Goal: Identify a strong instructional resource and begin aligning it with your students’ needs, local context, and relevant career connections. This stage also begins the process of ensuring the resource supports sensemaking by examining whether students will engage in explaining phenomena or solving problems. 

This stage is about careful selection and foundational alignment. You’ll explore resources and use the STEM Evaluation Tool to determine which resource best fits your classroom needs. The questions guide you to think about NGSS alignment, student access, local and career relevance, and whether the resource supports authentic sensemaking. Enter this stage with a lens of inquiry, your goal is to identify a resource that is both instructionally rigorous and meaningful to your students. 

Guiding Questions You’ll Respond To in Your Workbook:

1.1 Lesson Selection and Fit

• What resource are you selecting and why is it a strong fit?

• How does this lesson connect to your pacing or address a gap?

• Will students be using evidence to explain a phenomenon or solve a problem?
  
  

1.2 Evaluation Summary

• What insights did you gain from using the STEM Lesson Evaluation Tool?

• How did it influence your decision?
  
  

1.3 Classroom Context and Student Relevance

• What prior knowledge or supports will your students need?

• How does this lesson connect to students’ lived experiences?

• How can it support identity-building and agency?
  
  

1.4 Career Connection and STEM Implementation

• What real-world careers are relevant to this lesson?

• How are multiple STEM disciplines integrated?
  
  

What You'll Complete in This Stage:

✅STEM Lesson Evaluation Tool

✅Sections 1.1 through 1.4 in your workbook

✅Forum Post #1: Reflections on evaluating resources and early selection

✅Forum Post #2: Final selection and planning forward

Goal: Focus on planning and preparing for implementation. During this stage, you will identify what changes are needed to make the resource work for your classroom and intentionally connect the lesson to your broader instructional goals. You may also deepen career relevance by reaching out to local professionals or organizations to help students engage more authentically with real-world STEM pathways. This stage is about building all the necessary bridges to be fully prepared to implement successfully. 

This stage moves from evaluation to adaptation. You will take your selected resource and shape it for your specific context. This includes customizing content to reflect your community, scaffolding for student needs, and building in authentic career connections. You’ll also plan how students will engage with the content and what evidence of learning you’ll collect. The mindset here is strategic and student centered: How can you elevate the learning experience so it is engaging, equitable, and rooted in real world STEM practices? 

Guiding Questions You’ll Respond To in Your Workbook:

2.1 Local Adaptation and STEM Relevance

• What real-world problem or phenomenon will students explore?

• Which STEM disciplines are authentically integrated in your adaptation?

• How will you make the resource more locally and culturally relevant?

• Who or what in your community can help deepen the career connection?
  
  

2.2 Instructional Moves

• How will you support collaboration, inquiry, and student voice?

• What scaffolds or supports are needed for students to engage deeply?

• How will you check for understanding and ensure access for all learners?
  
  

2.3 Evidence of Student Learning

• What artifacts, conversations, or reflections will show learning?

• How will you capture shifts in student engagement or identity?

• How will you assess whether your adaptations were successful?
  
  

2.4 Preparation Checklist

• Confirm your materials, lesson timing, career connections, and scaffolds

• Prepare a plan for collecting student evidence

• Meet with your cohort lead to review your plan and gather feedback
  
  

What You'll Complete in This Stage:

✅Sections 2.1 through 2.4 in your workbook

✅Submit Forum Post: Adaptations + Instructional Planning

✅ Check in with your cohort lead and finalize your plan

Goal: Teach your adapted resource and engage students in meaningful STEM learning. Then, reflect on how the experience impacted student learning, STEM identity, and career awareness. Use evidence you collected to evaluate your implementation and prepare to share key takeaways with the broader cohort community. 

After refining your plan, this stage centers on action and reflection. You’ll implement your adapted resource, collect student evidence, and reflect on what worked, what surprised you, and what shifted in your students and your practice. This is also your opportunity to prepare for outward sharing. Identifying a strategy or key insight that other educators can learn from. Come into this stage with a reflective mindset, ready to celebrate growth and contribute to a larger community of practice. 

Guiding Questions You’ll Respond To in Your Workbook:

3.1 Final Implementation Plan

• What adjustments did you make after final review?

• What materials, student products, or tools will you use?

• How will you gather student feedback and document learning?
  
  

3.2 Reflection and Student Experience

• What worked well during the lesson?

• What challenges or surprises came up?

• How did students respond to the STEM learning experience?

• What evidence shows growth in STEM engagement or identity?
  
  

3.3 Educator Reflection and Key Takeaway

• What did you learn about yourself as a STEM educator?

• What strategy or insight would you share with others?

• How might this experience shape your future instruction or leadership?
  
  

What You'll Complete in This Stage:

✅Sections 3.1 through 3.3 in your workbook

✅Submit Forum Post: Reflection on Student Experience + Key Takeaways

✅Draft and submit your Google Site page (Peer-Led Practice Page)

✅If presenting at the conference, prepare and submit your presentation materials