The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges for educators. From ensuring students are safe in classroom settings to adjusting content delivery methods and finding ways for learners to effectively participate — even when they’re socially distant — 2020 is breaking new operational ground in schools across the country. Despite best efforts by teachers and administrators, frustrations remain… Read More

With many schools closed to protect students and teachers from the coronavirus, many students don’t have access to hands-on science, technology, and arts experiences typical of in-person classroom settings. Teaching online does not have to end experiments and participatory innovation. Here are ten projects that STEM and STEAM teachers can instruct online to teach important… Read More

STEM is an acronym used in the education field, meaning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These fields are emphasized in many school systems to make American students more competitive around the globe. In a push to encourage ingenuity and development, a fifth discipline, the arts, was added, to encourage creativity and ingenuity, turning STEM into… Read More

Robotics is an exciting, expanding industry. According to the International Federation of Robotics, robot sales are steadily increasing by several billion dollars each year in the medical, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. As more and more processes in these and other industries are left to robots, the next-generation workforce will need to be able to build,… Read More

The days before break can be equal parts exhausting and exciting. It’s often hard to plan valuable learning experiences for students when they’re counting down the minutes till break. So what do most teachers do? Pop in a movie. Don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing wrong with movies. They can be very informational and… Read More

The science of chemistry is much more than observing reactions when combining two or more different types of chemicals. Our understanding of the universe, our planet, and humans as electrochemical beings is fundamentally based on understanding the principles of chemistry. This makes learning about chemical processes through experimentation vital to the concepts of Science, Technology,… Read More

If you really want to understand what a skateboard is, you could say it’s just a plank of wood with some roller skate wheels attached to it via a chunk of metal. Of course, that’s a major simplification of what is essentially a highly engineered means of transport. The simple design of a skateboard might… Read More

Not on Twitter? You should be! Twitter is an immeasurably useful tool for educators. Beyond building a network of educators from around the world, Twitter chats and free PDs are happening every day — literally — with some of the biggest and brightest thinkers and practitioners out there. Here’s a look at the most useful and… Read More

Looking for some STEAM inspiration to expand your thinking and elevate your lesson plans? You’ve come to the right place. Here are 10 highly engaging TED Talks delivered by artists, scientists, teachers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. 1. Building blocks that blink, beep, and teach Engineer and artist Ayah Bdeir talks about how she invented LittleBits, electronic… Read More

We all want to create engaging, memorable STEAM projects for our students, but finding the time and resources to do so can be a challenge. Many of us would love to get our hands on a 3D printer or a robotics kit but it might not be possible right now. Here’s the good news: you… Read More

STEM learning is largely about designing creative solutions for real-world problems. When students learn within the context of authentic, problem-based STEM design, they can more clearly see the genuine impact of their learning. That kind of authenticity builds engagement, taking students from groans of “When will I ever use this?” to a genuine connection between… Read More

Brighten up the dark and chilly days of winter with some hands-on tinkering, experimenting, and creating — in the classroom or at home. Check out these totally doable STEAM projects that put winter weather and winter challenges to the test so that students are inspired to collaborate and think critically and creatively during the winter… Read More

Whether your school has an established STEAM program or you’re finding ways to incorporate STEM or STEAM into your curriculum, building a partnership between your school and a STEAM organization can greatly benefit your learning community. For starters, a partnership builds a bridge between classroom learning and life outside of school, providing an opportunity for real-world… Read More

“Students will be future-ready if you give them time.” That’s the philosophy behind the 20TimeProject for schools. As a company, Google encourages employees to spend 20% of their time on passion projects that they design. The 20TimeProject, detailed in a book by Kevin Brookhouser, promotes the same philosophy for our students. The goal is to provide time… Read More