What is STEM?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These subjects allow children to develop their problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity. We foster an environment where exploration, experimentation and creative thinking are encouraged. By engaging children with hands-on activities that promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, they learn to ask questions, test ideas, and find solutions in fun and interactive ways.

What do we do at Largs?

Natalie & Laurie have taken on a leadership role to ensure STEM is embedded within the centre. All staff have a responsibility to include STEM in the playrooms, doing so we gather the children’s ideas, thoughts and questions in our STEM floorbook and then staff use this to provide the children with experiences to support their interests and develop their learning.

Some of examples of STEM activities we have done at LEYC:

Science:

We visit our local woods at Inverclyde to go on nature walks. Children use their senses to describe the world around them, giving examples of things they see, hear, smell, and feel. Children observe living things such as insects and trees. The children enjoy collecting leaves, flowers, stones and sticks to create transient art, sorting into groups, use for imaginative play etc.

Using magnet wants to explore which objects in the playroom and outdoors are attracted to the magnet and which are not.

Each year we raise our own caterpillars from ‘Insect Lore’. This allows the children to explore concepts like growth, change and transformation in an engaging and interactive way.

Each keyworker group and the 2-3 room have their own planters where throughout the year they will plant seeds and bulbs. Children will learn what they need to do to look after them and began to name their basic parts and discuss changes.

Technology:

We have some coding resources such as ‘EaRL Robot’ & ‘Code-a-Pillar’. These toys allow children to input simple sequences of commands to make the robots move in specific directions. They can explore how to make the toys navigate through a tunnel or maze they have built or to reach a specific target.

Using drawing or design apps (such as Seesaw, Show Me and Paint 3D) on a iPad or promethean board to create digital artwork. Children can experiment with different drawing tools, shapes, colours and patterns to design their own pictures.

Using virtual tour apps, maps, live cams or websites (such as Google Earth or virtual tours) to explore places like zoos, attractions, countries, the community etc. Children can “visit” locations they may not be able to see in person, expanding their understanding of the world.

Using music apps like ‘Garage Band’ to create simple songs and play virtual instruments.

Engineering:

Junk Modelling – Children can use various recyclable materials such as cardboard, plastic bottles, lids etc to create structures, vehicles or any creation of their choice.

Using LEGO children can follow instructions to build a simple structure (like a house, car, or animal) or create their own designs. We encourage children to experiment with different shapes and structures to understand how they fit together and why certain designs are more stable than others.

We provide children with materials such as sponges, yoghurt pots, foil, bottles and sticks, so that they can design and build their own boats. Children can test whether their boat floats or sinks in the water.

Using materials like toothpicks, blu tac, marshmallows and sticks for children to build a stable bridge.

Maths:

Using blocks, pegs or cubes to measure our friends to identify who is smaller or taller.

Children explore the concepts of capacity, volume and measurement when using different sizes of containers with water, rice or sand.

Using non-standard units like blocks, shoes and pegs to measure objects around the playroom. Promoting questioning and answering for e.g. “How many blocks long is this pen?”.