Presentation Title: What are STEM books and what makes them different?

Abstract: STEM books offer endless opportunities for engaged learning. They invite students to see the world differently and to think in new ways about what they see. Stem books offer students “minds-on” opportunities to explore the world around them. What are these books? How are they different? The Best STEM Books help– by celebrating convergent and divergent thinking, analysis and creativity, persistence—and the sheer joy of figuring things out. The National Science Teachers Association in conjunction with the Children’s Book Council has identified the criteria to decide what a STEM book is. Hundreds of books were submitted over the past two years and two lists have been formed. Learn more about what books are, what the STEM book criteria is, and some ideas on how to use them in classrooms.

Biography: Carrie Launius has been a science educator for more than 30 years. Starting as an elementary teacher she helped to create science opportunities for many students. She later became a science coordinator and then an assistant superintendent. Her passion for science led her to create a program called PRISM, a non-competitive science fair where every child was a winner. She has been recognized by the St. Louis Science Center for her excellence in science teaching, her district school board for dedication and exceptional work in science and recently named Science Teacher of Missouri’s Lifetime Achievement for working with science. As a District Director for NSTA, she also created the Best STEM Book and worked with a team of educators to refine the criteria. Launius also is on the 2018 STEMCON Advisory Board.