STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday — Spiders– Writing Tips and Resources
October 20, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

Finding a way into a challenging topic: Writing about something scary “Look, there’s a spider!”If someone says that to you, would you jump away? Or lean in closer? Spiders elicit widely varying emotional responses—appealing to some and appalling others—which makes writing about them a fascinating task. With such wide-ranging reactions, how do you reach readers to teach them about these marvellous creatures without scaring them away? Here are some tried and true tricks: Believe it or not, you can apply these questions to your nonfiction writing and research. Let’s take a look at these examples that are as different as they are similar. Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spiderby Jessica Lanan (Roaring Brook Press, 2023) This story uses two key tactics to engage readers. First, it elicits curiosity and empathy by asking “What if?” questions to help readers imagine being a spider and how their lives parallel the main character’s life. Second, the spider is...
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STEM Tuesday — Spiders– In the Classroom
October 13, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

I read the following books from this month’s list as the basis of the activities below. The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army by Penny Parker Klostermann, illustrated by Anne Lambelet Have you ever heard of the woman who harvested spider silk to help U.S. efforts during WWII? I hadn’t until I read The Spider Lady. This book explores how Nan Songer developed a fascination of spiders. It then follows her path to delivering spider silk that was used for the crosshairs in many different military devices. The Secret World of Spiderwebs by Jan Beccaloni, illustrated by Namasri Niumim To learn how different spiders use webs, read The Secret World of Spiderwebs. Using impressive illustrations, this book provides detailed descriptions of how spiders spin their webs. This includes both the architecture of the various webs and the biomechanics needed to spin them. The spiders...
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STEM Tuesday — Spiders– Book List
October 6, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

It doesn’t matter where you are, inside or outside, there’s a good chance that a spider is watching you! Unless you are in Antarctica. For the most part, those spiders are perfectly content to go about their day eating garden pests and leaving cobwebby silk strands in the corner of your bathroom. But somehow, spiders get a “spooky” reputation. So, let’s take a closer look at them! Spi-ku: A Clutter of Short Verse on Eight Legs by Leslie Bulion From leafy treetop to forest floor, this book introduces readers to happy spiders, diving spiders, social spiders, and more. Each spread features poems and information about how they kill and digest their prey, engage in foolery – and even how they become prey themselves. Back matter includes hands-on spider activities and how to write your own spider poems. Jumping Spiders (Creepy Crawlers in Action: Augmented Reality...
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STEM Tuesday — Computers–Questions to Ask Yourself About AI Use in the Classroom
September 29, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

AI in Schools Has a Cost: Impacts and Responses by Kamilla Milligan and Alexandra Millarhouse Are you being asked to incorporate AI into your work or classroom? How do you feel about that? The push for AI seems to be everywhere these days, including in many classrooms. As educators, parents, and creatives, we have concerns. What does it mean for students? For our future? We wanted to offer you some of the research we have gathered about AI use in the classroom. We believe that it is important to take into account all of the issues with AI when considering how you can contribute to the conversation in your own district. While this post aimed at educators, we hope that this information serves anyone who is interested in learning more about the costs and impacts of AI on students and beyond. AI Impacts in the Classroom Let’s start with...
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