by Nathan Li
Have you ever wanted to introduce new learning experiences to your kindergarten students? Introducing new learning experiences to your students will help them gain a broader perspective of the world around them. Here are three exciting learning experiences for your kindergarten students.
1. Visit your Local National Park
Taking a trip to a national park is a great way to teach your students how to appreciate nature. Your students will enjoy walking through a lush forest with plenty of wildlife all around them. Walking through a national park is also a useful way to refresh your students if they want to take a break from learning in the classroom. Students will learn how to make observations about the environment around them as well as the characteristics of the animals living there. A fun way for your students to record their observations is to give them small notepads. Ask your students to write down any fun observations they made or their favorite parts of the trip. You can even have your students share their observations with each other.
2. Use Online Learning Programs
Teaching your students how to operate a computer is incredibly beneficial during this time and age. Everyday we interact with technology in order to gain more information or to learn new skills. Introducing technology to your students will help them learn this useful habit. One of the best learning programs for young students is Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a free website available for students. Students can learn basic arithmetic such as counting, addition, and geometry.. Khan Academy Kids is another engaging tool to encourage learning within your students. It is a free app developed by Khan Academy to teach math and literacy skills to young children. Teaching your students how to use Khan Academy will help them get ahead during their STEM studies
3. Perform Science Experiments
An interactive method to help your students become interested in STEM is to perform science experiments with them. There are a variety of experiments that can help teach your students scientific concepts such as gravity, density, or energy. One of the most important things a student can learn from science experiments is trial and error. Having your student learn about trial and error will encourage them to have a growth mindset. Making mistakes and learning how to improve while performing an experiment will help them for the future. A simple experiment you can introduce to your students is an observation experiment. Give your students different items and ask them to write down observations about them. You can ask them questions or make comments to help stimulate your students’ thought processes. Experiments are a fun way to teach your students something new.
If you would like to see some more science experiment ideas, check out this NSTEM resource.
Do you want more resources on the topic of learning experiences? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable by category, school level and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.
K-2 is where it all starts with STEM education. The National STEM Honor Society focuses on “From K to Career, NSTEM from the Start!” To start your K-2 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.
