What is Sip & Stem?

Teachers learn just like the students with our quarterly Sip & STEM, as they delve deeper into how Design Thinking enhances their teaching and students’ understanding. Each quarter after school, teachers are invited to participate in solving a real-world problem. We have learned how pollinators gather and disperse pollen to our plants using Bee Bots, how to keep balloons safe during a parade by mimicking animal adaptations and redesigning African American inventions of the past to make them more impactful for our society today. During the 2023-24 school year, teachers learned about Moonshot Thinking and designed the impossible. They also learned how to light a house to make it spooky for Halloween, they designed new drink containers for teachers on Spring Break and learned about directions by creating a float for the Mardi Gras Parade. No matter the challenge, we connect what we learn to our grade level standards and think about how we might incorporate similar lessons in our instruction. Each session is themed with delicious snacks and school-friendly libations for teachers that make this experience one to remember.