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iExploreScience: STEM in Elem episodes
- 8 How To Really Use The 5E Model
In this episode, Erin interviews Nicole on her (second) favorite topic - the 5E Model and how she uses it in her NGSS-aligned lessons and units.
Resources Referenced:
>> What I See, What It Means Data Analysis Freebie
>> NSTA Science and Engineering Practices Matrix
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
36 min - 7 How You Can Incorporate Phenomena
Using phenomena to relate content to your student's lives is an important shift when creating an NGSS aligned classroom. In this episode, Erin discusses the importance of phenomena, how to relate phenomena to the content and the lives of your students and the difference between anchoring and investigative level phenomena.
Resources Referenced:
Blog Posts:
>> Simple Phenomena
>> 5 Tips for Making NGSS Bundles
>> Anchoring Phenomena 3 Common Mistakes
Phenomena Resources:
>> Project Phenomena
>> Phenomena for NGSS
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
24 min - 6 How To Make Sense Of The SEPs
In this episode, Erin and Nicole discuss a different way to think about the Science and Engineering Practices -- by considering them as part of categories to help students discover, make sense of, and critique ideas and concepts. Then, they dive into a few ways you can quickly incorporate the SEPs into your daily instruction.
Resources Referenced:
>> NSTA Science and Engineering Practices Matrix
>> K-12 Science Framework: Look at 3 Dimension 1: Scientific and Engineering Practices
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
18 min - 5 How You Can Ditch The Scientific Method
In this solo episode, Erin discusses why she doesn't use the scientific method in her classroom and what she does instead. If you're teaching an NGSS-aligned curriculum, you shouldn't be using the scientific method either!
Resources Referenced:
NGSS and the Scientific Method
Starting the Year with NGSS
STEM Teaching Tools: Why Focus on Science and Engineering Practices
K-12 Science Framework: Look at 3 Dimension 1: Scientific and Engineering Practices
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
22 min - 4 How You Know It's Not NGSS
In this episode, we talk about how you can identify resources that may be labeled NGSS but aren't actually aligned to the NGSS! NGSS-washing is a big problem, so listen up to get the tools you need to identify when something ISN'T "NGSS."
Check out the full episode recap here.
Referenced Links:
>> NSTA Science and Engineering Practices Matrix
>> NSTA Crosscutting Concepts Matrix
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
28 min - 3 How to Teach the NGSS Today
Are you just getting started with the NGSS? Not sure where to start? In this episode, Nicole discusses 3 main ways to start teaching the NGSS. Nicole discusses getting to the heart of the instructional shifts without worrying about the NGSS jargon.
For a detailed episode recap, click here.
Learn more...- Grab your FREE NGSS Glossary HERE.
- Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
- Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
22 min - 2 How The NGSS Changes It All
In this episode, Nicole and Erin discuss the biggest changes to science instruction that teachers using the NGSS need to know! They discuss discovery-centered approaches, student-driven content, storylines, and the "Three Dimensions". This episode will give you a basic overview of what changes you can expect to see as you begin your NGSS journey!
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
30 min - 1 How We Got Started With The NGSS
In the first episode of the Teaching Science in 3D podcast, Erin and Nicole discuss how they got started working with the NGSS as well as how they began collaborating. They discuss some of the challenges that they experienced when they started working with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Learn more...
>> Check out Nicole's blog and resources at iExploreScience!
>> Check out Erin's blog and resources at SadlerScience!
>> Enroll in the free, 5-day mini-course that will help you get a grip on the new standards - Intro To The NGSS!
>> Looking for a full, step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community professional development program!
📬 Stay Connected- 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
- 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
- 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
- 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/
31 min
About iExploreScience: STEM in Elem
From the publisher's feed
iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is for upper elementary teachers — especially grades 3–5 —who want to make elementary science and math more engaging, without adding more prep or…
overwhelm to their day. If you’re looking for practical ways to bring STEM and hands-on learning into your classroom while still meeting standards like NGSS, this podcast is for you.
Each week, you’ll get (ideally) short, (always!) actionable episodes (about 15–30 minutes) filled with classroom-tested ideas you can actually use. From simple STEM challenges and low-prep science activities to math routines, lab management, and neurodivergent-friendly strategies, everything is designed to help you keep students thinking, moving, and engaged—especially during the most challenging times of the year.
You’ll also hear honest reflections from real classroom experiences, with a focus on what works (and what doesn’t) in my 5th grade science and math classroom — no perfection required.
I’m Nicole, and I share practical, hands-on science and math ideas designed specifically for upper elementary teachers who want engaging, rigorous lessons without the overwhelm.