Books

10 performance-based STEM projects for grades 6–8 provides ten ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills while learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each project is linked to national STEM education goals and represents one of a variety of performance assessments, including oral presentations, research papers and exhibitions. Included for each project are a suggested calendar to allow teachers to easily plan a schedule, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain an understanding of what they are doing, as well as multiple rubrics that can be used to objectively assess the performance of students. 

10 performance-based STEM projects for grades 4–5 provides ten ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills while learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each project is linked to national STEM education goals and represents one of a variety of performance assessments, including oral presentations, research papers and exhibitions. Included for each project are a suggested calendar to allow teachers to easily plan a schedule, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain an understanding of what they are doing, as well as multiple rubrics that can be used to objectively assess the performance of students.

10 performance-based STEM projects for grades 2–3 provides ten ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills while learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. PEach project is linked to national STEM education goals and represents one of a variety of performance assessments, including oral presentations, research papers and exhibitions. Included for each project are a suggested calendar to allow teachers to easily plan a schedule, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain an understanding of what they are doing, as well as multiple rubrics that can be used to objectively assess the performance of students. 

10 performance-based STEM projects for grades K–1 provides ten ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills while learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each project is linked to national STEM education goals and represents one of a variety of performance assessments, including oral presentations, research papers and exhibitions. Included for each project are a suggested calendar to allow teachers to easily plan a schedule, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain an understanding of what they are doing, as well as multiple rubrics that can be used to objectively assess the performance of students.

In Teaching for transfer: A guide for designing learning with real-world application, author Michael McDowell provides F–12 teachers with a road map for reconfiguring classroom instruction to ensure that students learn to expertly apply their knowledge and skills to different contexts. McDowell outlines three levels of complexity in learning – (1) surface, (2) deep and (3) transfer – and explains that while the foundational levels of surface and deep are essential and allow students to understand and relate ideas, transfer-level work is key; it involves the interdisciplinary problem-solving students need to practice to become creative, well-rounded citizens who can meet and overcome unexpected challenges.