STEM Foundations (K)
Kid Spark’s Kindergarten STEM Foundations lessons build on early exploration as students deepen their understanding of how things move and stay strong. Students explore sequencing, adding and subtracting, and cause and effect as they plan, test, and improve their designs. These hands-on engineering and problem-solving experiences strengthen persistence and creativity, preparing students to apply their ideas in future Storytime Inventing lessons.
Included Curriculum:
9 Lessons
Minimum Time Commitment:
5+ Hours of Curriculum
Grade Level:
Pre-K - 1st
Lessons
Explore the Lab
In this lesson, students will explore and interact with Kid Spark engineering materials to learn how blocks connect, come apart, and form original designs. Students will build foundational STEM fluencies such as observation, spatial awareness, and collaborative problem-solving.
How to Invent
In this lesson, students will learn a simple design and engineering process: think of a problem, imagine a solution, and invent a solution. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, students will explore how inventors solve problems and design their own invention.
Follow the Steps
In this lesson, students will learn that a sequence is the order of steps. Using first, next, and last, they will explore how sequencing leads to successful designs. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, students will build and explain their steps for a partner to follow.
What Will Happen Next?
In this lesson, students will explore cause and effect—how one action can make another happen. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, they will predict and test outcomes with simple builds, developing early reasoning, observation, and problem-solving skills.
Make Things Strong
In this lesson, students will explore what makes a bridge strong. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, they will test how adding supporting blocks and girders increases strength, then design and share sturdy bridges that stay safe and steady.
Make Things Move
In this lesson, students will explore how wheels, axles, and hinges help objects move. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, they will test how each part works, then invent a design that moves, rolls, or opens, and reflect on how movement makes everyday life easier.
Add with Blocks
In this lesson, students will explore the meaning of addition by building with blocks. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, they will learn that addition means joining groups together to find the total, building models to show how combining parts gives a total.
Subtract with Blocks
In this lesson, students will explore subtraction by building with blocks. Using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab, they will learn that subtraction means taking away parts to find how many are left, building models to show how removing pieces changes the total.
Invent a Solution
In this lesson, students will practice solving problems by following three steps: identify a problem, imagine a solution, and build an invention using the Kid Spark Early Inventors STEM Lab. The lesson also serves as a checkpoint to see how students apply these steps.