All of the lessons taught in all classrooms at SDES are aligned to Indiana state standards, be that science, math, reading, etc. The weekly STEM rotation always addresses Indiana standards (science, math, CS, and/or employability skills). Furthermore, the STEM teacher works with all classroom teachers to integrate STEM into homerooms through co-planning, co-teaching, or modeling. These integrations are based on the Indiana standards teachers ask her to help teach/integrate. For example, a kindergarten teacher requested that she help develop a forces unit using pumpkins. A first grade teacher needed help with the biomimicry science standard, and the STEM teacher designed and taught a lesson to model that standard. Third grade teachers needed ideas for some of their standards about magnets, and the STEM teacher provided them with ideas and materials (magnets, magnetic items, etc.). Yet another example is a 6th grade ELA teacher coordinating a STEM Novel project with the STEM teacher. Some students created 3D prints to represent themes in their novels, and others summarized their books through coding a short cartoon using Scratch. Many more such collaborations and integrations occur on a regular basis, due to the fact that the STEM teacher has time built into her schedule to help teachers plan and teach such standards-aligned integrations. 

Concerning the weekly STEM lab rotation, the main adopted curriculum is PLTW. The Director of Learning suggested PLTW to SDES several years ago because we have quite an established PLTW program at our high school (SDHS) with biomed. PLTW has since expanded at SDHS, and it made sense for SDES to follow with PLTW Launch to help make the overall K-12 program more cohesive. PLTW follows NGSS and Indiana Science standards, and has a research-based, well established foundation. SDES received an IDOE STEM grant to help purchase all of the PLTW Launch curriculum.

Overall, the model we use for the STEM rotation and major STEM integrations is PBL or the 5Es. Our previously adopted Science curriculum (Discovery Science) used the 5E model. Our teachers have the option to continue with that model, or use more of a PBL approach. Teachers have been trained over both of these models. We strive to have our students participate in real-world simulations that include problem solving. 

The STEM initiative at South Decatur started during the 19-20 school year. At that time, two teachers were trained in PLTW and used PLTW kits to teach a quarterly unit with all students. 

Enter Covid to interrupt those plans, and skip ahead to the 21-22 school year. Those same two teachers, plus a third, took turns teaching STEM, but this time as a weekly rotation. The same PLTW kits were used, as well as, locally developed curriculum aligning with several Indiana math and science standards at each grade level. 

Since the 22-23 school year, one teacher is responsible for the weekly STEM rotation, and PLTW is the main curriculum used. Supplemental materials and curriculum such as Code.org, our adopted etext - Discovery Science, and NSTA Roadmaps are also used. 

Computer Science is not new to SDES. The current STEM teacher used to be the Technology Integration Specialist. As part of that job, she visited all classrooms to teach students about coding and digital citizenship. That has been in place since 2016. After that teacher's transition to STEM during the 22-23 school year, coding, digital citizenship, and aspects of computer science are taught to all students during the STEM rotation. Students learn about computational thinking, algorithms, cybersecurity, and more in a way that makes sense to them at their particular age. PLTW CS modules, Coding Mice, RVRs, Little Bits, VEX,  and Code.org are some of the tools used to teach CS to our students. 

Furthermore, as with other STEM integrations, classroom teachers can schedule Mrs. Bolton to come help them interpret/integrate/plan/teach Indiana CS standards within their homerooms. 

We love our students. We always strive to do what is best for them. We want them all to have successful futures and be productive citizens. At SDES, we integrate STEM because we believe that is what is best for our kiddos. Teaching students to be unafraid to make mistakes, to deal with failures, to work with others, to think creatively, to analyze, to observe, to accept feedback, and to gain many more employability skills is one of our main goals. STEM integration might not always be pointed out to students as STEM, but that's because it's a natural part of all we do. 

As students read about plants for their weekly comprehension story, they know they'll be caring for plants, observing plants, and working together while doing so. Not because we want to add that "STEM" into the lesson, but because STEM is part of the world around us. If we expect our students to develop employability skills, they have to get real-world experiences. They have to work together, and they have to have their hands on things. That is what will happen in their futures careers. Yes, they will fail; and yes, that will upset some. However, we keep re-teaching these skills to our students to help them learn from failures and become better because of them. 

To add emphasis to this natural part of our day in and day out, the STEM teacher and school social worker work regularly with students to point out these concepts. The school social worker helps students learn to work well with others and cope with disappointments and mistakes. The STEM teacher points out the scientific process or engineering process in the smallest of investigations. Both these teachers inform students of the various career options that are available to them and the skills they need to develop to be successful in such careers. Furthermore, our entire school uses a PBIS program with a monthly employability skill. Guidance focuses on these skills during monthly lessons and awards are given to students exemplifying these skills. 

Many of our students come from low socio-economic backgrounds and stressful home lives. We always want them to know that we are here for them; we believe in them; we know they can  have success as adults; and we are teaching them skills that they need to rise above. 

South Decatur is a full-inclusion school. This means that all of our students attend all classes (including STEM). There are pull out times for some Tier 3 work with students who need it, but they are still in the core of all classes and subjects. Our Sped Department works closely with all of our classroom teachers to ensure that the students on their caseload do not miss opportunities for STEM. In the STEM weekly rotation, the STEM IA works closely with students who have an IEP to help them understand and complete tasks/experiments/builds/etc. 

Our bi-annual data meetings help identify students who need more targeted supports, and our MTSS process employs an entire group of staff to brainstorm ideas to help students in any way necessary. We distribute a high ability test to NWEA identified K, 2nd, and 5th grade students each year. These students often serve as leaders within the STEM lab and the school.

One program we are working on this year to implement in 24-25 is an elective day for 5th and 6th grade students. They would be able to chose to participate in Choir, Advanced STEM, Honors Art, or Show Choir. 

Another program we are starting during the 23-24 school year is "STEM Therapy." Our STEM teacher is working together with our Occupational Therapist to provide quarterly STEM therapy sessions where students use tools (such as hand tools - hammers, screwdrivers, etc.) to gain better coordination/strength. This will also provide these students with basic skills that could help them in the future. 

As STEM is a natural part of our everyday, we have many assessments that evaluate our STEM instruction at SDES. Apart from our ILEARN Science scores (which we study extensively during our data and grade level collaborative meetings), we use assessments that accompany our adopted, research-based resources. These include Discovery Education Science, Generation Genius, PLTW, Study Island by Edmentum, and National Geographic's Big Ideas Math.  Furthermore, we use various informal assessments such as surveys and other techniques. These other techniques go along with our work towards Marzano High Reliability School certification and are used often; including: Exit Tickets, Whiteboard Responses, etc. 

With the PLTW curriculum used during the weekly STEM rotation, all modules include projects and problems that students create and solve, complete with rubrics to help the STEM teacher score the products to assess mastery of the content.

Finally, for grades K-2, our adopted LMS is Seesaw, and many of our teachers are Seesaw Certified Educators. We have full access to all Seesaw resources, and our K-2 teachers use Seesaw for technology enhanced assessments they find in the Seesaw library or create themselves as common assessments. 

Teachers use weekly quick formative assessments in math to create groups for our "Success" program (leveled small groups). Formal summative assessments are also given after each math chapter and science unit. Moreover, larger PBL projects are assessed using short formative check-ins, and generally end with a rubric-graded project or cumulative activity.