All Informal Education resources

Journal Article

Taking an Ecosystem Approach to STEM Learning

Explore the Synergies project, a case study for how to comprehensively integrate three exemplary teaching practices into a STEM-learning ecosystem.  ...

By John H. Falk, Lynn D. Dierking, Nancy Staus, Jennifer Wyld, Deborah Bailey, and William Penuel

Informal Education STEM

Journal Article

STEM Pathways

STEM Pathways is a collaboration between five Minnesota informal STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education organizations—The Bakken Museum, Bell Museum of Natural History, Minnesota Zoo, STARBASE Minnesota, and ...

By Abby Moore, Beth Murphy, Melanie Peters, and Steven Walvig

Informal Education Is Lesson Plan STEM

Journal Article

STEM Learning Ecologies

The science education community is buzzing about STEM learning ecosystems, ecologies of learning, and ecological perspectives on learning. You may not know it, but if your teaching involves building on young people’s prior knowledge or making conne...

By Bronwyn Bevan

Informal Education Research STEM

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Spiderweb

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Middle School Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science Life Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry NGSS Phenomena Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Spiderweb (Hardcover)

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Middle School Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science Life Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry NGSS Phenomena Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Teacher Preparation

NSTA Kids

The Tree by Diane's House: I Wonder Why

This book about life cycles and the food chain begs to be read out loud. Written in the rhythm of “The House That Jack Built,” The Tree by Diane’s House tells the story of a budding tree and a growing girl. As the tree grows from seed to sycamo...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool Biology General Science Life Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry Phenomena Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education

NSTA Kids

Animals Two by Two: I Wonder Why

Children who love both animals and a rousing game of I Spy will have fun with this book. To give kids practice identifying similarities and differences, the book starts by pairing easy-to-distinguish animals, such as zebras and horses. Then it moves ...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool Biology Life Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry Phenomena Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education

NSTA Kids

Looking for Animals: I Wonder Why

Now you see them, now you don’t! By showing the same creatures in two different settings, this book brings out the detective in young readers. They can investigate the role of protective coloration— nature’s own camouflage—for katydids, crick...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool Biology General Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry Phenomena Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education

NSTA Kids

Our Very Own Tree: I Wonder Why

What happens when two friends take an interest in an oak tree? They begin to notice more about the world around them, such as the seasons changing and squirrels making homes. They are inspired to do independent research, from studying acorns to looki...

Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool Environmental Science General Science Life Science Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry Phenomena Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education