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The STEM Read Podcast - Big Ideas for Little Makers

Episode 9: Big Ideas for Little Makers featuring Todd Burleson and Andrea Beaty 

How do we teach hands-on learning to young learners? At what age should students begin “making”? In this episode of The STEM Read podcast, we bring back friend-of-the-program, Andrea Beaty, and School Library Journal’s 2016 school librarian of the year, Todd Burleson, to discuss why we should be teaching higher concepts at younger grade levels and the important of a makerspace beyond the 3D printer. 

Northern Illinois University’s STEM Read is part of the NIU STEAM family of programs that explore science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Find more great books, lesson plans, and resources at stemread.com.  

The STEM Read Podcast is produced in collaboration with WNIJ.

Notes & External Links

·      Learn more about Todd Burleson here

·      Learn more about Andrea Beaty here

·      Check out our free Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineerlesson plans

·      Here are some fun things you can do with a 3D Printer

·      We may not use tape decks anymore, but audiobooks are thriving!

·      Here are some great resources to consider when building your own Idea Lab

·      What is STEAM?

·      Learning by Doing sure sounds familiar

·      Who was John Dewey?

·      Who was Francis Parker?

·      What is Progressive Education?

·      Check out this in-depth map of the Idea Lab

·      Learn more about Cas Holman and the Rigamajig project here

·      What is the Merge Cube?

·      Bruno the Tailor by Lars Klinting

·      Learn more about Digital Citizenship here

·      What are Bloxels?

·      Read more about Todd’s SLJ School Librarian of the Year Award here

·      Green Screen Maker Space Project by Todd Burleson 

·      Learn more about NIU’s biology program

·      Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White 

·      Write your own children’s picture book

·      Hone your inner fierce editor

·      Edit Yourself by Bruce Ross-Larson

·      Dr. Tedby Andrea Beaty and Pascal Lemaitre 

·      Ada Twist, ScientistRosie Revere, Engineer, and Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts

·      Keep your eyes peeled! Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters: The Questioneers Book #1 releases October 2, 2018 

·      What is the importance of failure based learning?