The I Heart STEAM Teacher Podcast

Meet Holly from Flying Colors Science!! She may have just persuaded me to learn to love teaching middle school, too! As you may know, my focus is K-5, but we teachers always have our FAV ages!

So... Holly gives us a great perspective on science and STEM/STEAM! If you visit her Teachers Pay Teachers Store: Flying Colors Science, you will notice that all of her wonderful NGSS focused middle school curriculum has that STEM/STEAM flair! Listen in to hear our discussion on the power of a label! STEM/STEAM is certainly a label and identifier for teaching methodologies and curriculum, but you can find aspects in so much that is available for teachers to use. Where the distinction comes into play as to what is STEM/STEAM and what is not is simple, good instructional practices used by the teacher! Everything can be multidisciplinary when teaching! You just have to bring the awareness when you deliver!

Holly brings it in these curated NGSS science lessons for middle school: Potential and Kinetic Energy Toy Project,  Growth Mindset Activity for Science, and Scientific Innovations by Indigenous Peoples. I am going to be grabbing these and working them into my K-5 lessons! Which by the way..... Teachers, you can adapt lessons! I can't tell you how many Teachers Pay Teachers lessons I have adapted to fit my students abilities. Lessons don't have to be perfect for you.. that's impossible. Even when lessons are grade level appropriate, your students are unique, and only you know what they need! Good instruction includes knowing how to meet your students with whatever you are using!

Holly girl.... this conversation meant so much to me!!! I so wish you were my teacher next door! If you ever want a change of scenery, there are K-5 schools that need you! Holly gives us the best advice for K-5 teachers..... AND I PREACH it, too! Let them be ok with FAILURE! Teachers... learn to be ok with failure, too! Don't not take the road before you because you don't know the way!!! Learn as you go! It's the most valuable lesson to commit yourself to! Grab some goodness to support you on new journeys in my FREE STEM/STEAM guide that EVERY teacher can use... and yes... you can do this virtually!

Find out more about Holly on website and Teachers Pay Teachers Store. You can also find her hanging out on Instagram @flying_colors_science ! We found each other right there!!

Alright, I must admit when it comes to the STEM/STEAM journal, I didn't have it right from the start! After realizing how much student ownership is needed for STEM or STEAM to be a success, I revamped mine and helped other teachers, as well.

So check out these 5 Do's and Don'ts to compare how you use them... or better yet... GET STARTED using them!

This is an essential and needed part of the STEM/STEAM classroom! More student pride and ownership happen right here than ANYWHERE! Read the latest blog post about it here. Print it out and live by it!

If you haven't downloaded my complete  free STEM/STEAM guide, go ahead and treat yo'self! It is packed with goodness.

Stay tuned... exciting news is coming!! I will be hosting a Roadmap to STEM/STEAM Masterclass completely free in January! Sign-ups will be available soon! To stay up to date, subscribe to the email list. 

Please kindly subscribe to the podcast if you haven't yet and leave us a review! How are we doing? What do you want to hear! Tell me!

This episode is jam packed with so much STEM understanding! Exactly what is STEM? How can we be sure as educators that we are getting ALL the best impressions with students when we use STEM?

Chris Woods joins me today to explain quite a lot of this uncharted territory. Yes, uncharted. We know what STEM stands for. Many of us have tried a STEM activity or challenge, but how do we really make an impact with it? How can we begin to enjoy using it with our students?

This answer is.... STEM or STEAM is a culture not an activity. It encompasses many different teaching approaches and methodologies. I want to say that I have a #1 tip... I actually have a a few good ones.
*Start anyway you can.
*Use it in any subject.
*Be prepared to let an activity change when students begin to have ideas.
*Don't let it intimidate you because you feel like you aren't an expert. I promise YOU have a lot to bring to the table.
*Celebrate FAILURES!!! That is when true understanding and learning, as well as, stamina through difficulties begin to evolve.
*Introduce each area of STEM or STEAM, and how we can't have one without the other!
*Find other educators to collaborate with. Start with Chris Woods! Even me!

Chris Woods recently released his new book Daily STEM: How to Create a STEM Culture in Your Classrooms and Communities! Find it on the Amazon link here.

Join Chris's email list from dailystem.com and begin getting his Daily STEM News, a free educator resource.

He can be found on Twitter and Instagram: @dailystem

As always.... subscribe and kindly leave a review! What do you need help with? What are interested in? Tell me! Keep on iHeartSTEAMing!!

Create the culture! No matter what grade level you teach.... Creating a STEM or STEAM culture first ensures success in a STEM or STEAM classroom. Really.... in any kind of classroom!

Join me today and find out exactly how I start with kindergarteners each year to create a STEAM culture. This system will work for any grade level by simply adjusting the content slightly! This process has worked without failure for the last 5 years! Each year, it just gets better!

What is the secret to my success? Tiny Minds STEAM! This is complete STEAM introduction curriculum is everything you will need to start the culture for STEM or STEAM with first grade or kindergarten students! Read more about Tiny Minds right here on the blog!!

Get your hands on it right here! Tiny Minds STEAM! The perfect tag along to create the STEM or STEAM culture is 9 Tips for the Ultimate STEM/STEAM Classroom which is totally FREE to you!

Don't forget to checkout Chris Woods new book Daily STEM: How to create a STEM culture in Your Classrooms and Communities!

Make sure to leave your thoughts with us today! Subscribe and leave a review! Our STEAMed up hearts appreciate it so much!

Meet Sarah Lalonde! Sarah is one the most diverse teachers I have ever met! Let me tell you... when it comes to knowing what teachers need to support their students... just ask the teacher who has worked in multiple grade levels, elementary, middle school, special education, and finally STEM!!! You guys know I love talking with guests, and I will always cherish this interview!

Not only is Sarah an established teacher author, she is a children's author that fills the need for science content literature when there isn't any! I have truly enjoyed reading Sarah's books: Pepito's Whiskers, Plant Adaptations, and Animal Adaptations! Oh, Pepito... this cat who really walked the Earth, learned how to overcome blindness and use senses that many of us take for granted. Students will connect with this story and grow curious in ways you can't imagine! Check it out and Sarah's other collection of science literature available on Amazon!!
Pepito's Whiskers
Plant Adaptations
Animal Adaptations

Find some of the BEST STEAM and science resources for your classroom in Sarah's Teachers Pay Teachers Store: Science and STEAM Team

You can also find Sarah on Instagram: @scienceandsteamteam

Check out her AMAZING Blog with tons of information for your classroom: scienceandsteamteam.com

STEAM teachers are some of the most giving teachers I know! Let I Heart STEAM share a little with YOU!

Grab a FREE Guide for Using STEM/STEAM in your classroom in person or virtually this year!

Are you ready for more iHeartSTEAM? Do you need more virtual STEM/STEAM resources and delivery tips? Do you need more support for STEM/STEAM in general? THIS IS YOUR MONTH!!! Find us on Instagram @iheartsteam!

During the month of September, use code: SEPTFREE to join the STEAMed up Teachers Club! Just put the code in at checkout!!

Subscribe and leave a review to help keep all the STEAM sharing coming!!

Need tips for hosting a STEM/STEAM day in this new school year? How will your school delivery format affect this day?

Are you completely remote? Hybrid? Face-to-face for instruction? No matter what format your school is in, you will need to adjust plans for STEM/STEAM day.

Our students need us to continue planning school-wide events! Days like STEM/STEAM Day are so much more than an expo of topics.... they provide social-emotional health to our students. It makes them part of a larger group. It helps them have stronger ties to the school. It gives them something to share!

Listen in for tips on how to make this happen in all formats! Read a past blog post about how the day normally goes: Host a STEM Day at school.

Are you ready for more iHeartSTEAM? Do you need more virtual STEM/STEAM resources and delivery tips? Do you need more support for STEM/STEAM in general?  Grab the Ultimate STEM/STEAM Guide totally FREE to you!

Subscribe and leave a review to help keep all the STEAM sharing coming!!

This is episode is TRUE CONFESSION of a teacher who knew NOTHING about 3D printing, got excited about it by chance, and completely MANIFESTED it to happen with ZERO funding!!! What originally caught my eye was the MySTEMKits Company. Why? Well.. because the print designs are already made for you to use in every subject with lesson plans. That was the first time I thought... yeah I could do that! Find out more about them here: MySTEMKits Learning

I literally had no knowledge of 3D printing.... I didn't even have any idea what kind of file a 3D print was considered as... there are quite a few. Now... what to use, how to do it, and how does it work in the classroom besides being hellacool?

Actually, it is the most underused tech for everyday teachers, but it can seriously enhance Project-Based Learning like NOTHING else!!

This is my story! 3 years later I am a Maker's Empire Ambassador.... they actually trust me to share at conferences and teach others! WHAT!! Yes... I am there. Was that my plan? NO! Not at all! Maker's Empire is literally my 3D printing LIFESAVER!!!! Check out their latest blog post all about how I used 3D printing during COVID remotely, and am ready to use it again if needed!

Literally Maker's Empire is the BEST, most engaging, and student friendly interface for teaching students. They have the best learning management system, and easiest training for teachers and students! Don't believe me? Just visit their website: https://www.makersempire.com/

You will LOVE every minute of it! And your students..... they won't be able to get enough! Can I just say this.... my best 3D print students are..... 1st Graders!!!

I simply love sharing my STEAM experiences and hope that I can share to convert more teachers everyday! Check out my The iHeartSTEAM blog and get to know me!

Follow me on Instagram at iHeartSTEAM !

Join the STEAM University Facebook Group for lots of ideas for your classroom and live training!

I have a great starter kit for you right here!! Download my FREE Ultimate STEM/STEAM Project-Based Learning Guide today!

Thanks for listening! Hit that subscribe button and leave a review!

In today's episode... which I have anxiously waited weeks to record... Patty Tobin joins me! Patty's pen name is Addie Abacus. She has an amazing children's STEAM series that starts with the first in the series Morgan and the Forty Thieves followed by Morgan and the Monster of the Deep.

In this delightful series for young readers, students encounter "magic math" investigations that the main character, Morgan, stumbles upon throughout her adventures. This is the perfect way to create purposeful context for math skills and student investigations that involve the natural world! Listen to the episode to find out how Morgan uses the size of a baby whale to help her out in one of the stories. Teachers, these books are a must have and a perfectly produced interwoven creation of the STEAM subjects. MATH IS TRULY ALL AROUND US!!!

You can find the series on Amazon and at you local bookstore! To enhance your experience... a teacher's guide and student guide are found on the Addie Abacus website!

https://www.addieabacus.com/

Follow Patty on Instagram!! Check out her amazing nature photo feed!!! @addieabacus

Don't forget to grab my STEM/STEAM guide to help you in the classroom today!! As always.... I Heart STEAM!!!!

Y'all... I keep getting asked this! How can we deliver STEM instruction remotely?

YES!! It can be done! I know it can! I'm not saying we won't have hurdles... bless the Kindergarten teacher that starts the year off remotely. I can't even!!! Let's face it, Kinders need their teachers with them.. all students do!!!

We can't change what we face. We can only change how we approach it and deal with it! Let me share these 9 tips with you today that will help you with any instructional format that is going to be remote!!! I am excited. Honestly, I wish my system was starting remotely so that I could do more to test things out! I want to be with students for sure, but I do want to keep helping others remotely, too! WE GOT THIS!!!!

Here are the 9 tips:
1. Start with an at home survey to find out what's available at home.
2. Incorporate a written STEM/STEAM journal!
3. Use projects that require trash!
4. Be the hands of a project when you have access to equipment that they don't. Let them tell you what steps to take!
5. Get creative with project topics! What's a good project for the home environment? Think about the projects you have sent home before that required them to do something at home.
6. Take time to create a 2-4 week calendar of project steps to come. Post it to students.
7. Invite SUPER guests to your meeting times!! CREATE HYPE WITH STUDENTS!! Plan ahead with your calendar!
8. Collect around the house data!!
9. Remember the 4 C's for 21st Century Learning - Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication. These are the basis of STEM/STEAM instruction. We can all still do these. Let this be your opportunity to get CREATIVE!!

If you need more support, download my FREE STEM/STEAM Guide.

Would you like to be in the best STEM Teacher Club Membership out there??? Find out more about the STEAMed Up Teacher Club here! Use code CLUBNOW for 10% off membership rate!!!!

Leave a review and let me know how I am doing!!! #iheartsteam

Hey Listeners! I seriously had the best time with Ms. Maegan Donell, STEM Lab Instructor from McLendon Elementary in Decatur, GA!

This episode will not only keep you entertained and laughing, but we throw down some seriously good strategies, schedules for STEM/STEAM, resources, ideas, and much more! She and I literally talked for thirty minutes before the episode, and then... there is the episode. I think we just wanted to make plans and meet up right after!

I love this lady! Her passion is what drew me to her. We connected on Twitter about two years ago and then on Instagram. I knew just from her Twitter posts that she has a heart of gold and a fire for STEM!!!! I mention in the episode that Twitter is the best Professional Learning Network that you can tailor for yourself. Our connection is living proof of that! Ms. Donnell, I can't wait to turn up the night with you!

You can connect with her on Twitter @teachmd17  and on Instagram @k5.lab.girl !

Want more really great STEM/STEAM ideas? Check out my The iHeartSTEAM blog and get to know me!

Follow me on Instagram at iHeartSTEAM or Twitter !

Join the STEAM University Facebook Group for lots of ideas for your classroom and live training!

Download my FREE Ultimate STEM/STEAM Project-Based Learning Guide today!

Thanks for listening! Hit that subscribe button and leave a review!