Engage your child in fun hands-on projects that develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The STEM challenges and activities encourage your child to think creatively and explore different ideas to solve problems. Parents act as facilitators, guiding their children through the problem-solving process. Each unit includes stories and practice pages that help children understand science concepts and provide a foundation for completing each STEM challenge. A STEM journal activity helps guide children through the engineering design process: plan, create, test, and record. Topics within each STEM challenge target earth, life, and physical science. Each unit covers a specific scientific concept and includes: Science Story: Introduces each science concept Practice Activities: Support children’s understanding STEM Story: Fictional story with a problem to solve STEM Challenge: Hands-on activity to solve a problem STEM Journal: Provides a planning outline to help complete the challenge activity Includes answer key. First grade STEM skills include: Connect words and pictures Fine motor skills Letter formation Visual discrimination Word meaning Sequencing Inference Comprehension First grade activities incorporate scientific concepts such as: Physical science Solids, Liquids, Gas Parts Work Together Making Sound Life science Living Things Have Parts What Do Animals Eat? Animals and Their Babies Earth science The Moon Bodies of Water Recording Weather Use Smart Start: STEM for enrichment at home and help your child develop lifelong critical thinking skills.