STEAM Makers 2/e

Jacie Maslyk, EdD, has served in public education over the past twenty-eight years. During that time, she has served in many roles. As a classroom teacher and reading specialist, she worked in both inner city and suburban school districts. She served as an elementary school principal and director of elementary education for ten years, with extensive experience in curriculum, assessment, and instruction. A successful school leader, she was recognized as a National Distinguished Principal finalist in Pennsylvania in 2013 and 2014. Dr, Maslyk worked in district administration as an Assistant Superintendent before moving into her current role as an instructional coach and educational consultant, supporting schools through professional learning and job-embedded coaching. She provides workshops (on-site and virtual), model lessons, and curriculum support to school districts and educational organizations across the country. In addition to STEAM Makers: Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Elementary Classroom, Jacie has also published Connect to Lead: Power Up Your Learning Network to Move Your School Forward, Remaking Literacy: Innovative Instructional Strategies for Maker Learning, Unlock Creativity: Opening a World of Imagination With Your Students, and All In: Taking a Gamble in Education. Connect with Jacie on Bluesky @jaciemaslyk.bsky.social, X @DrJacieMaslyk, Instagram @jaciemaslyk or email her at jaciemaslyk@gmail.com

Preface Acknowledgments About the Author INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. WONDER HISTORY OF STEM WHAT ARE THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE? ADDING THE A LEFT BRAIN VERSUS RIGHT BRAIN THE MAKER MOVEMENT MAKER EDUCATION INITIATIVE FIVE PILLARS OF STEAM AND MAKER EDUCATION WHAT DOES MAKING LOOK LIKE IN SCHOOLS? FIND IT! (SPACE) FILL IT! (MATERIALS) STAFF IT! (PEOPLE) BUILD CURIOSITY AND WONDER THE MINDSET WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BUT WHAT ABOUT STANDARDS AND STATE ASSESSMENTS? NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING PRACTICES CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS CORE AREAS EXPANDING STANDARDS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CREATIVE IN A STANDARDS-BASED SYSTEM? SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 2. THRIVE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP CHANGE MAKERS PARENTS AND COMMUNITY SOCIAL MEDIA MAKERS BRIGANTINE SCHOOL DISTRICT: CREATING SPACES WHERE LEARNERS THRIVE GAME MAKERS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO THRIVE ELEMENTS OF GAME DESIGN A THRIVING STEAM MAKER ECOSYSTEM THE SCOTT FAMILY AMAZEUM HELPING LEARNERS TO THRIVE SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 3. ADAPT HOW SHOULD K-12 ENGINEERING BE TAUGHT? SYSTEMS THINKING CREATIVITY OPTIMISM COLLABORATION COMMUNICATION ATTENTION TO ETHICS ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS HABITS OF MIND CREATIVITY IN DESIGN ALL INCLUSIVE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL) STUDENTS WITH AUTISM ENSURING ACCESS TO STEM THE IMPACT OF AI ON STEAM AND MAKING ADAPTING OUR APPROACH SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 4. CONNECT STEAM MAKER TEACHING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CONNECTED LEARNING CREATIVE TEAMS LITERATURE CONNECTIONS LEADING FROM THE LIBRARY SPEAKING, LISTENING, AND THINKING CONNECTIONS SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 5. INVITE INVITING THE OUTSIDE IN INVITING COLLABORATION AN OPEN INVITATION INVITING STUDENTS TO USE THEIR VOICE ACTIVITIES THAT INVITE LEARNERS IN GET CREATIVE CHALLENGE ONE WORD DESIGNS INVITING LEARNERS INTO THE SPACE A GLOBAL INVITATION TO CREATE SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 6. PARTNER REMAKE LEARNING A LEARNING ECOSYSTEM CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNER ON A LOCAL PROJECT ARTISTS AS PARTNERS CONNECT TO LOCAL EXPERTS ESTABLISH CORPORATE PARTNERS EXPLORING PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AS PARTNERS CONNECT WITH THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY SUMMARY EXPANDING YOUR THINKING CHAPTER 7. EXPAND GROWING PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS EXPANDING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES EXPANDING OUR ROLES EXPAND YOUR PROGRAMS THROUGH GRANTS MY PERSPECTIVE SUMMARY Appendices APPENDIX A. GAME DESIGN PLANNING SHEET APPENDIX B. DESIGN CHALLENGE TEMPLATE APPENDIX C. STUDENT INTEREST SURVEYS APPENDIX D. DESIGN PLAN TEMPLATE APPENDIX E. BOOKS TO START YOUR STEM LIBRARY APPENDIX F. GET CREATIVE DESIGN TEMPLATE APPENDIX G. CHILDREN'S LITERATURE TO PROMOTE SOCIAL GOOD APPENDIX H. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS EXTENSION IDEAS APPENDIX I. MAKERSPACE SUPPLY LIST A-Z APPENDIX J. CHOICE BOARDS APPENDIX K. LET'S MAKE SLIME References and Additional Resources Index

"In the new edition of STEAM Makers, Maslyk shows us how we can bring in curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, self-directed learning, and a failure mindset into our classrooms and schools while addressing curriculum standards and literacy skills. The book provides everything you need to get started or level up your existing STEAM practices. As a former teacher-librarian, I also really appreciated the comprehensive ideas around children's books, which can be used to set the stage for projects, and also how libraries can support teachers on their journey. STEAM Makers centers student choice and voice with the educator as amplifier and facilitator and lists ideas for community involvement, all of which are necessary in a world where information can be accessed so easily. This book is a must-read!" -- Jennifer Casa-Todd "The insightful brilliance of Jacie Maslyk returns in an inspiring, updated edition of STEAM Makers. Just as STEAM evolves and sparks continuous growth, Jacie expands her vision, serving as both mentor and motivator for educators seeking innovative ways to ignite learning. Far beyond a how-to manual, this book vibrantly pulses with actionable ideas and heartfelt wisdom, encouraging a culture of creativity, collaboration, and curiosity. As a principal and educator, I found myself continually inspired, nodding along to Jacie's passionate, crackling prose. Truly, this new edition is an essential anthem for anyone eager to amplify innovation in the schoolhouse through the powerful lens of STEAM." -- Sean Gaillard "In the second edition of STEAM Makers, Dr. Jacie Maslyk uplifts the power of creativity, innovation, and authentic learning experiences for each of our students. This resource amplifies what's possible when we foster curiosity, student agency, and real-world problem-solving. Jacie's work is a true celebration of community-driven, transformative education-and a must-have for educators who believe in empowering learners to lead the future." -- Sarah Thomas, PhD "STEAM Makers is more than a book-it's a blueprint for reimagining learning. It empowers teachers, librarians, and school leaders to design inclusive spaces where creativity thrives and student voice leads the way. Whether you're launching a makerspace, designing hands-on PD, or connecting curriculum to global goals, this guide offers practical tools and powerful inspiration. It helps cultivate the kind of curiosity and innovation today's students need to become tomorrow's changemakers!" -- Jennifer Womble "This is a great book for any educator looking to add more STEM to their classroom. It's filled with quick ideas and guiding principles, and the included profiles of STEAM leaders are terrific examples of what to aspire to as a STEAM Maker." -- Chris Woods