One of my favorite things to do in the classroom is connect hands-on learning opportunities with great books. These fun and engaging activities coordinate with the amazing book Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty.
Fun in First Grade with Rosie Revere
Oh my goodness! Yesterday was such a fun day. I had a fabulous time in a first grade classroom getting this S.T.E.M. project up and going. The students were totally engaged! They were also on their best behavior! What a difference it makes when learning is fun! Okay, okay I might be using too many explanation points, but that’s just how fun it was!!!!
So first if you haven’t heard of Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty then you need to go get it now! This book is so darling!!! It is a must in every household and classroom in my opinion! You can get a beautiful hardcover for not very much on Amazon!! Click the image below (aff. link).
The first grade class I was invited to work with started the Rosie Revere unit before I got there. The teacher started off with teaching some key vocabulary. She picked 10 of the vocabulary words from the Rosie Revere unit and used the vocabulary teaching cards and definitions that were provided.
Pre-learning these vocabulary words helped the students understand the story when it was time to read. The class LOVED the story of Rosie Revere and were excited to do more with Rosie.
Next, the class learned about story structure. This is a key part of the upcoming project, so it is important to for the students to know about the story structure and the concepts of the story problem and solution.
Then it was my turn to come in and help with the STEM project. The students built their own flying machines just like Rosie.
In the Rosie Revere unit I have provided several different suggestions for making the flying matching. No matter what grade level you are working with, there is an option that will work great for you.
Since this was first grade I pre-cut the wings. You will notice in the images below that I used different boxes. This changed the aerodynamics of the planes.
The students could also add weight to the planes using Popsicle sticks and beans. I told them before they began that they would need to decide if their plane would fly better if they added weights in different places. Since this would effect the outcome of our upcoming experiments I gave the option but we didn’t talk about the reasons. The decision to add or not add weight was 100% with each student.
Here’s some of the designs they came up with:
Next, we wrapped the plane wings in paper. This made the edges smooth so that we could finish building Rosie Revere and the flying machine.
Finally, they add Rosie and their problem and solution circles. Students also had the option of adding “rockets” to the bottom using mini red cups and pompoms. (aff. links)
Time to Fly
Once the students had made their flying machines it was time to put them to the test. We went to the school courtyard and laid out yard sticks in a long line so we could test the distance. Some flew great… some not so much. We recorded all the data on the recording sheet that was provided in the unit.
We then had a conversation why or why not some flew and some didn’t. Clearly weight was a factor why some didn’t fly well.
Then it was time for the speed test. Since the center of Rosie’s flying machine is a paper towel tube, we were able to run a string down her that we tied to a chair. I held it in the air and we timed how long it took to get to the other side. The heavy ones out shined the lighter planes in this activity! We also recorded time in seconds on our data sheet.
We had a lot of fun and learned so much about the science of flight!
The class will finish up the Rosie Revere unit without me. They will start by comparing and contrasting the data from our experiments. They will also talk about character traits and the traits they saw in Rosie.
Finally, students will connect this amazing story to the real world as they learn more about engineers in the non-fiction foldable reader that is part of the unit.
Digital Too!
Now you can complete some of the Rosie Revere activities online too! I have taken many of the activities and turned them digital so that you can still engage your students with Rosie whether you are in class, virtual teaching or in a 1:1 classroom setting.
Bring Rosie Revere and STEM to Your Classroom
Your students will love learning with Rosie Revere, Engineer and these related book activities. Your students will work on a variety of reading, writing and science skills with the activities in this unit.
Save it for later
Not ready for Rosie Revere yet? Just pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can come back when you are ready for some hands-on fun with Rosie Revere, Engineer.
