These November STEM challenges will make learning hands-on and fun. Here are five books to introduce creative robotics and engineering activities, ideal for elementary classrooms.
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet Inspired by the story of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade creator, Tony Sarg, students can design their own parade floats! Challenge them to build small-scale floats with materials like cardboard, balloons, and markers. For an added twist, incorporate a Sphero Mini to act as a "parade controller," moving the floats in a creative line-up. This activity encourages engineering skills and gives students the thrill of parade planning.
The Great Turkey Race by Steve Metzger In this Thanksgiving tale, turkeys compete in a series of races, which is perfect for a classroom STEM challenge! Students can create an obstacle course with simple materials. Use a Sphero Mini or another small robot, and have students navigate through the course, teaching them about sequencing and problem-solving as they "race" their turkeys to the finish line.
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll This classic story of two mice growing the biggest pumpkin ever is a great springboard for a STEM gardening challenge. Have students design their own "pumpkin patch" by building models of pumpkins using items like paper, clay, or fabric. Then, introduce a coding activity where students program a robot to “plant” seeds and “water” the pumpkins by navigating a path, helping them understand the basics of coding and the science of growth cycles.
Turkey Trot Plot by Lee Harper This book about a turkey race can inspire a maze-building STEM challenge! Have students create a maze using blocks or cardboard and program a Sphero Mini or another robot to follow a “turkey’s path” through the maze. This activity reinforces spatial awareness, planning, and the basics of programming as students navigate their turkeys to the finish line.
How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton This humorous story is perfect for a design challenge on creating traps or obstacles. Have students work in teams to design a turkey-catching contraption using recycled materials. They can test their designs by setting up a small robot to “escape” through different parts of the contraption. This activity builds engineering skills and encourages teamwork and creative thinking.
Each of these books provides a unique story that can spark curiosity and exploration in STEM, whether through coding with a Sphero Mini or hands-on engineering challenges. By pairing these read-alouds with robotics activities, students get a memorable and engaging experience that brings literature to life in innovative ways.