Books that Promote STEM/STEAM Learning in Early Childhood
November 1st, 2021 | 5 min. read
An enhanced emphasis on STEM/STEAM learning at all levels of education is a trend that continues to gain support. Based on the results of several national testing efforts, it is apparent that students in the United States need a stronger focus on the mathematics and science areas to be competitive globally. Introducing STEM in the early years exposes young children to a problem-solving approach to learning that aligns with their own curiosity. The integration of STEM in these critical years of early childhood may also spark an interest in and increase preparation in these fields in the future, which could lead to interest in STEM careers. The list of resources below will guide teachers in incorporating STEAM learning into their current centers, activities, and curriculum by causing children to wonder, investigate, and make their own discoveries.
Simple STEAM: 50+ Science Technology Engineering Art Math Activities for ages 3 to 6
Parents are eager to help their children learn, but teaching young children complicated scientific and mathematical concepts can be intimidating. Simple STEAM helps parents realize they don’t need to be engineers or scientists to support STEAM learning by uncovering STEAM learning opportunities in everyday activities and experiences.
STEM Play: Integrating Inquiry into Learning Centers
STEM Play approaches learning centers through the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) lens, and shares how themes can be integrated into the most common learning centers to promote creativity and higher-level thinking.
Loose Parts Learning in K-3 Classrooms
Loose parts. You have heard the term, probably in the context of promoting engaging play with open-ended, natural, and manufactured materials that can be manipulated with limitless possibilities. Loose Parts Learning in K-3 Classrooms explains how a loose-parts mindset promotes active learning in the early elementary classroom, enhancing curriculum and ensuring connection to state standards.
Making Space for Preschool Makerspaces
Engaging in makerspace experiences naturally enhances children’s maker mindsets, encourages them to think independently, and prompts them to create what they imagine—skills they will carry throughout life! Filled with colorful photographs taken in real early childhood settings, Making Space for Preschool Makerspaces will guide you step-by-step in making a makerspace, from drafting a plan and gathering materials to supporting specific skill development and garnering administrator and parent buy-in.
The Path to Early Math: What Preschool Teachers Need to Know
Each chapter of our newest release describes how to set up an appropriate learning environment to support interactions and activities related to various early math skills. Whether you are a teacher looking for ways to strengthen the math learning in your early childhood classroom, an educator in a community of practice who wants to learn more about teaching math in developmentally appropriate ways, or a teacher-educator who wants to offer students an easy-to-use reference and guide for helping young children develop their math competencies and skills, The Path to Early Math will help you make math learning a fun and worthwhile activity in your setting.
Provoking Curiosity: Student-Led STEAM Learning for Pre-K to Third Grade
With jam-packed days and mounting expectations, teachers struggle to incorporate STEAM activities into each day. Provoking Curiosity brings new and easy-to-execute STEAM learning experiences that encourage children to think, explore, and wonder. Each exploration builds on core ideas in the STEAM disciplines, develops higher-level thinking skills, and uses readily available materials in early childhood classrooms.
Treasure Basket Explorations: Heuristic Learning for Infants and Toddlers
Treasure Basket Explorations explains heuristic learning—discovery by trial and error—and how to encourage this type of learning to boost development in infants and toddlers. In this book, teachers will learn how to set up treasure baskets: containers filled with easy-to-find items that support explorations in emergent language, math, and science skills.
Exploring the Science of Sounds: 100 Musical Activities for Young Children
Exploring the Science of Sounds enables children ages 3–6 to investigate the science of music and sound using materials easy to find for a preschool classroom. Children will use their bodies to create sounds, explore the relationship between size and pitch, investigate how tempo affects the way we listen to sounds, create musical instruments, and much more. From the drops of rainwater to the tinkling of wind chimes, the science of sound is all around.
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Creative Investigations in Early Science
Young children are born scientists with an innate desire to analyze and investigate the world around them. Creative Investigations in Early Science helps educators expand and encourage young learners’ inquisitive nature through hands-on, minds-on explorations.
Creative Investigations in Early Engineering & Technology
Many STEM books and programs for early childhood focus on math and science, and exclude technology and engineering. Creative Investigations in Early Engineering & Technology helps teachers create a more well-rounded STEM learning program through explorations that encourage children to think, make, tinker, and innovate.
Creative Investigations in Early Art
Creative Investigations in Early Art provides teachers with an inquisitive, explorative approach to boost young learners’ creativity and critical-thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills through artistic expression of all kinds including music, movement, dramatic arts, and visual arts.
Creative Investigations in Early Math
Creative Investigations in Early Math gives early educators practical ideas for intentionally fostering young children's hands-on explorations in math, rather than just teaching math. As children encounter math in everyday activities, they will gain a deeper understanding of numbers and number sense, computation, geometry, patterns, measurement, and more!
Hands-On Science and Math: Fun, Fascinating Activities for Young Children
Filled with interactive activities that incorporate all of the senses, Hands-On Science and Math will help you plan engaging science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) lessons that will excite children and foster their critical thinking.
Math and Science Investigations: Using Children's Books to Make Big Discoveries
Math and Science Investigations shows educators how to facilitate hands-on investigations to help children learn the skills, concepts, and standards of mathematics, science, language, and literacy – all at the same time – using some of their favorite books.
Jump into Math: Active Learning for Preschool Children
Research shows that the most effective way for children to learn concepts is to experience them physically. Jump into Math is the perfect way to turn children's love of active games into learning opportunities! The activities in each chapter are organized by level of difficulty, and each one incorporates fun, exciting math experiences with movement.
Jump into Science: Active Learning for Preschool Children
Jump into Science is the perfect way to turn children's love of active games into learning opportunities! Bring science to life by helping children learn about their bodies, animals, seasons, and the weather. The activities in each chapter are organized by level of difficulty, and each one incorporates fun, exciting science experiences with movement.
Science—Not Just for Scientists! Easy Explorations for Young Children
Through open-ended explorations, Science—Not Just for Scientists! will guide you on cultivating children's natural curiosity by asking simple questions: How? When? Where? And the most famous of all children's questions: Why? The hands-on activities will empower children to question, experiment, and develop abstract reasoning skills. Children will explore patterns, cause and effect, size and scale, change and growth, energy, and how things work.
Let’s Build: Strong Foundations in Language, Math, and Social Skills
Blocks are a key teaching tool in any early childhood program. Through the well-planned, teacher-supported block play experiences provided in Let's Build, young children can develop math, language, and social skills while using their imaginations and boosting their creativity.
The GIANT Encyclopedia of Math Activities for Children 3 to 6
The GIANT Encyclopedia of Math Activities for Children 3 to 6 is a go-to resource for early educators seeking developmentally appropriate math activities to include in their day. Organized by curriculum area or time of day, each activity is complete with math concepts, materials needed, and step-by-step instructions.
The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6
Leave your fears of science behind with The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6! Respond to children's natural curiosity with over 600 teacher-created, classroom-tested activities guaranteed to teach your children all about science while they are having fun.
Art with Anything: 52 Weeks of Fun Using Everyday Stuff
With 52 weeks of fantastic art projects using easy-to-find, everyday materials, Art with Anything provides a year of creativity, imagination, and fun for children ages 4-10! Organized alphabetically by material, each week features one everyday material (address labels, fabric scraps, leaves, rocks) and provides five days of unique activities, increasing in complexity with each day.
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