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Let’s Play with STEM

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stem5Last month we familiarized ourselves with the organizations that support and drive the STEM efforts in the K-12 realm. The amount of resources available to educate, advise, and train teachers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are impressive and meaningful.  The future of this nation will rely heavily on the innovation and problem-solving skills that this generation of students will bring to the international table.

President Obama’s State of the Union address also included a strong statement supporting STEM: “we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math — the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now and will be there in the future.”

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This month, we will roll up our sleeves and play. By taking a look around at the numerous STEM-based projects posted online, educators will find much of the planning that goes behind the scenes of any project, nearly in place (a little tweaking to fit your unique classroom is all that is required). K-12 teachers from not just North America, but Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia have joined this effort to share their ideas so that classrooms all over can reap the benefits of some pretty spectacular projects and activities.

STEM Playground

What follows is a list of programs and links that support STEM-based agendas. This is a collection that covers a wide range of concepts; this is merely a small selection as compared to what is available on the Web. Skim through and find an activity or project that will work in your classroom. Take a look on your own – a quick search brings up a plethora of lesson ideas and explorations. Post what you find here. Tell us how a STEM activity in your class went; what worked? What didn’t? What did you add or change?

Take a Break

If you have been playing with one of these STEM projects shared here, let us know how it worked for your classroom. Tell us why it worked and how it could have improved. Did you create your own unique STEM project? Educators from all over are eager for your ideas and feedback!

Up Next: Next Generation Science Standards!

Stephanie Tannenbaum

Resources:

STEM Education Coalition
http://www.stemedcoalition.org/

Science Buddies
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

The Why Files
http://whyfiles.org/category/interactives/

GirlStart
http://www.girlstart.org/our-programs/for-educators

Estes
http://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin/wedu150P.pgm?g=3

Evil Mad Scientist
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/

Make
http://makezine.com/

Fast Company
http://www.fastcompany.com/

Science Fair Project Ideas
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=179785

Pinterest - STEM Projects
http://pinterest.com/chienderson/stem-projects/

Discovery Education
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

PBS Learning Media
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org

Discover Magazine
http://discovermagazine.com/

Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/

New York Times – Science
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/index.html

Popular Science
http://www.popsci.com/

Science
http://www.sciencemag.org/

PhET
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/new

The New Yorker Science and Tech
http://www.newyorker.com/tech

Spaceship Earth – Siemens and Disney
http://sse.disney.go.com/media/ap/spaceship-earth/index.html#/home

KidWind
http://learn.kidwind.org/

iRobot
http://www.irobot.com/us/cool_stuff/iRobot_DNA.aspx

Gooru
http://www.goorulearning.org/gooru/index.g#!/library

TED
http://www.ted.com/

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