The Official STEMscopes Blog

Outdoor play has always been an important part of childhood. Imaginative play, exploratory discovery, and real-world learning — these are just a few of the many benefits of playing outside, and this can also be a great place for engaging kids in science concepts. 

Figuring out the mechanics behind the bottle-rocket, testing the solutions that made a volcano erupt, and exploring entomology through various bug collections were just some of the top science exploration activities many can recall growing up and they all have had a profound impact on science understanding. These three staple activities, however, are not the only ways that students have access to real-world experiments during the new age of 21st Century classrooms and advanced technology. 

Buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure all share one key component— individuals who specialized in engineering worked on all of them. Engineering is a branch of science and technology that specifically concerns the design, construction, and use of engines, machines, and structures. Students come into contact or view these structures every day, but do they know how they came to be, or know abut the basic engineering concepts that put them there? Now more than ever, schoolrooms have evolved into 21st century classrooms— settings that use advanced technology and new teaching methods— and teachers are looking for more effective and engaging ways to teach engineering concepts. 

STEM teaching across all grade levels can be a challenge when you're trying to increase student understanding while making sure your lessons are both engaging and demonstrate student comprehension of the lesson. 

Besides helping aid in student understanding, PBLs provide a real-world take on application of STEM principles. Spanning elementary through high school grade levels, project-based learning activities can be flexibly designed and utilized. Smart lessons, like those found in the STEMscopes suite, utilize project-based learning activities and ensure that they are properly aligned to grade level and standard while being a part of an activity continuum. 

Goodbye long lectures, classroom busy work, and glazed over eyes. Today's teachers are helping students become more engaged with a progressive take on the learning process.

 Educators have now started to use a blend of both the academic curriculum and real-world experiences to help motivate students to learn and develop skills that prepare them for their future professions.  Community projects, internship opportunities, and other activities are helping educators prepare students for the workforce.