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.




Teaching and Learning STEM


Book Description

The widely used STEM education book, updated Teaching and Learning STEM: A Practical Guide covers teaching and learning issues unique to teaching in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Secondary and postsecondary instructors in STEM areas need to master specific skills, such as teaching problem-solving, which are not regularly addressed in other teaching and learning books. This book fills the gap, addressing, topics like learning objectives, course design, choosing a text, effective instruction, active learning, teaching with technology, and assessment—all from a STEM perspective. You’ll also gain the knowledge to implement learner-centered instruction, which has been shown to improve learning outcomes across disciplines. For this edition, chapters have been updated to reflect recent cognitive science and empirical educational research findings that inform STEM pedagogy. You’ll also find a new section on actively engaging students in synchronous and asynchronous online courses, and content has been substantially revised to reflect recent developments in instructional technology and online course development and delivery. Plan and deliver lessons that actively engage students—in person or online Assess students’ progress and help ensure retention of all concepts learned Help students develop skills in problem-solving, self-directed learning, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication Meet the learning needs of STEM students with diverse backgrounds and identities The strategies presented in Teaching and Learning STEM don’t require revolutionary time-intensive changes in your teaching, but rather a gradual integration of traditional and new methods. The result will be a marked improvement in your teaching and your students’ learning.




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.




From Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom


Book Description

An expert perspective on 21st century education What can you learn on a cell phone? Almost anything! How does that concept fit with our traditional system of education? It doesn′t. Best-selling author and futurist Marc Prensky′s book of essays challenges educators to "reboot" and make the changes necessary to prepare students for 21st century careers. His "bottom-up" vision is based on interviews with young people and includes their ideas about what they need from teachers, schools, and education. Also featured are easy-to-do, high-impact classroom strategies that help what he calls "digital natives" acquire "digital wisdom." This thought-provoking text is organized into two sections that address: • Rethinking education • 21st century learning and technology in the classroom (including games, YouTube, and more) In addition to valuable knowledge, this compelling collection offers inspiration, new perspectives, and ideas that work. Our educational context has changed, and a new context demands new thinking. This book will broaden your mind, spark new insights regarding how and what you teach, and reshape your vision of 21st century education.




A Practice-based Model of STEM Teaching


Book Description

The STEM Students on the Stage (SOS)TM model was developed by Harmony Public Schools with the goal of teaching rigorous content in an engaging, fun and effective way. In this book, you will learn that the STEM SOS model is not only helping students learn STEM content and develop 21st-century skills, but also helping teachers improve their classroom climate through increased student-teacher communication and a reduction in classroom management issues. There are at least two ways in which this book is innovative. First, you will find student videos and websites associated with QR codes; readers can use their QR readers to watch student videos related to the content in the chapter and see student e-portfolio samples at their Google sites. This provides the opportunity to see that what is discussed in the book actually happened. Second, the book is not about a theory; it is an actual implemented model that has evolved through the years and has been used in more than 25 schools since 2012. Every year, the model continues to be improved to increase its rigor and ease of implementation for both teachers and students. In addition to using the book as a classroom teacher resource and guide, it can also be used as a textbook in advanced graduate level curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, and STEM education programs. Therefore, STEM educators, leaders, pre-service and in-service teachers and graduate students will all benefit from reading this book. Appendices will be one of the favorite aspects of this book for teachers who are constantly looking for ready-to-use student and teacher handouts and activities. Full handouts, including formative and summative assessments materials and grading rubrics, will provide an opportunity for teachers and curriculum directors to understand the ideas and secrets behind the STEM SOS model. Lastly, STEM directors will find this to be one of the best STEM teaching model examples on the market because the model has fully accessible student and teacher handouts, assessment materials, rubrics and hundreds of student products (e-portfolios including video presentations and project brochures) online.




National Educational Technology Standards for Students


Book Description

This booklet includes the full text of the ISTE Standards for Students, along with the Essential Conditions, profiles and scenarios.




STEM Integration in K-12 Education


Book Description

STEM Integration in K-12 Education examines current efforts to connect the STEM disciplines in K-12 education. This report identifies and characterizes existing approaches to integrated STEM education, both in formal and after- and out-of-school settings. The report reviews the evidence for the impact of integrated approaches on various student outcomes, and it proposes a set of priority research questions to advance the understanding of integrated STEM education. STEM Integration in K-12 Education proposes a framework to provide a common perspective and vocabulary for researchers, practitioners, and others to identify, discuss, and investigate specific integrated STEM initiatives within the K-12 education system of the United States. STEM Integration in K-12 Education makes recommendations for designers of integrated STEM experiences, assessment developers, and researchers to design and document effective integrated STEM education. This report will help to further their work and improve the chances that some forms of integrated STEM education will make a positive difference in student learning and interest and other valued outcomes.




Inquiry-Based Learning for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Programs


Book Description

This volume covers the many issues and concepts of how IBL can be applied to STEM programs and serves as a conceptual and practical resource and guide for educators and offers practical examples of IBL in action and diverse strategies on how to implement IBL in different contexts.




STEM in Early Childhood Education


Book Description

Bringing together a diverse cohort of experts, STEM in Early Childhood Education explores the ways STEM can be integrated into early childhood curricula, highlighting recent research and innovations in the field, and implications for both practice and policy. Based on the argument that high-quality STEM education needs to start early, this book emphasizes that early childhood education must include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in developmentally appropriate ways based on the latest research and theories. Experienced chapter authors address the theoretical underpinnings of teaching STEM in the early years, while contextualizing these ideas for the real world using illustrative examples from the classroom. This cutting-edge collection also looks beyond the classroom to how STEM learning can be facilitated in museums, nature-based learning outdoors, and after-school programs. STEM in Early Childhood Education is an excellent resource for aspiring and veteran educators alike, exploring the latest research, providing inspiration, and advancing best practices for teaching STEM in the early years.