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School/program provides high quality STEM courses and curriculum aligned to recognized standards and organized into interdisciplinary frameworks.
School/program provides high quality STEM courses and curriculum aligned to recognized standards and organized into interdisciplinary frameworks.
Concept 1 - The STEM curriculum is mapped and aligned to formally adopted and recognized sets of standards and/or benchmarks.
Concept 1 - The STEM curriculum is mapped and aligned to formally adopted and recognized sets of standards and/or benchmarks.
Concept 2 - The STEM curriculum is organized around multiple real world, interdisciplinary problem- and/or project-based units of study.
Concept 2 - The STEM curriculum is organized around multiple real world, interdisciplinary problem- and/or project-based units of study.
STEAM PLT
Fairhope West Elementary School provides multiple STEAM-based professional development opportunities to its teachers. During the 2017-2018 school year, FES implemented a STEM professional learning team. This team continues to meet throughout each school year with representatives from each grade level collaborating toward the common goal of integrating STEAM curriculum across the disciplines.
At FWES, we implement and follow the curriculum guides given to us from the Baldwin County Curriculum Department. We also are following Cognia STEM Standards to help further our growth in STEAM education. Curriculum is enhanced and strengthened by embedding collaborative time into the school calendar. During weekly collaborative meetings, teachers work together to create technology-rich lesson plans that they collaborate on using Google Drive.
Cognia STEM K-12 Standards.pdf
Fairhope West Elementary School has a multitude of research-based curriculums for teachers to use in their classrooms to support STEAM instruction. STEMscopes, Mystery Science, and AMSTI are the three most used to support STEAM instruction. These high-quality resources are aligned to the standards given to use by the Alabama Department of Education.
STEMscopes is a research-based curriculum that empowers students to use the 5E instructional model through inquiry-based instruction. Each and every lesson involves a combination of science, technology, engineering, art, and math to drive student engagement and academic growth. Assessments are based on a claim, evidence, reasoning approach with a rubric for each unit. Students may also be assessed with either an online or paper multiple-choice test.
Mystery Science also utilizes the 5E instructional model. Lessons are developed to cover multiple standards. Students are engaged with short videos that introduce them to an inquiry-based lesson. Then, they explore hands-on activities with frequent opportunities to explain their learning through peer discussions. Opportunities to extend application and apply learning to a similar situation are offered with each lesson. Each Mystery can be evaluated by using a drawing and writing prompt for kindergarten and grade one and an open response assessment for grades two through five. In addition to the Mystery assessments there are summative assessments for each unit of study.
“The Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative, commonly referred to as AMSTI, is the Alabama Department of Education’s initiative to improve STEM teaching statewide, including improvements in the individual, as well as the integrated, STEM subjects. Its mission is to support Alabama educators and students in learning STEM through doing STEM.” - AMSTI Website
Fairhope West Elementary educators are encouraged to attend AMSTI science and math training. Opportunities for this training are offered online throughout the school year as well as summer professional development sessions at local schools. AMSTI gives trainees new materials each year to support their STEM-based curriculum.
AMSTI beliefs include:
Equity – ensuring learning opportunities for all
Expertise – delivering content and pedagogical knowledge and resources informed by evidence of effective practice
Efficacy – maintaining high expectations for staff and stakeholders
Empowerment - building sustainability and connecting STEM providers in Alabama communities
Engagement – learning by doing for staff and stakeholders
Google Classroom Collaboration
Final 2018 Digital Literacy and Computer Science COS[5206].pdfFairhope Elementary School has implemented the Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards. DLCS standards blend the ability to use information and communication technologies with the study of computers to create an integrated approach to instruction that can enhance any existing educational subject.
Using a curriculum like that from Common Sense Media, educators are able to teach students digital citizenship using “real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today.” This gives students the necessary skill to become successful digital learners, leaders, and citizens of tomorrow.
Sustaining Current Practice
Sustaining Current Practice
Embedded collaborative time for planning STEM lessons.
Access to a curriculum that is STEM-based.
PNSL vertical alignment.
We will continue to utilize the DLCS standards within each classroom.
Teachers will continue to plan collaboratively each week.
Students will continue to use the STEAM lab to work on project-based learning.
Teachers will continue to enroll in PD for curriculum (AMSTI, etc.)
Next Steps
Next Steps
Provide more project-based learning for students.
Continue to refine the Pelican’s Nest Google Classroom.
Creating a professional learning Team (PLT) for PNSL across the feeder pattern.
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