We know there are many benefits to teaching STEAM lessons and activities, but sometimes it’s hard to know which STEM- or STEAM-related book to check out for lesson planning when there are hundreds to choose from. So we scoured the market for the best STEM and STEAM books to help streamline the process, and we’ve… Read More

Although we’ve made progress over the years in regards to the gender gap, when it comes to STEM, there’s still a great deal of work to do. While some might say that girls and women lack the aptitude for STEM professions, that’s definitely not the case. In looking at recent research published by Psychological Science,… Read More

The advent and expansion of STEAM doesn’t mean a movement away from language arts. On the contrary, scientists, engineers, technologists, artists, and mathematicians all need literacy skills, an appreciation and understanding of the human experience, and strong writing abilities. English language arts doesn’t sit apart from STEAM. In fact, the two fit nicely together, building… Read More

How often do you or your students think about agriculture? Where your food comes from? How it grows? Who grows it? What decisions go into how it is grown? Maybe you think about it a lot. But maybe your answer is closer to never. Well, if you are a STEAM educator you are missing out… Read More

If you’re ready to foster your students’ curiosity by creating a makerspace on a budget, we’ve got you covered! Learning should remain authentically connected to the real world, and the Maker Movement exemplifies that while encouraging creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Progressive New York City educator Angelo Patri said, “The substitution of direct experiences for… Read More

There’s been a big push for incorporating lessons and activities that use STEAM: science, technology, engineering, art, and math. But how exactly do these multilayered projects help students? Here are some of the specific ways in which students can benefit from STEAM in the classroom. Exposes students to the creative process When students engage in… Read More

Students often believe success in math classes requires them to be a “math person.” This thought is as common as a teacher’s struggle to prove that math can be fun. Fostering students’ joy in numbers is one way to help students excel, but helping them learn to like math can set them up for long-term… Read More

Summer allows parents a bit more time to engage with their kids and participate in experiments that they can check on every day together. Completing science experiments throughout the summer will help students to keep engaged in academic inquiry and learn more about science during their months off. The experiments outlined below can be done… Read More

Most parents encourage their children to read during the summer and point to examples of language and word usage all around them. But that’s not how they usually approach math, says Kathy Zolla, a Colorado middle school math teacher. Zolla notes that students often like the idea of having a math-free summer, which often results… Read More

Students often view summer as a time to relax, have fun, and forget everything they learned the previous school year. This, of course, is bound to happen to some degree. A break in education often results in students forgetting some information, requiring a few weeks of review for teachers during the beginning of the next… Read More

STEM teachers face an interesting challenge. They want their students to learn problem-solving and critical thinking skills, yet the world they’re preparing their students for doesn’t exist. Stacey Mabray is the principal of George P. Butler High School, where she started her career as a science teacher. Previously, she was the senior director of curriculum… Read More

Math can be a daunting subject for some students, but having the right teacher can make a world of difference. The best teachers draw connections to real-world applications, making the subject approachable and engaging. We asked two math education instructors to talk about methods for teaching math to a variety of learners. Katie McFarland is… Read More

Early childhood education teachers face critical challenges when educating children from low-income families. In order to close the achievement gap between poor and wealthy preschool and elementary students, the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) recommends specialized professional development for teachers who work in high-needs schools. National Center for Children in Poverty: Teachers must… Read More

In 2013, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson entertained and enraged movie fans with his “Mysteries of #Gravity” posts on Twitter. Tyson said he enjoyed the movie “very much” but listed several scientific errors that perplexed and entertained him, including the properties of orbiting satellites. How Neil deGrasse Tyson’s movie fact-checking can serve science teachers His Tweets… Read More