NextwaveSTEM appeared to be a curriculum that a general education teacher could confidently integrate into their curriculum. The modules were easy to understand for "non-techy" teachers. Reading through the teacher's guide not only explained the lessons- it educated us on artificial intelligence in general.
The curriculum offers comprehensive and accessible modules specifically designed to engage young learners, presenting complex concepts in a manner that is both age-appropriate and intellectually stimulating.
NextwaveSTEM provides educators with a wealth of resources, including lesson plans, instructional materials, and interactive activities, all tailored to support seamless integration into the curriculum. This ensures that teachers have the support they need to effectively teach AI concepts without having to spend excessive time on preparation.
Grade 5
Lesson 1: Creating With Technology
Lesson 2: Predictive Drawing
Lesson 3: Lyric Recognizer
As we worked on each of the lessons, they increased in success and engagement. Lesson 1 was where the students were first be introduced to the broader concept of merging art and technology. Through brainstorming sessions, they defined and provide examples of "art" and "technology." Lesson 2 moved on to how machine learning affects AI, and how repeated use by humans improves results. Lesson 3 introduced the students to training the artificial intelligence themselves. Throughout all three lessons, the students were very excited and engaged. Frustration was low becasue all students could access the lesson. It was great because one of our classes is an integrated Special Education/General Education class and our other class was an integrated ENL class. All students were able to participate.
The primary challenge we face is one that we foresee but have yet to encounter. While these lessons are highly beneficial, they lack differentiation for various grade levels. For instance, if one utilizes the curriculum designed for grades 3-5 and implements the lessons in grade 3, there's a lack of progression in grades 4 and 5. Consequently, there's a deficiency in academic growth—specifically, the absence of advanced lessons tailored to older students who have already completed the foundational material. If a school district was looking for a curriculum to comply with the NYS K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards, they would have to purchase separate modules for each grade, which could get very expensive.
We would recommend the Next Generation's modules as a great source to find ready set lessons that have engaging lessons that will meet the students interest.
One down side is that the modules/ lessons are grouped for several grades meaning if a teacher uses the material in 3rd grade but then teaches them again in 4th and 5th grade the lessons that are provided by the company are the same for the 3 grade levels there for supplemental materials would need to be created.
Quick Draw Link Lesson 2 Predictive Drawing (grades 3-5) https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/