Recent articles

Game Day: Playful PD for teachers and students
11/15/2016
Topics: Coding & robotics, Computational Thinking, Digital Citizenship, Digital storytelling, Gamification, Literacies, Makerspaces, professional learning, Robotics, Standards, STEM & STEAM
Much like school itself, professional development days are often regarded as a waste of instructional time. But what if PD days could be fun and effective for both teachers and students?…

6 resources for getting started with robotics
11/01/2016
Topics: Robotics, Standards, STEM & STEAM
There's never been a better time to use robotics to inspire a fascination with computer science. Check out these easy-to-implement resources for getting started with robotics and put your students on the path to becoming …

7 STEM tools you can use for any subject
04/30/2019
Topics: Makerspaces, STEM & STEAM
Exposing students to STEM experiences can be an extremely engaging and effective way to foster the skills they will need in a global,…

6 Minecraft lessons offer a motherlode of learning
01/21/2016
Topics: Gamification, STEM & STEAM
News that Microsoft is buying MinecraftEdu and beefing up the classroom version of the insanely popular game got us thinking about all the great ways educators use…

Google CS First ignites interest in computer science
12/28/2015
Topics: Coding & robotics, Computational Thinking, Digital storytelling, Literacies, Personalized Learning, STEM & STEAM, Tools
I am always looking for ways to inspire my students — especially middle school girls — to grow their knowledge and skills in STEM subjects, particularly in the realm of computer science. So it was a great find when I discovered Google CS…

Great STEM ideas don't have to break the bank
11/10/2015
Topics: STEM & STEAM
Great teachers always have great ideas for engaging students. Unfortunately, great ideas don’t always fit not-so-great budgets. In that case, you have to make the budget fit the ideas.
At The Foote School in New Haven, Connecticut, a change in school hours meant extra…

Infographic: Help your students save the world
11/06/2015
Topics: Project-based learning, STEM & STEAM
This is an updated version of a post that originally published on July 14, 2015.
Let's say you’re 9 years old and you’re curious about the world around you. Not just your neighborhood. But your state. Your country. Your planet.
You're curious because…

Learn something new with the ISTE Professional Learning Series
10/16/2015
Topics: Advocacy, Curriculum, Digital Citizenship, Digital storytelling, Gamification, Project-based learning, STEM & STEAM, Tools
Ready to learn something new? Expand your digital toolkit and explore new ideas for learning and teaching with the latest season of the ISTE Professional Learning Series. Presented by members for members, these free web events deliver new ideas and strategies right to your computer so you can…

Let distracted students make DIY fidgets with 3D printers
10/13/2015
Topics: Makerspaces, STEM & STEAM
What kid doesn’t like to play with toys? And what kid wouldn’t like to play with toys in school?
More teachers are discovering that, rather than a distraction,…

4 easy ways to fit maker activities into your curriculum
10/09/2015
Topics: Makerspaces, Project-based learning, Robotics, STEM & STEAM
If student engagement equals deeper learning, then making school fun might just be the key to improved learning.
Imagine the looks on students’ faces when you tell them that today, right there at school, their job is to become toymakers. Once they get over the shock, they’ll be…