April showers bring May flowers. April also brings us Library Week, Children’s Book Day, National Pet Day, Earth Day, and Citizen Science Month. Of all those interesting events, Citizen Science Month is our favorite thanks to a myriad of scheduled activities that celebrate the world of science.  Most are designed with nonscientists in mind. With so many schools now closed for the rest of the school year, Citizen Science Month events give students and families an approachable way to learn about numerous science disciplines, an understanding of the way scientists think, and a sense of how ..read more

It’s time to gather the materials for the upcoming STEM activity. Don’t think you have any? Think again. Open your cupboards and closet. Do you have paper cups? Craft sticks? Paper plates? What about toothpicks, straws and pipe cleaners? Check out your desk drawers. Gather the tape, paper clips, rubber bands and string. You now have some of the basic materials for your STEM activities and you didn’t need to look further than your classroom or home. Years ago, when we first discussed adding engineering to our curriculum, our principal was very excited. However, we were told that there was absol ..read more

Thanksgiving morning has finally arrived! We are excited, but maybe not for the reasons you think. Turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie are all wonderful traditions. But in our homes, the first thing we think of is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We grab our breakfast and coffee and settle down to be entertained for 3 glorious hours.     Each year more than 3.5 million New Yorkers line the street to watch the parade. Fifty million television viewers tune in to enjoy everything from marching bands to Broadway show tunes, floats and the celebrated giant character balloons. The parade is a maste ..read more

STEM your Halloween! When the kids are completely wound up during the week before Halloween, it is the perfect time to add some holiday STEM activities to keep them focused. With pumpkins, bats, goblins, and spiders to provide motivational themes to the activities, teachers can explore and review concepts ranging from math data analysis or simple machines to investigation of gravity, force and motion. Where you are having a Harvest or Halloween party, why not use STEM for your activities? No party? Then add some seasonal zest to your math and science lessons. Messy Math with Pumpkins! We have ..read more

      Ready to add a classroom makerspace? Not quite sure how to organize it?  Still pondering exactly what a “maker” is  and what happens in the “space”?  We have a few tips for you and hope you will consider adding a makerspace this year.  We feel it is an important aspect of STEM for all classrooms.   What is a Makerspace? A makerspace is not solely a lab, a craft area, a STEM center, a tech room, or an art station, but it can have components of some or all these places. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deepl ..read more

  Fall has arrived. So let’s gather apples. acorns, pumpkins, leaves and STEM ideas. Autumn provides a wealth of opportunities to integrate engineering activities into the curriculum. Although Halloween can offer some fantastic connections for STEM lessons, many of us have to avoid direct reference to that holiday in our school communities. Respecting our school district’s holiday decisions, however, does not mean we have to avoid seasonal STEM lessons in October. By focusing on nature, food, and animals we can still provide engineering curriculum that incorporates and integrates all the thin ..read more

 Best STEM Challenge Ever! Do you teach animal adaptations and habitats? We have a great STEM challenge that is easily integrated into your science unit. Part of our “Is It In Your Nature?” Workshop created for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, our “Engineering an Animal for a Habitat” requires students to use their imaginations and apply the required science concepts.    STEM and Animal Adaptations  Improve Student Learning with a STEM Challenge Adding STEM and engineering to your lessons is a fun way to improve student learning and assess a student’s understanding of concepts that ha ..read more

The school year is in full swing – all of the beginning of the year activities such as Back to School Nights and initial parent conferences are finished. As you look ahead, what do you see looming in the future? Holidays and specials occasions are on the calendar to celebrate. And that means classroom parties! And we think STEM activities can add fun elements to the festivities! Celebrating holidays with a classroom party is a tradition in most elementary schools. In our school we were limited to two parties a year plus a year end celebration. Several years ago we transitioned our events into ..read more

  For many, the Yucatan Peninsula brings to mind adventures and excursions from the extraordinary archeological sites of the Mayan culture to the lovely resorts of Cancun. We were recently surprised to discover that a very different reason to travel to the Yucatan existed. Located in the northwest part of the state is the picturesque city of Merida. Not only is it the capital, but it is also home to one amazing school. Last month, we had the pleasure of visiting The Workshop ®, a coed private school serving toddlers through 9th graders that is founded on the theory of social constructivism an ..read more

  The school year is in full swing. So how’s it going? STEM lessons integrated into your curriculum?  STEM materials and supplies organized?  STEM outreach to parents planned?   Educators, as well as leaders of industry, universally agree that STEM education is crucial for the success of a 21st century citizen. Teachers are expected to find creative ways to integrate STEM lessons into an already packed curriculum. More recently, schools are recognizing the importance of creating partnerships with families to support students’ STEM education. The National PTA is at the forefront of promoting ..read more