Miranda Reagan is an Instructional Coach for STEM and Technology Infusion at Sam Houston Elementary School in Maryville, TN. As part of a district-wide initiative to improve math and science instruction, Miranda accepted a job as STEM lab teacher for her school in 2012. At the time, resources for STEM instruction in elementary school were difficult to find. Therefore, she began piecing together a curriculum for her STEM class using ideas from websites, blogs, etc. This curriculum focused on problem-solving and collaboration through design challenges. In doing so, Miranda discovered that the problem-solving concepts and patterns of thought associated with the STEM subject provided a strong foundation for teaching across content areas. Therefore, in 2013 she and her colleagues began experimenting with what she now refers to as STEM-infusing their elementary classrooms, or using STEM concepts to teach all content areas. That year, Miranda informally led an effort to transform teaching in her school towards a higher-order, problem-based approach to learning. She also shared many of her ideas from STEM class on a blog [...] and resource page on her school website which received over 30,000 hits from teachers all over the nation and abroad. Furthermore, her series of posts on Corwin-Connect [...] have continuously ranked among the top posts on that site since their publication. Now, Miranda formally coaches teachers within her school and has also provided trainings within her district and other school districts on infusing STEM in the elementary classroom. This book is a collection of lessons learned and ideas that have surfaced during her five years as a classroom teacher, two years as a STEM lab teacher, and now time spent as an instructional coach for STEM and technology integration.

Foreword by Cary Sneider
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1. STEM-Infusing All Content Areas
A Way of Teaching
Misconceptions About STEM-Infusion
Said No One Ever
Spiraling Down
A Breath of Fresh Air
Model Not Subject
Working Smarter
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 2. Why STEM in Elementary?
Then and Now
21st Century Readiness
Motivating Change
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 3. Rigor Meets Relevance
Explosion
Emotional Relevance
Making It Matter
The Relevance Trap
The Role of Technology
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 4. The Cross-Cutting Concepts Approach to STEM-Infusion
The Pattern Revelation
Cross-Cutting Concepts
Creating STEM-Infused Lesson Plans With Cross-Cutting Concepts
Concerns About Rearranging Standards
When to Use This Approach
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 5. The Standards Alignment Approach to STEM-Infusion
Operation Top Secret Message
Starting With the Standards
Connecting the Unconnected
When to Use This Approach
Brainstorming Project Ideas
Let the Creativity Begin
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 6. The Thematic Approach to STEM-Infusion
Play Ball
The Thematic Approach
Not Your Mama's Thematic Teaching
When to Use This Approach
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 7. Assessing STEM
The Testing Mess
My Mistake
Assessing STEM
Rubrics
Student Goal Setting
Student Journaling
Improvement Logs
Teacher Clipboard
Assessing Social Emotional Learning
Standardize Testing and STEM
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 8. The Benefits of the STEM Mindset: Risk Taking and Resilience
Locked Out
A Mindset Shift
Growth Versus Fixed Mindsets
Growing From STEM
Student Empowerment
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 9. Student Collaboration
Lego Trench
Foundation of Communication
Richness of the Interaction
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Chapter 10. Leadership for Change
A Really Hard Night
Progress as an Expectation
Modeling
Parent Involvement
Goal Setting
Sharing Resources and Providing Support
Teaching Teams
Teacher Trust and Autonomy
Closing
Discussion Starters
Your Next Step
Resources
Resource A. Pipeline Lesson Plan
Resource B. Volcano Lesson Plan
Resource C. Candy Cane Lesson Plan
Resource D. Germs Lesson Plan
Resource E. Top Secret Message Lesson Plan
Resource F. Baseball Lesson Plan
Resource G. Moon Rover Lesson Plan
Resource H. Improvement Log
Resource I. Storm Shelter Lesson Plan
Resource J. Lego Lesson Plan
Resource K. Tennis Shoe Lesson Plan
Resource L. Helmet Lesson Plan
Resource M. Blank Lesson Plan Template 1
Resource N. Blank Lesson Plan Template 2
Resource O. Additional STEM-Infused Activity Ideas
Glossary
References
Index