Just over a year ago I started birding, or bird watching as you may know it. I have always loved nature, learning about my local plants, and doing native gardening. Learning about birds was a natural extension of that. One of my absolute favorite parts of birding is “Backyard Birding.” Essentially, backyard birding is observing and appreciating the birds who are right around one’s backyard, schoolyard, or outdoor space. Think life science meets “I Spy.” Of course, working with teachers and students, backyard birding can also be "Schoolyard" birding, incorporating STEAM to foster critical thinking and observation skills. Imagine you and your students excitedly saying, “Oh, that’s a mountain chickadee! And there’s a dark-eyed junco. Oh, hello cute lesser goldfinch!” 

Happy Red Planet Day, Educators! Red Planet Day celebrates Mars, encouraging exploration and understanding. Today, let's embark on an exciting journey to explore Mars with your students through simple lessons, 3D printing, and robotics. Get ready to make the Red Planet come alive in your classroom! 

As educators strive to offer students a comprehensive learning experience, combining diverse subjects is a compelling choice such as integrating literacy and engineering. This dynamic integration fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among others. Let's explore some benefits and examples of combining literacy and engineering, offering educators and students opportunities to venture into these domains. 

  

Where Literacy and Engineering Meet 

While literacy and engineering might seem unrelated, they actually complement each other. Both involve problem-solving, creativity, and effective communication. Literacy helps students express their thoughts, while engineering sparks innovation and hands-on learning. Combining these strengths creates a powerful educational mix that readies students for a rapidly changing world. 



The Benefits of Blending Literacy and Engineering 

Sharper Critical Thinking 

When you bring together literacy and engineering, students get better at solving problems in different ways. For instance, think about making a simple machine like a lever. By reading about how levers work and then actually making one, students learn how to think creatively and solve challenges from different angles. 

On this International Day of Women in Engineering, let's honor the achievements and contributions of women in the field of engineering. Let’s use this day to inspire and empower the next generation of female engineers. We can cultivate interest and curiosity in our students through interactive learning activities that incorporate technology and the engineering design process. 

Incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning is essential for helping students develop important skills like critical thinking, perseverance, communication, and creative problem-solving. To help you plan more STEM learning experiences for their students, the award-winning MyStemKits curriculum offers engaging lessons, activities, and Design Challenges that are hands-on, and standards aligned. This online resource includes over 400 lesson plans that use 3D printing, robotics, sensors, and virtual simulations to deepen students' understanding and optimize learning experiences. 

Women and girls play a crucial role in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, which aim to solve big challenges like global pandemics, climate change, and improving communication through technology. In addition to being inclusive, increasing women's participation in STEM can boost our economy, reduce the pay gap, and create a more diverse and talented workforce, leading to innovative ideas and solutions. 

Business operation managers are called on to improve an operation’s effectiveness. They also improve the transfer of information between various internal departments so that they might work efficiently together. 

A mathematician is someone who uses their knowledge to solve mathematical problems as they relate to real-world situations. Mathematicians are scientists who, with their specialized knowledge and professional methodology, approach many of the imposing problems presented in related scientific fields. Likewise, a statistician collects and analyzes data, looking for patterns that explain behavior or describe the world as it is. 

Actuaries are typically associated with mathematics, but this career is often categorized as a science which applies math and data analysis. They use these analyses to produce strategic methods for professional operations. 

Financial Analysts provide guidance to individuals and businesses on investments such as stocks and bonds. To help their clients’ growth, they keep up with current economic trends, business news, and company strategies.