Designing Meaningful STEM Lessons


Book Description

Sure, there are lots of cool STEM activities you can use in class. But do they really help your students learn science? This book shows you how to take lessons you' re already familiar with and, through small changes, do what the title says: Design STEM lessons that are actually meaningful for teaching and learning science. You can also make sure your STEM lessons contain the content students need to learn. The book' s foundation is a conceptual framework that keeps science front and center, showing you how to embed engineering, technology, and science applications in your lessons-- similar to how you would embed literacy skills in your classwork. To make it easy to use this conceptual framework, Designing Meaningful STEM Lessons provides 13 ready-to-use lessons in physical science, life science, and Earth and space science. True to the authors' promise to be both relevant and exciting, the lessons have titles such as " Cell-fie" and " Aircraft Catapult." All correlate with A Framework for K- 12 Science Education, take a constructivist approach, and operate within the 5E instructional model. By presenting STEM as a " process and not a thing," Designing Meaningful STEM Lessons helps you bring STEM learning to life in your classroom, easily and effectively.




STEM by Design


Book Description

How do you create effective STEM classrooms that energize students, help them grow into creative thinkers and collaborators, and prepare them for their futures? This practical book from expert Anne Jolly has all the answers and tools you need to get started or enhance your current program. Based on the author’s popular MiddleWeb blog of the same name, STEM by Design reveals the secrets to successful lessons in which students use science, math, and technology to solve real-world engineering design problems. You’ll learn how to: Select and adapt quality existing STEM lessons that present authentic problems, allow for creative approaches, and engage students in meaningful teamwork; Create your own student-centered STEM lessons based on the Engineering Design Process; Assess students’ understanding of basic STEM concepts, their problem-solving abilities, and their level of engagement with the material; Teach STEM in after-school programs to further build on concepts covered in class; Empower girls to aspire to careers in STEM and break down the barriers of gender bias; Tap into STEM's project-based learning style to attract and engage all students. Throughout this user-friendly book, you’ll find design tools such as checklists, activities, and assessments to aid you in developing or adapting STEM lessons. These tools, as well as additional teacher resources, are also available as free downloads from the book’s website, http://www.stem-by-design.com.




STEM Lesson Essentials, Grades 3-8


Book Description

Want to know how to implement authentic STEM teaching and learning into your classroom? STEM Lesson Essentials provides all the tools and strategies you'll need to design integrated, interdisciplinary STEM lessons and units that are relevant and exciting to your students. With clear definitions of both STEM and STEM literacy, the authors argue that STEM in itself is not a curriculum, but rather a way of organizing and delivering instruction by weaving the four disciplines together in intentional ways. Rather than adding two new subjects to the curriculum, the engineering and technology practices can instead be blended into existing math and science lessons in ways that engage students and help them master 21st century skills.




Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6-12


Book Description

If your STEM lessons are falling on disinterested ears, it's time to mix things up. What you need are more engaging, brain-based science and math strategies to captivate your students' attention, activate their prior knowledge, and invigorate their interest. Blending current research on the student brain with practical methods for teaching science and math, John Almarode and Ann M. Miller identify six essential "ingredients" in a recipe for student success. In their book you'll discover A customizable framework you can use right away Classroom-ready, content-specific attention grabbers Overt and covert strategies to boost behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement Techniques for making relevant connections that maximize retention With this new approach to captivating STEM lessons, you'll energize classroom time and keep your students on task and engaged-every day.




STEM Lesson Guideposts


Book Description

"STEM Lesson Guideposts presents a clear and actionable approach for teachers and leaders to follow in developing meaningful STEM lessons and units. This companion to the best-selling STEM Lesson Essentials is a practical guide for helping you on your journey of creating integrated, interdisciplinary STEM units."--




The Case for STEM Education


Book Description

"If you are interested in STEM education, policies, programs or practices, or you work on STEM in some capacity at any level, The case for STEM education will prove to be valuable reading. Author Rodger W. Bybee has written this book to inspire individuals in leadership roles to better understand and take action on STEM initiatives. The book's 10 chapters accomplish several tasks: Put STEM in context by outlining the challenges facing STEM education, drawing lessons from the Sputnik moment of the 1950s and 1960s, and contrasting contemporary STEM with other education reforms; Explore appropriate roles for the federal government, as well as states, districts, and individual schools; Offer several ideas and recommendations you can use to develop action plans for STEM. With an emphasis on both thinking and acting, The case for STEM education is a must-read for leaders at all levels: national and state policy makers, state-level educators responsible for STEM initiatives, college and university faculty who educate future STEM teachers, local administrators who make decisions about district and school programs, and teachers who represent STEM disciplines." - Back cover.




Integrating Engineering and Science in Your Classroom


Book Description

From the very first day you use them, the design challenges in this compendium will spur your students, too, to jump right in and engage throughout the entire class. The activities reinforce important science content while illustrating a range of STEM skills. The 30 articles have been compiled from NSTAOCOs journals for elementary through high school. Next time you need an engaging STEM activity, youOCOll be glad you have this collection to help you blend meaningful and memorable experiences into your lessons."




Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom


Book Description

This book is designed to build educators’ confidence and competence so they can bring STEM to life with young children. The authors encourage pre–K teachers to discover the value of engaging preschoolers in scientific inquiry, technological explorations, engineering challenges, and math experiences based on learning trajectories. They explain the big ideas in STEM, emphasizing teaching strategies that support these activities (such as language-rich STEM interactions), and describe ways to integrate concepts across disciplines. The text features research-based resources, examples of field-tested activities, and highlights from the classroom. Drawing from a professional development model that was developed with funding from the National Science Foundation, this book is an essential resource for anyone who wants to support preschool children to be STEM thinkers and doers. “I have read a lot of really good early childhood science education books over the years, and as far as I am concerned, this is the best one yet.” —From the Foreword by Betty Zan, University of Northern Iowa “This excellent book shows that the important ideas of STEM are within every teacher’s and child’s grasp.” —Douglas Clements, University of Denver “Teaches STEM content while sharing strategies for robust and developmentally appropriate instructional practice. This book is the real deal!” —Beth Graue, University of Wisconsin–Madison




Picture-Perfect Science Lessons


Book Description

In this newly revised and expanded 2nd edition of Picture-Perfect Science Lessons, classroom veterans Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan, who also coach teachers through nationwide workshops, offer time-crunched elementary educators comprehensive background notes to each chapter, new reading strategies, and show how to combine science and reading in a natural way with classroom-tested lessons in physical science, life science, and Earth and space science.




S.T.E.A.M. Grade K


Book Description

Science, technology, engineering, art, and math work together to make learning fun in these STEAM lessons!Perfect for Makerspace!This kindergarten teacher resource book includes:- A year's worth of teacher lesson plans- STEAM design challenges that turn elementary students into inventors- Easy-to-follow lesson format (with standards identified for each lesson)- Classroom-tested lessonsThe STEAM Design Challenges in this book follow engineering practices to teach students in kindergarten to solve a problem by designing, creating, and justifying their designs. They also allow art to support and enhance the learning of science and math while the engineering process is followed.These engaging STEAM lessons:- Integrate the Next Generation Science Standards and national standards from other disciplines- Enhance learning across various disciplines- Facilitate students in collaborating to solve real-world scenarios- Promote critical thinking, analytical thinking, and reflective thinking- Incorporate the Five Es Instructional Model (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate)- Are classroom tested