Language and Literacy with a STEM Focus

I recently presented a workshop at the California AEYC Conference in Ontario, CA. We discussed taking a STEM/STEAM approach when reinforcing language and literacy activities. Some of the fun activities that we discussed were:

-Placing letters of the alphabet in sand and having the child find and identify the each letter.

-Form the letters of the alphabet out of play dough prior to having them write the letters on a paper.

-Use a magnifying glass to find identified letters in a magazine or newspaper.

-Write a letter on each small paper cup. Using craft sticks, have the child 'build' a word, creating an engineered tower or building.

The answer to making sure the child is supported in ALL skills is to integrate as many skills as you can in one activity. By using the correct terminology and support, several skills can be reinforced during one activity.