iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

17 Crafting Connection and Building Trust In Your Upper Elementary Classroom

Most back-to-school advice says lock down routines first, then relax and get to know your students. I think that's backwards. Norms and routines don't come with

16 Why Your Students Can't Learn Until They Feel Safe

This is the first episode where we're really looking ahead to the back-to-school-season — and we're not starting with seating charts or procedures. Instead, we&

15 The Reason Some Students Struggle With Science Questions (And What to Do About It)

Most of us were taught to think about teaching in terms of standards coverage. Hit the standard, move on. But there's a layer underneath that we don't talk abou

14 Vertical Whiteboards In Science & Math

Vertical whiteboards are all the buzz in math circles -- and whether or not you subscribe to the whole BTC framework, the boards themselves? Golden!! The good news is, it

13 How To Get Students Asking The Questions (Instead Of Just Answering Yours)

What if the most powerful thing you could do for student engagement wasn't a flashy lab or a big project — but just getting kids to ask the questions instead of you?

12 Criteria and Constraints: The Two Things That Make It Real Engineering

Build a roller coaster for a marble. Fine. But what if the marble has to travel as slowly as possible without stopping? Now your students actually have to think. Criteri

11 The Engineering Cycle: What It Actually Looks Like in a Real Classroom

You've seen the circle graphic. Define, design, build, test, improve. But if you're treating it as a linear checklist, you're missing what actually makes e

10 Take It Outside: 3 Easy Ideas for the Final Stretch

Mud, leaves, and praying mantises on the side of the building. The schoolyard is more alive than your students expect — and getting outside in the final weeks of school i

09 3 Science Topics That Make Kids Forget It's June

The last few weeks of school are when even your most engaged students start mentally checking out. In this episode Nicole shares three science topics that consistently pu

08 How To Make Every Kid Feel Seen Before Summer

The last week of school doesn't have to be survival mode. In this episode Nicole shares the end-of-year traditions she keeps coming back to — student word clouds, su

07 5 STEM Challenges Using Only Paper, Tape, and Cardboard

Tallest towers. Egg drops. Marble runs. These five challenges use nothing but paper, tape, and cardboard — and they're some of the most engaging engineering activiti

06 How To Run a STEM Challenge Without the Chaos

You know that feeling you get before you start a science lab or STEM challenge — excitement tinged with nervousness and maybe a little dread? You can imagine success -- k

05 From Crafts to Thinking: What Makes an Activity Actually "STEM"?

Oobleck. Spaghetti towers. Vinegar and baking soda. These aren't bad activities by any means! — but most of the time they're not really driving STEM learning in

04 STEM Bins for Slow Morning Starts

Morning arrival is one of the hardest transitions of the school day — and one of the most overlooked. In this episode I break down my STEM bin system: what goes in them,

03 The Week After Testing: Why It Falls Apart and What To Do Instead

The post-test crash is one of the most misunderstood weeks of the school year — and it doesn't hit every kid the same way. In this episode Nicole introduces Dr. Thom

02 Ideas for the Week(s) of Testing

Testing season is a lot. This episode is for the days before, during, and after the test — what to actually do with your class when the schedule is weird, the kids are an

01 Why I Started iExploreScience: STEM in Elem (And What's Coming)

If you've ever stood in front of a class and realized your students are afraid to be wrong — this episode is for you. Episode 1 is the introduction to iExploreScien

A Note for Longtime Listeners — What's Coming Next

If you've been here since Teaching Science in 3D — thank you. This short episode is for you. I'm using this space to be honest about what's changing, why

Building a Classroom Community Series Part 3: The Science Classroom

In this episode, Erin continues her conversation with middle school science teacher Char Ritchie.  Char explains how she builds on the community building practices discus

Building a Classroom Community Series Part 2: Respect Agreements and Community Circles

In the second episode of our 3-part series on building classroom community and expectations, Erin shares conversations with two special guests — Bailey and her 8th grade