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iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

Hosted by Nicole VanTassel · education · EN-US

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About this Podcast:

iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is for upper elementary teachers — especially grades 3–5 —who want to make elementary science and math more engaging, without adding more prep or overwhelm to their day. If you’re looking for practical ways to bring STEM and hands-on learning into your classroom while still meeting standards like NGSS , this podcast is for you. Each week, you’ll get (ideally) short, (always!) actionable episodes (about 15–30 minutes) filled with classroom-tested ideas you can actually use. From simple STEM challenges and low-prep science activities to math routines, lab management, and neurodivergent-friendly strategies, everything is designed to help you keep students thinking, moving, and engaged—especially during the most challenging times of the year. You’ll also hear honest reflections from real classroom experiences, with a focus on what works (and what doesn’t) in my 5th grade science and math

Pitch Analysis

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Contact path

Verified email

Booking probability

35%

Guest openness

Selective

Verified email on file
80/100
Required Score

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Questions about iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

What is iExploreScience: STEM in Elem about?

iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is for upper elementary teachers, especially grades 3, 5, who want to make elementary science and math more engaging, without adding more prep or overwhelm to their day. If you’re looking for practical ways to bring STEM and hands-on learning into your classroom while still meeting standards like NGSS, this podcast is for you.

Who hosts iExploreScience: STEM in Elem?

iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is hosted by Nicole VanTassel. The show has published 157 episodes to date.

What has iExploreScience: STEM in Elem covered recently?

Recent episodes include "17 Crafting Connection and Building Trust In Your Upper Elementary Classroom" (3 August 2026, 18 minutes), "16 Why Your Students Can't Learn Until They Feel Safe" (20 July 2026, 16 minutes), and "15 The Reason Some Students Struggle With Science Questions (And What to Do About It)" (6 July 2026, 14 minutes).

How often does iExploreScience: STEM in Elem publish?

iExploreScience: STEM in Elem publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 20 minutes across 157 episodes.

How hard is it to get booked on iExploreScience: STEM in Elem?

Booking probability for iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is 35%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. iExploreScience: STEM in Elem requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. iExploreScience: STEM in Elem's contact route on record: verified email.

Who should pitch iExploreScience: STEM in Elem?

The strongest fits for iExploreScience: STEM in Elem are Educational Support Services. iExploreScience: STEM in Elem has an education audience.

About the host

Nicole VanTassel hosts iExploreScience: STEM in Elem, an education podcast with 157 episodes published.

Verified host email: ████████@████.comSign in to unlock →

Recent episodes

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

  • Episode #17

    17 Crafting Connection and Building Trust In Your Upper Elementary Classroom

    Aug 3, 202618 minS12

    Most back-to-school advice says lock down routines first, then relax and get to know your students. I think that's backwards. Norms and routines don't come with consequences attached, they're just how a classroom runs...

  • Episode #16

    16 Why Your Students Can't Learn Until They Feel Safe

    Jul 20, 202616 minS12

    This is the first episode where we're really looking ahead to the back-to-school-season — and we're not starting with seating charts or procedures. Instead, we're digging into what's actually happening in your students'...

  • Episode #15

    15 The Reason Some Students Struggle With Science Questions (And What to Do About It)

    Jul 6, 202614 minS12

    Most of us were taught to think about teaching in terms of standards coverage. Hit the standard, move on. But there's a layer underneath that we don't talk about enough — and it's what actually determines whether a...

  • Episode #14

    14 Vertical Whiteboards In Science & Math

    Jun 29, 202627 minS12

    Vertical whiteboards are all the buzz in math circles -- and whether or not you subscribe to the whole BTC framework, the boards themselves? Golden!! The good news is, it works just as well in science as it does in...

  • Episode #13

    13 How To Get Students Asking The Questions (Instead Of Just Answering Yours)

    Jun 22, 202624 minS12

    What if the most powerful thing you could do for student engagement wasn't a flashy lab or a big project — but just getting kids to ask the questions instead of you? Questioning is one of the most underused tools in...

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  • Episode #12

    12 Criteria and Constraints: The Two Things That Make It Real Engineering

    Jun 15, 202616 minS12

    Build a roller coaster for a marble. Fine. But what if the marble has to travel as slowly as possible without stopping? Now your students actually have to think . Criteria and constraints aren't fine print — they are...

  • Episode #11

    11 The Engineering Cycle: What It Actually Looks Like in a Real Classroom

    Jun 8, 202623 minS12

    You've seen the circle graphic. Define, design, build, test, improve. But if you're treating it as a linear checklist, you're missing what actually makes engineering work — and why iteration keeps getting cut. Real...

  • Episode #10

    10 Take It Outside: 3 Easy Ideas for the Final Stretch

    Jun 1, 202618 minS11

    Mud, leaves, and praying mantises on the side of the building. The schoolyard is more alive than your students expect — and getting outside in the final weeks of school is not a reward. It's science. --- Season 1 goes...

  • Episode #9

    09 3 Science Topics That Make Kids Forget It's June

    May 25, 202615 minS11

    The last few weeks of school are when even your most engaged students start mentally checking out. In this episode Nicole shares three science topics that consistently pull kids back in — space scale, invasive species...

  • Episode #8

    08 How To Make Every Kid Feel Seen Before Summer

    May 18, 202615 minS11

    The last week of school doesn't have to be survival mode. In this episode Nicole shares the end-of-year traditions she keeps coming back to — student word clouds, summer science kits, class awards that actually fit each...

  • Episode #7

    07 5 STEM Challenges Using Only Paper, Tape, and Cardboard

    May 11, 202621 minS11

    Tallest towers. Egg drops. Marble runs. These five challenges use nothing but paper, tape, and cardboard — and they're some of the most engaging engineering activities you can run in the final weeks of school. Listen in...

  • Episode #6

    06 How To Run a STEM Challenge Without the Chaos

    May 4, 202616 minS11

    You know that feeling you get before you start a science lab or STEM challenge — excitement tinged with nervousness and maybe a little dread? You can imagine success -- kids exploring, talking, problem-solving ... and...

  • Episode #5

    05 From Crafts to Thinking: What Makes an Activity Actually "STEM"?

    Apr 27, 202618 minS11

    Oobleck. Spaghetti towers. Vinegar and baking soda. These aren't bad activities by any means! — but most of the time they're not really driving STEM learning in your upper elementary classroom. Listen in to explore the...

  • Episode #4

    04 STEM Bins for Slow Morning Starts

    Apr 20, 202623 minS11

    Morning arrival is one of the hardest transitions of the school day — and one of the most overlooked. In this episode I break down my STEM bin system: what goes in them, how often I rotate them, how kids access them...

  • Episode #3

    03 The Week After Testing: Why It Falls Apart and What To Do Instead

    Apr 20, 202622 minS11

    The post-test crash is one of the most misunderstood weeks of the school year — and it doesn't hit every kid the same way. In this episode Nicole introduces Dr. Thomas Boyce's dandelion and orchid framework: some kids...

  • Episode #2

    02 Ideas for the Week(s) of Testing

    Apr 13, 202625 minS11

    Testing season is a lot. This episode is for the days before, during, and after the test — what to actually do with your class when the schedule is weird, the kids are anxious, and your attention is divided seventeen...

  • Episode #1

    01 Why I Started iExploreScience: STEM in Elem (And What's Coming)

    Apr 13, 202616 minS11

    If you've ever stood in front of a class and realized your students are afraid to be wrong — this episode is for you. Episode 1 is the introduction to iExploreScience: STEM in Elem — who I am, what I believe about upper...

  • iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

    A Note for Longtime Listeners — What's Coming Next

    Apr 10, 20269 min

    If you've been here since Teaching Science in 3D — thank you. This short episode is for you. I'm using this space to be honest about what's changing, why it's changing, and what you can expect from this feed going...

  • Episode #9

    Building a Classroom Community Series Part 3: The Science Classroom

    Aug 19, 202526 minS10

    In this episode, Erin continues her conversation with middle school science teacher Char Ritchie. Char explains how she builds on the community building practices discussed in the last episode to build a science...

  • Episode #8

    Building a Classroom Community Series Part 2: Respect Agreements and Community Circles

    Aug 11, 202533 minS10

    In the second episode of our 3-part series on building classroom community and expectations, Erin shares conversations with two special guests — Bailey and her 8th grade science teacher, Char Ritchie. They reflect on...

Recent guests

Recent guests on iExploreScience: STEM in Elem. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

N

Nicole VanTassel

iExploreScience

D

Dr. Alexis Patterson Williams

University of California, Davis

B

Brendan Fitch

Inner Orbit

J

Juli Cannon

Juli Cannon Science

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