DiversiTECH Dane Elementary STEM labs are sure to ignite curiosity, confidence, and foundational tech literacy through playful, sensory-rich learning experiences for children under age 10.
Grounded in the principles of universal design, these labs prioritize accessibility and creativity for all young learners, including those with disabilities, sensory needs, and emerging language skills.
Key Features of DiversiTECH Dane Elementary Labs
Preschool & Early Elementary Focus
Aligned with PK–3 development, children explore basic engineering, logic, and science concepts through guided play and structured experimentation.
Hands-On Learning Stations
Activities include building circuits with snap kits, programming robots like Bee-Bots and Dash, exploring cause-and-effect with water and motion tables, and early exposure to coding through screen-free platforms like Cubetto.
Sensory & Social Engagement
Labs are designed to support emotional regulation and engagement with quiet corners, visual supports, and opportunities for parallel play.
Literacy-Infused STEM
Lessons blend science storytelling, math games, and creative arts with foundational STEM concepts to foster well-rounded development.
Family Involvement
Regular “STEM Together” nights invite parents and caregivers to participate in learning, reinforcing exploration at home.
DiversiTECH Dane Elementary STEM Lab Outcomes
- Builds early confidence in math, engineering, and scientific thinking
- Supports language development and social-emotional growth through STEM
- Establishes foundational familiarity with coding, robotics, and design
- Strengthens early school readiness and enthusiasm for continued STEM learning
🧪 Elementary STEM Labs Curriculum (Ages 4–9)
Program Length: Year-Round (offered in 12-week sessions or seasonal quarters)
Frequency: 2 sessions/week | 60–75 minutes per session
Delivery Format: In-person at the Rock the STEAM Team Makerspace
Group Size: Max 12 learners per cohort
Staff Ratio: 1 instructor per 4–5 students, with additional sensory/behavioral support as needed
✳️ Unit 1: Inventor’s Playground – Engineering & Design Basics
Duration: Weeks 1–6
Theme: Exploring how things are built and how problems are solved
Unit 1: Inventor’s Playground – Core Concepts
- Simple machines (levers, pulleys, wheels)
- Cause and effect
- Properties of materials
- Design-thinking: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Improve
Unit 1: Inventor’s Playground – Sample Activities
- Build a Marble Run Challenge using ramps and recycled materials
- LEGO Simple Machines lab
- Egg Drop Engineering: Create a safe “egg helmet”
- STEM Storytime: Rosie Revere, Engineer + blueprint sketching
Unit 1: Inventor’s Playground – Learning Outcomes
- Understand how everyday tools and machines work
- Practice teamwork, iteration, and spatial reasoning
- Begin expressing ideas through drawing and model-building
🌍 Unit 2: Code Explorers – Robotics & Computational Thinking
Duration: Weeks 7–12
Theme: Introducing the logic of programming through play
Unit 2: Code Explorers – Core Concepts
- Sequencing, patterns, loops
- Algorithmic thinking
- Inputs/outputs and directional commands
- Intro to robotics
Unit 2: Code Explorers – Sample Activities
- Cubetto Story Quests (screen-free coding robot with storytelling mat)
- Bee-Bot Obstacle Course
- “If/Then” dance routine coding (physical movement coding)
- Scratch Jr. for beginning drag-and-drop programming (Grades 1–3)
Unit 2: Code Explorers – Learning Outcomes
- Build foundational coding vocabulary (loop, command, debug)
- Practice computational logic through tactile, visual formats
- Engage problem-solving through technology and movement
🌱 Unit 3: Tiny Scientists – Nature, Observation & Data
Duration: Weeks 13–18
Theme: Using senses and tools to explore the natural world
Unit 3: Tiny Scientists – Core Concepts
- Observation & measurement
- Life cycles and systems
- Patterns in nature
- Intro to data collection
Unit 3: Tiny Scientists – Sample Activities
- “STEM Garden Detectives” (plant a sensory garden + journaling growth)
- Build-a-Bug Lab (create insects with function-specific body parts)
- Nature Scavenger Hunt + graphing results
- STEM Storytime: The Bug Girl + microscope exploration
Unit 3: Tiny Scientists – Learning Outcomes
- Practice recording observations and simple data sets
- Identify relationships between structure and function in living things
- Strengthen vocabulary and language through science storytelling
🔎 Unit 4: Make It Move – Energy, Motion & Creative Engineering
Duration: Weeks 19–24
Theme: Exploring physics through play, art, and building
Unit 4: Make It Move – Core Concepts
- Pushes, pulls, gravity, and friction
- Kinetic vs. potential energy
- Creative invention
Unit 4: Make It Move – Sample Activities
- Build balloon cars and test ramp speed
- Paper circuit crafts (light-up greeting cards or wearable LEDs)
- Zipline STEM Challenge: Design a carrier for a LEGO figure
- Maker Parade: Showcase student-built machines and inventions
Unit 4: Make It Move – Learning Outcomes
- Identify forces and how they affect movement
- Design experiments and test hypotheses in a playful way
- Build confidence through open-ended invention and sharing
🔁 Cross-Cutting Elements Across Units
✨ Inclusive Design Supports
- Visual schedules, sensory bins, quiet corners
- Multiple representation formats (storytelling, visuals, music, movement)
- Adaptive tech (switches, iPads with AAC apps, screen magnifiers)
🎨 STEAM Integration
- Each unit includes a visual or musical art element to support learning
- Examples: Build-a-Bridge craft, rhythm coding, kinetic sculpture
👨👩👧 Family Engagement
- Monthly Family STEM Night
- Home STEAM Kits with activities and conversation starters
- Progress Journals with photos and reflections for families
📊 Assessment & Reflection
- Child-friendly “I Can” reflection cards
- Instructor notes on skill progression and social-emotional growth
- Optional family feedback forms each session cycle
📘 Wisconsin Early Learning Standards (WELS) Alignment
Curriculum Track: Elementary STEM Labs (Ages 4–9)
Framework Domains
1. Health and Physical Development
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Gross and fine motor development
- Sensory integration and physical awareness
- Coordination and motor planning
Health and Physical Development – Examples from Curriculum
- Bee-Bot coding mazes promote crawling, kneeling, reaching, and directionality
- Maker Parade and engineering labs use fine motor tools (tweezers, scissors, screws, modeling clay)
- Sensory bins and water tables support regulation and proprioceptive feedback
2. Social and Emotional Development
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Self-concept and confidence
- Emotional regulation
- Relationship-building and cooperation
Social and Emotional Development – Examples from Curriculum
- “If/Then” dance routines encourage peer mirroring and social interaction
- STEM group labs emphasize turn-taking, teamwork, and collaboration
- Reflection journals and “I Can” statements help build self-awareness and pride in learning
3. Language Development and Communication
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Vocabulary acquisition
- Expressive/receptive language
- Comprehension and early literacy connections
Language Development and Communication – Examples from Curriculum
- STEM Storytime integrates science-themed books with discussion and vocabulary
- Instructional prompts modeled using visual schedules and AAC-compatible strategies
- Graphing, journaling, and observation logs support verbal and non-verbal expression
4. Approaches to Learning
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Curiosity and exploration
- Engagement and persistence
- Creativity and flexible thinking
Approaches to Learning – Examples from Curriculum
- Design challenges foster open-ended exploration and creative problem-solving
- Trial-and-error engineering tasks promote persistence and innovation
- Makerspace stations allow for student choice and self-paced learning
5. Cognition and General Knowledge
A. Science
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Exploration of physical, earth, and life sciences
- Inquiry and observation skills
- Understanding systems and cycles
Cognition and General Knowledge Science Examples
- “STEM Garden Detectives” promotes plant life cycle exploration
- Balloon car motion experiments link to force, speed, and gravity
- Build-a-Bug activity supports understanding of biology and function
B. Mathematics
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Sorting, measuring, counting
- Spatial awareness
- Patterns and sequencing
Cognition and General Knowledge Math Examples
- Graphing bug hunt results and garden growth
- Using directional commands in robotics to support positional language
- Building ramps and measuring distance for motion experiments
C. Creative Arts
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Art as a form of self-expression
- Integration of music, movement, and storytelling
Cognition and General Knowledge Creative Arts Examples
- Kinetic sculpture designs during “Make It Move” unit
- Light-up paper circuit art cards
- Music-infused STEM routines during coding and dance labs
D. Social Studies
WELS Focus Areas Met
- Roles in community
- Responsibility and group problem-solving
- Cultural relevance and environmental awareness
Cognition and General Knowledge Social Studies Examples
- Group STEM projects simulate roles in engineering, design, and science
- Eco-focused experiments (e.g., water cycles, recycling) foster environmental awareness
- Inclusive storytelling centers diverse scientists and inventors
🧩 Universal Design Integration Across All Domains
The curriculum embeds UDL principles to ensure children with varying needs—including speech delays, sensory processing differences, cognitive delays, and physical disabilities—can fully access and benefit from instruction. Multiple modes of engagement, expression, and representation are consistently embedded.