What if you could challenge your kindergarten students to compare their local habitats with other habitats in the United States? With this volume in the STEM Road Map Curriculum Series, you can! Habitats in the United States outlines a journey that will steer your students toward authentic problem solving while grounding them in integrated STEM disciplines. Like the other volumes in the series, this book is designed to meet the growing need to infuse real-world learning into K–12 classrooms. This interdisciplinary, three-lesson module uses project- and problem-based learning to help students look at their own neighborhood, city, state, and beyond to learn about the geography and habitats of various regions of the United States. Students will gather information on habitats and their similarities and differences based on weather, climate, and the animals, plants, and people residing there, to develop a reference manual for local zoo officials reorganizing their animal displays. To support this goal, students will do the following: Explain that there are different types of habitats in different parts of the U.S. Explain how various habitats sustain animals and plants Identify climatic characteristics of several habitats Apply their knowledge of habitats to develop a reference guide about habitats in the U.S. Utilize technology to gather research information and communicate Identify technological advances and tools that scientists use to learn about sustainable systems Design and construct models of habitats Understand local weather patterns and make connections among weather patterns and plant and animal life where they live The STEM Road Map Curriculum Series is anchored in the Next Generation Science Standards, the Common Core State Standards, and the Framework for 21st Century Learning. In-depth and flexible, Habitats in the United States can be used as a whole unit or in part to meet the needs of districts, schools, and teachers who are charting a course toward an integrated STEM approach.

Introduces North Dakota's riparian areas, explaining "what they are, where they are located, which animals and plants call these areas their home, the importance of riparian areas to water quality and flood control, how riparian areas are threatened, and why they must be preserved and protected for future generations."

Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S. competitiveness and to better prepare the workforce, A Framework for K-12 Science Education proposes a new approach to K-12 science education that will capture students' interest and provide them with the necessary foundational knowledge in the field. A Framework for K-12 Science Education outlines a broad set of expectations for students in science and engineering in grades K-12. These expectations will inform the development of new standards for K-12 science education and, subsequently, revisions to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development for educators. This book identifies three dimensions that convey the core ideas and practices around which science and engineering education in these grades should be built. These three dimensions are: crosscutting concepts that unify the study of science through their common application across science and engineering; scientific and engineering practices; and disciplinary core ideas in the physical sciences, life sciences, and earth and space sciences and for engineering, technology, and the applications of science. The overarching goal is for all high school graduates to have sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussions on science-related issues, be careful consumers of scientific and technical information, and enter the careers of their choice. A Framework for K-12 Science Education is the first step in a process that can inform state-level decisions and achieve a research-grounded basis for improving science instruction and learning across the country. The book will guide standards developers, teachers, curriculum designers, assessment developers, state and district science administrators, and educators who teach science in informal environments.

Park rangers explain various animals and habitats as the reader searches for pictures and creates crafts.

Enhance your classroom centers with this collection of learning kits that cover a wide range of topics in reading, math, science, and more. Colorful mats, picture cards, foam shapes, and crayons appeal to children, even as they learn and develop essential skills for academic success. Each kit comes with an activity guide with suggestions for use. For use with Grades K-2.

A complete resource for teaching green to young people from kindergarten through grade five.

Featuring a team of over thirty STEM education professionals from across the United States, the updated and revised edition of this landmark book provides an integrated STEM curriculum encompassing the entire K-12 spectrum, with complete grade-level learning based on a spiraled approach to building conceptual understanding. Taking into account the last five years of evolution in STEM education, the second edition includes an increased focus on computer science, computational thinking, mathematics, and the arts, as well as cultural relevance and addressing the needs of diverse learners and underrepresented students. Divided into three main parts – Conceptualizing STEM, STEM Curriculum Maps, and Building Capacity for STEM – each section is designed to build common understandings of integrated STEM, provide rich curriculum maps for implementing integrated STEM at the classroom level, and offer supports to enable systemic transformation to an integrated STEM approach. Written for teachers, policymakers, and administrators, this second edition is fully updated to account for the needs of K-12 learners in the innovation age. STEM Road Map 2.0 enables educators to implement integrated STEM learning into their classroom without the need for extensive resources, empowering educators and supporting students.