Picture Books & STEM: Creative Lessons for Elementary & Beyond! (Picture This Episode 1)

Picture This…

Spark creativity & problem-solving in your elementary classroom!

Welcome to Picture This… with Adam Lehrhaupt, the podcast that helps educators and librarians bring picture books to life across the curriculum! In this inaugural episode, join award-winning author Adam Lehrhaupt as he dives into the dynamic intersection of picture books and STEM education.

Discover creative ways to transform your STEM lessons into imaginative adventures! Adam shares actionable teaching strategies and lesson ideas to integrate engaging stories like Chicken in Space and The Most Magnificent Thing with hands-on activities. Learn how these books can serve as catalysts for engineering challenges, design thinking, and fostering a growth mindset where curiosity thrives and failure is a stepping stone to innovation. Perfect for elementary educators, school librarians, and literacy coaches looking for fresh classroom activities!

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How picture books can be "launchpads for the classroom."
• Practical ways to connect literature with hands-on learning in science, math, and beyond.
• Strategies for fostering perseverance and problem-solving in young learners.
• The importance of makerspaces and creative exploration.

📚 Featured Picture Books & Their Connections:

We recommend purchasing through your local independent bookseller whenever possible, but if that isn't an option, use the Amazon affiliate links below:

• Chicken in Space by Adam Lehrhaupt (K–3) Buy Now >>
  • Curriculum Connections: Design thinking, engineering principles, growth mindset
  • Why Adam Recommends It: Encourages students to dream big and view everyday materials as tools for innovation.
• The Floating Field by Scott Riley (3–5): Buy Now >>
  • Curriculum Connections: Real-world engineering, teamwork, environmental adaptation
  • Why Adam Recommends It: Demonstrates how determination and creativity can overcome environmental challenges.
• Invent-a-Pet by Vicky Fang (1–4): Buy Now >>
  • Curriculum Connections: Cause and effect, iteration, basic programming logic
  • Why Adam Recommends It: Introduces the concept of inputs and outputs in a fun, accessible way.
• The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (K–3): Buy Now >>
  • Curriculum Connections: Problem-solving, perseverance, engineering design process
  • Why Adam Recommends It: Highlights the importance of resilience and learning from failure.
• How to Build a Hug by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville (2–5): Buy Now >>
  • Curriculum Connections: Biography, neurodiversity, empathy, invention
  • Why Adam Recommends It: Provides a real-life example of innovation driven by personal experience and need.

⏰ Episode Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Welcome to Picture This: The Power of Picture Books in Education
• 2:15 – Chicken in Space: Designing Imaginative Flying Devices
• 6:30 – The Floating Field: Real-World Engineering & Teamwork
• 9:45 – Invent-a-Pet: Intro to Programming Logic through Play
• 13:00 – The Most Magnificent Thing: Embracing Failure for Innovation
• 16:20 – Why Makerspaces Are a Magnificent Match for Literacy
• 18:50 – Adam’s Book Bag: How to Build a Hug & Inspiring Invention
• 22:10 – Recap & Final Thoughts: Integrating Picture Books with STEM

💡 Curriculum Connections & Action Items:

• Try this with your class this week: Read Chicken in Space

Chapters

1. Introduction to Picture This and the power of picture books in education (00:00:00)

2. Discussion on Chicken in Space and its classroom applications (00:02:15)

3. Exploration of The Floating Field and real-world engineering lessons (00:06:30)

4. Insights into Invent-a-Pet and teaching programming logic (00:09:45)

5. Analysis of The Most Magnificent Thing and embracing failure (00:13:00)

6. Advocating for makerspaces and hands-on learning (00:16:20)

7. Adam’s Book Bag: How to Build a Hug and its educational significance (00:18:50)

8. Recap and final thoughts on integrating picture books with STEM (00:22:10)