What this is all about:
Hi, welcome to Teaching STEM with Popular Culture. I am Sam, a lowly student maths and science teacher who also happens to have a somewhat ‘intense’ love for television, games and very in-depth ravings regarding the film Gravity. I started writing this blog as a way to discuss how STEM teachers can use aspects of Popular Culture in classrooms to enrich their teaching and connect with students. Throughout my teachings experiences, as well as my time in childcare, I have reaped the educational benefits Popular Culture provides, I am hoping to share some of what I have learned.
“California Milky Way II: Fragments of Time” by Michael Shainblum is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Recent Blog Posts
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A Dungeon Master’s Guide to Teaching
(Photo taken by blogger) If you’ll allow me to diverge a little from this blog’s regular focus, I would like to talk about something that is very near to my heart. The tabletop roleplaying game (RPG) Dungeons & Dragons has been a part both of my personal life and my life as an educator for… Read more
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A Filmmaker’s Inaccuracy, can be a Science Teacher’s Opportunity
You would be hard-pressed to find a more effective cultural touchstone than film. Whether we are young or old, rich or poor, student or teacher; chances are we’ve gone to the movies. Personally, I think I may be one of those people that goes to the movies a little too much, and it is almost… Read more
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When in Doubt, Star Talk it Out
If you dive into the research surrounding youth and popular culture, it won’t be long before you come across the term ‘participatory culture’. It’s a term coined by researchers like Jocson (2018) to describe the way platforms like Youtube, Twitter and Instagram (or WordPress in my case) have changed culture today by making it so… Read more
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What to Do When the Principal Comes Knocking
We have all had those moments, whether it be while quickly closing a poorly vetted Youtube clip or during a difficult behaviour management situation, when you are just hoping that the principal doesn’t pick that very moment to stroll by your classroom. For a very long time, this was how I felt while teaching with… Read more
A STEM Teacher's Guide to Popculture 