This document provides ideas for using empty milk cartons for STEM activities across various grade levels from pre-K to 4th grade. It outlines activities like using cartons to learn about shapes and measurement, counting, planting, creating animal habitats, engineering design challenges, and exploring simple machines. The document encourages attendees to try a design challenge using milk cartons and provides contact information for the presenter.

1. Got Milk Cartons?
Re Purposing the
Engineering Design
Process PreK-4.

2. Kristen Magyar
Instructional Technology Coach
I am here because I was asked to Teach STEM at school and start a
program… ON MY OWN…We have now evolved
@MrsMagyar
http://goo.gl/QUkhc4

3. ● An Instructional Technology Coach
● STEM Enrichment Co-Advisor
● Technology Leadership Team
● Symbaloo Certified
● Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship
Certified Educator
● Presented at ISTE, NYSCATE,
HVNYSCATE
@mrsmagyar
About me...

4. Who are you?
Pre K Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2
Grade 3 Grade 4 Administrators Staff Developers

5. Cafeteria
Breakfast Club
Lunch
How to clean:
HOT Water, strawberry milk leaves cartons pink and the
extra sugary substance was removed only by hot water.
Storing Cartons: Leave a note or tell custodians, they like
to throw things away.
Where to get cartons?

6. Physical Properties
Shapes, measurement comparison,
sorting
PreK

7. Counting with Ducks: How Long is the rectangle side?

8. The Square side is 2 small ducks

9. Shapes I see.. Traced and Drawn, Letters written

10. Construct a Garden
Sorting, Graphing, Planting, Life
Cycles
K

11. Virtual Milk Cartons

12. Virtual Milk Cartons
Favorite Kinds of Milk

13. Planting

14. http://madebymilkcontest.com/
Fall 2015 Contest Guidelines just
released

15. Creating Habitats and
Animals
Habitats and Animals constructed
from the cartons
1st

16. Animals
Retrieved: July 6, 2015 from; http://www.losaltosgirlscouts.
org/crafts/milkcartonanimal2.gif

17. Habitats
Arctic Sonoran
Desert
East African
Savanna
Temperate
Deciduous
Forest
Tropical
Rainforest
Freshwater Saltwater Habitat
Destruction

18. Dear Parents,
As you know we have been studying Animals and
their habitats. Your students will be making an animal
habitat using recycled milk cartons in school. Please
talk with your child about their animal habitat from
the attached list to brainstorm ideas. Assist your
student in sketching their habitat and return the paper
to school. As part of the planning process.

19. Earth’s Systems
Compare multiple solutions designed
to slow or prevent wind or water
from changing the shape of the land.
2nd

21. Engineering Design
3rd
Plan and carry out fair tests in which
variables are controlled and failure points
are considered to identify aspects of a
model or prototype that can be
improved.

22. A new way to carry water….
?
?
?

23. Ask
Imagine
Plan
Create
Improve

24. Force, Motion, Simple
Machines
Milk cartons or traditional Gallon
Milk Jugs
4th

25. pulley lever inclined plane
screw incline wheel and axle
Types of Simple Machines

26. Retrieved July 9, 2015 from, http:
//iijuan12.hubpages.
com/hub/gears-and-pulleys-
simple-machines-lesson-plan

27. Retrieved July 8, 2015 from, http://www.livemoredaily.com/milk-
carton-well/

28. Your turn….
★ Use the supplies on your tables to go
through the design process using
milk cartons. Get creative.
★ Select a grade with your group
★ Be sure to map your design plan out
as you would if you were teaching
the design process to the class for
the first time.

29. Now What...
◎ Sharing
◎ What will you do first in
September?
◎ Next Steps...

30. Just a little imagination and
a few milk cartons and
you can teach almost
anything in the world. (low
cost)

31. Kristen.Magyar@hffmcsd.org
@MrsMagyar
http://goo.gl/QUkhc4

32. Placeyourscreenshothere
Feel free to consult my Teacher Website
for more information and resources. See
how we are bringing STEM alive in grades
4 and 5.