Standard 1.5

ST1.5 - Students demonstrate their learning through performance-based assessments and express their conclusions through elaborated explanations of their thinking.

Teachers at St. Louis School use a variety of different assessments that allow our students to share what they’ve learned through project based learning. Both formal and informal assessments of project based learning is a strength at St. Louis School through grade appropriate rubrics, digital portfolios, written and oral responses, reflections/improvements, and drawings. Our students at St. Louis have a plethora of opportunities to present their STEM experiences to a range of stakeholders within and outside of the school. Students present to classmates, peers within the school, parents, and other members of STEM career fields within our local community. In addition to emphasizing the STEM disciplines, St. Louis School promotes the significance of learning through art, culminating in a school-wide art showcase at the end of each school year.

St. Louis School has maintained trusted partnerships with stakeholders such as Mt. St. Joseph High School, Maryland STEM Festival, and the University of Maryland’s Makerspace, but are always looking to expand our list. Ultimately, St. Louis School is always looking to improve our STEM education by providing more opportunities for all of our students as well as encouraging our teachers to share specific assessments to demonstrate their project based learning experiences inside and outside their classroom.

Project-Based Learning

St. Louis students collaborate, create, plan, and research ways to help solve real-world problems through project based learning in many different content areas. The students also have the opportunity to share their findings to classmates, peers, teachers, and stakeholders within the community. Students at SLS also have ways to extend their learning both at home and at school through opportunities such as “Genius Hour”, Scientist of the Week, and monthly STEM challenges.

Student Explanations

Students use classroom technology such as doc cameras, iPads, and laptops to record, and explain their work. Many teachers use education platforms such as Google Classroom, TinkerCad, iMovie, and Seesaw for their students to then present videos, pictures, digital portfolios, and presentations to peers, teachers, and family. Reflections and Stem Journal entries are also used to show the step by step design process and/or final takeaways from specific PBL projects!

Rubrics

At St. Louis School, rubrics are used as an assessment tool to measure a variety of different learning skills and competencies. Many teachers also offer sharing opportunities to other classes, peers, and educators inside and outside of school, to allow the students ample opportunities to present and showcase their STEM learning.

Presentation to the Community

Annual Art Showcase

Art is an important part of our curriculum and provides our students with a creative way to incorporate critical thinking skills and an appreciation for hard work and originality. Our art teacher works to inspire and guide the students as they learn the techniques of various art forms and acquire an appreciation for the artistic works of important artists in history. For the past five years, the SLS Student Art Showcase has celebrated the work of every student in our school.

BGE Wireless Down Video

Students in First through Fifth Grades had the opportunity to participate in the Wires Down video competition sponsored by Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), a local electricity and natural gas provider. The students worked together to create a script and film the video in front of a green screen with student created artwork. Students learned about electricity generation, how it is delivered to homes and businesses, and about the potential safety issues when things go wrong. The video was used to educate students faculty and the community at large about the dangers of downed power lines. The student video won $1,000 for the Screen GEM and backpacks for all the participants for Rock the Vote award for the most community votes.