The Importance of STEM Education for Middle Schoolers
STEM is a field that’s rapidly growing in importance in today’s job market. In fact, STEM careers are projected to grow 10.8% between 2021 and 2031, compared to just 4.9% growth for all other occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). But here’s the catch: only 20% of US high school graduates are actually prepared […]
What are the steps of the engineering design process?
If you’re teaching a STEM class, the engineering design process will be one of the most important parts of your curriculum. But what exactly is it? And what are the steps of the engineering design process? Read on to find out! What is the engineering design process? The engineering design process is a problem solving […]
What is STEM based education?
So, you are teaching STEM. It’s awesome! It’s exciting! And so much fun! But starting a STEM class can also be overwhelming and confusing. What is STEM based education? What do I need to teach my students in STEM class? How can I start my STEM class strong? Keep reading to feel confident going into […]
Engineering Design Process Lesson Plans
Introducing the engineering design process to new STEM students is tricky. These engineering design process lesson plans will help your students become expert problem solvers and meet middle school engineering standards, while having a lot of fun! With over 220 pages of print and digital resources, you’ll have 5 weeks of rigorous and engaging instruction […]
5 tips for effective group work in STEM
As a new STEM teacher, my number one challenge was getting my middle school students to work together. It seems easy… Put kids in a group, give them a fun task, and be nearby to answer questions, give out materials, and help troubleshoot. But in reality, it’s not so pretty. Kids refuse to work with […]
Engineering… What is it?
Battle misconceptions and introduce your middle school students to the wonderful world of engineering! STEM and engineering go hand-in-hand, but many middle school students (and grown-ups too!) don’t know exactly what it is or why they should know about it. Every year, on Day 1 of STEM class, I ask my students, “What is engineering?” […]