STEM Activity: Celebrating World Teachers’ Day

Teachers make a powerful impact on their students as they provide learning opportunities of all kinds. They work passionately to bring out the best in the individuals they teach and inspire them to strive for excellence. To achieve this, teachers are responsible for wearing many hats — they are educators, mentors, mediators, artists, advocates and so much more!

Celebrate World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5 by creating a hat that represents the characteristics you love about your teacher. Then, gift it to them to show your appreciation for the many things they do!

Materials Needed

• Cardstock
• Clean recyclables (e.g., cardboard, paper bags, plastic bottles)
• Craft paper
• Craft supplies (e.g., buttons, stickers, ribbons, pompoms)
• Markers, crayons or colored pencils
• Tape or glue

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Choose a teacher, coach or mentor in your life for whom to make a hat.
    
2. Decide whether to upcycle an existing hat or use cardstock and clean recyclable items to make a hat.
   • You can roll a piece of cardstock on an angle to create a cone-shaped cap.
   • If you need other design ideas, search online for DIY hat designs.
      
3. Cut out strips of craft paper. The more colorful, the better!
    
4. On the craft paper pieces, write things you appreciate about the person you selected. Think about choosing words like “caring,” “dedicated” and “creative.”
   
   You also can cut shapes out of the craft paper that remind you of them. For example, if they love outer space, you could cut out star and moon shapes.
    
5. Tape or glue the craft paper strips and shapes to the hat.
    
6. Decorate the hat with other craft items such as stickers and ribbons.
   ​​​​​​​
7. Present your finished hat to your teacher. Explain how the hat represents all the wonderful qualities that make them who they are!

What Are We Discovering?

Taking the time to reflect on the impact others have on us is an important part of social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL is the practice of acknowledging and managing emotions, understanding empathy toward others, fostering positive relationships and making responsible decisions. SEL is essential for both educational and social development.

Find More Connections

We all have been inspired and influenced by teachers and mentors throughout our lives. Watch this video to see how National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductee Marshall Jones, inventor of industrial lasers, was impacted by his educators.

For more STEM activities and the latest trends in invention education, we invite you to visit our blog!