Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges

Grades K–8

Spark critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration with Hands-On STEAM Challenges. This classroom-ready series combines literacy and hands-on activities with all the supplies needed to engage students in real-world problem-solving through fun, meaningful experiences.

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At a Glance Benefits What's Included Shop Now Explore the Series Supporting Resources Related Products FAQ's

At a Glance

Explore the key components and features of Read • Build • Solve: Hands-on STEAM Challenges.

Grades: K–8
Content Alignment: NGSS, CCCS, ISTE, TEKS, and Florida B.E.S.T. standards
Inquiry Model: Project-based learning through researching, brainstorming, designing, building, testing, and revising
Formats: All print components are available in digital formats
Professional Support: Available for purchase and includes customized training to ensure successful implementation

What are the Key Benefits of Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges?

Bring hands-on science into whole-group, small-group, collaborative, and enrichment settings.
Equip teachers and schools with standards-aligned resources that connect literacy and hands-on STEAM learning.
Save teachers time with the challenge supplies needed to make hands-on learning easier to implement.
Promote student engagement, critical thinking, and real-world problem solving with classroom-ready resources.
Fit meaningful learning into busy classroom schedules with flexible lessons that can be completed in as little as two weeks.

What’s Included in Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges?

1 Smithsonian STEAM Reader (20 Copies)
1 Student Journal (20 Copies)
STEAM Challenge Supplies for 20 students
1 Teacher’s Guide
1 Engineering Design Process Poster
Access to TCM Content Cloud® for digital versions of program components, plus the read-along ebook

How do Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges Support Students, Teachers, and Schools?

STEAM Challenge Supplies
STEAM Challenge Supplies

Reduce teacher preparation time with all the STEAM Challenge Supplies needed for immediate participation.
Students plan, collaborate, build, test, and improve their solutions.

Inspire curiosity and perseverance through active design and collaboration.
Teacher Materials
Teacher’s Guide

Helps teachers deliver standards-aligned STEAM instruction with less preparation time
Includes instructional support, implementation guidance, and pedagogy-focused information

Provides facilitation strategies and classroom support for hands-on, interdisciplinary learning

Offers resources to help teachers effectively use the kit in whole-group, small-group, collaborative, and enrichment settings
Classroom Implementation & Use Cases

Flexible classroom-ready STEAM kits designed for a variety of instructional settings and learning goals
Fit meaningful STEAM experiences into existing schedules with minimal disruption

Facilitate small-group learning that encourages discussion, teamwork, and shared problem-solving

Adapt implementation for centers, rotations, intervention, or supplemental learning time

Extend learning with enrichment activities that deepen literacy and hands-on application
Student Materials
Student Journals

Give every learner a dedicated space to plan, design, test, record, and reflect throughout the STEAM challenge process
Build literacy skills through reading, writing, speaking, and listening connected to hands-on STEAM learning

Guide students through planning, sketching, testing, recording data, and reflecting in one organized workspace

Encourage student ownership by helping learners capture ideas, track progress, and think critically about results
Smithsonian STEAM Readers

Engage students with authentic STEAM texts that connect literacy instruction to hands-on problem-solving
Strengthen reading comprehension and content knowledge through high-interest texts tied directly to each challenge

Connect literacy learning to real-world STEAM applications so students can apply what they read in meaningful ways

Develop communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity through discussion, shared reading, and challenge-based learning
Engineering Design Process Poster

Help students visualize and track each phase of the engineering design process as they work through the challenge
Support hands-on learning by making each step of the engineering design process clear and visible

Reinforce student understanding as learners move through planning, building, testing, improving, and reflecting

Promote independence by helping students see where they are in the process and what comes next
Digital Resources
Digital Resources

Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges includes digital resources that give teachers flexible access to every core component of the STEAM kit
Fillable PDFs of student activity pages can be used for digital, hybrid, or print-supported instruction

Each kit includes an e-book version of the STEAM Reader to support flexible reading access

Each kit includes an audiobook of the reader to support listening comprehension and accessibility

STEAM Challenge Supplies

Reduce teacher preparation time with all the STEAM Challenge Supplies needed for immediate participation.

Students plan, collaborate, build, test, and improve their solutions.
Inspire curiosity and perseverance through active design and collaboration.

Teacher’s Guide

Helps teachers deliver standards-aligned STEAM instruction with less preparation time

Includes instructional support, implementation guidance, and pedagogy-focused information
Provides facilitation strategies and classroom support for hands-on, interdisciplinary learning
Offers resources to help teachers effectively use the kit in whole-group, small-group, collaborative, and enrichment settings

Classroom Implementation & Use Cases

Flexible classroom-ready STEAM kits designed for a variety of instructional settings and learning goals

Fit meaningful STEAM experiences into existing schedules with minimal disruption
Facilitate small-group learning that encourages discussion, teamwork, and shared problem-solving
Adapt implementation for centers, rotations, intervention, or supplemental learning time
Extend learning with enrichment activities that deepen literacy and hands-on application

Student Journals

Give every learner a dedicated space to plan, design, test, record, and reflect throughout the STEAM challenge process

Build literacy skills through reading, writing, speaking, and listening connected to hands-on STEAM learning
Guide students through planning, sketching, testing, recording data, and reflecting in one organized workspace
Encourage student ownership by helping learners capture ideas, track progress, and think critically about results

Smithsonian STEAM Readers

Engage students with authentic STEAM texts that connect literacy instruction to hands-on problem-solving

Strengthen reading comprehension and content knowledge through high-interest texts tied directly to each challenge
Connect literacy learning to real-world STEAM applications so students can apply what they read in meaningful ways
Develop communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity through discussion, shared reading, and challenge-based learning

Engineering Design Process Poster

Help students visualize and track each phase of the engineering design process as they work through the challenge

Support hands-on learning by making each step of the engineering design process clear and visible
Reinforce student understanding as learners move through planning, building, testing, improving, and reflecting
Promote independence by helping students see where they are in the process and what comes next

Digital Resources

Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges includes digital resources that give teachers flexible access to every core component of the STEAM kit

Fillable PDFs of student activity pages can be used for digital, hybrid, or print-supported instruction
Each kit includes an e-book version of the STEAM Reader to support flexible reading access
Each kit includes an audiobook of the reader to support listening comprehension and accessibility

Supporting Resources

Evidence-Based Research

Evidence-Based Research for Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges

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Evidence-Based Research for Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges

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On-Demand Webinar

Full STEAM Ahead: Using Project-Based Learning to Accelerate Learning

The national conversation about the Science of Reading has prioritized high-quality phonics instruction. This edWebinar offers research-based strategies to engage all students in developing and applying phonics skills. Focusing on instructional routines, attendees will explore opportunities to increase purposeful literacy learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges?

Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges is an all-in-one K–8 classroom kit that includes everything needed to run a STEAM challenge with up to 20 students. Each kit includes a Teacher’s Guide, 20 STEAM Readers, 20 Student Journals, an Engineering Design Process Poster, hands-on challenge supplies, and digital learning resources so teachers can implement the experience out of the box.

How does Read • Build • Solve support both literacy and STEAM learning?

Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges supports both literacy and STEAM by combining authentic reading experiences with hands-on problem solving through the engineering design process. Students read, write, speak, listen, plan, design, test, improve, and reflect, which helps connect content-area literacy to real-world STEAM learning.

What grade levels and classroom settings is Read • Build • Solve designed for?

Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges is designed for grades K–8 and can be used in whole-group, small-group, collaborative, and enrichment settings. Designed for flexible implementation, each challenge is short enough for elementary and middle school teachers to integrate meaningful STEAM learning into existing instruction without disrupting their broader curriculum.

Is Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges standards aligned?

Yes, Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges is designed to support standards-aligned instruction across literacy, science, technology, and interdisciplinary learning. The series aligns to NGSS, CCSS, ISTE, TEKS, and Florida B.E.S.T. standards, making it easier for schools to connect hands-on STEAM experiences to instructional goals.

How do the digital resources in Read • Build • Solve support flexible classroom use?

The digital resources in Read • Build • Solve: Hands-On STEAM Challenges include fillable student pages, an e-book, and an audiobook to help teachers flexibly extend the challenge experience beyond printed materials, while supporting different student learning needs.

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