Co-Creating STEM Storytime With Ashley Belote's Pirate Sheep, Muddy Bears & Big Bad Fred

What if your next great STEM or STEAM lesson started with a pirate sheep, a muddy teddy bear, or a very confused Little Red who thinks a wolf is a cat? In this joyful springtime episode, author‑illustrator and former pre‑K teacher Ashley Belote joins Dr. Diane to share playful, practical ways to turn picture book read‑alouds into rich learning adventures for early childhood and elementary students. From sink‑and‑float challenges with Sheepwrecked, to slime chemistry in Valenslime and Frankenslime, to circuits, empathy, and seasonal change in Little Red and Big Bad Fred, you'll walk away with classroom‑ready ideas that blend laughter, literacy, and hands‑on STEM/STEAM exploration.

Episode Chapters

[00:00] Spring joy & Sheepwrecked adventures (mapping, sink/float, boat building)

[04:31] Slime chemistry & growth mindset with Frankenslime/Valenslime

[07:25] Don't Wash Winston: mud pies, compassion & engineering challenges

[11:17] Little Red and Big Bad Fred

Ashley's fractured fairy tale origin (playful doodling → wolf mistaken for cat), Little Red/Fred friendship arc, and why adults need unstructured play as much as kids do.

[14:55] Energy stick circuits & connection demos the transformative power of friendship

Hands-on science—turning insulators (wood spoons, paper towels) into conductors with foil/water mirrors how Little Red's friendship transforms conflicted Fred.

[20:51] SEL application & seasonal science with Little Red and Big Bad Fred

Kids apply circuit metaphor to relationships ("What insulates you from connection?"), plus Little Red's changing outfits/colors reveal seasons, time-of-day, visual literacy.

[25:00] Make read alouds and read alikes your superpower for playful connections

Call to Action

Ready to make picture books your STEM superpower?

• Explore Ashley Belote's picture books and reach out if you'd like Dr Diane and Ashley Belote to bring a picture book STEM workshop to your community

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*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.