Bridging STEM With Mathematical Practices

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often defined as a meta-discipline wherein content from all fields is integrated. However, many teachers are not content experts within each of these disciplines and bridging these individual fields can be a challenge. Yet, content integration need not be the only means by which STEM integration occurs; common practices that focus on thinking and reasoning can and should also exist within classrooms. Even though each STEM field has their own distinct ways of thinking, there are common practices that can link learning to increase students’ readiness for the 21st century. This paper highlights how the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics’ Standards for Mathematical Practice can serve as a common framework around which educators across grade levels can integrate STEM thinking into their own classrooms