ASP 3-28-22
At ASP on Monday we finished up our pollinator project with LEGO WeDo 2.0!
We completed building our flower and pollinator out of LEGO, then used iPads to program it to fly around and stop at the flower.
We completed building our flower and pollinator out of LEGO, then used iPads to program it to fly around and stop at the flower.
ASP 3-21-22
Yesterday at ASP, we learned more about Pollinators.
We read a beautifully illustrated book called "Flowers Are Calling."
This gave us many examples of different pollinators: bee, bat, moth, hummingbird, etc.
We then used our LEGO WeDo 2.0 Kits to build a pollinator and flower. Next time, we will code and program our creations to make the pollinator spin around and stop at the flower.
We read a beautifully illustrated book called "Flowers Are Calling."
This gave us many examples of different pollinators: bee, bat, moth, hummingbird, etc.
We then used our LEGO WeDo 2.0 Kits to build a pollinator and flower. Next time, we will code and program our creations to make the pollinator spin around and stop at the flower.
3/9/22
Be sure to check out this week’s Lakota American newspaper for a Q&A about STEM, featuring little ol’ me!
Thank you so much for the interview!
Thank you so much for the interview!
ASP 3/7/22
Today at ASP it was all about Rainbows
We needed something bright and colorful to usher in spring! And we definitely worked on our color and art skills, as well as our language skills.
There were 4 stations:
1) Color the rainbow: a fancy coloring page decorated with colored pencils
2) Make a Rainbow Simile Poem: “Red is like a rose that blooms, orange is…, yellow is…”
3) Marker Chromatography: separating the different pigments in marker ink (have them finish the last couple of steps at home!)
4) And the clear favorite, Skittles and Statistics. We drew data on how many skittles of each color were in our groups, and made our results into a pie graph in Excel.
And then we ate the skittles.
Shine bright, students!!
We needed something bright and colorful to usher in spring! And we definitely worked on our color and art skills, as well as our language skills.
There were 4 stations:
1) Color the rainbow: a fancy coloring page decorated with colored pencils
2) Make a Rainbow Simile Poem: “Red is like a rose that blooms, orange is…, yellow is…”
3) Marker Chromatography: separating the different pigments in marker ink (have them finish the last couple of steps at home!)
4) And the clear favorite, Skittles and Statistics. We drew data on how many skittles of each color were in our groups, and made our results into a pie graph in Excel.
And then we ate the skittles.
Shine bright, students!!
ASP 2-28-22
March is Reading Month! So we read a book entitled “Clink” by Kelly DiPucchio and Matthew Myers. It’s about a robot in a shop that feels he isn’t as fancy, or cool, or useful as the other robots. But eventually he finds a kid who sees his potential and thinks he is perfect as he is!
We then used our STEM bins to design our own versions of Clink.
2022 Lakota Public Schools STEM Expo!!
Well, that is a wrap!
Thank you for everyone that came out to support the STEM Expo in conjunction with Engineers Week.
The stations were as follows:
1) Lego Free-Building Table: Build a creation with LEGO
2) Makerspace Table: Make anything you want with Mrs. Ulland’s craft supplies.
3) Tinker Table: Using hand tools to tinker with and take apart some old electronics.
4) Robotics Board Showcase: Tommy helped show how to code and move the robot around the board.
5) Cardboard City: Help Mrs. Ulland make a city out of cardboard (buildings, roads, houses, cars, etc.)
And of course, the food. We had sub sandwiches, chips, cookies, and waters.
I was thrilled to see so many “junior engineers” and their families in attendance. The winner of our Lego Door Prize was Leightyn Daws!!
Thank you to all those that helped make it possible, from the planning, to the set up, to the clean up.
I appreciate our school and community!!
Thank you for everyone that came out to support the STEM Expo in conjunction with Engineers Week.
The stations were as follows:
1) Lego Free-Building Table: Build a creation with LEGO
2) Makerspace Table: Make anything you want with Mrs. Ulland’s craft supplies.
3) Tinker Table: Using hand tools to tinker with and take apart some old electronics.
4) Robotics Board Showcase: Tommy helped show how to code and move the robot around the board.
5) Cardboard City: Help Mrs. Ulland make a city out of cardboard (buildings, roads, houses, cars, etc.)
And of course, the food. We had sub sandwiches, chips, cookies, and waters.
I was thrilled to see so many “junior engineers” and their families in attendance. The winner of our Lego Door Prize was Leightyn Daws!!
Thank you to all those that helped make it possible, from the planning, to the set up, to the clean up.
I appreciate our school and community!!
Lakota Public Schools to Hold First ever STEM Expo!
Come one come all to the Lakota Public Schools STEM Expo in conjunction with Engineers Week!
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Lakota Elementary Gym
Come any time between 5-7 pm for interactive stations and refreshments! Open to all grades, parents, and the community.
Please RSVP by 2.22.22 with family name and # attending.
So excited to see you and give a taste of what the STEM program has been up to this year! Please also comment with any questions, feedback, or suggestions to make the STEM Program successful!
Thank you,
Brandie Ulland, STEM Coordinator/Lakota Public Schools
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Lakota Elementary Gym
Come any time between 5-7 pm for interactive stations and refreshments! Open to all grades, parents, and the community.
Please RSVP by 2.22.22 with family name and # attending.
So excited to see you and give a taste of what the STEM program has been up to this year! Please also comment with any questions, feedback, or suggestions to make the STEM Program successful!
Thank you,
Brandie Ulland, STEM Coordinator/Lakota Public Schools
ASP 2-14-22
Today at ASP we had Valentine-themed STEM stations. Each group had 12 minutes and then rotated to the next station.
Station 1 was a Build-a-Heart with Mrs. Ulland’s makerspace materials: pom poms, fabric, ribbon, scrap paper and lots of glue!
Station 2 was a Build-a-Valentine LEGO station. We had some really cool builds! For example, one was a Valentine jet with a machine that loaded valentines on it through a hose.
Station 3 was an Air Mail station where they wrote valentine notes on paper and then folded them into paper airplanes!
Station 4 was a Candy Sculpture. They progressively added to what the previous group built, using valentines candy and toothpicks. We tried to see how tall and wide we could go!
Mrs. Ulland had “heart eyes” for how well it was received
Be sure to check backpacks for a reminder letter that came home with the kids. Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
Station 1 was a Build-a-Heart with Mrs. Ulland’s makerspace materials: pom poms, fabric, ribbon, scrap paper and lots of glue!
Station 2 was a Build-a-Valentine LEGO station. We had some really cool builds! For example, one was a Valentine jet with a machine that loaded valentines on it through a hose.
Station 3 was an Air Mail station where they wrote valentine notes on paper and then folded them into paper airplanes!
Station 4 was a Candy Sculpture. They progressively added to what the previous group built, using valentines candy and toothpicks. We tried to see how tall and wide we could go!
Mrs. Ulland had “heart eyes” for how well it was received
Be sure to check backpacks for a reminder letter that came home with the kids. Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
ASP 2-7-22
ASP was up the WALLS today!!
That being said, we celebrated the upcoming Super Bowl by designing and building a free-standing goalpost.
Then, we took a catapult and tried to make field goals with a “football” (ping pong ball).
When that was over, we had a variety of football color pages and puzzlers to finish out the day.
That being said, we celebrated the upcoming Super Bowl by designing and building a free-standing goalpost.
Then, we took a catapult and tried to make field goals with a “football” (ping pong ball).
When that was over, we had a variety of football color pages and puzzlers to finish out the day.
2-2-22
Mrs. Ulland's Snow Day STEM ChalLenge #2
Make a creation out of cardboard/boxes. It can be anything you want: an animal, a vehicle, a building for your toys, furniture, etc. You can cut, color, glue any which way (ask your parents first!)
Post a picture below and if we have a lot of entries, Mrs. Ulland will draw for a prize!
Happy creating!
2-1-22
Mrs. Ulland's Snow Day STEM Challenge
Mrs. Ulland’s Elementary SNOWDAY STEM challenge:
Build a fort in your house/daycare, and have someone snap a pic of you reading a book in your creation!
Post the pic below and if we have a lot of entries, Mrs. Ulland will draw for a prize!
Happy building!
Build a fort in your house/daycare, and have someone snap a pic of you reading a book in your creation!
Post the pic below and if we have a lot of entries, Mrs. Ulland will draw for a prize!
Happy building!
ASP 1-31-22
At ASP, we did cup stacking…with a twist! We had already practiced cup stacking by hand with our Raider families. This time, we couldn’t use our hands…only string and rubber bands!!
It took a lot of focus, teamwork, and determination. Not to mention patience!
All of the groups did a great job.
It took a lot of focus, teamwork, and determination. Not to mention patience!
All of the groups did a great job.
ASP 1-10-22
“There’s a marshmallow in my spaghetti!
Wait a minute…
There’s spaghetti in my marshmallows!”
At ASP today the kids were put in teams, and Mrs. Ulland gave them a challenge. Build the tallest tower you can out of marshmallows and spaghetti noodles.
It was really hard to finish this task without snacking on a few marshmallows!
Wait a minute…
There’s spaghetti in my marshmallows!”
At ASP today the kids were put in teams, and Mrs. Ulland gave them a challenge. Build the tallest tower you can out of marshmallows and spaghetti noodles.
It was really hard to finish this task without snacking on a few marshmallows!
ASP 12-13-21
The creativity was evident at ASP today!
Through a Donors Choose project, our STEM program received 16 STEM Learn and Play Bins from hand2mind. Each kit contains construction materials (play dough, straws, connectors, legos, etc.) along with challenge cards.
We divided in groups of 2 (one group had 3) and we got to collaborating. There is a wipe off card in the bin where you can draw your designs and plan your materials.
The kids were eager to describe their creations! The possibilities were limitless.
Thank you to our generous contributors!!
Through a Donors Choose project, our STEM program received 16 STEM Learn and Play Bins from hand2mind. Each kit contains construction materials (play dough, straws, connectors, legos, etc.) along with challenge cards.
We divided in groups of 2 (one group had 3) and we got to collaborating. There is a wipe off card in the bin where you can draw your designs and plan your materials.
The kids were eager to describe their creations! The possibilities were limitless.
Thank you to our generous contributors!!
ASP 11-29-21
We had a blast making simple circuits at ASP today! The kids had a chance to explore and build using Snap Circuits.
Last spring, through GEER funding, the school was able to purchase several STEM games, puzzles, and activities for each elementary classroom to have on hand. Snap Circuits were one of the purchases! I admittedly didn’t know a lot about them so the kids were my little guinea pigs today - they dove right in!
Last spring, through GEER funding, the school was able to purchase several STEM games, puzzles, and activities for each elementary classroom to have on hand. Snap Circuits were one of the purchases! I admittedly didn’t know a lot about them so the kids were my little guinea pigs today - they dove right in!
ASP 11-22-21
We had a “Sound Lab.” First we read the story “What’s That Sound?” by Mary Lawrence.
Then we demonstrated sound waves with slinkies! (RIP slinkies)
We played a game of Mystery Sounds, where the students had to guess what objects I had in my shakers.
Finally, we made kazoos out of toilet paper tubes, tissue paper, and rubber bands.
Then we demonstrated sound waves with slinkies! (RIP slinkies)
We played a game of Mystery Sounds, where the students had to guess what objects I had in my shakers.
Finally, we made kazoos out of toilet paper tubes, tissue paper, and rubber bands.
11-21-21 LEGO Robotics
10-27-21 Lakota American Article
Our little STEM program got extensive coverage in this week’s Lakota American newspaper!
ASP 10-18-21
Today we were introduced to LEGO WeDo 2.0! We built and coded 1) a Glowing Snail, 2) a Cooling Fan, 3) a Moving Satellite, and 4) an I Spy Robot with a motion sensor. Provided by a generous donation from 3M Brookings (via Donors Choose).
ASP 10-11-21
It was fort building day! We divided into teams and planned a design. Then we built; sometimes we had to brainstorm to find a better way to improve our designs. So much fun and lots of great teamwork!
After School Program 10-4-21
We made pumpkin geoboards and had a geometry challenge!
After School Program 9/20/21
Boy we had another spirited group for ASP today! I think the teachers are after that one.
We made catapults today and had target practice
We made catapults today and had target practice