iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

Nicole VanTassel
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iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is for upper elementary teachers — especially grades 3–5 —who want to make elementary science and math more engaging, without adding more prep or overwhelm to their day. If you’re looking for practical ways to bring STEM and hands-on learning into your classroom while still meeting standards like NGSS, this podcast is for you. Each week, you’ll get (ideally) short, (always!) actionable episodes (about 15–30 minutes) filled with classroom-tested ideas you can actually use. From simple STEM challenges and low-prep science activities to math routines, lab management, and neurodivergent-friendly strategies, everything is designed to help you keep students thinking, moving, and engaged—especially during the most challenging times of the year. You’ll also hear honest reflections from real classroom experiences, with a focus on what works (and what doesn’t) in my 5th grade science and math classroom — no perfection required. I’m Nicole, and I share practical, hands-on science and math ideas designed specifically for upper elementary teachers who want engaging, rigorous lessons without the overwhelm.

  1. 5d ago

    11 The Engineering Cycle: What It Actually Looks Like in a Real Classroom

    You've seen the circle graphic. Define, design, build, test, improve. But if you're treating it as a linear checklist, you're missing what actually makes engineering work — and why iteration keeps getting cut. Real engineering isn't a straight line, and it doesn't (always) require a glue gun. In this episode Nicole breaks down the three things most teachers misunderstand about the engineering design cycle, makes an honest confession about her own pollinator challenge, and gives you a clear picture of where you are as a teacher-engineer — and one thing you can do differently next year. IN THIS EPISODE: Why the engineering design cycle is non-linear from the very first step — and what we lose when we treat it like a checklistEngineering doesn't have to mean building a physical thing — and why that misconception limits what we do with studentsThe most commonly skipped part of authentic engineeringWhy iteration is where the real learning happens — and two practical ways to protect time for it even when your schedule fights youBite-sized ways to practice engineering thinking without a full buildA honest self-assessment: where are you as a teacher-engineer, and what's one thing worth changing next year?LINKS MENTIONED: 📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter and resources for grades 3–5 teachers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    23 min

  2. Jun 1

    10 Take It Outside: 3 Easy Ideas for the Final Stretch

    Mud, leaves, and praying mantises on the side of the building. The schoolyard is more alive than your students expect — and getting outside in the final weeks of school is not a reward. It's science. --- Season 1 goes out the way it should — outside. In this episode Nicole shares three low-prep outdoor activities for the final stretch of the school year, makes the case for why getting kids into nature actually matters, and wraps up with a look at what's coming this summer on the podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: Three outdoor activities that work for upper elementaryHow to run each activity on a spectrum — from totally open-ended fun to seriously academically rigorousThe bigger argument: is getting kids outside just end-of-year filler? (NO! And listen to find out what to say if your admin asks!) LINKS MENTIONED: 🌿 John Muir Laws Nature Journaling — free curriculum and downloadable resources: https://johnmuirlaws.com 📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter and resources for grades 3–5 teachers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    18 min

  3. May 25

    09 3 Science Topics That Make Kids Forget It's June

    The last few weeks of school are when even your most engaged students start mentally checking out. In this episode Nicole shares three science topics that consistently pull kids back in — space scale, invasive species, and extreme weather — with specific entry points, project ideas, and the framing that makes each one actually land. Plus a quick-start guide for each topic in this week's Substack. ----- When the year is winding down and kids are coasting, you need topics that do the heavy lifting for you. In this episode Nicole walks through three science topics she keeps coming back to because they work — even in June. Space scale that makes kids go completely quiet and then explode with questions. Invasive species framed as a villain story that pulls in research, writing, and Canva. And extreme weather and natural disasters that connect science to things kids are already seeing in the news. For each topic: the entry point that hooks them, what to do from there, and how far you can take it. IN THIS EPISODE: he YouTube video that makes every class go silent within two minutes — and the space rabbit hole that followshow to frame invasive species as a villain story — and why the wanted poster format works so well for upper elementarytracking real weather events live and why kids develop a personal investment when they watch something unfold in real timeCanva as a technology integration that doesn't feel forced Kiddle — a kid-safe search engine Nicole just discovered and is now recommendingthe invasive species project (middle grades version) available in the TpT storea quick-start guide for all three topics with an entry point activity for each, free in this week's Substack LINKS MENTIONED: 🎥 KLT Universe Size Comparison — Kids Learning Tube on YouTube: search "KLT universe size comparison" 🔍 Kiddle — kid-safe search engine: https://www.kiddle.co 🛒 Invasive Species Project (middle grades) — iExploreScience TpT store 📬 Quick-Start Topic Guide — entry point activity for each of the three topics covered, free for iExploreScience Substack subscribers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    15 min

  4. May 18

    08 How To Make Every Kid Feel Seen Before Summer

    The last week of school doesn't have to be survival mode. In this episode Nicole shares the end-of-year traditions she keeps coming back to — student word clouds, summer science kits, class awards that actually fit each kid, and two letter-writing activities that connect students across time. These are low-cost, low-prep, and genuinely meaningful. Stay for the freebie: a 22-idea checklist across four categories to help you make the most of your final days. ----- The last week of school is its own thing — academically winding down but emotionally still very much alive. In this episode Nicole walks through her favorite end-of-year traditions: the ones that are personal, low-cost, and actually land with kids. From a word cloud that shows students how their classmates see them, to class awards where every single kid gets recognized for something true to them, to a letter-writing tradition that connects fifth graders to their future senior-year selves — these are the ideas worth keeping in your back pocket year after year. IN THIS EPISODE: the student word cloud — how to collect words from every classmate, add your own, and give kids a snapshot of who they are in fifth grade through the eyes of the people around thema summer science kit that travels home with themwhy class awards matter more than school awards for a lot of kids — and how to make sure every student gets recognized for something specific and true to themthe Challenge 24 tournament and why even the kids who don't make the finals get investedtwo letter-writing activities: letters to next year's students and letters to their future senior selves — and the school tradition that delivers them at graduationa 22-idea end-of-year checklist across four categories, free for Substack subscribers 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    15 min

  5. May 11

    07 5 STEM Challenges Using Only Paper, Tape, and Cardboard

    Tallest towers. Egg drops. Marble runs. These five challenges use nothing but paper, tape, and cardboard — and they're some of the most engaging engineering activities you can run in the final weeks of school. Listen in to get all five challenges with their criteria and constraints, understand why iteration is the part you can't skip, and hear why building kids' experiences with engineering — even outside your standards — is never wasted time. No budget. No specialty supplies. No excuses. In this episode Nicole walks through five paper, tape, and cardboard STEM challenges you can run in the next few weeks, explains what makes each one real engineering (not just a fun build), and makes the case for why end-of-year activities that fall outside your curriculum standards still matter more than you might think. IN THIS EPISODE: All five challenges — Tallest Tower, The Bridge, Marble Run, Egg Drop, and Windproof Wall — with criteria, constraints, and what kids are actually figuring out in each oneWhy criteria and constraints are what separate a real engineering challenge from just building somethingThe one challenge you should protect extra time for — and why the iteration loop is where the real learning happensWhy the Egg Drop is actually a great entry point for talking about engineering in the real world (think: NASA, limited resources, and what it means when you can't just test again)Why activities outside your standards still build something valuable — and how background knowledge shows up in unexpected places 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    21 min

  6. May 4

    06 How To Run a STEM Challenge Without the Chaos

    You know that feeling you get before you start a science lab or STEM challenge — excitement tinged with nervousness and maybe a little dread? You can imagine success -- kids exploring, talking, problem-solving ... and also the looming potential chaos -- supplies spilled, kids arguing, no one actually following the task? As science teachers, we want to get kids moving, discussing, exploring, engaged... but there's also a sense of "out of our control" when we do (although the "control" is always an illusion anyway -- but that's a discussion for another day!) The thing is, the chaos never really comes from the activity itself. It comes from what wasn't established before it started. In this episode, Nicole breaks down the three classroom management foundations you need before any STEM challenge can work, plus the mistake that turns well-intentioned hands-on learning into stress for everyone. ----- Running a STEM challenge without chaos isn't about finding the perfect activity — it's about what you build before the activity ever starts. In this episode, Nicole walks through the classroom management infrastructure that makes hands-on science actually work, explains why giving students more freedom than they're ready for isn't trust (it's a setup for failure), and makes the case for why written instructions are always, always an equity issue. IN THIS EPISODE: The three things that need to be established, practiced, and working in your classroom before you run a STEM challenge — and why reviewing them the day-of doesn't countWhy chaos in a STEM activity is almost never caused by the activity itselfHow to calibrate the right level of student independence for your class right now (not where you wish they were)Why written instructions aren't just good practice — they're an equity move for students with ADHD and working memory challengesWhat a clear "finish line" does for both students and teachers in open-ended challengesA one-page STEM Challenge Planning Template (free for Substack subscribers) that walks through all of itLINKS MENTIONED: 📬 Free STEM Challenge Planning Template — one-page reusable planner for any challenge or lab, free for iExploreScience Substack subscribers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    16 min

  7. Apr 27

    05 From Crafts to Thinking: What Makes an Activity Actually "STEM"?

    Oobleck. Spaghetti towers. Vinegar and baking soda. These aren't bad activities by any means! — but most of the time they're not really driving STEM learning in your upper elementary classroom. Listen in to explore the differences between STEM play and STEM teaching, understand the value of each (because STEM play is still great play! even if it maybe doesn't belong in your 45 minute science block!), and dig into where each does belong! Stay till the end for the simple self-check to determine, is this STEM play or STEM instruction? ----- STEM play is great — but it belongs in morning bins and Friday afternoons, not your dedicated science block. In this episode Nicole explains exactly what makes an activity real STEM instruction vs. fun exploratory play, walks through three classic "Pinterest STEM" activities and shows what it looks like to transform each one, and shares a personal story about why she didn't feel the connection between science and society until college — and why she doesn't want that for her students. IN THIS EPISODE: Why STEM play is valuable — just not during your 45-minute science block on a Tuesday!What actually makes something real STEM instruction and why this distinction matters more as kids get olderHow you can turn three classic STEM play activities (oobleck, spaghetti marshmallow towers, and baking soda volcanoes) into actual STEM learning (let's talk practices + content!) A four-part self-check for crafting more rigorous and authentic STEM learning activitiesA confession: when Nicole says "STEM" she mostly means science and engineering — math and technology are woven in but not the primary focus in this context (whoops!) LINKS MENTIONED: 📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter and resources for grades 3–5 teachers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    18 min

  8. Apr 20

    04 STEM Bins for Slow Morning Starts

    Morning arrival is one of the hardest transitions of the school day — and one of the most overlooked. In this episode I break down my STEM bin system: what goes in them, how often I rotate them, how kids access them, and why they work especially well for kids who struggle with transitions. I also talk about how to source bins on almost no budget, and why the end of the year is actually a great time to start. IN THIS EPISODE: What STEM bins actually are — and what they're notSpecific examples of what goes in each binWhy the morning transition is hard and how bins address the real problemWhy bins work especially well for kids with ADHD — the landing pad ideaMy actual rotation system: how many bins, how often I swap them, free choice vs. assignedHow to introduce bins mid-year or in the final stretchLow-cost and no-cost sourcing — Dollar Tree, Target, parents, things you already have LINKS MENTIONED: 📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter and resources for grades 3–5 teachers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/ 📬 Stay Connected 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

    23 min
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About

iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is for upper elementary teachers — especially grades 3–5 —who want to make elementary science and math more engaging, without adding more prep or overwhelm to their day. If you’re looking for practical ways to bring STEM and hands-on learning into your classroom while still meeting standards like NGSS, this podcast is for you. Each week, you’ll get (ideally) short, (always!) actionable episodes (about 15–30 minutes) filled with classroom-tested ideas you can actually use. From simple STEM challenges and low-prep science activities to math routines, lab management, and neurodivergent-friendly strategies, everything is designed to help you keep students thinking, moving, and engaged—especially during the most challenging times of the year. You’ll also hear honest reflections from real classroom experiences, with a focus on what works (and what doesn’t) in my 5th grade science and math classroom — no perfection required. I’m Nicole, and I share practical, hands-on science and math ideas designed specifically for upper elementary teachers who want engaging, rigorous lessons without the overwhelm.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole VanTassel
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    151
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © 2026 iExploreScience LLC
  • Show Website
    iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

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