iExploreScience: STEM in Elem
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.
iExploreScience: STEM in Elem
01 Why I Started iExploreScience: STEM in Elem (And What's Coming)
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If you've ever stood in front of a class and realized your students are afraid to be wrong — this episode is for you.
Episode 1 is the introduction to iExploreScience: STEM in Elem — who I am, what I believe about upper elementary science and math, and what this show is going to be. It's also an honest conversation about why I built this, including the part where I grew up completely convinced I was not a science or math person.
If you're a grades 3–5 teacher who wants more hands-on science and math in your classroom without the overwhelm — you're in exactly the right place.
IN THIS EPISODE:
- the classroom moment that stopped me mid-sentence — and what a ten-year-old said that I'm still thinking about
- why I think grades 3–5 is a super important window in a child's STEM education
- a brief origin story — including growing up believing I wasn't a math or science person
- what you can expect from this show: practical, hands-on, real classroom content every single week
- a quick look at what's coming this season — testing week, STEM challenges, end of year, and more
LINKS MENTIONED:
📬 Subscribe to the free weekly Substack newsletter — resources, freebies, and the written companion to every episode: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
📦 Browse the iExploreScience TpT store — NGSS-aligned, hands-on science and math units for grades 3–5: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
🆓 Download your free STEM Starter Kit — my go-to supply list, next-level tools, and two activities you can run this week: 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/