Introduction

By subscribing to STEM Sims, teachers can open-up a kaleidoscope of educational and interactive classroom activities for students. These activities are relevant for teachers who are interested in a research-based approach to investigate STEM content that is aligned with the National NGSS Standards –https://stemsims.com/about/standards/national.pdf.

To begin, the first step is to visit the STEM Sims website, which can be found at the following website –https://stemsims.com. Once there, you will find that STEM Sims maintains over 100 simulations of laboratory experiments and engineering design simulations. Designed with excellent graphics,  these simulations are meticulous in adhering to content and engaging students into meaningful classroom learning scenarios. Moreover, like the best video games, these simulations are challenging and are designed to harness students’ attention. The good news, however, is that the content of these  activities is relevant and standards-based.

After sampling several activities, we found STEM Sims to be an incredibly user-friendly program for both teachers and students. Moreover,  a single subscription gives access for 30 students to participate in the activities. In addition, for students who need remediation, STEM Sims provides students with background information and terminology for each simulation activity.

Another key feature for teachers is that each simulation includes lesson planning (often more than one), a video walkthrough, and an assessment with an answer key. Below are some examples:

Lesson Plan: https://stemsims.com/content/lessons/machines-lesson-1.pdf

Assessment (Answer Key): https://stemsims.com/content/teacher-guides/trench-dive-teacher.pdf

Conclusion

Aligned with the NGSS Standards, STEM Sims provides teachers with a motivational and an exciting approach for the teaching of hundreds of core STEM concepts.  Moreover, with a wide-variety of authentic applications, STEM Sims makes it easy for the lessons to assimilate into various grade-levels and different courses, e.g., biology, chemistry, geology, etc. To substantiate its relevance, STEM Sims includes lesson plans, methods, and assessments for teachers to measure learning outcomes. If you are interested in having students experience these excellent scientific simulations, sign-up for a free trial. Undoubtedly, you will agree that STEM Sims offers students an excellent opportunity for scientific inquiry.

For a free trial, visit https://stemsims.com/account/sign-up

Recommended System Qualifications:

• Operating system: Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.7
• Browser: Chrome 40, Firefox 35, Internet Explorer 11, or Safari 7
• Java 7, Flash Player 13

Single classroom subscription: $169 for a 365-day subscription and includes access for 30 students.

Product Site: https://stemsims.com/

Edwin P. Christmann is a professor and chairman of the secondary education department and graduate coordinator of the mathematics and science teaching program at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Anthony Balos is a graduate student and a research assistant in the secondary education program at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.