Stem And The City

The future of American STEM education is here...in every state, there are thousands students that would benefit from science education, if only they had the resources, support systems and psychological ownership. There are brilliant young minds that could be called on to solve a myriad of world problems, earning money and respect in the process. But these students don’t see science as a viable option for a life. Or they do but there are no textbooks in the classroom, or the teacher is the fifth one this semester...and he is on the verge of leaving too. If STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers are the future driving force of the American economy; and if only an anointed few American students choose STEM as a career path, where will that leave us as a nation as we strive to compete on the global stage? Will America maintain its position as leader of the free world? Can a country that shuns the word “elite” ever maintain its elite status? Everything we value depends on this; our national security, reputation, and quality of life all depend on our ability to meet the needs of future generations of American workers as they compete for jobs. Jobs that will require problem solving skills, innovation, creativity, scientific literacy, and mathematical knowledge. Jobs that will require Americans who are tops in their fields with expertise, intellectual curiosity, ambition and vision. This book seeks to address these problems, as well as providing an historical backdrop for the discussion of STEM in American schools, race and gender issues, the effects of the standards movement on STEM, and what good teaching looks like in urban public schools. The future is here. Will we rise to the occasion?

What's more fun than a theme park? Now you can build one of your very own, using the popular game of Minecraft. Using core STEM principles, this colorful book takes you step by step through the process of designing and constructing your own fabulous mega Minecraft theme park--calculating the space required for each ride, understanding the different properties of the available materials, and learning how gravity and friction affect the speed of your roller coaster. The end results will be fantastic, including multiple attractions such as a Ferris wheel and water slide, ticket booths, paving, and a fence around the perimeter.

"Science in the City examines the norms governing science knowledge formation and posits a vision of a more culturally relevant approach to science instruction"--

This edited volume focuses on the reform and research of STEM education from international perspectives considering the sociocultural perspectives of different educational contexts. It shows the impact of political and cultural contexts on the reform of science education.

From The Author: Has your school added a STEM class, or are you hoping to build more STEM into your school community? Buying a bunch of 3D printers and robot kits is a good start, but what does a sustainable STEM learning culture look like? This book will challenge you to think past the Daily STEM acronym and think about what it means to build a culture of STEM thinking in your school. You'll find plenty of practical tips and examples to make STEM relevant for every kid and infuse it into every classroom and every home in your community. Editorial Reviews: "STEM can seem like such a big challenge for teachers and school leaders alike. We all want students engaged in meaningful, hands-on learning. But where do we begin? Start with Daily STEM. This awesome gift to educators by author Chris Woods is packed full of practical, logical, and easy steps teachers can and should take to bring STEM to life. It's like having Chris right there coaching you, helping you find STEM in everyday life. Daily STEM will have you building a "culture of STEM" in your school or classroom and bringing relevant learning to life." Darrin M Peppard, Ed.D. - Superintendent - Author of Road To Awesome - Renaissance Hall of Fame "Chris' book Daily STEM is exactly what every teacher needs to promote curiosity and hands-on learning in the classroom. He prompts critical thinking and offers experiences that are fun and engaging for students. It is packed full of cool ideas and STEM inspiration-a must read!!!" Jacie Maslyk - Educator - Author - STEM Enthusiast "I absolutely love Daily STEM!! You will never be able to look at the world the same way after you read this gem! Hundreds of ideas will swirl through your head after each page. If you are searching for your teaching style, here it is: curiosity and connections. This is a book you will read more than once. Chris's personal stories will put a smile on your face as you reflect on your own stories. WOW Factor!! Epic!" Dr. Frank Rudnesky - Educator - Author - Speaker - Consultant "Daily STEM is a book I would normally have an aversion to! Teachers either love the idea of STEM, or they run as fast as they can when they hear the term. I used to run! Daily Stem offered me significant insight into so many ways educators can continue to provide STEM instruction/ideas and exploration across content areas and beyond the classroom walls. The Q and A style made Daily Stem an easy read. It also provided opportunity to revisit a question -and the answer- quite readily. "A noisy classroom is a collaborative classroom. A messy classroom is an inventing classroom," sums up best practice and is a powerful reminder as we plan for the new school year!" Dr. Lori Koerner - K-12 Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Personnel

This book addresses how forward-thinking local communities are integrating pre-college STEM education, STEM pedagogy, industry clusters, college programs, and local, state and national policies to improve educational experiences, drive local development, gain competitive advantage for the communities, and lead students to rewarding careers. This book consists of three sections: foundational principles, city/regional case studies from across the globe, and state and national context. The authors explore the hypothesis that when pre-college STEM education is integrated with city and regional development, regions can drive a virtuous cycle of education, economic development, and quality of life. Why should pre-college STEM education be included in regional technology policy? When local leaders talk about regional policy, they usually talk about how government, universities and industry should work together. This relationship is important, but what about the hundreds of millions of pre-college students, taught by tens of millions of teachers, supported by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who deliver STEM education around the world? Leaders in the communities featured in STEM in the Technopolis have recognized the need to prepare students at an early age, and the power of real-world connections in the process. The authors advocate for this approach to be expanded. They describe how STEM pedagogy, priority industry clusters, cross-sector collaboration, and the local incarnations of global development challenges can be made to work together for the good of all citizens in local communities. This book will be of interest to government policymakers, school administrators, industry executives, and non-profit executives. The book will be useful as a reference to teachers, professors, industry professional volunteers, non-profit staff, and program leaders who are developing, running, or teaching in STEM programs or working to improve quality of life in their communities.

Dash! Hide! Splash! Ride! Exuberant text celebrates all the different ways animals play, from rhinos taking mud baths and parrots somersaulting through the air to kangaroos boxing and dolphins diving through the surf. Additional text explains how playing benefits animals. Fascinating back matter gives more information about the featured animals in the book and encourages readers to make time to play every day!