The Official STEMscopes Blog

Another Teacher Appreciation Week is upon us and the STEMscopes team is excited to have so many teachers and former teachers in house at the corporate office to celebrate the event. Every year we celebrate, but it seems this time the magnifying glass on educators is more evident than ever before as the fight for increased pay and better facilities is seen in some states across the nation. 

If you are a teacher in the 21st Century, then you know that the education landscape has changed quite significantly in the last two decades. The differences between traditional science education as we once knew it and STEM education has been the subject of much debate, but one thing that we cannot deny is that the buzz around STEM continues to be a leading topic in education circles and politics. 

What is the difference between science education and STEM education, though, and what do first-year teachers need to know coming into a science classroom?

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. 

As innovation in technology and science continue to drive our current economy, science standards in education for students have also changed to meet the demands of the growing field of STEM. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was revised 15 years ago to support growing performance expectations and improve End of Course assessments. The focus of the new standards set by the NGSS is to help more students become engaged in science activities and to improve performance rankings. 

The political landscape for 2017 has left many wondering how the change in leadership will affect education. Where does STEM fit in? How will school choice shape education and is ESSA still applied?