Increasing diversity in STEM education and STEM fields requires incorporating ways of knowing from a wide range of cultures. Authentic learning partnerships across contexts and across research and practice is critical to that goal.
Since 2015, INSPIRE's Partnerships for Early Learning has been supported by the Boeing Company to bring together science, mathematics and literacy education faculty from UW Bothell and UW Seattle alongside leaders from King County Library System and YMCA Powerful Schools. Together we have designed toolkits to support educators and children to build math and science content knowledge and 21st century practices through exploration and discussion of children's literature. These Story Time STEM toolkits are flexible across P-3 contexts and are designed to be used by classroom teachers, librarians, out-of-school practitioners, and families.
In May 2017, EdWeek featured Story Time STEM in their Curriculum Matters series: