Practice Briefs
These very short pieces highlight ways of working on specific issues that come up during STEM teaching. You can browse them below or easily flip through and browse the entire collection online. If you would like to browse or download the entire collection of tools as eye-catching PDFs, check out: http://STEMteachingtools.org/link/PDFcollection/
We're translating our collection of tools for science education into Spanish. Click here to read the STEM Teaching Tools that have been translated.
Estamos trabajando para traducir las STEM Teaching Tools en español. Hagan click aquí para leer las STEM Teaching Tools (STT) que han sido traducidas.
- Assessment
- Background
- Culture
- Engineering
- Equity
- ESPAÑOL
- Implementation
- Informal Ed
- Instruction
- Practices
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Is it important to distinguish between the explanation and argumentation practices in the classroom?

Why should students investigate contemporary science topics—and not just "settled" science?

Practices should not stand alone: How to sequence practices in a cascade to support student investigations

Are there multiple instructional models that fit with the science and engineering practices in NGSS? (Short answer: Yes.)

Using curriculum adaptation as a strategy to help teachers learn about NGSS and developing aligned instructional materials

How Can I Get My Students to Learn Science by Productively Talking with Each Other?

Learning STEM Through Design: Students Benefit from Expanding What Counts as "Engineering"

What is meant by engaging youth in scientific modeling?

How should districts and schools focus professional development when starting to implement NGSS?

Scientific literacy involves understanding global climate change & what people can do about it

Professional Development that Supports Teacher Learning about the New Vision for Science Education

Next Generation Science Standards: What’s different, and do they matter?

Overview: How can we promote equity in science education?

Research Brief: The Informal Formative Assessment Cycle as a Model for Teacher Practice

Beyond the Written C-E-R: Supporting Classroom Argumentative Talk about Investigations

How teachers can develop formative assessments that fit a three-dimensional view of science learning

Why should students learn to plan and carry out investigations in science and engineering?

Getting their hands dirty: Engaging learners in authentic science practices outside the classroom

What school building administrators should know about the new vision for K-12 science education

Research Brief: How Teacher Social Networks Support and Constrain Sustainable Reform

Evaluating Curriculum Materials for Alignment with the New Vision for K-12 Science Education

Research Brief: Supporting teacher professional communities to implement school-wide initiatives

How can formative assessment support culturally responsive argumentation in a classroom community?

How can assessments be designed to engage students in the range of science and engineering practices?

Engaging English Learners in the Science and Engineering Practices

Steps to Designing a Three Dimensional Assessment

Integrating Science Practices Into Assessment Tasks

How to launch STEM investigations that build on student and community interests and expertise

Why focus on science and engineering practices--and not "inquiry?" Why is "the scientific method" mistaken?

How to design assessments for emerging bilingual students

Research Brief: Designing an Assessment System that Measures Three-Dimensional Science Learning

How can I foster curiosity and learning in my classroom? Through talk!

What is the role of informal science education in supporting the vision for K-12 science education?

How can students’ everyday experiences support science learning through engineering design?

How can Making promote equity and excitement in STEM?

Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Lessons and Units

Why Do We Need to Teach Science in Elementary School?

Addressing controversial science topics in the K-12 classroom

How to focus students’ engineering design projects on science learning

How can I promote equitable sensemaking by setting expectations for multiple perspectives?

How can teachers guide classroom conversations to support students’ science learning?

How can mentor teachers and university educators support preservice science teachers?

Supporting Successful District Implementation of New Science Standards

Supporting Preservice Teachers with Task-Based Instruction

How to build an equitable learning community in your science classroom

Why it is crucial to make cultural diversity visible in STEM education

How place-based science education strategies can support equity for students, teachers, and communities

How can science instruction leverage and develop student interests? Short answer: In so many different ways!

Creating science learning experiences that support learners receiving special education services

Designing ‘productive uncertainty’ into investigations to support meaningful engagement in science practices

Using science investigations to develop caring practices for social-ecological systems

What does subject matter integration look like in elementary instruction? Including science is key!

How to integrate the argumentation from evidence practice into engineering design projects

Students should generate criteria and constraints for engineering design problems—not just be provided with them

Using 3D interim assessments to support coherence, equity, and a shared understanding of learning

Why you should stop pre-teaching science vocabulary and focus on students developing conceptual meaning first

Focusing Science and Engineering Learning on Justice-Centered Phenomena across PK-12

Keeping Climate Science Learning and Instruction Focused on Creating Solutions and Building Community Resilience

Using Local Phenomena to Communicate Climate Solutions

How can you advance equity and justice through science teaching?

How can arguing from evidence support sensemaking in elementary science?

Connecting science instruction to neighborhood life through collaborative design with community

Designing and participating in community and citizen science efforts to support equity and justice

Using the crosscutting concepts to reflect on and refine your teaching

How do we present gender, sex, and sexuality as part of inclusive and accurate science teaching?

Organizing for educational transformation using Actor-Network Theory

Supporting observations, wonderings, systems thinking & “Should We” deliberations through Learning in Places

Steps to Designing Justice-Focused Assessments in Science

Let’s Talk Climate! Bridging Climate Justice Learning and Action Across School, Home, and Community

Principals! Here’s what you can do to foster equitable three-dimensional science learning

How do race and racism connect with science learning in early childhood and elementary classrooms?

Identifying local environmental justice phenomena for science and engineering investigations

Attending to Race and Identity in Science Instruction

Designing Climate Change Learning for Action

Using Nature Journaling to identify meaningful local phenomena and support the infinite range of student sensemaking

Think globally, act locally: Promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through community-centered learning

Systematically Noticing and Responding to Learning Experiences through Practical Measures

How can STEM education leaders move with community towards culturally affirming and sustaining practices?

Understanding how food, energy, and water decisions affect the thriving of local, regional, and global systems

What is climate justice learning?

How might climate educators leverage the diverse funds of knowledge of rural communities?
