I’ve talked with teachers who are concerned about the E in STEM. “I barely have time for science, and now I’m supposed to teach engineering, too? I’ve never studied engineering!”
I think these teachers might feel a little more confident after reading the guest editorial The Next Generation Science Standards and Engineering for Young Learners: Beyond Bridges and Egg Drops. The article has a chart that compare science and engineering practices, and there are a lot of similarities. The fundamental difference seems to be that science asks questions while engineering defines problems. Many of the activities that are common in science classes are actually based on engineering problems.
In an earlier post Early education in engineering and design, Peggy Ashbrook looks at the engineering skills that even our youngest students bring with them. She provides insights, resources, and suggestions for building on these.
Beginning with the October issue, Science and Children has a new column called Engineering Encounters on teaching strategies to support teaching children how to design, explore the ways engineers conduct their work, and include ways in which lessons in engineering can be integrated with science. This month’s column explores some misconceptions students have. In another column, Safety First, Ken Roy reviews some safety precautions that should be considered during STEM activites.
Other featured articles focus on activities and design problems on flying machines, pendulums, weather forecasting, rockets, buoys, building projects, electromagnetic induction, and waterways. [SciLinks: Forecasting the Weather, Magnetic Fields, Engineering Structures, Pendulums, Rivers, Rockets]
Many of these articles have extensive resources to share, so check out the Connections for October 2103. Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, there are ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, and other resources.

Last year (my first year teaching) I floated among several classrooms. A few days before the beginning of this year, I learned that I have my own biology lab! I didn’t have much time, so I just put up a few posters. Now I want to make this plain classroom into a learning center for my freshman students. Do you have any tried-and-true ideas?
—JoAnn, Houston, Texas
I assume you have a traditional lab/classroom, with lab tables at one end and student desks/tables in another part of the room. I would definitely post your lab safety rules in the lab section and keep it free from clutter so you and the students can move around without bumping into each other. Establish a place where students can access and return the materials needed for their activities and investigations. Don’t forget to label safety equipment!
In the other part of your room, you can certainly go beyond motivational and scenic posters:

• Designate and label bulletin board or wall space to display student work.
• Use bulletin board space to highlight the topic students are currently studying.
• Work with students to create a word wall to display key vocabulary terms. (Previous blogs have more ideas for bulletin boards and word walls.)
• Create a live animal center with an aquarium or terrarium.
• Grow live plants on the windowsill or under a grow light.
• Begin a class library of books and magazines related to science and nature.
• Designate places where students can access supplies, store notebooks and laptops/tablets, and hand in assignments.
• Display student projects (or photographs of them).
• Set up places in the room for individual work, conferencing, and small group work (if space permits).

Biology teachers often display artifacts related to the topic being studied. You might not have many to start, but you could look in storage rooms and cabinets for hidden treasures. I found a lot of interesting things at flea markets and yard sales, too.
I’ve been in science classrooms that weren’t the learning center you’re looking for. One teacher had just about every square inch covered with memorabilia related to his favorite sports team. If students didn’t like sports or cheered for a different team, this “shrine” was not a welcoming place. Another teacher I worked with collected frogs. Her classroom was full of pictures of frogs, frog figurines, stuffed frogs, and frog mobiles hanging from the ceiling. She was an elementary teacher, so her students were in this environment all day, every day. I found it cluttered and distracting, and I couldn’t imagine cleaning around all of these knickknacks.
However, if students are invited to bring in artifacts to share and see their work on display, it will give them ownership in the learning environment.
 
Photograph: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2137/4558969712_68b6854c16.jpg
 

Welcome back to guest blogger Sarah Erdman! Sarah writes about her first-hand observations of sharing books with a toddler. Learn more about her programs and writing at her Cabinet of Curios blog.

When you search a bookstore database, you can find over 1,000 books that are categorized as “science” for children, ages 0-2 years old. Honestly, I think that number is a little low. Remember, “science” includes animals, plants, your body, the motion of objects, places around the world and more. That means that well-loved classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1969) or The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Crockett Johnson (1945) are all supporting your child as they explore the natural world. As caregivers, that gives us incredible freedom to choose books that spark the interest of the babies and toddlers in our care. Resources such as Even More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children’s Books to Guide Inquiry, K-5 by Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberry (2013) can guide us to books that support learning science concepts without developing misconceptions about the natural world. Check out the NSTA Recommends website to find Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12, chosen in cooperation with the Children’s Book Council. Ladybugs by Gail Gibbon (2012) and The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins (2012) are two of the winning titles for 2013. Knowing how many books support science learning gives us one more reason why reading is such a crucial and fun activity to do with your young child!

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Lovely sentiments, but when it comes to reading to a wiggly 1 year old the reality can be very different. A lot of parents that I’ve met are concerned that their toddlers are reluctant readers, or are just at the end of their creativity for how to add reading into their day. Never fear! There are strategies to make reading less stressful. Even with very young children, when it comes to books, it is all about how you pick them, how you read them and how you add them to your day.
This post is intended as a starting point, but if you want more information you can search for “raising a reader” on the Internet. You will find a lot of articles like “How to Raise a Reader” by Common Sense Media, which has a lot of tips for older children and “How to Raise a Reader” by Parents, which breaks down strategies for different age ranges.
When you have a child who isn’t talking yet, it can be hard to know what types of books they want to read. For no reason that I can tell, my son might take his favorite book and chuck it off the side of the chair and unearth one that he usually shuns. This is why I take full advantage of our library. It lets us “try on” some different kinds of books as I get a feel for what he is interested in. Then I can decide what ones we are going to invest in and feel more confident they will hold his interest. Hand-me-downs and garage sales are also a great way to acquire a wide variety without spending a lot.

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I am a HUGE fan of board books. Since he could pinch the pages between his little fingers, my son has loved turning pages. With a board book he can be a helper as we read and he really gets into the story. For babies and toddlers, a nice sturdy book lets them experience the story in their own way (yes, often that means munching on the corners). You don’t have to say “no” or tell them to be “careful” and they can just delight in the sensations. The more independent they can be, and the less they have to hear “no,” the more interesting reading will be as an activity. We are now starting to incorporate more traditional picture books and with some guidance he is making the transition to turning soft pages.
Unfortunately, many publishers feel that as long as the book has colorful pictures and is fairly sturdy it is a good book or toddlers. But that isn’t really the case. When you are looking for a book for your very young child you need to take a look at the word count on each page. Too many words and you won’t get through them, which will be really frustrating for you. Finding ones that have only a sentence or two on each page will be good for easing into reading together. As your child grows you’ll be able to better judge what they can tolerate and increase the complexity of the text.

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The quality of illustrations also ranges from uninspired to really stunning. I actually have no preference between drawings and photographs. My son is equally delighted by his cartoon truck and the color photograph of the dump truck. In my opinion, a mix is good since he will learn to distinguish between “real” and “pretend” and see a range of art and interpretation. My son tends to get overwhelmed if there is a lot happening on each page, so I try to make sure that the pictures are not too busy. You might find that is successful for your child also, or they may delight in a book that has a lot going on. Another factor to consider when you are choosing books is to make sure that YOU can stand it. Remember, if everything works out as you hope you will be reading these books over…and over…and over. If there is a book that really rubs you the wrong way, don’t include it in your library.

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My son love to hear the first couple pages of a book and then go back and hear them again. Sometimes I have to stop myself from hurrying him on to the rest of the book. In my mind he is memorizing the book, but I don’t know if that is true. My evidence for this is that for some of his favorite books he knows when the words on that page are done and it is time to turn to the next one and that is really exciting for me see. As you are reading you don’t have to stick to just the words on the page. You can ask them questions, point out things in the illustrations, encourage them to make the noises or finish off a well-loved sentence. Even for kids who are not yet talking this back and forth and observation is an important skill to learn and books are a great way to introduce them to it! Visit “Reading Rockets” for more strategies.

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One of the key components of this is a phrase popular in teacher education called “wait time.” It is literally the time you wait after you’ve asked a question. With bigger kids, this is the time they need to collect their thoughts and maybe get up the courage to share. For babies and toddlers it is the time that teaches them “here is where you share” and gives them a chance to vocalize. When we read “Moo Baa La La La” (his current favorite book by Sandra Boynton) I always pause before I make the animal noise. Sometimes he jumps in with an “Mmmmmmm” (that’s the way he moos) and other times he just looks at me and smiles. Giving him a chance to talk, and praising and reacting to him when he does, is encouraging him to share and observe and engage in the book. All good and transferable skills!

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As you build up a fantastic library, a key factor is to make sure your baby or toddler has access to it. Since they aren’t reading yet, the real attraction will be the illustrations on the cover and it works best to figure out storage that still lets them see the covers. I have an awesome bookcase that I bought from a preschool that is like a book store display shelf, but you can also use baskets, spice rack shelves (that is a Pinterest suggestion!) or put them right into the toy box. Having books throughout your child’s world will mean that when the mood strikes, there is a book close at hand. We have a bag of them in the car, which make them special since he doesn’t see them all the time. One of his favorite times to read is when he is strapped in to his car seat with few other options! I also have a few water safe books, which can be a fun change during bath time. I do hesitate a little with books around the tub because I don’t want him to think just any book can take a dunking!

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We also put a few books in his crib at night and for naps. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics is very firm on its recommendations that babies should not have toys etc. in their crib and if your child is prone to chewing on books this may not be the best choice for you. For my son, a sturdy board book in the corner of his crib does not get in the way of his sleep and is something he will entertain himself with when he wakes up. I love going in to get him and finding him happily flipping through pages and talking to himself.

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Finally, and this is especially for caregivers who worry their baby or toddler doesn’t “like” books, take a deep breath and let yourself relax. If you have books available, if they see you enjoying them and you incorporate them in low stress ways throughout the day then they will learn to associate books with pleasant and fun times. Your baby may only want a page or two before he moves on to something else, but that is ok. They are learning from you what it means to be a reader and incorporating it into their day. Sampling different type of books, as well as when and how you read together will let you find the right combination for you. For more tips, resources and strategies I highly recommend the website 0f Zero to Three, which is a “national non-profit that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development.”

So – who’s ready for Mole Day? Rather than competing with the commercial hoopla around Halloween, perhaps we science teachers could get a head start on October 23 (10/23) from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. The timing of this event celebrates Avogadro’s number — 6.02 * 10^23
This day is used to celebrate the science of chemistry and its applications. The National Mole Day Foundation’s website has background information, themes, and some suggested activities. The American Chemical Society has embedded Mole Day in its National Chemistry Week activities. The ACS site has many resources for students and teachers of all grade levels. Even if your students are too young to understand Avogadro’s number, they can still enjoy learning about chemistry and the role it plays in their lives. The Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK also has information about Avogadro and the mole. (The Society’s student journal is called The Mole.)
See SciLinks for more information on Avogadro: you’ll get a list of websites related to moles and to the work of this scientist.
I’ve also heard of teachers who reverse the numbers and celebrate their mole day on June 2 (6/02) at 10:23 a.m. This could be a neat end of the year wrap-up! (And who says we can’t celebrate twice?)
 

An aquarium in the classroom may be a science center and the site of a morning separation ritual for some children. In addition to daily feeding and casual observation, children can make scientific drawings and notes. To encourage close observation, provide magnifying glasses and have two kinds of animals in the tank for observation. You might have two kinds of fish, or a fish and a snail. We can ask productive questions which encourage children to observe and think about what they see. As the children talk or point, suggest they draw the details of the animal’s body to show how it moves, how it is the same or different from the other animal, or the evidence that shows the animal is alive.
Learn about fish in the classroom from other teachers:
Read Mrs. Poulin’s blog (“Kindergarten is one of the places I call home”) about how the process of setting up a fish tank, and observing and documenting the completed tank, supported children’s work in thinking, speaking, listening and drawing.
Mrs. Larremore’s “Chalk Talk” blog shares a math unit using the book Fish Eyes by Lois Elhert (1990).
Short posts by teachers on ProTeacher about pet suggestions includes fish.
Parent and fish aquarium veteran Karen Randall writes on the Animal.com FishChannel that “Aquariums in school classrooms are a great way for kids to learn about fish and biology — and they’re fun too!”
Have any readers taken part in the Pets in the Classroom grants?
A National Science Teachers Association’s resource, NSTA Recommends, describes Catherine Sill’s About Fish: A Guide For Children (2002 Peachtree Publishers, Ltd) as “an informative and well-illustrated book for primary children…a beautiful introduction to fish or life cycles…will support an integrated approach to science and language arts in the primary grades.”
Maybe fish aren’t the perfect classroom pet….share your pet suggestions by commenting below. Roly-polies (aka isopods) anyone?