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
13 How To Get Students Asking The Questions (Instead Of Just Answering Yours)
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What if the most powerful thing you could do for student engagement wasn't a flashy lab or a big project — but just getting kids to ask the questions instead of you?
Questioning is one of the most underused tools in upper elementary science. Not teacher questions — student questions. In this episode Nicole walks through the exact practice she uses to get students generating real, relevant science questions, why observations always come first, and the simple move that takes the whole experience to the next level.
In This Episode:
- Why student curiosity starts to wane by upper elementary — and what we can do about it
- The phenomenon-first sequence: observations before questions, volume before judgment
- How to help students identify which questions are relevant without shutting down their curiosity
- The abbreviated warm-up version you can use every single day in five minutes
- The "call out" move: how to use student-generated questions to launch your lessons and why it builds buy-in fast
Links Mentioned:
📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter, resources, and the phenomenon prompt list for this episode: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
📝 What Do You Look For When Selecting Science Phenomena?
📝 Four Ways To Actively Engage Students With Anchor Phenomena
📬 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/