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Providing students with an engaging environment where they want to learn can be a positive challenge. By keeping our students' ability levels, interests, language proficiencies, ages, cultures, and backgrounds in mind we can begin to work toward this goal. The Universal Design for Learning principles can help teachers by providing a structure that includes objectives, strategies, materials, and assessment to meet the needs of various learners. Moreover, providing choice with students' backgrounds and abilities in mind while using different technologies can be a constructive step in creating a supportive environment. As technology evolves, teachers can also build their knowledge to assist students in learning reading and writing skills with the most current advances using the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. These can help students learn to read and write in a motivating manner, while also teaching them about tools that can help them in their future classes and careers.

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Family engagement in education refers to a partnership between schools and the community to support children's development and learning. Family engagement has been at the forefront of education initiatives in recent decades as research has shown positive effects on a variety of student outcomes. At the same time, there has been increased emphasis on integrating environmental education into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content areas. This chapter illustrates how engaging families in environmental education within STEM curricula can benefit schools, families, and the community. Existing literature on family engagement in environmental education will be explored, along with strategies to engage families. Specific strategies for engaging families who are culturally and linguistically diverse will also be discussed. The chapter concludes with recommendations taken from the literature for designing, implementing, and sustaining family engagement in environmental education.

There are many opportunities to make video in classrooms, which can be teacher or student created. Thinking through videography as a director of a movie, commercial, news show, or any other event that broadcasts can add an engaging dimension to instruction. Teachers often incorporate video making into their instruction to document interviews with students, have students role‐play parts of a story, or to have students share their own stories. Using various components, teachers can make homemade video look much more professional. To begin with, the goals of the video and instruction should be outlined, which would include the audience. Sound should also be considered, as that can make a video much more interesting to watch. Other areas to consider are angles, rules of third, cuts, and lighting. Creating video that students, teachers, and families enjoy watching or learning from can be a beneficial way to make lasting instruction.