In this article I present a practical model that primary and secondary teachers might use to help students explore the intrinsic connections between science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The analogy of a Russian nesting doll (matryoshka doll) can be used to stimulate classroom conversations about the nature of STEM and lead to an understanding that there is more to the relationship between these discipline areas than is typically represented in policy documents or the media. The article also aims to provoke conversations among teachers about the strengths and limitations of these relationships and of the analogy itself.