Jewel's School Gems by Jewel Pastor
Fun STEM activities and ideas for busy elementary school teachers like you!
I have a confession to make. I’ve never heard of STEM until 2017. I know, I know. You’re probably shaking your head and thinking Jewel has been hiding under a rock for the longest time. Well, that was in the past — thanks to my innovative ex-principal who believed in me even though I was mostly clueless at the start…
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This is a post about what STEM is. It’s about what it means to STEM educators and authors who have dedicated much of their time in designing and creating meaningful resources for teachers like you. It’s about answering this question: What is STEM? So teachers who are new to STEM or are clueless about it will gain a better understanding…
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Several years ago, when STEM became official at my school, my first thought was how would I find time to do another thing. Our days are chock-full of required subject minutes, pacing guides to follow, test prep and testing itself. Teachers were already performing a juggling act and now I have to fit in STEM, too. Truth be told, I love science…
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A few years ago, when my friend first got word that her school would be embracing STEM, not everyone was pleased. Like many of you, she didn’t get much instruction or training, only that now they were supposed to “do it”. She and a colleague decided their best bet was to find something pre-packaged and quickly came across a picture…
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Are you trying out STEM activities for the first time? Or are you just looking for a STEM challenge that can be done during any time of the year? Well, here’s a free STEM activity that you might want to try with your students today. WHAT IS THIS FREE STEM ACTIVITY ALL ABOUT? This Bird Feeder FREE STEM Activity is perfect for…
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Hello, Friends! By now your classroom is decorated, you have gotten to know your students, most routines are in place, and you have become familiar with that new math or reading curriculum. But what about STEM? Are you comfortable with it? Do you feel excited when implementing STEM lessons or does it feel like one more thing has been added…
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We’ve all heard it. Set expectations right at the start. Though I agree that classroom management should be at the top of a teacher’s list at the beginning of the year, I also believe that first day back at school should be fun for students. Science classes are no exception. There’s nothing worse than making kids feel that this awesome…
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Eels, sharks, manatees, dolphins, fish and shellfish – all of these are ocean animals. Ocean animals and the habitat they live in (the ocean!) are vitally important to humans. While ocean creatures and their ocean habitats are essential in keeping various ecosystems in balance, many ocean animals also serve as food to billions of humans (and other animals) worldwide. These are…
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If you could describe each year of your teaching life with a song, what would your playlist look like? After coming up with my list below, I realized mine is a mix of old and new upbeat tunes, plus a lot of feel-good and inspirational songs. These songs very well describe the experiences I’ve gone through all these years. Here…
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It’s been a while since my last blog post. Like you, I have been dealing with All. The. Things. When I finally sat down to write this blog post, there were many ideas I wanted to share, but I decided to write about STEM Choice Boards, and in a minute, you will see why! Never in my wildest dreams could…
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Earth Day is a wonderful day of education and awareness of environmental protection and sustainability. Introduced in 1970 by Senator Nelson of Wisconsin, the first Earth Day was a huge success attended by approximately 20 million people at different sites across the United States. Earth Day is now recognized globally on April 22 by 193 countries and events are coordinated…
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