We are in the middle of National Friends of Libraries Week, and at the start of National Book Month, National Reading Group Month, and International School Library Month! This is definitely a time to enjoy reading amazing stories and books that introduce us to new experiences and ideas. It’s also a reminder that we can find these amazing stories with STEAM concepts. Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics should take up more than a couple of baskets or shelves in our classroom library – they should be regular parts of our daily teaching and learning lives. STEAM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and empowers the next generation of innovators. STEAM affects every area of our lives and it's important for our youth to see and understand how they can create a positive impact on how our world operates. By integrating reading and literacy with STEAM, not only do our youth develop as stronger readers, their interests in STEAM education and careers are piqued. 

We’ve got great news! The award-winning MyStemKits STEM curriculum, a Boxlight MimioSTEM solution, is now aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Mathematics and Science. What does this mean? Teachers in Texas who are planning integrated, innovative, hands-on STEM lessons and activities don’t have to look further than MyStemKits.com to find them! 

While we all hear “It's the time to act!” and “Don’t wait! There’s something you need to do!” acting on those reminders is a different story. But, you guessed it, the time is now for several federal funding opportunities which all have been extended for the last time.  Let’s briefly look at the status of some significant ones and hopefully, if you have not already taken advantage of these funding opportunities, you will very, very soon. 

October is a great month for creating hands-on, engaging, and fun learning experiences where your students can get their hands dirty! Not only is the weather pleasant in much of the world, October has both National Fossil Day in the United States (October 13th) and International Archaeology Day (October 16th). All of these components make for a perfect opportunity for your class to really dig into learning. 

Starcar Car Rental (Hamburg, Germany) is one of the largest car rental companies in Germany and is known for its high quality of service. With approximately 60 branches and over 500 partner stations for the parent company Starcar Europa Service Group AG, Starcar is a strong force in the car rental market. 

The first Wednesday of October is National Walk and Bike to School Day! Even if you didn’t walk or bike to school with your students today, don’t worry – I've got you covered. Here are 3 activities you and your students can try today (and beyond): 

“I think I have learned that the best way to lift one’s self up is to help someone else.”

Meredith Williams, an 8th grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School (Orlando, FL), always tries to set her students up for success right at the start of the year by facilitating a discussion beginning with three simple words, “What is it?” To encourage her students to think critically and creatively about problems through science exploration, she incorporates a variety of manipulatives so that her students have something hands-on to observe, analyze, and form ideas around. With manipulatives and discussions – both in small groups and as a class – she shows her students that asking questions is a key component of science, as was the case at the start of this year. For the hands-on portion of the activity, she incorporates models printed using her 3D printer and MyStemKits lesson kits. 

South Allegheny School District (McKeesport, PA) promotes the pursuit of knowledge by helping foster communication, collaboration, creative problem solving, and personal responsibility. South Allegheny serves about 1500 students and district leaders recognized that a “level playing field” was needed. The district previously added interactive whiteboards and projectors to help teachers engage students in new ways, and even had six interactive displays for use with the intent of incorporating more technology to boost engagement. Unfortunately, there was a lack of use with this educational technology. The solution? A district-wide investment in interactive displays in each classroom. 

The drive for integrating more hands-on STEM activities and lessons that tap into and sharpen students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills is high. Educators are trying to find and/or design lessons that students will be motivated by and further their interest in STEM learning. But with limited time and resources, this can also be one of the bigger challenges, and STEM is often limited to what is ‘left over’ after language arts and mathematics has taken the bulk of the focus.