STEM Focus

The science strand develops students' understanding of the physical, life, and Earth sciences through hands-on exploration that grows increasingly sophisticated from kindergarten through fifth grade. In the primary grades (K–1), students investigate foundational concepts such as forces and motion, sink and float, plant growth, sound, light, and simple engineering phenomena through playful exploration and picture books. By second and third grade, students begin applying scientific reasoning to topics such as conductivity, gravity, friction, magnetism, waves, and simple machines while collecting observations and making predictions. In fourth and fifth grade, learning expands to include Newton's Laws of Motion, center of gravity and center of pressure, earthquakes, structural forces, environmental engineering, and space science through rocket design and testing. Students are differentiated through increasing expectations for asking questions, designing investigations, collecting and analyzing data, explaining scientific phenomena with evidence, and applying scientific concepts to authentic engineering challenges. 

Technology instruction intentionally builds digital literacy, computational thinking, and responsible technology use through a carefully scaffolded progression across all elementary grade levels. Kindergarten and first grade introduce students to foundational technology skills through Bee Bots, introductory coding games, computer hardware exploration, and simple digital creation. Second and third grade expand students' skills with Google Workspace tools, Book Creator, Makey Makey, Tinkercad, Dash robots, Adobe applications, and multimedia design while reinforcing keyboarding and digital organization. Fourth and fifth grade advance students into more complex technologies including Google Sites, Google Vids, Micro:bits, 3D printing, Tinkercad modeling, Seeker Robots, computer hardware, and introductory robotics and programming. Learning is differentiated by gradually shifting students from guided technology use toward independent digital design, coding, collaboration, problem-solving, and creation of authentic digital products. 

Engineering serves as the foundation of the STEM curriculum, emphasizing the Engineering Design Process through authentic, open-ended challenges that become increasingly complex throughout elementary school. Kindergarten and first grade focus on creativity, perseverance, and learning from failure through simple tower, bridge, vehicle, and shelter challenges inspired by children's literature. Second and third grade introduce more purposeful engineering tasks requiring students to identify problems, develop prototypes, test designs, analyze results, and improve solutions using constraints. By fourth and fifth grade, students tackle sophisticated design challenges involving earthquake-resistant structures, roller coasters, ferris wheels, filtration systems, rockets, survival inventions, and robotics. Teamwork, communication, iterative design, and systems thinking are intentionally developed across all grades, with differentiation occurring through increasing design constraints, higher expectations for documentation, more complex problem-solving, and greater student independence throughout the engineering process. 

Mathematics is authentically integrated into STEM experiences by providing meaningful opportunities for students to apply mathematical reasoning within real-world design challenges. Younger students develop number sense, measurement, comparison, sorting, pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, and basic geometry while building towers, bridges, vehicles, and simple structures. Intermediate grades strengthen measurement precision, data collection, graphing, angles, speed, distance, estimation, geometric reasoning, and proportional thinking through activities such as marble runs, parachute testing, paper airplanes, ramps, sail cars, and bridge design. Upper elementary students apply increasingly sophisticated mathematical concepts including isometric drawings, geometric modeling, scale, force analysis, structural stability, center of gravity, engineering optimization, and three-dimensional design within Tinkercad and 3D printing projects. Differentiation is achieved by progressively increasing the complexity of mathematical reasoning, requiring students to justify design decisions with quantitative evidence, analyze experimental data, recognize patterns, and use mathematics as a tool for improving engineering solutions.