STEAM in Maine

STEM educators in Maine are encouraging more young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Challenger Center

Maine Discovery Museum

STEAM Foundations 

STEAM Foundations is a curated collection of resources designed to help educators and learners build a strong foundation in STEM through curiosity, creativity, and real-world connections. 

Explore:

• Preschool STEAM Series | Infant/Toddler STEAM Series
  These pages provide videos and resources to explore strategies and teaching practices for supporting STEAM learning in preschoolers, with a focus on developing reasoning, creativity, problem-solving, and language and communication skills.

• Resources for STEAM 
  This Edutopia page is a collection of teaching strategies and resources to support STEAM education.

• WIDA Developing Language for Learning Mathematics
  Self-paced workshop to integrate mathematics instruction and reasoning with language development for multilingual learners. A free account is required to access this resource.

 Engage:

• STEAM and Scientific Reasoning in Headstart
  Explore resources from Headstart.gov that integrate and develop STEAM and scientific reasoning skills at an early age.

• WIDA Bulletin: Scaffolding Learning for MLs in Math
  WIDA Bulletin outlining specific guidance and macro-scaffolding and micro-scaffolding math practices for multilingual learners

• Let's Talk, Read, and Sing about STEM 
  This handout explores how STEM activities are a good fit for the curious minds of preschoolers. It provides information on how STEM activities support learning, links to research, and guidance on implementing STEM with preschool children. 

Apply:

• MOOSE STEAM Learning Progression
  MOOSE modules are purposefully designed with a strong STEAM backbone.

• Go STEAM Learning Hub
  Georgia Tech's STEAM learning hub features lesson plans that focus on authentic integration of STEAM in music.

STEAM Connections

STEAM Connections is a curated collection of resources that explore the many ways STEAM connects to the world around us. 

Explore:

• Discover Education STEAM Career Exploration
  This interactive career exploration tool supports students' understanding of STEAM-related careers.

• Wabanaki STEAM Resources
  Wabanaki Studies and STEAM-integrated lessons and resources.

• Maine State Numeracy Hub
  This resource is a dynamic, evolving space to support meaningful, relevant numeracy learning across all ages and contexts.

 Engage:

• Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO)
  ELOs are experiences outside of the traditional classroom that emphasize community-based career exploration. 

Apply:

• Maine Apprenticeships
  Database from the Maine Department of Labor of STEAM-related apprenticeships.

• Maine Climate Literacy Plan
  Framework for climate literacy in Maine, designed to build capacity and programs from interdisciplinary climate education.

• Maine Climate Action Plan: A Guide
  Designed to help teachers and students better understand what climate action is happening in Maine and how to be involved.

• Maine Climate Office
  Interactive Climate Data in Maine from the University of Maine Climate Office.

• Computer Science Hub
  The Computer Science Hub is a library of educator-created teaching and learning resources.

• Acadia National Park Distance Learning Programs
  Acadia National Park offers 30 free virtual science and art programs for students in grades 3-8. 

Professional Learning

STEAM-focused Professional Learning Opportunities.

• NSTA STEAM Professional Learning Units 
  These bite-sized, self-paced, synchronous Professional Learning Units (PLUs) cover many aspects of STEAM education, including sense-making, authentic problem-solving, and the integration of engineering and career competencies. Each PLU costs $15.00 for NSTA members and $20.00 for non-members.

Standards Review & Assessment

As part of the Maine Department of Education's commitment to supporting schools in delivering effective K-12 science and engineering instructional programs, this page provides links to resources to support the implementation of Maine's Science and Engineering standards.

Standards Review

Assessment

• Maine Science Assessment
  Schedule: 
  - High School: April 1-17, 2026
  - Grades 5 and 8: May 11-22, 2026
  - Three sessions, each 50 minutes in length for high school and each 60 minutes in length for grades 5 & 8

• MSAA Science
  The Multi-State Alternate Assessment in Science, or MSAA Science, is Maine's alternate assessment for science. This assessment is administered in grades 5, 8, and 3rd year of high school and is designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.