Module 1

STEM Starts Here: Laying the Groundwork for Powerful Integration

To successfully integrate STEM into your classroom, you first need to understand the framework that makes it work. In this foundational module, we’ll break down the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) so you can confidently implement three-dimensional learning that engages students in real-world problem-solving.

You’ll explore:
✅ The Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs) – How students "do" science and develop essential inquiry skills.
✅ The Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) – The big ideas that connect learning across science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
✅ The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) – The essential content knowledge that students need to understand phenomena in the natural world.
✅ The STEM Competencies – The critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills students develop through inquiry-based learning.

By the end of this module, you’ll have a clear roadmap for using NGSS as the foundation for meaningful STEM integration—so you can move beyond surface-level activities and into authentic, hands-on learning experiences that drive student engagement and achievement.

Module 2

STEM Without Silos:
Creating Seamless Learning Across Subjects

Science shouldn’t stand alone—it’s the perfect launchpad for meaningful integration across ELA, Math, and Art. In this module, you’ll learn how to seamlessly connect Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with your science instruction, making every lesson more engaging, purposeful, and interdisciplinary.

You’ll explore:
✅ How to integrate ELA and Math into your science curriculum—without adding extra planning time.
✅ Grade-level specific objectives that already embed literacy, numeracy, and creative expression into STEM lessons.
✅ Real-world strategies to weave reading, writing, problem-solving, and artistic exploration into daily inquiry-based activities.

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to make cross-curricular connections naturally and effectively, helping students develop essential skills while making science the centerpiece of deep, engaging learning in your classroom.

Module 3

STEM through Inquiry: 
Engaging Students in Meaningful Discovery

Are you ready to transform your teaching from delivering content to facilitating discovery? This module is designed to help elementary educators embrace inquiry-based instruction, shifting the focus from teacher-led learning to student-driven exploration.

You’ll gain:
✅ Step-by-step strategies to implement inquiry-driven lessons in any subject.
✅ Proven instructional routines that help students take ownership of their learning.
✅ Cross-curricular lesson plans designed to integrate STEM competencies, critical thinking, and collaboration into every unit.
✅ Scaffolding tools and questioning techniques to guide students toward deeper understanding without giving away all the answers.

By the end of this module, you’ll have a toolkit of high-impact, low-prep instructional strategies that put students in the driver’s seat—helping them explore, question, problem-solve, and innovate across ELA, Math, Science, and beyond.

Module 4

STEM Beyond the Test:
Authentic Ways to Measure Learning

How do we truly measure student understanding in a way that reflects the depth of their learning? In this module, we go beyond traditional tests to design formative and summative assessments that align with STEM education, inquiry-based learning, and real-world problem-solving.

You’ll gain:
✅ A deep dive into the California Science Test (CAST) and how it measures student learning.
✅ An overview of the Common Core assessments using the Smarter Balanced Content Explorer to break down test expectations.
✅ Step-by-step guidance on creating effective assessments that check for understanding and prepare students for multi-dimensional, real-world problem-solving.
✅ Templates and tools to develop short formative checks, open-ended response questions, and summative performance tasks that integrate ELA, Math, and Science.
✅ A clear understanding of rubrics and scoring criteria—focusing on content mastery over grammar and mechanics.

By the end of this module, you’ll have assessment tools that drive instruction, help students build confidence in their learning, and prepare them for high-stakes testing without sacrificing inquiry and engagement.

When you enroll in STEAM Made Simple, you’ll get:

✅ A Step-By-Step Roadmap to Integration—Learn exactly how to connect STEAM with ELA, Math, and Art while keeping Science at the core.
✅ Inquiry-Based Learning That Sticks—Shift from being the “keeper of knowledge” to empowering students to explore, create, and innovate.
✅ Classroom-Tested Lessons & Strategies—Ready-to-use STEAM activities, instructional routines, and planning templates that work in any classroom.
✅ Assessments That Actually Measure Learning—Learn how to design formative & summative assessments that align with NGSS & Common Core without sacrificing creativity.
✅ Support & Community—You won’t be doing this alone! Get access to an exclusive community of STEAM educators to collaborate, troubleshoot, and share ideas.

And the best part? You can go at your own pace, revisit the content anytime, and start implementing IMMEDIATELY. 🙌