Embedded Files
The foundation of our KHES STEM program rests on opportunities that encourage our students and staff to grow and prepare for the future. We provide opportunities for students to expand their knowledge by providing a well integrated STEM curriculum that utilizes various curricular materials including; teacher created lessons/units, adopted curriculum materials, and PLTW courses. Teachers ensure all materials that are being used include many of the 21st century skills. Students have access to Makerspace areas where they are able to create STEM projects, and teachers are able to create engaging STEM lessons. Through classroom activities, our students have the chance to problem solve, and learn the valuable lesson of trial and error because experiencing setbacks teaches students how to keep going and eventually find their way to success. As a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School, we implement the PLTW curriculum with fidelity. We have a PLTW teacher in our building, and every K-4 student attends her class for forty minutes each week. The curriculum is an activity-, project-, and problem-based (APB) instructional design that centers on hands-on, real-world activities, projects, and problems that help students understand how the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom may be applied in everyday life. The APB approach scaffolds student learning through structured activities and projects that empower students to become independent in the classroom and help them build skill sets to apply to an open-ended design problem. This approach provides students with unique opportunities to work collaboratively, identify problems, apply what they know, persevere through challenges, find unique solutions, and lead their own learning. (Curriculum according to PLTW.)
Additionally, students at Kingsford Heights are provided with STEM experiences in classrooms at least one time per week by certified teachers where they are engaged in the design process or use the 5E Model. PBL experiences are offered by all of our teachers and we share a STEM/PBL calendar to help manage the many units and projects happening throughout our school. Staff members collaborate during shared planning time to create, revise, and plan their STEM lessons. Our teachers and our counselor also introduce different career pathways and provide integrated lessons for student to develop employability skills based on IDOE expectations. Our counselor utilizes the Second Step curriculum, while classroom teachers and staff are expected to reinforce these skills. Our W.I.N. STEM Rotations allow students in 2nd-4th grades to receive a wide variety of STEM experiences every day where they may be strategically grouped to engage in high interest, hands-on activities from engineering challenges to coding music. Our Tigers are submerged in STEM!
2.1 Curriculum integration
2.1 Curriculum integration
All curriculum in the La Porte Community School Corporation is based on Indiana state standards and approved publishers. LPCSC and KHES are dedicated to providing best practices in curriculum and instruction for all students in our district. Textbook and technology resources are adopted in annual cycles to ensure the most updated materials are implemented. Students and staff have access to learning both at school and at home. LPCSC is a one-to-world district in which each child and staff member has a device that remains with them for the cycle of the device until replacement. LPCSC maintains a technology director and department that strives to stay on the cutting edge of available public school best practices and cyber safety. As STEM curriculum is delivered throughout the school, we utilize various evidence based models of instruction to ensure student success. We use the 7 Essential Elements for PBL during classroom instruction, the 5E model within our science curriculum, and the APB model of PBL for our PLTW instruction.
2.2 curriculum implementation
2.2 curriculum implementation
KH STEM curriculum encompasses many resources allowing teachers to engage students in high interest, standards based lessons. From our adopted publishers and PLTW to supplemental resources, our staff continues to make STEM learning a focus at KH. Classroom teachers have embraced the engineering design process and 5E Model as they implement their weekly STEM lessons with fidelity. We will continue to secure new resources and training that will allow us to advance even further.
2.3 computer science
2.3 computer science
Kingsford Heights Elementary School incorporates a standards-based computer science program for all students. Adopted curriculum shown in 2.1 such as PLTW Launch, Discovery Ed, Scholastic Spin, as well as cyber.org and code.org courses are used to meet Indiana CS standards. Our our students are 1:1 with chrome books which travel to and from school daily. Throughout all K-4 CS instruction and integration, KHES maintains a focus on cyber safety and security for all students to instill digital responsibility and self-control when using technology. Our evidence consists of curriculum maps and artifacts to demonstrate our shared instruction of CS standards.
2.4 employability skills
2.4 employability skills
La Porte Community School Corporation and Kingsford Heights Elementary School have a guaranteed and viable curriculum using Second Step to teach employability skills for students in K-4. Lessons from our school counselor are taught weekly using the Second Step curriculum scope and sequence. Classroom teachers and staff members reinforce Second Step lessons throughout the week to ensure that students are building these skills into their daily life.
2.5 access and opportunity for all learners
2.5 access and opportunity for all learners
Kingsford Heights Elementary School has 144 students in 9 classrooms including 1 PK, 2 Life Skills, and 6 K-4 general education classrooms. STEM education and STEM learning opportunities are provided for 100% of our students in their classrooms every week and in their weekly PLTW class. Teachers provide integrated STEM instruction in their classrooms every week. Modified lessons are created through general ed, special ed, and PLTW teacher during PLC collaboration time and are provided for our special education students as well as general ed . Differentiated instruction is ongoing daily. Our special education staff regularly meets with grade levels to ensure all standards are being met with the proper accommodations required by the IEP. Inclusion based instruction is utilized when servicing the majority of our students. Direct instruction is provided when necessary, with the use of collaboration with the appropriate grade levels to ensure the vertical alignment of standards is being met.
2.6 assessments
2.6 assessments
KHES staff use a variety assessment strategies. Use of individual and group rubrics, analysis of products created, and demonstration of STEM concepts learned are integrated into our STEM lessons. Students are encouraged to respond to informal and formal assessments in a variety of ways including hands samples, teacher-student conferences, and student use of common STEM vocabulary. Data and feedback is shared with KHES students, families and staff consistently to monitor the depth of learning taking place.
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