STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is a national instructional priority. As part of Southeastern Louisiana University's STEM Outreach Initiative, funded by a Shell Oil Company Foundation grant to raise interest in STEM-related activities, teacher candidates were given the opportunity to leave their classroom to engage in a real-world STEM experience. In fall 2013, 20 teacher candidates in an integrated science/language arts/social studies methods course mentored fourth and eighth graders through completion of a science project. The objective of the accompanying study was to determine if guiding students through the process would increase knowledge of scientific practices in designing a sound investigation.