Kindergarten through third-grade students at Forest Road Elementary School are incorporating fairy tales into their science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum due to a $350 mini-grant which library media specialist On Kyung Joo applied to and received from the Long Island School Media Association. With the grant, the school purchased three Lakeshore Fairy Tale Problem Solving STEM kits, three storytelling puppet kits with corresponding books, mood and emotion mirrors and story wands that help with reading comprehension.  

Students can now utilize the new materials in Forest Road’s new Makerspace to further their reading and storytelling abilities, as well as enhance their collaboration and problem solving skills. The STEM and puppet kits feature fairy tales such as “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Students have the opportunity to act out the stories with the puppets and challenge themselves with the STEM kits. Challenges include creating a secure house for the Three Little Pigs, building a bridge for the Three Billy Goats Gruff and constructing beds for Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 

“With the Lakeshore Fairy Tales Problem Solving STEM kits, students are engaged in the literacy activities by not only listening to the fairy tales, but also acting out with the puppets,” said Joo. “Students are inspired to find a solution for each challenging situation while designing and building the scenes in those tales. I hope that these kits will also enhance their creative expression and social-emotional development.”