4 Ways to Incorporate STEM Into Any Subject

Have you ever noticed the way interdisciplinary teaching makes learning more expansive? From literacy skills to creative thinking and design, STEM plays an important role in creating pathways to academic success. When educators take a holistic approach to education, children are able to build context around important skills and real-world challenges, closing educational gaps along the way.

By incorporating STEM into other subjects, educators can help students explore historical innovations, discover real-world role models and enhance learning experiences through impactful cross-curricular connections. Read on to find tips for incorporating STEM into any subject and creating inspired learning opportunities that transform student engagement.

Create Historical Connections

Exploring American innovation as an important feature of history can inspire students and enrich their learning experiences. Consider expanding history lessons to create STEM connections and illustrate how inventions have improved the world around us.

Teaching students about the inspiring legacy of Helen Keller in social studies? Consider incorporating an exploration of how technology has enabled blind and visually impaired people to read printed materials by introducing National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductee Raymond Kurzweil. A pioneer in artificial intelligence, Kurzweil’s invention of optical character recognition was the first device to transform print into computer-spoken words. His invention was regarded as the most significant advancement for the blind since Braille's introduction in 1829.

Building upon the legacies of historical figures like Keller, you also can highlight the extraordinary stories of innovators like National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Chieko Asakawa, who lost her eyesight by the age of 14 and started learning Braille at age 15. Asakawa invented the Home Page Reader (HPR), the first practical voice browser to provide effective internet access for blind and visually impaired computer users. Students will love making connections between these stories!

Increase Hands-On, Project-Based Learning

Fostering classroom collaboration and critical thinking, opportunities for hands-on, project-based learning can spark engagement and guide students to identify the relevance of STEM while having fun!

Whether students explore engineering concepts by creating a diorama to represent their favorite scene from a book or discover new science concepts as they grow a microgarden on the classroom windowsill, these open-ended experiences help them identify the role of STEM in real-world applications.

Enhance Music Education

By drawing connections between music education and STEM, students can begin to piece together a new understanding of how music is composed, played and experienced. To show the connections between math and music, consider guiding students to explore fractions, ratios and patterns through hands-on activities.

Invite students to stay curious about the technology and innovations behind musical instruments. You could even highlight one of the most iconic instruments of rock ‘n’ roll – the electric guitar. Thanks to the groundbreaking work of guitarist and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Les Paul, the music industry was forever changed once this instrument hit the stage.

Promote STEM and Humanities

By combining STEM and the humanities, you can transform literacy skills into tools for STEM exploration. If you integrate STEM-inspired storytelling throughout the school year, you will not only strengthen STEM learning, but also guide your students to develop an innovative mindset and even facilitate career exploration.

For example, driving cross-curricular connections during a unit focused on public speaking, educators might consider introducing National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees Jim West and Gerhard Sessler, co-inventors of the electret microphone. This compact, inexpensive and highly sensitive microphone has become an industry standard. Of the 2 billion microphones manufactured each year, 90% are electret microphones. For many students, learning of the invention that amplifies their voice may spark motivation or introduce a pathway to improving their communication skills.

Keep the Innovation Going

Looking for more classroom inspiration? Keep exploring our blog for more strategies to spark meaningful learning with STEM and invention.