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Weeks 19-22: Exploration Stations

Unit Overview
Grade Level Kindergarten
Duration 4 sessions × 25 minutes
Lesson Type Long Arc Project
STREAM Focus All — Rotation through different stations

This four-week unit allows kindergarteners to explore different STREAM areas at their own pace through rotating stations.

Weeks 19-22: Exploration Stations

🎯 Learning Objectives

STEM Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Explore multiple STREAM areas independently 2. Make choices about their learning 3. Practice previously learned skills 4. Discover new interests

Faith Integration Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Recognize that God gave everyone different interests 2. See learning as a joyful gift 3. Appreciate classmates' different strengths

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration

Catholic Teaching Connection

Diversity of Gifts — God made each person unique with different talents and interests. When we explore different activities, we discover the gifts God gave us!

Scripture Connection

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them." — 1 Corinthians 12:4

Wonder Question

"Have you ever wondered why some people like building and others like drawing? God gave everyone different interests so we can help each other!"

📚 Materials and Preparation

Station Materials

Station 1: Building Zone (Engineering) | Item | Quantity | |------|----------| | KEVA Planks | 50+ | | Building challenge cards | 5-6 cards | | Measuring tape (optional) | 1 |

Station 2: Robot Corner (Technology) | Item | Quantity | |------|----------| | Spheros or Bee-Bots | 2-3 | | iPads | 2-3 | | Simple maze on floor | 1 |

Station 3: Art & Creation (Art) | Item | Quantity | |------|----------| | Drawing supplies | Assorted | | Craft materials | Assorted | | Simple art prompts | 5-6 |

Station 4: Science Discovery (Science) | Item | Quantity | |------|----------| | Magnifying glasses | 3-4 | | Nature items to observe | Collection | | Simple science cards | 5-6 |

Station 5: Math Patterns (Math) | Item | Quantity | |------|----------| | Pattern blocks | Set | | Pattern cards | 5-6 | | Counting items | Various |

Teacher Preparation

  • Set up 4-5 stations around the room

  • Create station signs with pictures

  • Prepare rotation chart

  • Create simple activity cards for each station

  • Prepare station passports for students

📝 Station Rotation System

How Stations Work

Option A: Free Choice

  • Students choose which stations to visit

  • Use "passport" to track where they've been

  • Must visit at least 2 stations per session

Option B: Guided Rotation

  • Class divided into 4-5 groups

  • Groups rotate every 5-6 minutes at signal

  • Everyone visits all stations each week

Recommended for Kindergarten: Guided rotation with some free choice time

📝 Week 19: Introduction & First Rotation

⏱️ Timing Guide (25 minutes)

Section Time Activity
Opening Prayer & Intro 4 min Explain stations
Station Time 18 min Rotate through 3 stations
Closing 3 min Share favorites

1. Opening Prayer & Introduction (4 minutes)

Prayer:

"Dear God, thank you for giving us so many ways to learn. Help us to discover new things we love and to see Your gifts in ourselves and our friends. Amen."

Explain Stations:

"For the next few weeks, we're going to explore different STREAM stations! Each station has different activities. You'll get to try them all!"

Tour the stations quickly:

  • "Here's the Building Zone — you can build with KEVA!"

  • "Here's Robot Corner — you can drive robots!"

  • "Here's Art & Creation — you can draw and make things!"

  • "Here's Science Discovery — you can explore and observe!"

  • "Here's Math Patterns — you can make patterns!"

Review expectations:

  • Stay at your station until the signal

  • Clean up before moving

  • Try the activities at each station

2. Station Time (18 minutes)

Rotate through 3 stations (6 minutes each)

Use a chime or song to signal rotation.

Teacher circulates asking:

  • "What are you discovering?"

  • "What do you like about this station?"

  • "What are you learning?"

3. Closing (3 minutes)

Quick share:

"Thumbs up if you liked Building Zone! Robot Corner! Art! Science! Math!"

Preview:

"Next week, we'll explore more stations!"

Closing Prayer:

"Thank you, God, for helping us explore today. Amen."

📝 Weeks 20-21: Continued Exploration

Each week follows similar structure:

Section Time Activity
Opening Prayer 2 min Quick prayer
Station Time 20 min Visit 3-4 stations
Closing 3 min Share and reflect

Weekly Focus Questions

Week 20:

"Which station is your favorite so far? Why?"

Week 21:

"What have you learned that you didn't know before?"

📝 Week 22: Final Exploration & Sharing

⏱️ Timing Guide (25 minutes)

Section Time Activity
Opening Prayer 2 min Prayer
Favorite Station Time 10 min Choose your favorite
Sharing Circle 10 min Share what you discovered
Closing 3 min Celebration

1. Opening Prayer (2 minutes)

Prayer:

"Dear God, thank you for these weeks of exploration. Help us to share what we've learned with our friends. Amen."

2. Favorite Station Time (10 minutes)

"Today you get to spend more time at your FAVORITE station! Go to the station you liked best and create something special to share."

Students choose and work at favorite station.

3. Sharing Circle (10 minutes)

Gather together.

Each student shares:

  • "My favorite station was _____"

  • "I liked it because _____"

  • Show what they made (optional)

Celebrate diversity:

"Look how different we all are! Some of you loved building, some loved robots, some loved art. God made each of you special with different interests!"

4. Closing Celebration (3 minutes)

Affirmation:

"You are all explorers! You tried new things and discovered what you love. That's what scientists and engineers do!"

Closing Prayer:

"Thank you, God, for giving us curious minds and different gifts. Help us to keep exploring and learning. Amen."

🎯 Station Activity Cards

Station 1: Building Zone

Challenge Cards: 1. Build the tallest tower you can 2. Build a house with a door 3. Build a bridge between two books 4. Build a chair for a stuffed animal 5. Build your name with blocks

Station 2: Robot Corner

Challenge Cards: 1. Drive the robot forward and backward 2. Make the robot turn in a circle 3. Drive through the maze 4. Make the robot dance 5. Drive to a target spot

Station 3: Art & Creation

Prompt Cards: 1. Draw your favorite animal 2. Make something with shapes 3. Draw something God made 4. Create with pipe cleaners 5. Design a new robot

Station 4: Science Discovery

Activity Cards: 1. Look at a leaf with a magnifying glass 2. Find something smooth and something rough 3. Sort items by color 4. Find living and non-living things 5. Look closely at a rock

Station 5: Math Patterns

Challenge Cards: 1. Make a pattern with 2 colors 2. Make a pattern with 3 shapes 3. Count to 20 with items 4. Sort shapes by size 5. Build a shape pattern block picture

✅ Assessment

Station Passport

Students receive a "passport" stamped/stickered at each station visited.

Observation Notes

Student Preferred Stations Skills Demonstrated Notes

Success Criteria

  • Visits all stations over 4 weeks

  • Engages meaningfully at each station

  • Can express a preference or interest

  • Shows growth in at least one area

🔄 Differentiation

For Students Who Need Support

  • Assigned buddy at stations

  • Simplified challenge cards

  • Adult helper at challenging stations

  • Fewer stations to reduce overwhelm

For Advanced Learners

  • Extended challenges at each station

  • Station helper role

  • Document discoveries in journal

  • Create new challenge cards

🆘 Substitute Teacher Notes

Each week: 1. Opening prayer 2. Students rotate through stations (5-6 min each) 3. Use timer or song for rotation 4. Closing prayer

Key phrases:

  • "Try the activities at your station"

  • "Clean up before you move"

  • "It's okay to ask for help"

📋 Station Passport

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|               MY STATION PASSPORT                       |
|                 Name: ________________                  |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                         |
|  Building Zone     [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]                      |
|                                                         |
|  Robot Corner      [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]                      |
|                                                         |
|  Art & Creation    [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]                      |
|                                                         |
|  Science Discovery [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]                      |
|                                                         |
|  Math Patterns     [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]                      |
|                                                         |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
|  My FAVORITE station: _________________________         |
|                                                         |
|  Because: ______________________________________        |
+---------------------------------------------------------+

📎 Home Connection

Family Note (Week 19):

"We're starting Exploration Stations in STREAM! Over the next four weeks, your child will explore different areas: building, robots, art, science, and math. Ask them each week: 'What station did you visit today? What did you discover?'"

Family Note (Week 22):

"We completed our Exploration Stations! Ask your child which station was their favorite and why. Everyone discovered different interests — just like God made each of us unique with different gifts!"

Lesson Version: 1.0
Last Updated: 2025-12-05