Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

JDaniel4s Mom

growing & learning with him

Decorating an Umbrella Based on an Algorithm

By

These decorating umbrella color pages were created to expose young children to coding. Children are asked to color all the sections that display the same number the same color. One of the pages invites children to select the color they will use for each numbered section.

Getting the Decorating an Umbrella

This set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already.

Decorating-an-Umbrella-Based-on-a-AlgorithmDownload

After downloading the set, you can decide which of the pages will work best for your children. Some children will do well if you tell them just what color to use. Others will prefer to choose their colors. The page that lets you choose your own color area also allows you to use the colors your children may have on hand.

Exploring the Decorating an Umbrella Set

You will need to decide which page you want your children to work on. The first page tells children what color to use and has them draw their own raindrops. The second page displays raindrops to color as well as tells children what color to use. The last page tells children to add raindrops and add their own raindrops.

Next, you will need to decide if your children need to work through the page with you. If you think that they will need your help, you could work with them in groups or one on one.

More Algorithm Pages

Coloring One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

How to Make Slime with Liquid Starch Algorithm Coding Activity

How to Make Liquid Starch Slime Algorithm

Panda STEM Tangram Puzzle Set

By

Your children will have fun exploring this panda STEM tangram set! It features three tangram mats and two sets of printable tangrams. One set of tangrams features black blocks while the other has white blocks. What fun it will be to explore pandas using blocks from each of the sets. The finished puzzles will display the same two colors that pandas do.

This is part of a series of tangram puzzles. Please stop by and check out the STEM Tangrams Puzzles Sets page to see the whole collection.

Getting the Panda Tangram Puzzle Set Ready

This set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already.

Panda Tangram Puzzle SetDownload

If you plan on using the mats and puzzle pieces over and over again you may want to laminate them. Below you will find some laminating supplies I recommend.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Building Background Before Exploring the Tangram Puzzle Set

Before your children explore the panda tangram mats, you may want to do one of the following.

Panda Craft

Panda Craft From Crafty Morning

Panda Bear Rhyme

This rhyme is about several types of bears. It would be fun to sing it and then have students share what they know about each of them.

All Types of Bears
To the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” 
Grizzly bears are big and brown, big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown and live in the woods.

Polar bears are soft and white, soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white and live where it’s cold.

Panda bears are black and white, black and white, black and white,
Panda bears are black and white and live with bamboo.

Koala bears have great big ears, great big ears, great big ears.
Koala bears have great big ears and live high in a tree.

Teddy bears are just my size, just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size, to cuddle with at night.

Read a Book About Pandas


After reading one of the books below, children will have gained some background knowledge on pandas. While you can have them explore the puzzles without a book, it is worth it to shares at least one with them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The More Shape Learning Activities

Building Shapes with Crayons STEM Task Cards

Building Shapes with Crayons Task Cards

Penguin Books- Exploring Colors and Shapes Free Printable Mini Books

Exploring Shapes and Colors Mini Book

Geometric Shapes for Kids Snow Globe Puzzles

Snow Globe Shape Puzzles

STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set

By

This rabbit tangram puzzle set would be fun to explore in the days leading up to Easter or the beginning of spring. There are also a number of children’s books that feature rabbits. It would be fun to explore one or more of the mats after reading one of them.

Benefits of Tangrams

  • Great way to explore geometric shapes.
  • Provides an opportunity to slide, rotate and flip shapes.
  • Gives children a change to work on visual and spatial skills.bb

Getting the Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set Ready

This set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already

STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle SetDownload

If you plan on using the mats and puzzle pieces over and over again you may want to laminate them. Below you will find some laminating supplies I recommend.


The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Building Background

Before your children explore the rabbit tangram mats, you may want to do one of the following.

Rabbit Themed Rhyme

Hop Little Bunnies
See the little bunnies sleeping, (children lie down still)
Till it’s nearly noon,
Come and let us gently wake them
With a merry tune.
Oh, so still.
Are they ill?
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop (children jump up and hop on the spot)
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop and stop!

Rabbit Themed Movement Activity

Toddler Approved has a wonderful rabbit activity to do with your children.

Rabbit Themed Books

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Rabbit Themed Activities

Hopping with Chalk Bunnies

Make a Trampoline for Peter Rabbit

Peter Rabbit Counting Mat and Number Recognition Activity

Counting Buttons for Peter Rabbit

STEM Tangram Puzzle Sets for Kids

By

Tangram puzzle sets invited children to explore shapes and spatial skills. Children rotate, flip and slide shapes to create silhouettes of objects, people, and animals. They are a fun way to a variety of math concepts.

This week I will be sharing with your five sets of tangrams. A new tangram set will appear Monday through Friday. It will be fun to stop by each day to get a new set to explore with your children.

Getting Your Set of Tangram Puzzles

STEM Ocean Tangram Puzzles Set

Monday- STEM Ocean Tangram Puzzles Set

STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set

Tuesday- STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set

Panda STEM Tangram Puzzle Set

Wednesday – Panda STEM Tangram Puzzle Set

Thursday – St. Patrick’s Day Tangram Puzzles Challenge

Friday- STEM Bird Tangram Puzzles Set

Suggestions for Printing the Puzzles

  • Print the puzzles out on cardstock. It is thicker and will make the piece and mats sturdier.
  • Laminate the mats and pieces. Once again it will make them sturdier and last longer.
  • The mats were designed to be printed out in color. While you can print them out in B/W, they will not look as great.
  • Store bought tangram sets can be used with the mats.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Exploring the Puzzles

There are a number of ways you could share these puzzles with your children. Below you will find a list of ways that I came up with. You may come up with other great ideas. If you do please take a moment and share them on my Facebook page or in a comment below.

  • You could place them in a center or put them out on the kitchen table for your children to explore one at a time.
  • You could have them explore all of the puzzles in a set at the same time. Then they can decide which was the easiest and which was the hardest to do.
  • You could put them during a week at school or home when you are exploring the theme of a set.

More Tangram Sets Found Here on the Blog

Thanksgiving Tangram Puzzles for Kids

Thanksgiving Tangram Sets

Free Printable STEM Halloween Tangram Puzzle Workspaces

Halloween Themed Tangrams

Fox in Socks Themed Tangram Printable Set

Fox in Socks Tangram Set

Roll and Cover Heart Mats for One and Two Dice

By

Roll and cover mats are a great way to work on adding. and number recognition. This set of roller and cover mats focuses on covering the numbers that appear on one or two dice. There are mats that display numbers one time and others that feature them three times. The set includes mats that are in color and B/W. It will be up to you to decide which mat or mats are best for your children.

Getting Your Valentine’s Day Counting Candy Set

If you plan on reusing the mats again and again, you may want to laminate them. Below you will find laminating supplies that you can use to cover them.

Roll and Cover Mats for One and Two DiceDownload

Items You Can Use for This Activity

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Items Used to Cover the Numbers

  • Buttons
  • Unifix Cubes
  • Plastic Disks
  • Bottle Caps
  • Small Blocks

Ways to Use the Roll and Cover Mats

The mats can be explored in a math center or at your kitchen table. Children can work on them on their own, with a partner, or with a group. It is up to you to decide how you how and where you want your children to use them.

It would probably be a good idea to demonstrate how to roll and cover the numbers if your children haven’t used mats like this before. You can have them do a few rolls and covers with you. It may help if they see what they need to do.

If you are using the mats to check for understanding, you may want to observe your children while they explore them. One way you can do that is by working as their partner. Another option is to have them tell you what dice rolls they would need to have to cover a particular number.

More Fun Valentine’s Day Printables

Valentine’s Day I Spy Counting Activity

Coordinate Mapping Activity Set

Valentine's Day Drawing a Robot with an Algorithm Activity Square (1)

How to Draw a Robot with an Algorithm

Valentine’s Day Counting Candy Activity Printables

By

This free printable set features colored and black and white versions of an I Spy style Valentine’s Day counting candy learning pages. Counting the candy can be accomplished in a number of ways using this set of activity printables. It will be up to you to decide which page to explore and how to explore it.

Ways to Count Candy

  • Count and Record – Children can count each piece of candy, remember how many there are a record it. Then they will record how many pieces of each type of candy there are.
  • Count, Color and Record- Children can color each type of candy to match the candy on the colored pages. They can color the candies in the recording section as way they like on the B/W pages. Then they can color the candies in the counting area that match them the same way.
  • Count, Cover, Stack, and Record – Children can place a cube on each piece of candy that is the same. Each piece of candy will need a different colored cube. Next, they can stack the cubes that represent specific type of candy and count them. Finally, they will write down how many pieces of type of candy there are. 

Ways to Explore the Pages

Your children can explore the pages on their own if you would like them to. If you are working with a younger child, you may want to work with them.

It might be fun to place a colored version of the pages in a math center laminated with cubes or crayons.

Getting Your Valentine’s Day Counting Candy Set

Valentine’s Day Counting Candy SetDownload

Materials You Can Use to Explore the Pages

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Below you will find sparkly crayons, counting cubes, and children’s books with heart themes. They would be fun to use while exploring these pages.

More Printable Pages That Would be Fun to Explore

Coordinate Mapping Activity Set

Building Shapes STEM Snowman Activity- This mat features a rectangle shaped snowman.

Building Snowman Shapes with Craft Sticks

Building Alphabet Letters Kids Learning Activity

Building Alphabet Letters on the Barn Door Activity

Coordinate Map Activity- Valentine’s Day Heart Quilt

By

There is more than one coordinate map activity in this free set. Each activity has a Valentine’s Day theme. The Easter egg, gardening, and Thanksgiving Table coordinate activities on my Teachers Pay Teachers shop have been popular. This Valentine’s Day Heart Quilt activity is only available here.

What is included in the Coordinate Map Activity?

The set includes:

Black/White and Color Versions of the Locate the Coordinates Page

This page invites children to find the location of each heart on the map. Then they will record it on the chart. If you want to print this out and have each child work on this on their own, this would be a great sheet for them to do.

Black/White and Color Versions of Locate the Coordinates and Draw the Hearts Page

Your children will be invited to draw each heart in a square and then record its location on the chart.

You Draw the Hiding Places on the Map

The chart on the worksheet displays the descriptions of the objects that need to be on the map.  Children will draw a picture for each vegetable on the map. Then write the coordinates and draw a picture for each of your pictures on your map in the map key. They can place them anywhere they would like on the map. You may want to encourage them to draw small pictures. That will allow them to have one specific set of picture location coordinates to record on the chart.

Getting the Coordinate Map Activities

This set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already.

Coordinate Map Activity- Valentine’s Day QuiltDownload

Building Background

Before your children explore the quilt coordinate pages, you could read them a book that has a quilt theme. Below you will find a collection of wonderful books that feature quilts.


The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Activities to Explore

Button Challenge Cards

Building Alphabet Letters Kids Learning Activity

Building Alphabet Letters

How to Make Fake Snow Recipes Featuring Cornstarch Displayed on Blockly Blocks.

How to Make Snow with Cornstarch

Old Christmas Cards Make Great Tangrams

By

Old Christmas Cards can become a set of holiday-themed tangrams in just a few steps. Before you throw away all the cards you receive, look through them and see if they would make a fun set of tangrams. Many of us still get a few in the mail however there are some of us that may not. You can get a cheap box of Christmas cards at a dollar store that would make wonderful tangrams.

Learn More About Tangrams

Below you will find some wonderful books about tangrams.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Getting Ready to Make the Tangrams with Old Christmas Cards

Preparing the Cards

  • First, the back of the card will need to be cut off.
  • Second, a tangram template is square in shape. You will need to decide which sections of your card will need to be part of your set.

Choosing the Tangram Template

The tangram template set features templates that are the following widths.

Old Christmas Card TemplatesDownload

Once you download the set, you will want to print out the one that will fit your cards.

Creating the Old Christmas Card Tangram Set

  • First, you will need to cut out the tangram square.
  • Second, you will decide what part of the front of the card you want in your tangram set.
  • Third, the tangram square will need to be glued into position on the back of the card right where the parts of the front of the card you wanted to use are located.
  • Finally, the shapes on the tangram square will need to be cut out.

Christmas Tangram Patterns to Use with YOur Old Christmas Card Tangram Set

After creating your cards, you will need tangram patterns or designs to build. Below you will find a number of sites that feature free printable patterns.

Free Tangram Printable from KidsLife

Christmas Tangrams from Tangram Fury

Tangram Christmas from My Homeschool Math

Tangram Puzzles from Education.com

After downloading the patterns, you may want to print them out on card stock and laminate them. They will last longer that way. Once you have looked at these, you could also look on TPT for some. Patterns cards there tend to be a little bit fancier.

More Christmas STEM Activities

Christmas STEM activities are fun to explore. Below you will find a number of free STEM activities to explore. After creating your tangrams, please take a moment or two to explore them.

Cool Science Projects -Ski Jumping Straw Rocket

Ski Jumping STEM Challenge

Olympic Activities for Kids: Ski Lift Paper Plate Craft- This is the third in a series for five Olympic themed science and craft activities. This project explores using a pulley and creating a ski lift.

Ski Lift Paper Plate Craft

Christmas Sweater Symmetry STEM Challenge

By

This Christmas sweater symmetry STEM challenge invites children to create and color a Christmas sweater. The directions children will need to follow are displayed in a Blockly block algorithm. The set is one of many Offline Coding Academy printables available here and at my TPT shop.

The set contains three different versions of the Christmas sweater symmetry STEM challenge. The first features algorithm steps in just words. The second version has directions in words and pictures. The final version is a coloring page. Children will still be working on symmetry. It will be a challenge to color the parts of the sweater symmetrically.

Building Background

You may want to read your children a Christmas-themed book before they start this activity. The pictures in the book may inspire the decoration they place on their trees.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Getting the Christmas Sweater Symmetry Set

The symmetry set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already.

Christmas Sweater STEM Symmetry Set Download

Exploring the Challenge Set

  • Before starting on the pages, you will need to make sure your children understand what symmetry is. A sample fully colored page is in the set that you can share with your children. After they have become familiar with symmetry, they can start.
  • The sweater they create will need to have a tree, star, ornaments, and presents. It doesn’t need to have to look just like the pictures on the blocks. If you are worried about them doing that, please print out the page that just has words on it.
  • While they can work on their own, you may want to work through the first few blocks with them. It will help you know that they are on track with what symmetry is.
  • Although you could suggest ways to decorate the background, you may want to leave that up to your children.

Here are some more set from the Offline Coding Academy

Coloring One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

Offline Coding Academy Muffin Tin Algorithm Activity

Offline Coding Academy -Muffin Tin Algorithm

How to Make Slime with Liquid Starch Algorithm Coding Activity

How to Make Liquid Starch Slime Algorithm

Button STEM Challenge- Collecting Data and Creating Line Plots

By

Line plots can be hard for children to understand. This button STEM challenge set invites children to sort, collect data, and create line plots with buttons. This set contains two sorting pages and one that focuses just on building a line plot. The set also includes sets of button printables. This will give you the option of having your children sort actual buttons or paper ones.

We used actual buttons, however, there may be reasons that you don’t want or have access to them. It is for that reason printable buttons have been included in the set.

Getting Ready for the Button STEM Challenge

Buttons

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

We used the following buttons:

ROYLCO R2131 Bright Buttons, Assorted Sizes, Shapes and Color, 1/2-Pound

Getting the Button STEM Challenge Set

The challenge cards set is a PDF.   When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already.

Button STEM Challenge- Gathering Data and Creating Line PlotsDownload

Deciding How to Explore the Button STEM Challenge Set

Real vs Paper Buttons

As I mentioned above you can use real buttons or paper ones. Paper buttons won’t last as long but are available to print with this set. Children will have an easier time picking up and moving actual buttons.

Sorting By Color, Shape or Both

While you can explore all the pages in the set, I would do one of the sorting pages and the How Many Buttons? page. You can always go back and review the data gathering by exploring the other page later.

Working in Pairs, Groups, or On Your Own

This activity can be placed in a center for children to work on their own. After they have completed the page, they can turn it in to you.

Children can work in pairs. It is a great way to have work through what they are learning by talking and sharing what they think they need to do.

This activity can be done in a large class group or smaller groups of four or five kids. One bag of buttons can be used or one bag person. The idea is that the steps can be worked through with a larger group of people.

More STEM Challenges

After you have finished this challenge set, you may want to explore one of the sets below. Each sets features everyday materials that you probably have on hand.

Button Challenge Cards

Building Alphabet Letters Kids Learning Activity

Building Alphabet Letters

Categories

memberships

From the Past