Blogs Over the next 6 years, the percentage of jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is projected to dramatically increase. In order to maintain America’s global competitiveness and leadership in these fields, it is imperative that our students be proficient in STEM concepts.
We’ve found some incredible resources for teaching STEM to students of all ages.
WATCH
1. Ms. Comer’s class studies neuroscience and brain injury by fashioning “helmets” for eggs. Her lesson walks students through the various components of scientific thinking when performing experiments.
2. In Experimenting with STEM: The Barbie Bungee Jump, Mr. Roda’s class uses Barbie dolls and rubber bands to perform experiments and calculate the line of best fit.
3. An important part of teaching STEM is being able to apply knowledge to real-world situations, as Mr. Santos does with his class in Problem Solving Under Pressure.
4. Ms. Migdol teaches her students about Newton’s Laws and Roller Coaster Physics by building fun, safe roller coasters.
5. The Heat Loss Project: A STEM Exploration combines technology and engineering to explore the abstract concept of thermal energy, and how it works.
MORE RESOURCES
1. CK-12 is a phenomenal website with thousands of STEM resources for teachers and students, including study guides, photos and videos, activities, and examples of real-world applications of topics covered.
2. In addition to offering some fantastic free programming with shows like NOVA and Nature, PBS also features a database of over 4,000 STEM resources for grades PreK-12.
3. The National Science Foundation provides lesson plans and other materials in a variety of research areas. The NSF also has a page for graduate STEM fellows K-12, which includes supporting materials from some of the best universities in the country. Finally, be sure to check out the Youth Radio section, where students ages 14-24 investigate and broadcast stories about science and engineering. The program has won several journalism awards.
4. The National Education Association has compiled its own list of the best STEM resources, both for curricula and professional development. A special shout-out goes to Engineer Your Life, a guide to engineering for high school girls. The site’s intent is to encourage academically prepared girls to enroll in engineering programs due to their underrepresentation in all STEM fields. Just 31% of all STEM degrees in higher education are awarded to women.
5. eGFI posts a number of fun lesson plans and activities related to science, math and engineering. They also regularly update information on STEM outreach programs such as summer camps and after-school program.
