STEM Challenges - Flip & Create Books

Flip & Create is an all-in-one STEM early finisher resource that promotes hands-on learning, engineering, creative thinking, reflection, and play. This bundle includes 140 flip books (and growing). This resource is ideal for primary students (grades 1-2, some K students may be able to use them).

The layout of each book is the same. This is so students can spend more time creating and less time deciphering instructions. Also, this allows you to have more time for real teaching.

• Step A: Accept the Task
• Step B: Sketch It Out
• Step C: Needed Materials
• Step D: Gather Materials & Build
• Step E: Explain Your Creation
• Step F: Reflect On How to Make It Better

Step A (Accept the Task): On this page of the flip book, a real-life photograph of what students will be creating is provided for them. Students aren’t required or encouraged to replicate the exact image. This is just a starting point. We want students to be innovative engineers! At the bottom of this page, students will learn a cool fact about what is shown in the photograph OR they will be asked to think about how they’ll build their creation.

Step B (Sketch It Out): On this page of the flip book, students will draw a detailed sketch of how they want their creation to look. They can label each part with the materials they’ll need OR they can just keep it about the picture. This is their free space to brainstorm how they want their creation to look, what materials they will need, whether their creation will be 3D or not, how many pieces it will include, etc.

Step C (Needed Materials): On this page of the flip book, students will write a list of materials they will need in order to build their creation.

Step D (Gather Materials & Build): Now they will gather their materials, refer back to their detailed sketch (and the photograph, if they wish), and begin building. Students will want to think about their plan for building, the size of their structure, and the materials they will need.

Step E (Write About It): On this page of the flip book, students will explain how they designed and built their creation.

Step F (Reflect On It): And finally, students will reflect on their creation. They’ll write what they would do differently next time (materials, design, strength, size, etc.).

About the Materials: You’ll want to have a designated spot in your classroom where students can gather the engineering manipulatives for their creation. You can use a storage tower, bins, tubs, or even Ziplocs. What is most important is that students can easily access the materials. A lot of the materials listed are ones you probably already have on hands (example: index cards, tape, aluminum foil). I provide labels for you in this resource (also you’ll find an editable label version in this resource, as well, in case you want to add your own labels).

Have questions? Email Lyndsey at lyndsey@lyndseykuster.com. Thank you!