“It is rare to come across a book based on solid research that also provides rich classroom ideas and activities for teachers to implement. Supporting K-8 Learners Through STEM Experiences: The Importance of Claim Making is one such book. Having read numerous publications on STEM education, I can attest to the book’s unique and much-needed contribution to the field. The book covers a myriad of topics including developing effective STEM learning environments, supporting students in their STEM activities, developing important STEM ways of thinking, and understanding and fostering claim making. How often do we consider students’ claim making in the classroom, especially in STEM-based activities? Claim making is a key skill that is increasingly needed in today’s world of misinformation and disinformation. Indeed, ideas for fostering claim making apply across disciplines, not just STEM, and thus add to the richness of this book.Educators who might lack confidence in implementing STEM education can reliably turn to this book. It provides stimulating and thought-provoking classroom activities as well as guidance on how to implement and adjust them for different grade levels. Furthermore, the authors show how to create one’s own integrated STEM activities that promote different ways of thinking and forms of claim making. It is recommended that STEM-based activities be open-ended and afford multiple solutions and solution paths. I can strongly support this recommendation, having designed and implemented a range of STEM-based modelling across grades K though 8.I highly recommend Supporting K-8 Learners Through STEM Experiences. It is a book that I am sure every educator—teachers, teacher educators, parents, and policymakers—will find hard to put down and return to often for STEM inspiration.”—Lyn D. English, Emeritus Professor in the School of Education at Queensland University of Technology, Australia“As a homeschooling parent and an art business owner who works closely with children, I value how this book emphasizes the power of connection within STEM education. Instead of treating science, math, and technology as separate subjects, it highlights how integrating them—particularly through engineering and design—encourages deeper, more creative thinking. The eight exploration projects are clearly presented and inviting. What stands out most is the focus on problem-solving, building, and testing ideas, which are essential skills for all learners, regardless of their abilities. This approach to STEM not only supports diverse learners but also strengthens critical thinking skills that extend far beyond the classroom.”—Carol Murdie, Founder and Owner of MindMakers NY LLC and Council Member for Healthy Minds Healthy Kids “This book supports the implementation of engineering activities aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. The projects are thoughtfully designed, offering meaningful context for rich student collaboration. The authors move STEM challenges beyond simple building tasks, positioning them as integrated learning experiences.”—Meagan Graves, fifth-grade teacher at Vancouver Public Schools, WA“Grounded in research and richly connected to practice, this book provides a compelling and critical vision for integrated STEM education that positions learners as active problem-solvers, designers, and knowledge-builders. The authors skillfully illustrate how engineering design challenges can create opportunities for learners to engage in explanation, argumentation, collaboration, and iterative reasoning across STEM disciplines. This text serves an important resource for educators and researchers seeking to design learning environments that support meaningful sensemaking and equitable participation in STEM.”—Joseph Krajcik, Lappan-Phillips Professor of Science Education, University Distinguished Professor, and Director of the CREATE for STEM Institute at Michigan State University, USA“This book’s explorations offer a great way to get kids involved with a project for a purpose. An exploration allows students to fail forward when things don’t go as planned. Students design, attempt, and pivot from their original design when it doesn’t work before trying again. Students will be challenged by the design process, excited to try different materials, and enjoy the process from start to finish.”—Jessica Barnes, second-grade teacher at Owego Elementary School, NY“This is the kind of resource that educators across learning environments need in order to integrate transformative STEM learning into their own practice. The balance of practical ideas, research, frameworks, and grounding in learning theory makes this book a useful tool for developing educator confidence and sparking excitement for STEM learning. When educators incorporate these practices into their learning environments, learners will have new opportunities to authentically make sense of the world around them by making their curiosities and ideas visible.”—The Scott Family Amazeum“If we want STEM-literate graduates, we have to start earlier—and we have to give students real opportunities to think, question, and figure things out. This book shows how. It’s practical, engaging, and grounded in the kind of learning experiences that truly build confident, curious STEM thinkers.”— Vickei Hrdina, Director of Career Readiness & STEM Initiatives at Educational Service District 112, WA
