Module Guides


Asking Purposeful Questions

In this foundational module, participants examine the structure and process of questioning and discuss how to better listen and follow up with youth throughout STEM learning experiences.

Video Overview


Ready, Set, STEM & Asking Purposeful Questions

This module offers educators who are new to facilitating STEM the opportunity to build supportive relationships with other educators while exploring the principles of STEM learning. This module combines an introduction to STEM facilitation with the skill of Asking Purposeful Questions.


Facilitating Science Practices

Participants are introduced to approaches for supporting youth as they explore science through a series of connected investigations. They examine the role science practices play in helping youth connect and make sense of their developing science ideas.

Video Overview


Facilitating Engineering Practices

Participants gain first-hand experience with engineering by solving a design problem. They examine the components of the engineering design process and discuss ways to model the process with youth.

Video Overview


Facilitating Mathematics Practices

Participants will build on their practice of asking purposeful questions and explore strategies for making math engaging, accessible, and connected to the world around us.

Video Overview


Elevating Youth Voice and Choice

Participants try out strategies for giving youth voice and choice and apply the ideas as they redesign a STEM activity to incorporate a greater variety of youth input.

Video Overview


Exploring Youth Understanding

Participants first clarify the purpose of formative assessment and then learn several easy-to-implement strategies for monitoring youths’ understanding. They’ll revisit the water filter activity from the Asking Purposeful Questions module to see the strategies in action.

Video Overview


Nurturing STEM Identity and Making Career Connections

Participants experience several easy-to-implement strategies including a photo elicitation activity, learn about how youth form STEM identities, and then learn how to conduct related activities with youth.

Video Overview


Virtualizing Your Programs and Activities

Participants are introduced to a variety of virtual STEM learning strategies. They engage with virtual tools, reflect on how they could be used in their settings, support one another by sharing ideas, and reflect upon the purpose of using virtual strategies in their programs.

Terms of Use


Except where otherwise noted, ACRES modules and resources are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


This means, you are free to share and adapt the ACRES resources, under the following terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

  • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

  • ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.


ACRES is a project of:

Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance

343 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04330


This material is based upon work supported by the Noyce Foundation, STEM Next, the Davis Family Foundation, and the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DRL 17131341 and DRL 2115229. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders listed above.