STEM with actual stems: Missouri pushes to get students outside
Down a hiking path and through the woods, giggles and chatter echo from a clearing where elementary students have just finished constructing makeshift shelters.
The challenge blended environment with engineering, hence this visit to the Runge Nature Center from third, fourth, and fifth graders. They’re part of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) club at nearby Thorpe Gordon Elementary in Jefferson City, Missouri.
“Do you guys feel ready to spend the night in the woods?” their outdoor instructor asks.
The children scream “yes” in unison, steps away from their tiny dwellings made from branches. A boy announces he saw a turkey, while another student proclaims “teamwork” her favorite part. The scene portrays what conservation leaders and educators
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