Mouse Adventures will engage young learners in STEM and computer science through a set of five integrated Storytime STEM+C challenges.
1. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
STEM+C Concepts
Computer Science: Hardware/Software
Mathematics: Counting and Addition
This challenge starts with reading the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and then children sequence the events in this fun story. Next, the children draw a family picture and use counters and ten frames to represent the number of family members. They work with others to make addition come to life in context, as they find the total number of family members from two or more children. Last, children transform Blue-Bot into Mouse-Bot with cardboard cut-outs and explore how the robot works.
2. If You Take a Mouse to School Part 1
STEM+C Concepts
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
After listening to the story, children program Mouse-Bot to go from home to school and then to play after school on a colorful vinyl mat featuring landmarks from the story. Symbol cards are provided and help children keep track of and debug their programs.
3. If you Take a Mouse to School Part 2
STEM+ C Concepts
Engineering Design: Developing and optimizing design solutions
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
Children revisit the story and discuss how they can help Mouse clean up the purple goo mess from the science experiment. They watch a purple bath bomb “explode” simulating the science experiment from the book. Using simple materials, children plan, make, and test a clean-up tool for Mouse-Bot to soak up the purple goo. At the end, they program Mouse-Bot to clean up “messy” areas around the school, going to purple dots placed on the vinyl mat.
If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 1
STEM+C Concepts:
Mathematics: Place value
Computer Science: Decoding problems
Children listen to the captivating story If You Give a Mouse a Brownie. Enacting scenes from the book, they engage in a counting collection activity, counting tickets that Mouse made for his rock concert. Then they decode programs shown on Mystery Cards to determine where Mouse has placed his rock concert posters around the town.
5. If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 2
STEM+C Concepts
Mathematics: Adding and subtracting
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
Children send Mouse on a new adventure trying to make the most efficient route possible to get to places on the vinyl mat of their choosing. They use guidelines to map out their route, with the goal of avoiding certain obstacles, but jumping in as many puddles as possible, keeping track of the points they receive. A storyboarding activity provides an English Language Arts extension.
Included in this set of five integrated STEM+C challenges above, you'll find:
- 1 hardcover book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
- 1 Mouse Adventures Summary Sheet
- 1 Mouse Adventures QR code sheet
- 1 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Facilitator Guide (lesson plan)
- 5 sheets Story Sequence Cards (large - teacher)
- 12 sheets Story Sequence Cards (small - children)
- 12 sheets Ten-Frame cards
- 1 Blue-Bot Instruction Card
- 1 Computer Science Teacher Card
- 250 bingo chips
- 3 sheets Mouse costume cards - use QR code on QR code sheet to reprint
- 3 rolls clear tape
- 1 hardcover book If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
- 1 If You Take a Mouse to School Part 1 Facilitator Guide (lesson plan)
- 12 sheets Blue-Bot images
- 12 sheets small symbol cards (children)
- 9 sheets large symbol cards (teacher)
- 6 sheets Mouse Plays After School Recording Sheet
- 8.5x11 magnet sheet
- 2 sheets word wall cards
- 1 If You Take a Mouse to School Part 2 Facilitator Guide (lesson plan)
- 1 Engineering Design Concept Card
- 1 hardcover book If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff
- 1 If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 1 Facilitator Guide
- 1 sheet Mystery Poster Teacher Card PreK-K
- 1 sheet Mystery Poster Teacher Card Grade 1-2 2
- 6 sheets Mystery Poster Children Cards PreK-K
- 6 sheets Mystery Poster Children Cards Grade 1-2
- 1 If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 2 Facilitator Guide (lesson plan)
- 1 roll of tickets
- 250 cupcake liners
- 6 sheets mats with yellow quadrants.
- 6 sheets Guidelines to Calculate Points PreK-K
- 6 sheets Guidelines to Calculate Points Grade 1-2
- 6 sheet protectors
- 6 dry erase markers
- 2 aluminum foil tubs
- 10 clear 2 oz. cups
- 1 bath bomb
- Craft sticks
- Index cards
- Paper Towels
- Shredded paper
- Felt rectangles
- Microfiber sheets
- Cotton pads
- 1 roll of masking tape
- Purple dots
- 12 sheets Counting Tickets Recording Sheets
- 1 blank grid teacher, 6 sheets with 4 blank grids
- 12 Storyboard Sheets
- A set of 6 vinyl Mouse Adventure Mats (30” x41”) formatted to be used with Blue-Bot/Bee-Bots
Each of the challenges takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. These STEM+ computer science challenges are suitable for grades PreK-2.