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Have you ever done a science experiment with your students—maybe something super fun, like watching a baking soda and vinegar volcano erupt—only to realize that the moment it’s over, they’re shouting “Do it again!” instead of asking “Why did that happen?”

I’ve been there. I think we all have.

And it makes sense—science is exciting! The reactions, the surprises, the hands-on learning. But here’s the thing: science isn’t just about doing experiments.

The real magic happens beyond the experiment—when we help students think, reason, and problem-solve like scientists.

And the best part? You don’t need a science lab or extra time in your schedule to make this happen. You can build scientific thinking into every subject you already teach—ELA, math, and even your classroom culture.

So today, we’re talking about:
✔ How to bring scientific thinking into ELA & Math (without extra prep!)
✔ How to use the STEM competencies to get students questioning, analyzing, and problem-solving
✔ Simple ways to build a classroom where curiosity drives learning

By the end of this episode, you’ll have easy, practical ways to integrate scientific thinking into everyday learning—and you’ll see just how doable and fun it can be!

Let’s dive in!

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Scientific Thinking Is More Than Just Experiments

Let’s start with a big shift in mindset—science isn’t just about doing experiments. It’s about teaching kids how to think.

Imagine this: If you walked into a scientist’s lab, you wouldn’t see them just doing experiments all day. You’d see them asking questions, collecting data, analyzing patterns, and refining their ideas. That’s the real work of a scientist.

And guess what? These same thinking skills exist in every subject—reading, writing, math, art and even the way we approach problem-solving in our daily lives.

So how do we start embedding scientific thinking into our classrooms?

🔹 Ask More, Tell Less – Instead of giving students the answer, ask open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen?” or “How can we find out?”  My 12 year old daughter Reilly hates it when I do this to her, but its so important to really get her to think. 

🔹 Encourage Evidence-Based Thinking – Teach students to back up their answers with data or reasoning, just like real scientists do.

🔹 Celebrate Curiosity – If a student asks a “why” question, instead of answering it right away, say “Great question! How could we figure that out?”

💡 Quick Tip: Start using the phrase “How do you know?” in all subjects. It pushes students to explain their thinking—whether in science, ELA, or math!

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How to Integrate STEM Competencies into ELA & Math

One of the biggest misconceptions about STEM is that it belongs only in science class. But let’s think about that for a second—what do scientists actually do all day?

They read. They write reports. They analyze information. They make arguments and defend their ideas. And—this is a big one—they use math in just about everything they do.

Which means? Science and reading go hand in hand. Science and math are inseparable.

So let’s talk about how we can leverage the fun and curiosity of science to increase engagement in ELA and math!

A few years ago, I had a teacher come to me completely frustrated. She told me, “My students just aren’t connecting with informational texts. I want them to actually care about what they’re reading!”

And I totally got it.

So I asked, “What if we flipped it? What if, instead of starting with the text, we started with a question? A big, messy, science-based, real-world question?”

She was intrigued.

So we tried something different. Instead of just reading an informational text on weather patterns, we started with a story—Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Now, at first, the kids thought it was just a fun, silly book. But then the teacher posed a question:

“Could this ever actually happen? Could food ever really fall from the sky?”

And suddenly, the entire class was engaged. They started making predictions, pulling from what they already knew, and throwing out ideas—some completely ridiculous, some shockingly insightful.

That’s when she brought in the informational text. Now, instead of passively reading about weather patterns, they were actively searching for answers.

That’s the power of pairing narrative and informational texts.

Think about Charlotte’s Web. It’s a beautiful novel, but it’s also a perfect launchpad for learning about animal adaptations, life cycles, and even fractions! (How much food does Wilbur eat each day? How much space does each animal take up at the farm?)

Or take The Wild Robot by Peter Brown—a fantastic read-aloud novel that naturally ties into engineering, AI, ecosystems, and survival adaptations. As students follow Roz’s journey on the island, they start thinking like scientists—asking: How would a robot survive in the wild? What adaptations would she need?

After reading, ask: What real scientific ideas are happening in this book? And then? Let students investigate.

Now, here’s where it gets even better. Once students are engaged in the science, we can channel that curiosity into their writing.

I love teaching students to write like scientists—because scientists don’t just write random opinions; they make claims and back them up with evidence.

The Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework is a game changer for ELA.

Here’s how it works:

1️⃣ Claim – What do you think? (Example: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is scientifically impossible.”)
2️⃣ Evidence – What facts or observations support your claim? (Example: “Food doesn’t form in clouds because precipitation is made of condensed water droplets.”)
3️⃣ Reasoning – How does the evidence prove your claim? (Example: “Because precipitation forms when water vapor condenses, and food lacks this process, it is not possible for it to fall naturally from the sky.”)

It’s simple, but powerful. And once students learn this framework? You can use it in EVERYTHING—opinion writing, literary analysis, and of course, science discussions.

Now, let’s talk about math.

I can already hear some of you thinking, “Okay, but how do I make math feel more like science?”

Let me ask you this—what do scientists do constantly?

✅ They collect data
✅ They look for patterns
✅ They build models to explain the world

Sound familiar? That’s math.

One of my favorite ways to bring scientific thinking into math is with real-world data sets.

Instead of just teaching graphing, give students a real problem to solve.

Like:

• Analyzing temperature changes over a month—can they predict the trend for next week?
• Comparing water usage in different parts of the world—what do the numbers reveal?

The moment students see that math tells a story, they become far more engaged.

Another powerful strategy? Error analysis.

I once watched a teacher hand out a completely “wrong” data set to her class. At first, they were confused—but then, something amazing happened.

Instead of solving problems, they were finding and explaining mistakes.

And here’s the thing—when students have to explain an error, they understand the math on a much deeper level.

Try this: Next time a student gets an answer wrong, instead of correcting it, ask:

“Can you find the mistake?”

It shifts the entire learning experience from passive to active.

And finally—math modeling.

Scientists and mathematicians build models to explain everything—from how a virus spreads to how gravity works.

What if we let students create their own models?

For example:

• Measuring water usage at school and predicting conservation efforts.
• Tracking local weather data to find seasonal patterns.
• Modeling population growth—what factors change the rate of growth?

When students see that math is used to explain real-life science, it suddenly becomes way more meaningful.

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Building a Classroom Culture of Curiosity

So, here’s the big idea—scientific thinking isn’t just about science class. It’s about the way we approach learning in every subject.

When we teach students to question, analyze, predict, and problem-solve, we’re not just preparing them for the next test… we’re preparing them to be thinkers. Innovators. Creators.

And here’s the best part—this doesn’t require a complete classroom overhaul. You don’t need a new curriculum, extra time in your schedule, or a high-tech STEM lab. It’s about making small shifts that have big impacts.

Maybe that means starting your next ELA lesson with a thought-provoking question that gets students investigating. Maybe it’s adding a real-world data set to your math block and letting students find patterns like real scientists do. Or maybe it’s as simple as shifting your classroom conversations from “What’s the answer?” to “How do you know?”

And when you do this—when you start thinking like a scientist yourself—you’ll see something amazing happen.

Your students will stop waiting for the right answer and start exploring for themselves. They’ll lean into challenges. They’ll ask better questions. And before you know it?

They won’t just be learning science. They’ll be thinking like scientists.

So here’s your challenge—pick ONE simple strategy this week and try it out.

🔹 In ELA → Have students write a claim, back it up with evidence, and explain their reasoning (CER writing!).
🔹 In Math → Instead of just solving a problem, have students find and explain an error in a calculation.
🔹 In Science → Let students lead a discussion, debating a real-world topic using evidence-based reasoning.

And if you’re thinking, “This sounds great, but where do I start?”—I’ve got you covered.

I put all of these ideas into a FREE STEM Shift Quick Start Guide—packed with lesson ideas, question prompts, and ready-to-use strategies to bring scientific thinking into your classroom without extra prep.

📩 Grab your free copy here: STEM Shift: Choose Your Path & Take the First Step!

And I would love to hear what strategy you try first! DM me on Instagram at @TheLearningProjectJenn and tell me what you’re doing to help your students think like scientists.

Oh, and if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to hit ‘subscribe’—because next week, we’re diving into “From Burnout to Breakthrough: How STEM Rekindled My Passion for Teaching”

Until then—keep sparking curiosity, keep encouraging big questions, and keep helping your students think beyond the experiment. 🚀✨

🎙️ See you next time!