App

HowtoSmile

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Access countless activities to use in STEM curriculum. This app is a collection of science, technology, engineering, math, and even art ideas are cataloged by topic and easily accessed from one spot. 

1st - 12th Science 52 Views 24 Downloads
Additional Tags
App Overview

From the Home Screen:

  • Search: Search by entering your own keywords
  • Browse by Topic: Activities sorted into 20 relevant topics
  • Top 20 Activities: Criteria for selecting activities as "top" not explained
  • Read Our Blog: Recent entries, arranged by date. Links to pertinent activities written right into the blogs
  • Acknowledgements

Topics Include:

  • Animals
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Citizen Science
  • Collecting
  • Computers
  • Crime Science
  • Electronics
  • Financial Literacy
  • Food and Cooking
  • Games
  • Gardening
  • Historical Reenactment
  • Literature
  • Model Building
  • Music
  • Outdoor Activity
  • Nature and Environment
  • Performing Arts
  • Photography and Film/Video
  • Sports and Exercise
  • Toys
  • Transportation

Once you have chosen a topic, you can further drill down by filtering the age range and materials cost.

Each Activity Listed Includes:

  • An attractive image
  • Internet link to the original activity
  • Star rating on a five-point scale
  • Description
  • Quick Guide, which included preparation and learning time, estimated cost, age range, resource types
  • Keywords
  • Materials List
  • Subjects covered
  • What learners need to participate and which learning styles are employed
  • Credits

 

Join for full overview
Curator Rating
  • Adherence to task
  • Worth the money

    A useful tool available at no cost

  • Fun factor
  • Scaffolding of learning

    No guidance provided, but not really needed

  • User safety

    Links to outside websites

  • Control and feedback

    Ideally, there should be a way to mark favorites

  • How techie do I need to be?
    Intermediate
Instructional Ideas

Spend time examining the collection of resources that have been gathered and reviewed for use in your STEM curriculum.

Find ideas, tips, and support in the blog section. Each blog post contains links to several of the suggested activities.

Allow your class to browse the clusters of activities to inspire personal science fair experiments.

Classroom Considerations

Not all of the activities listed within each topic directly relate to it. For example, on the first page of literature suggestions, only one of them refers to any reading materials.

At the time of this review, most of the star ratings were empty.

You will need to have an Internet connection, as every activity is on its own website.

Pros
  • STEM resources reviewed by a team of experts
  • Material is supported by the National Science Foundation
Cons
  • Must have Internet connection to access the original activity websites