The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Having a Growth Mindset isn't just something important for STEM classes; it's important as a life skill. I'll be sharing Growth Mindset STEM lessons for K-2 that you can teach in a week. Each lesson has a growth mindset theme to start as the focus, a paired kid-friendly video, a picture book to read to the class, and a hands-on activity to apply the skill.

These lessons not only work well in a STEM classroom setting, but in homeroom elementary classrooms as well!

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STEM Survival Camp is a great way to get kids outside and look at the world in new ways. Through these lessons, you can authentically teach the Engineering Design Process. After many years of teaching these lessons to students in my classes, here are some tips and tricks I learned along the way that can help you too!

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How do you authentically teach students how to use the Engineering Design Process in K-5? I'm chatting with K-5 STEAM teacher, Bre Smith and how she uses STEM Survival Camp to kick off the school year with her classes, and has even made it a tradition to start the Back to School Season.

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Attending STEM teacher conferences can be such a blast, but also exhausting! You are gathering so much information within a few days, so how do you even implement it all? (Spoiler: you don't!) I'll be sharing my strategy on how I organize information I learn from these conferences in a meaningful way and actually use what I learned in the classroom.

Resources Mentioned

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode211

Have you wanted to 3D print with younger students but realized Tinkercad is too hard for them? Trust me, I've been there too! I love Tinkercad and prefer using it starting with 2nd graders. But for my younger students and one-day challenges, I prefer using Doodle 3D Transform. I'll be digging more into this app and sharing some lesson ideas along with tips when using it, including multi-color printing!

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While this show is all about elementary STEM, some of you teach beyond K-5 and even dive into preschool. What are some ways you can effectively plan preschool STEM lessons and keep them engaged? I'll share with you my strategies and a lesson topic that you can adapt for your classroom.

Thanks to Laural S. for sending in this question!

Send me your STEM questions, big or small, and you can be featured in an episode!

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Welcome back to another year of the podcast! Excited to be back with this new podcast refresh!

We are chatting all about easy and helpful ways to get STEM Professional Development for elementary teachers that you'll actually use! Likewise, you can access all of this in the comfort of your own home or school; no need to travel anywhere!

3D Printing with kids can be intimidating, especially if you don't have any outside experience to teach them. I felt the same way, and I almost wanted to give up on 3D printing. In fact, 3D printing is a STEM lesson I enjoy teaching and continue to learn about! In this episode, I'll be answering these common questions I get from teachers about 3D printing.

Resources Mentioned

Spooky season is coming to a close, so what are you going to teach in STEM now? These pumpkin STEM stations aren't Halloween specific, so they can work in November! What I like about them is that they can be adapted for all grade levels, K-5, and are low-prep. Once you have all the materials prepped, you are ready to go for a couple of weeks!

Here is a snapshot of the stations:

Science: Build and Label a Pumpkin (inside & outside)

Technology: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin robot coding

Engineering: Pattern...

You've spent the first part of your teaching career as a general education teacher, and now you are stepping into the elementary STEM space. It's equal parts exciting, but also overwhelming.

What types of supports are out there to support you in this new-to-you role?

Well, you are definitely going to enjoy today's interview!

I am chatting with CEO of SmartLab, Dr. Jennifer Berry. The company's philosophy on how they support teachers and students is definitely one that I agree with and goes further than just teaching STEM lessons.

Dr. Berry’s...

Have you been on the fence about starting video school-wide news? Maybe you think you don’t have the right equipment, you need to go live each day, or that it’s too complicated. Whatever your hang-ups are about getting started, I was there too. However, I still got this started at my school, and it was such a success!

But don’t just take it from me. 

In this guest interview, I am chatting with elementary teacher Rebecca Zide, who successfully implemented video school-wide news at her school with the help of my on-demand worksho...

If you wanted to dedicate a week to teaching students what each letter of STEM was, where do you even begin? You want the lessons to be simple enough to last for one class session, but still engaging.

This is Part 2 of a 2 part series where I will be giving you a week of lesson plans for Kinder-2nd grades on how to teach each letter of STEM in a week.

Grab the free PDF with the lesson plans here: https://naomimeredith.com/weekofstemplans

Head to the show notes for a full transcript...

If you wanted to dedicate a week to teaching students what each letter of STEM was, where do you even begin? You want the lessons to be simple enough to last for one class session, but still engaging.

This is Part 1 of a 2 part series where I will be giving you a week of lesson plans for 3rd-5th grades on how to teach each letter of STEM in a week.

Grab the free PDF with the lesson plans here: https://naomimeredith.com/weekofstemplans

Head to the show notes for a full transcript...

As you are setting up your STEM classroom, what are things you can decorate with but still connect with what you are teaching? A word wall, or vocabulary wall, can be a great asset to your units to help students make connections across content themes. I'll be sharing practical ways you can set up a word wall that you can use throughout the school year and with all grade levels, K-5.

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Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links...

If you were to ask your students what the word "STEM" actually means, could they answer you correctly? And if they do know that "STEM" represents Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, do they know what THAT means?

In this episode, I'll be sharing practical and easy ways you can explain what STEM means to your students that doesn't take a lot of time, but will still build a foundation for all your STEM lessons to come!

Resources mentioned:

If you have a low or no budget going into your STEM classroom but are wondering what lessons to teach kids, my go-to is Makerspace lessons. 

There is some prep work to gather supplies to make it happen, but it’s one of the best ways to have hands-on lessons in your classroom that are still engaging. 

I’ll be sharing my top three favorite themes when teaching Makerspace to students in K-5. These are units where every grade level has its own lesson to jump into, along with what you can do if you only s...

We are back at it with some fun interviews this summer! I took a little break from interviewing, but missed it, and I had so much fun with who I talked with for today’s interview. 

I chatted with Kara Houston, who is a proud member of SelfCAD. If you haven’t heard of SelfCAD before, it is a cloud-based CAD modeling (or computer-aided design) that allows students to model, sculpt, slice, and print online. You might know this most for 3D printing as you get started, but they have other forms of creation inside the platform that...

If you're in back-to-school mode and starting to set up your classroom, this quick tip will help you think through how to organize your Makerspace or STEM supplies for the year.

In this mini-episode is a clip from Episode 150, and I’m sharing how I set up my supplies to stay organized all year long, without constantly resetting things for every lesson. Whether you have a full Makerspace or just a few bins of supplies, these simple strategies can help make your space more functional and your students more independent.

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If you're in back-to-school mode and starting to set up your classroom, this quick tip will help you think through how to organize your Makerspace or STEM supplies for the year.

In this mini-episode is a clip from Episode 150, and I’m sharing how I set up my supplies to stay organized all year long—without constantly resetting things for every lesson. Whether you have a full Makerspace or just a few bins of supplies, these simple strategies can help make your space more functional and your students more independent.

Resources Mentioned: 

These 5 Makerspace activities are quick, easy, and collaborative and focus on things that roll. By using simple materials, you can have fun lessons that students well remember even after the school year ends!

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Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode95

Download my...

It’s the end of the school year, which means it can be a crazy and overwhelming time in your STEM classroom. Even with the kids excited about summer break, you can still keep them engaged and learning in your STEM classroom. In today’s episode, I’m sharing 3 end of year science activities that you can easily implement in your classroom. Even if your school year has ended, these are great activities to use if you’re teaching summer camp or have your own kids home with you for the summer. 

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Summer is just around the corner and if you are looking for some ways you can map out your STEM Teacher Professional Development for 2025, I have some ideas for you. From free to paid, virtual and in person, I have a good mix to help you dive in deeper with a variety of topics.

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Earth Day is April 22. It’s a good way to teach students ways to take care of the Earth. I’ll be sharing with you 5 STEM lessons that you can teach to celebrate this day or even lessons you can use year round.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode192

Down...

Are you planning on having a long-term sub soon in your elementary STEM space? I recently completed long-term subbing for 4 months in K-5 STEM, and have a lot of insight as to what you should (and shouldn’t do) while you are prepping to be away.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode191

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE for the podcast with your questions and comments!

TpT Shop: Naomi Me...

Math manipulatives are an often overlooked tool in the STEM space. You may have some hiding in your cabinets or other areas in your school right now that you're missing out on! I'm sharing 3 easy ways I've used math manipulatives for various STEM lessons that you and your students will enjoy.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode190

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE for the podcast with your questions and comments!<...

Whether you are planning a classroom Valentine's Day party or looking for some fun, themed lessons, you're going to love this episode! There are a variety of activities in this episode that you can implement for Valentine's Day that are low-prep, but highly engaging. You most likely have most of these materials already in your classroom!

TpT Shop: Naomi Meredith | naomimeredith.com/tptshop

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and...

It seems like January is the cold winter month where you are stuck inside, in many parts of the world, trying to keep your students entertained. Take this as a great opportunity to help students make connections to their environment and plan out STEM lessons that are connected to snow! In this episode, I’ll be sharing with you a variety of lessons you can do over the course of a week, or if you see classes once a week, that will take you the entire month. 

Snapshot of the week: 

We are back for another new year for the Elementary STEM Coach podcast, starting with the questions you wanted answered on Instagram, @naomimeredith_, and others that popped up in my email. I will be answering the questions you wanted the answers to in this fun, new episode.

Another year of Hour of Code has arrived. Are you ready for it? If not, that's okay because, in today's episode, I am sharing three hours of code lessons you can implement in your classroom. These lessons do not require you to be an expert coder, and they are easy to implement.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode136

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE for the podcast with...

I’m sharing three turkey-themed STEM lessons perfect for Thanksgiving week, plus a bonus LEGO activity to engage your students. These low-prep ideas pair with the books The Great Turkey Race, How to Catch a Turkey, and Turkey Trouble, incorporating creativity, engineering, and storytelling. Whether it’s building turkey catapults, or designing turkey disguises, these activities are easy to adapt for all ages and guarantee holiday fun in your classroom.

Make sure to listen to the end because I share a bonus, low-prep Thanksgiving activity that I am going to teach to my students this week!

He...

In this special episode, I’m recording from an exciting new location—my mobile STEM trailer!

This trailer is something I’ve dreamed of since 2020, and I’m thrilled to share how this vision came to life.

Join me as I give you a behind-the-scenes look at my journey, from hunting for the right vehicle to the inspiring reasons behind creating a mobile STEM classroom. I’ll share some fun stories, like my search for this trailer and how I’m setting it up to reach even more students in our community.

Plus, I’ll explain...

After being a classroom teacher for 6 years and stepping into a K-5 STEM role, there was a lot that I didn't know and also realized I would be concerned about. Over the years as a passionate STEM educator, there are a handful of things that scare me about K-5 STEM education that might scare you, too.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode183

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE...

If you are looking for Fall-themed STEM stations that aren’t Halloween-related, but still celebrate the time of year, I got you covered in this episode! I’ll explain how I organized the stations with a group of students and how they rotated through.

Then, I’ll share with you the three, easy-to-prep pumpkin STEM stations that you can try with students. In my group, I had kids from 4 years old to 10 years old mixed together, and they all had a blast!

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and al...

I’m diving into the spooky spirit with three fun and easy science experiments you can try with your students! Whether you’re planning a Halloween-themed lesson, a special event like trunk-or-treat, or want to add some excitement to your classroom, these activities are low-prep and big on fun.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode181

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE for the podcast with your questions and comm...

Are you looking for fun ways to celebrate Halloween in your STEM classroom without any chaos or your students bouncing off the wall? In today’s episode, I’m sharing seven spooky STEM activities that your students will love. Whether you’re looking for fun activities for a Halloween party or to incorporate some fall-themed activities into your lessons, these spooky STEM activities are perfect for your STEM classroom.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode129

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach...

When you teach multiple classes a day, how can you easily set up a classroom incentive that encourages positive behaviors? In this episode, I'll share with you a game I came up with that's easy, fun, and motivating for elementary students of all ages.

There is also a bonus clip where you will hear me introduce this incentive with a class and hear their reactions!

Link to Behavior Blast Off: https://naomimeredith.com/behaviorblastoff

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith...

During Parent Teacher Conference season, what is the typical expectation for STEM teachers? While this can vary from school to school, overall there is a common consensus amongst STEM Teachers of what they do during this time. How do I know this? Well, I went ahead and asked YOU and sharing your responses in this episode.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode178

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a voice message HERE...

In this episode, I dive into my Instagram DMs to answer some of the most common questions you’ve asked me about Makerspace. Whether you're an experienced STEM teacher or just getting started, I’m sharing tips on everything from managing materials to encouraging student collaboration. I’ll walk you through how I handle group projects, how students can "buy" supplies using a Makerspace menu, and creative ways to decide who gets to take projects home.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode177

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I’m sitting down with two incredible women in STEM, Kristie Reddick and Jessica Honaker—also known as The Bug Chicks! These two amazing entomologists have a passion for bugs and an even bigger passion for teaching kids and educators how to use insects as a powerful learning tool.

Kristie and Jessica share their fascinating journey from grad school to building a career that inspires others to see the beauty and importance of bugs in our world. We chat about everything from conquering fears to making STEM more approachable through hands-on experiences. Whether it’s using bugs to tea...

Back to school night for STEM teachers and classroom teachers can look very different.Back to school night expectations for STEM teachers is different for each school. As a STEM teacher, what should you set up for back to school night? In today’s episode, I will be sharing 5 back to school night ideas that STEM teachers can incorporate into their classrooms.

Head to the show notes for a full transcript of this episode, pictures, and all the links: https://naomimeredith.com/episode13

Download my Free K-5 STEM & Teach Year-Long Plan

Leave a vo...