Smithsonian STEAM Readers
Build literacy skills while challenging students to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems!
Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, this dynamic series engages students with high-interest readers that highlight all aspects of STEAM: science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. Through hands-on STEAM activities, students will learn how the engineering design process is used to solve real-world problems.
Challenge students to explore, collaborate, and solve problems through hands-on, minds-on learning.
• Strengthen literacy skills and content-area knowledge with high-interest readers and easy-to-implement lessons
• Apply the engineering design process to solve real-world problems
• Engage in student-centered activities that support makerspaces and project- or problem-based learning objectives
• Promote the 4 Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity
• Embrace and learn from failure and promote ongoing reflection
• Build skills to give, receive, and apply effective feedback
• Make career connections with career advice from Smithsonian employees working in STEAM fields
• Support English language learners and model fluency with professional audio recordings