STEM (classroom projects)

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Welcome to the exciting world of STEM. STEM is a new way to learning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). These four disciplines are taught together, as one, rather than being taught as separate as in the past. The natural connections among the four disciplines have always been there in scientific and engineering

research labs and in professional work settings, but not always in the classroom.

As you learn about STEM you will be acting as an engineer using science, technology, and mathematics to solve problems through designing and creating products and processes. Many of these products you use in some form in everyday life. In some of the STEM actvities, you will design rockets, develop models of amusement park rides, and engineer wind turbines and cars. As you do so, you will follow the same processes and thinking that engineers, scientists, and mathematicians use when they solve real world problems and questions.

So sit back, buckle up, and let’s launch into the world of STEM. Below are some valuable links on how to connect and integrate STEM related activites into your curriculum.

STEM Websites – Upper Elementary, Middle and High School Engineering

Engineering Interact learn about Engineering concepts by playing different Interactive games. Topics include light, sound, forces & motion, Earth & Beyond, and Electricity: http://www.engineeringinteract.org/

Discover Engineering—Site with games,videos and general information about various engineering careers: http://www.discoverengineering.org/

eGFI Dream Up the Future—Interactive site that goes over various jobs in Engineering: http://www.egfi-k12.org/

Try Engineering--Sometimes the best way to understand what engineers do is to try your hand at it. This site offers several engineering games on the internet to give you a first hand try at the problem solving skills engineers employ every day. Choose from four different games including a bionic arm design challenge: http://www.tryengineering.org/play.php

Engineering.com--This massive engineering site also contains both games and puzzles. Popular choices include Ice Breaker, Civiballs, and Picma. There are also several engineering themed challenges to take a crack at: http://www.engineering.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering—Overview of different facilities around the U.S. for various engineering careers: http://www.engineeringsights.org/

Web Adventures - from Rice University, games about STEM Topics and Careers: http://webadventures.rice.edu/

Build It & Bust It--This is a site FOR engineering. You won't be spoon-fed information. Here, you will design and test your own structures and share what you learn with others. You can view everyone's design and learn from each other: http://library.thinkquest.org/11686/

Math Moves U—Site developed to help Middle School students improve their math skills, important for any STEM career. Interactive Games, practice worksheets, and Scholarship opportunities: http://www.mathmovesu.com/#/home

Design Squad—Website for the PBS series which pairs teams of students to compete with each other by completing a design project. The site includes full episodes, projects, games and a blog: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/index.html

Westpoint Bridge Design—site for a bridge design program that can be downloaded for free; contest instructions, too:http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/download.htm

KidWind—Learn more about the wind turbine model above and a contest for the model at the Website: http://learn.kidwind.org/

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering – curriculum for the 21st Century Engineering student www.pltw.org

Information Technology/Computing

Scratch, from MIT – an easy-to-learn programming language for animation and a host of creative projects http://scratch.mit.edu/

Computing for Kids - a fun way to learn the basics online http://cuip.uchicago.edu/~pmccastle/mccastlecurriculumweb/

Computing Careers – http://computingcareers.acm.org/

Packetville – games for learning terms and skills related to computer networking PacketRiders, ages 8 – 11, HackerBusters, ages 12 - 14http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/packetville/index.html

Alice, from MIT – learn programming through online tutorials http://www.alice.org/index.php

Health and Medical

National Institute of Health LifeWorks - career information for health and medical careers http://science.education.nih.gov/LifeWorks

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Sciences – curriculum for the 21st Century – www.pltw.org

Pandemic II: a game which simulates the mathematics of infection http://www.learn4good.com/games/high-school-students-games/science-health.htm

Healthy Living http://www.healthfinder.gov/prevention/

Protecting the Herd (from NIH) – a game about vaccination and immunityhttp://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih1/diseases/activities/activity4.htm

Outbreak at WatersEdge- a game about public health and public health careers http://www.mclph.umn.edu/watersedge/teachers_guide.html

Illsville – a game about the development of vaccines and the spread of diseases: http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/illsville-fight-disease

Genomics http://www.genome.gov/GenomicCareers/index.cfm

Of Special Interest to Girls

SciGirls - Website for the PBS series showing middle school girls doing various science projects. With full episode videos, projects, & games:http://pbskids.org/scigirls/index

Engineer Girl!—a guide to engineering for middle school girls: http://www.engineergirl.org/

Engineer Your Life—a guide to engineering for high school girls: http://www.engineeryourlife.org/

Imagine Engineering—Girl Scout website with an overview of different engineering careers, advice on how to proceed through school towards an engineering pathway, interviews of women engineers, & links to other resources: http://www.girlscouts.org/imagineengineering/connect.asp

Brain Cake—Website developed by the Girls Math and Science Partnership for girls ages 11 – 17 with various activities involving science and math:http://www.braincake.org/

DotDiva – Information Technology makes life better! Great ideas about how computing skills are used to help people and make the world a safer, healthier and better place. www.dotdiva.org

Teacher Resources:

STEM Resources

http://www.futuremorph.org/

http://www.montgomery.k12.oh.us/content_page2.aspx?cid=72

http://www.daytonregionalstemcenter.org/

http://www.currtechintegrations.com/

Intel STEM Resources

Design in the Classroom

Engineering Unit Plans

Amusement Park Ride: Ups and Downs of Design

Building Roller Coasters

Biomedical Engineering and the Human Body (10 Lessons)