Must Read Books for STEM Education
Looking for ways to improve your STEM teaching practice? Check out this list of books for STEM education. Whether reading the physical copy or listening to the audio, all texts include inspiring ideas to apply to the classroom. In fact, all texts are worth rereading as new ideas always seem to pop out the second read!
Books aren't listed in any particular order. All are worth investing in to continue to grow STEM teaching practices.
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Books for STEM Education | Creativity Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Amy Wallace and Ed Catmull
Written by the creator of Disney's Pixar. Highly recommend the audio version of this book. While not read by the original author, the performance is fantastic. While this book does go through some of the backstory of the history of Pixar, is also provides how creativity can be added to the workplace. When thinking about the workplace setting, this can be thought of as actual staff members but even students.
There are many quotable concepts given in this book. Top must read for those wanting an inspiring story.
Books for STEM Education | The Art of Tinkering: Meet 150+ Makers Working at the Intersection of Art, Science and Technology by Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich
This book includes beautiful photographs to illustrate Makers who use STEM in their real worlds. While there are inspiring stories to share with students, not all are suitable for children. Recommend purchasing the physical copy of this book. There are many treasures of how this can spark creativity for future STEM lessons in the classroom. Also, gather ways on how students can use their creativity in real world applications.
Books for STEM Education | Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching by Jo Boaler
This book is a MUST read for any teacher wanting to improve their math teaching practice. This book truly changed my teaching career and how to help students understand math. My copy of this book has tons of words written in the margins and sticky notes. Jo Boaler is incredible and how she is changing the math world to help all students believe they can do math.
In conjunction to this book, make sure to check out her website, YouCubed. There is a Week of Inspirational math which is a wonderful way to start the year during math workshop. Along with that are other activities, articles and trainings to improve your math teaching practice.
I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop led and taught by Jo Boaler and her team. This was during my days as a classroom teacher as I was learning strategies that would later apply to my K-5 STEM role.
Books for STEM Education | LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani
When getting started with Design Challenges, this book should be a prerequisite for teachers. This will explain the process to effectively plan a Design Challenge while also giving question stems to use in the process. Even if you have been teaching Design Challenges for awhile, this is a great references to go back to the basics and evaluate if current lessons are effective.
Books for STEM Education | Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom by Gary Stagner and Sylvia Libow Martinez
This book pairs well with the above book, LAUNCH. While explaining best practices to use in a STEM lesson, there are also ideas to include into lessons. Think of the like having a personal PLC (Professional Learning Community). This book isn't meant to be read straight through but rather pick and choose concepts you would like to read about.
Books for STEM Education | Unfolding the Napkin: The Hands-On Method for Solving Complex Problems with Simple Pictures by Dan Roam
Visualization is a powerful skill that can be developed. It's not always as innate as you think. When I was a classroom teacher, when we would listen to chapter books or podcasts, I would have students draw illustrations of the pictures they saw in their minds while listening. More common than not, many students said, “I don't see anything.”
Again, we need to help students develop this skill and this book gives wonderful advice. By teaching students to solve by drawing and visualizing, it's unlocking another part of the brain. In fact, many Design Challenges involve drawing a plan. Help give students a set of tools. Therefore, drawing plans doesn't become overwhelming, but an asset to the creation process.
Books for STEM Education | Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity Through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play by Mitchel Resnick
Have you ever had the privilege to teach Kindergarteners STEM? Based on my experience teaching K-5 STEM, these little ones are by far the most creative and inventive age of children I ever teach. Granted, they don't always have advanced skills. However, they are always willing to try something.
How can we instill the thinking strategies and creativity Kindergarteners possess beyond that age?
Again, this is another wonderful book to listen to the audio version. Very inspiring and encouraging to create a culture in the classroom conducive to growth mindset and exploration.
Books for STEM Education | Comprehension and Collaboration (Revised Edition): Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey “Smokey” Daniels
Comprehension isn't reserved for literacy blocks. If students aren't comprehending what they are learning, what are they learning?
By planning productive ways for students to use inquiry and collaborate, deep thinking can occur. Again, this is a skill that needs to be developed with proper structures put in place.
In my K-5 STEM classes, my class format follows the workshop model. My lessons start by reviewing past lessons and a strategy to help students continue to work on their project. From this book, Harvey's strategies can definitely be implemented during whole group and small group STEM lessons.
Again, she is another guru I had the pleasure of learning from in person and meeting. Her work is incredible to help students use high level thinking strategies.
Complete book list mentioned in this post:
- Creativity Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Amy Wallace and Ed Catmull
- The Art of Tinkering: Meet 150+ Makers Working at the Intersection of Art, Science and Technology by Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich
- Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching by Jo Boaler
- LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani
- Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom by Gary Stagner and Sylvia Libow Martinez
- Unfolding the Napkin: The Hands-On Method for Solving Complex Problems with Simple Pictures by Dan Roam
- Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity Through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play by Mitchel Resnick
- Comprehension and Collaboration (Revised Edition): Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey “Smokey” Daniels
Other Blog Posts You Might Enjoy:
- Books About Women in STEM by Naomi Meredith
- List of STEM Books for Elementary by Naomi Meredith
- Why You Need a Station Rotation in STEM by Naomi Meredith
What other professional books would you add to this list? Feel free to direct message me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!
