This document provides resources and information for teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in an elementary school library setting. It discusses the engineering design process, hands-on learning, magazines, websites, apps, books, and other materials to engage students in STEM. Contact information is provided for the author, who is willing to provide tours of her STEM school library and resources.

1. simpl-E
STEM
Diane R. Chen
Diane.chen@mnps.org
Twitter: hcstemlibrary
Facebook: dianerchen
Hattie Cotton STEM Magnet Elem

2. STEM IS
SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY AND
MATHEMATICS THROUGH THE
ENGINEERING DESIGN
PROCESS

3. Engineering Design Process

4. STEM IS HANDS - ON

5. All
students
need
STEM

6. The 5 E’s
Engage
Explore
Explain
Extend
Evaluate

7. Engage
• Ask great questions
• Inspire with illustrations and objects
• Use storytelling to capture attention
• Present or create a problem
• Use whiteboards to introduce and have
students write and participate
• Build connections between what student
knows & wants to know
• Use realia
• Have an event

8. Provide Science Magazines
Scholastic Classroom Magazines like
DynaMath, SuperScience, Science
Spin for grades K-1, 2, 3-6, Math,
Science World. SuperScience includes
classroom codes for online resources,
smartboards, worksheets, more

9. Magazines
Appleseeds, Ask, Chickadee, Chirp,
Cricket, Dig, Ladybug, Muse,
National Geographic Little Kids,
Odyssey, Owl, Ranger Rick, Ranger
Rick Jr. , Reptiles, Spider, Yum Food
& Fun, Zoomaf, Zoonooz, Zootles

10. Magazines for adults
Popular Science,
Discover,
Consumer Reports (technology),
NSTA

11. Explore
• An essential part of every library
activity
• Hands-on Activities with guidance
• Give opportunities for movement
• Inquiry based
• Interactivity
• Safe zones
• Reading!

12. My PLC: LM_NET
Robert Joyce’s hit involving movement in the school
library
• Scavenger hunts
• Use index cards for students to hold while
alphabetizing themselves
• Bean bags with the letters of the alphabet
• Discovery learning through examining Dewey
Decimal groupings of books

13. Explain
• Teachers and librarians check for
understanding and clear up
misconceptions.
• Conceptual clarity
• Videos
• Experts
• Direct instruction and corrections
• Peer learning

14. Extend
Extend, Enhance, Enrich
Publish
Budding Scientist – an elementary
school research journal
http://vanderbilt.educ/cso/bsj.php

15. Great Lesson
STEAM-Y STORYTIME: CONSTRUCTION!
From Claudia Haines blog
http://nevershushed.com/2013/07/27/steam-y-
storytime-construction/
A fantastic public library lesson

16. Evaluate
• An essential part that should force you
to loop back to other parts of the cycle
• Real Life Authentic Audiences
• Identifying what is next to learn or study

17. Think Like
a Scientist
teachachildcatalog.com
Think Like a Scientist Mini Bulletin Board Set
$6.99

18. Free Stuff
Engineering Is Elementary
Eie.org
Engineering Adventures
is a FREE curriculum created especially for
kids in grades 3 – 5 in out-of-school time
programs! Follow the adventurous duo
India and Jacob around the world and
solve real-life problems through the
engineering design process.
Engineering Everywhere
is a FREE engineering curriculum
for middle school-aged youth in
afterschool and camp programs.
EE empowers youth to tackle
real-world engineering
problems using the engineering
design process, creativity, and
collaboration.

19. Free stuff
http://www.teachengineering.org/engrdesign
process.php
Two key themes of the engineering design
process are teamwork and design.
Engineering is Elementary
MA Science Standard 2.1 Grades 6-8
NASA Grades K-4 or Grades 5-12
Sally Ride Science - Engineering Design Process Poster
Sally Ride Science - Rules of Brainstorming
Design Squad (pdf)
The Works: A Hands-On Museum (pdf)

20. Free Stuff
LEGO club School Edition
LEGOeducation.us
Toll-free 800-362-4308

21. Science Buddies
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/
*Teacher's Guide to Science Projects
*Science Fair Project Grading Rubrics
*Other Classroom Resources
Science Projects mapped to NGSS Core Teaching Standards:
Teachers Guide to Student Resources on Science Buddies:
Printable Copies of our Science Fair Project Guide Webpages:
*Scientific Method Classroom Poster:
36" x 20" classroom poster download the PDF or poster-sized
version is available for purchase.
Comparison of the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design
Process: side-by-side comparison of the two methods, suitable for
printing as a classroom poster.

22. Science Buddies
http://tinyurl.com/science
buddiesprocess

23. http://teachers.egfi-k12.org
“Safer highways. Cool phone apps. Green
buildings. Thrilling roller coasters.”

24. Bio-Rad
http://www.bio-rad.com/en-us/education/teaching-resources
PowerPoint Presentations for Workshops and for
Teaching
Grant Money — For Teachers in the U.S. Only

25. Great Books
• 11 Experiments That Failed
• Monkey with a Toolbelt
• Papa’s Mechanical Fish
• Norwood House Press A Great Idea: Engineering
• IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT by Andrea Beaty
• Marvelous Mattie by Emily Arnold McCully
• What Floats in a Moat?
• Coppernickel, The Invention by Wouter van Reek
• Captain Arsenio: Inventions and (Mis)adventures in
Flight by Pablo Bernasconi
• Biographies! Girls Research! Amazing Tales of
Female Scientists by Jennifer Phillips

26. Great Web Sources
National Geographic Learning:
www.ngsptechnology.com/tabid/1774/Default.aspx
Girls Start www.girlstart.org
NEA’s list: www.nea.org/tools/lessons/stem-resources.
html
PBS www.pbs.org/teachers/stem
ASCD’s list: tinyurl.com/7f4cpdg
NSF Graduate Fellows tinyurl.com/n94gdzt
Live Binders www.livebinders.com/play/play/126258

27. Pinterest Boards
*http://www.pinterest.com/weareteachers/stemsteam-lessons-
activities-and-ideas/
*http://www.pinterest.com/pin/2251868536670679/
*http://www.pinterest.com/dianerchen/stem-ideas/

28. iPad apps
http://tinyurl.com/m3mntnx
Unblock Me and Unroll Me
Sudoku
Playground app to build bridges
Mathstorm
Kids count money USA

29. Ask the Publishers
Every publisher online has links to
STEM resources. Use their work to
save you time to develop interactive
stations in the library.

30. Examples from Publishers
Enslow’s list of Mathematics
Enslow’s list of STEM titles
Follett’s link to STEM titles
Capstone search STEM
Gareth Stevens
Millbrook (a Lerner imprint)
Lerner STEM Trailblazer Bios

31. Books I am purchasing
Bearport Publishing’s Science Slam
titles like Rock-ology

32. AASL STEM task-force
CHARGE: To gather, prepare and disseminate information
on the school librarians role in STEM.
FUNCTIONS:
1. Search AASL’s current resources to find existing STEM
content and resources (eCOLLAB, KQ, ACHIEVE
document).
2. Investigate collaboration with other STEM initiatives
outside of ALA.
3. Create awareness within AASL of school librarian role in
STEM
4. Develop a toolkit or other appropriate resources.

33. AASL STEM task-force
https://www.smore.com/qcqyn
by sue kowalski

34. Don’t forget these teacher resources
are on my school web page
http://hattiecottones.mnps.org/Page85419.aspx
Training Feb 17 2014; Research Skills and
Using Videos with Ms Chen.
Training sheet used with teachers

35. Get-Togethers / PLC
Sometimes the best way to learn how
to share STEM is to experience it.
Come by and visit our STEM school.
Plan a day to look at books. Contact
me at dianerchen@gmail.com