Design a solution
Plan the project
Build the product
Evaluate and test the result
Improve

We are going to use this method to build a house out of natural materials.

You can use this free printable to guide the activity and to write all your discoveries down.

So let’s get started!

STEM Project: Let’s make a Nature House using Engineering Principles!

Identify a Problem

We want to give your child a reason they are building a house. It could be for fairies, birds, mice or any little animal. They might need a house because winter is coming or they need a bigger house because they now have babies. Choose something that you know your child will find interesting and motivating. You can also just Google nature houses and show them the images and say you’d love to build one but dont really know how to do it and if they could help you.

Gather Information

Ok so before we go out we need a plan! And to be able to plan we need to have information about the house we are going to build. Time to brainstorm:

What type of house are we building? How big should it be? What shape does it have?
Does it have windows and doors?
What weather does it have to withstand? Hot? Cold? Rain? Snow?
Does it need protection? A fence?
What materials can we find nature? Wood? Mud? Leaves?
What characteristics do these materials have? Resistant? Heavy? Waterproof? Fireresistant?

In the printable you will find a list of materials and characteristics to help you find inspiration.

Design a Solution

So we had our brains working and we have an understanding of what is out there and what we want. Next step is to design! Draw a sketch of what you want the house to look like. With the sketch it is time to discuss the design.

What characteristics should the walls/roof have?
What materials can we use for the walls, roof and any other element your house has?
How many of those materials do you think we need? (When answering this question we can make a list of materials which is something extremely important in any enginnering process)
What tools are we going to need to put everything together?

Plan the STEM Project

By now we should have a list of materials, a list of tools and a rough sketch of what our house will look like. Time to craft a plan of action! Questions you can ask and things to take into account:

What is the first thing we should do?
In what order should we do these tasks: build, collect materials, test our design, collect tools
Should we collect the exact number of materials we said? More?
If we find something we didn’t think of what should we do?
What should we take when we go collect our materials?

Build the Nature House

The moment of truth has arrived! Up until now, your project was all theoretical and now it is time to put all that thinking into action! Here are some tips for building the house (you might not need them).

Lay all your materials out and categorize them according to the function they are going to serve and what element they are going to be
If you can, build your house on something you will be able to pick up and move, like a tray or a big cardboard in case you need to move it before it’s finished
Start with the walls, they are the foundation of your house

Here are some fun houses projects that can inspire you:

Evaluate the Result and Improve

Once you have finished it is always good to reflect on the project. It helps your children think about alternatives and what can be done better. Some questions to ask:

Does your house solve the problem? How?
If it doesn’t, what needs to be changed?
Does it solve a different problem or could you use it for something else?
What would you have done differently?
What went better/worse than expected?

As you can see this project is full of questions and this is something engineers face on an everyday basis. This is good practice for your children to think about their surroundings and how different materials can solve problems. It also shows them the importance of design and planning before taking on any project.

This type of method is so important in STEM activities and projects. However, it is also useful for anyone who has to tackle a project. If you need to write a paper for school you don’t just sit down and write, if you plan before, the writing will go much smoother. I myself use this method before writing a post! So this is why it is important to learn this method and what better way than through a hands-on approach!

I hope you enjoy and have fun with this activity and create some wonderful nature houses!

For more information about STEM and how to transform your STEM activities at home, check out these posts:

Check out other fun STEM activities to sneak in some STEM learning:

Happy STEM learning!

Have you lately been hearing about STEM and how important it is for the future of our children? STEM education is gaining traction in the schooling system but there is still a long way to go. In this post, I want to share with you some information about STEM education and the reasons I believe parents should be supporting STEM learning at home.

Let’s Start with the basics, What is STEM?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is currently being used to define a methodology or educational practice that combines these disciplines into an interdisciplinary approach to learning the subjects. The concept is widely extended, however, there is still a long way to go for integrating this methodology into every school. Lack of resources is one main issue for supporting this educational method. But don’t worry! There are ways you can promote and use STEM learning at home!

Why is STEM Learning Important?

You will read everywhere that STEM is mainly important because of its professional relevance in our current technology-driven society. And this is true, however, it is not only about the future job market. Learning through a STEM approach means applying STEM skills and combining them to solve real-life problems. Contrary to popular belief, it does not only help children develop science and math skills but it also works on their so-called 21st-century skills. Critical thinking, analytical and organizational skills as well as creativity and communication are just some of the skills that go hand in hand with learning through a STEM methodology. It is inquiry-based, meaning it aims to answer questions, and therefore helps children nurture their innate curiosity and love of learning.

So, in other words, STEM learning is a way to prepare children to tackle real-life situations, where problems cannot be clearly divided into separate school subjects and this is where the importance really lies.

Reasons to Support STEM Learning at Home

By exposing your children to STEM activities and experiences you can help them reap the benefits of this educational approach and have fun at the same time! Because discovering how the world works and solving its problems is motivating and engaging. And doing it from the comfort of your home has many additional benefits that support this educational style. So without further ado here are my top 5 reasons for supporting STEM learning at home:

1. STEM Skills are an Important Toolkit for the Future

STEM learning will offer your child a way of understanding how the world works. Your child may not become a super scientist or the best engineer, but with just a little bit of STEM knowledge their mind will open up to a whole new level of awareness about their surrounding that will help them solve problems, make informed decisions and navigate a technology-driven future. By giving your child a chance to experience STEM learning, they are gaining crucial and relevant skills not only for their future professional life but also for their everyday life and this, I believe, is definitely something that should be promoted at home.

2. Family Involvement is Key

You are your child’s first teacher and they will continue learning from you during their whole life. Research shows that parental engagement in education is associated with a positive impact on student achievement. And especially with challenging subjects such as science or mathematics, it becomes even more crucial that parents support STEM learning. Engaging with your kids in meaningful STEM experiences might just give them that extra motivation to explore the world and become lifelong learners. It might also help them do great in school 😉

3. Home is meant to be a Safe Space

Away from the pressure of school systems and evaluations. Research and many educational theories support the idea that mistakes are great teachers and part of the learning process. However, with schools heavily relying on testing and grades, mistakes can sometimes become a sign of failure and cause stress. This creates a negative impact on the learning experience.

At home, you can allow children the chance to experiment without being evaluated or being judged by teachers or peers. We learn from our mistakes and in STEM this is oh so much more relevant! In the real world, you don’t solve problems on the first try; you try, fail, learn, try again and so on and so forth. You might even find something you weren’t even looking for. Some of the world’s greatest discoveries were “mistakes”. So coming back, home is a safe space to let your child learn that mistakes are ok and part of the joy of learning.

4. Home allows for Positive Emotional Connections

Research in neuroscience has shown that there is a direct link between emotion and cognition. This means that whenever we learn something we associate it with a particular emotional state and the sensations that this generates. If there are positive sensations associated to learning something, we are more motivated and it is more likely that we will continue learning. A loving home with caring parents is a safe space, so it is easier to create positive emotional connections to STEM. Through non-academic experiences, children are able to connect STEM to something fun, that nurtures their curiosity and their thirst for knowledge. And it is always a plus to feel happy and motivated about what you are learning and not frustrated isn’t it?

5. Home provides a Perfect Space for really Experiencing STEM

STEM education is about connecting the knowledge from these separate subjects and bringing them together to create or solve anything. And what better way is there to learn than a hands-on approach? I bet many of you are familiar with the oriental phrase (and it’s numerous variations):

“I hear, I know. I see, I remember. I do, I understand”

The brain learns through associations and when it is actively involved in the learning process it is more effective. It is so important for your child’s learning, to learn through experiences. To connect what they are learning to the real world. To involve their senses!

However, STEM is a huge topic and schools need to follow the curriculum. Chances are that lack of time and resources force teachers to skip great chances at experiential, hands-on learning. But you can do this at home and provide teachable STEM moments through active and hands-on experiences. These experiences will allow your child’s brain to make the necessary associations for more effective learning.

Bonus Reason! STEM is Fun For Parents too!

All in all, supporting STEM learning at home has many benefits. But let’s face it, you also want to have fun with your kids. And that’s what’s so great about STEM activities, they actually are quite fun to do as a family! You get to connect with your children, explore and learn together and spend some quality family time. So check out some of the activity posts in this blog and turn your home into a STEMful space!

For more information about STEM and how to transform your STEM activities at home, check out these posts:

Check out other fun STEM activities to sneak in some STEM learning:

Happy STEM learning!