The Official STEMscopes Blog

When her school district adopted STEMscopes Science in 2016, Alicia Chiasson knew there was something special about it. A 6th-grade math and science teacher with 27 years of experience, Chiasson loved how each scope (lesson) is rooted in inquiry. She was so happy with the results in her classroom that she decided to join the STEMscopes team as a curriculum writer in January 2018.

Imagine this scenario: a star 5th grader is forced to stay home from school but continue learning. She’s accustomed to earning teachers’ praise and loves being the center of attention when she demonstrates her knowledge at the board. What happens when these special moments evaporate? She’ll probably turn to her parents for recognition. But they may be too busy maintaining their careers, managing a new kind of household routine, and caring for her younger siblings. 

The COVID-19 crisis is changing the country as we know it. With cancellations of well-established events like the Olympics, school districts closing, distance learning becoming the only option for education, and economic turmoil looming, there is no shortage of stress.

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has dominated the news, so we’re ready to help you be informed. In this blog, we’ll explore the virus’s history, virulence, prevention, and treatment. We know your students have questions, so here’s a quick introduction to the disease to spark classroom conversation, discussion, and further research.

­­­ We all know the importance of language acquisition, but did you know that how you teach students new science vocabulary has an impact on their engagement, depth of understanding, and retention? A critical part of learning science is becoming fluent with the language of science. To do that, students must have experiences that help them make meaning of new terms themselves—not just memorize definitions.