Meet Holly from Flying Colors Science!! She may have just persuaded me to learn to love teaching middle school, too! As you may know, my focus is K-5, but we teachers always have our FAV ages!
So... Holly gives us a great perspective on science and STEM/STEAM! If you visit her Teachers Pay Teachers Store: Flying Colors Science, you will notice that all of her wonderful NGSS focused middle school curriculum has that STEM/STEAM flair! Listen in to hear our discussion on the power of a label! STEM/STEAM is certainly a label and identifier for teaching methodologies and curriculum, but you can find aspects in so much that is available for teachers to use. Where the distinction comes into play as to what is STEM/STEAM and what is not is simple, good instructional practices used by the teacher! Everything can be multidisciplinary when teaching! You just have to bring the awareness when you deliver!
Holly brings it in these curated NGSS science lessons for middle school: Potential and Kinetic Energy Toy Project, Growth Mindset Activity for Science, and Scientific Innovations by Indigenous Peoples. I am going to be grabbing these and working them into my K-5 lessons! Which by the way..... Teachers, you can adapt lessons! I can't tell you how many Teachers Pay Teachers lessons I have adapted to fit my students abilities. Lessons don't have to be perfect for you.. that's impossible. Even when lessons are grade level appropriate, your students are unique, and only you know what they need! Good instruction includes knowing how to meet your students with whatever you are using!
Holly girl.... this conversation meant so much to me!!! I so wish you were my teacher next door! If you ever want a change of scenery, there are K-5 schools that need you! Holly gives us the best advice for K-5 teachers..... AND I PREACH it, too! Let them be ok with FAILURE! Teachers... learn to be ok with failure, too! Don't not take the road before you because you don't know the way!!! Learn as you go! It's the most valuable lesson to commit yourself to! Grab some goodness to support you on new journeys in my FREE STEM/STEAM guide that EVERY teacher can use... and yes... you can do this virtually!
Find out more about Holly on website and Teachers Pay Teachers Store. You can also find her hanging out on Instagram @flying_colors_science ! We found each other right there!!