Technology, a product of science, is pushing against the linear boundaries of traditional storytelling. Moving in the direction of multiform stories and digital formats takes literacy well beyond the 3Rs. Students increasingly need to be critical and creative users of the new media. As the Internet becomes faster, more visually powerful, and easier to manipulate there will be an explosion of virtual environments, with literacy taking on a whole new meaning. While the word literacy has become almost synonymous with the word competence, the authors prefer the definitions found in the new language arts and science standards. For example, the National Science Education Standards suggests that scientific literacy implies that a person can identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed. As this book explores important new dimensions of linguistic and scientific literacy it looks at developing literacies not covered well in schools today. It is the authors' belief that an understanding of science and the processes of science can make major contributions to the ability to learn, reason, make decisions, and solve problems. Thus learning about the natural world helps develop intellectual tools of inquiry that can be used with the language arts and other disciplines. Interdisciplinary activities can help develop the skills in both science and language that are becoming so essential for personal fulfillment, performing in the workplace, and being an informed citizen. This book is designed as a supplementary text for methods classes in elementary science and language arts education. It is also intended as a resource and guide for preservice and inservice elementary and middle school teachers.

Developing a positive attitude towards science and mathematics is essential to developing proficiency in these subjects. Recognizing this, Bringing Science and Mathematics to Life for All Learners provides interesting teaching methods and connects them to recent pedagogical approaches that span the scientific and mathematical curricula. It builds upon the expanding knowledge of what works in classrooms, and suggests how new approaches to teaching and learning can transform science and mathematics instructions.The book is designed to help students in learning science and mathematics. It has many research-based and standards-driven activities, lesson plans, and active learning techniques to reach diverse student groups. Active group engagement and continuity in scientific and mathematical experiences are stressed as motivating factors for students. Presented in a creative manner, the ultimate goal of this book is to deepen the collective conversation, challenge existing ways of thinking, and provide up-to-date tools for educators so that they can help improve the science and mathematics skill levels of others.

Shaping the Future with Math, Science, and Technology examines how ingenuity, creativity, and teamwork skills are part of an intellectual toolbox associated with math, science, and technology. The book provides new ideas, proven processes, practical tools, and examples useful to educators who want to encourage students to solve problems and express themselves in imaginative ways. The development of a technological knowledge-based economy depends on the development of educational systems that allow schools, teachers, and students of diverse capabilities, backgrounds and learning preferences do better with both content and imaginative problem solving. This book makes the case that it is, indeed, possible to educate our way to a better economy and a better future. Paying attention to 21st century approaches and skills can help accomplish those goals.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This book makes a case for a STEM-based approach across the curriculum by highlighting the potential impacts of rapid societal change, newly emerging information technologies, and the increasing demand for a new generation of skillful and well-rounded citizens and workers. The book discusses how thinking skills, collaborative learning, communications-related information technologies, science and math, language and literacy, and arts education can be used as mutually reinforcing instruments in preparing young learners. The role of the family, teachers, and school administration in creating an environment where young students can stand a chance is also articulated. Above all, the book reiterates the value of pedagogically attuned teachers who are sensitive to the diversity of backgrounds and capabilities of students. They will oversee and guide the transformation of young learners who will be trained to trust their creativity, humanity, and critical thinking skills in navigating the 21st century world.

This book builds on the expanding knowledge of what works in classrooms and suggests approaches that can open up individual and group possibilities for science and mathematics instruction, suggesting ways that formative assessment practices can inform differentiated teaching, learning, and assessment.

In this book, the authors integrate STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and the cultivation of young minds in order to be open to innovation. This book uses STEM instruction as blurring the lines among basic subject areas. Often, it’s more than integrating science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Ideas, activities, and projects can be integrated with lessons from the language arts to the Arts as well. In this book, STEM is treated as more of a philosophy than a program or a set of activities.

Profound societal changes in the economic, technological, social, and educational fronts pose challenges for educators in their ability to equip young students with the skills and capabilities needed to navigate a digitally connected and complex world. Tomorrow’s Innovators: Essential Skills For A Changing World focuses on approaches and methods to help teachers infuse their basic subject matter lessons with creativity, innovation, and adaptability. On a broader scale, we provide elementary and middle school educators with insights into current educational issues and suggestions for converting new ideas into practical classroom applications. Teachers need to transform the classroom or school into a contemporary learning environment by paying attention to consistent classroom routines, using assessment data for improvement, and having a coherent organizational structure. The old foundations of reading, writing, and mathematics and the new basics of science, technology, and the arts will be at the core of schooling. More than ever, thinking about curriculum and instruction has to occur as the traditional boundaries between politics, technology, culture, education, and ecology disappear.