Standard 1

The STEM school or program provides equitable opportunities for students to engage in high quality STEM learning.

Standard 1 Narrative

B.B. Comer Elementary is full STEAM ahead in our integration of STEAM in and beyond the classroom. Through school wide STEAM integration, students are exposed to inquiry-based learning experiences that are strategically aligned to content standards while being offered opportunities to be thoroughly engaged in a variety of learning environments. STEAM lessons are also provided to our Pre- K classes. By utilizing the Engineering and Design process, students are encouraged to solve real-world issues while immersed in cross curricular project-based instructional units. These opportunities include STEAM Challenges, Passion Projects, Coding, Makerspace, and STEAM acceleration blocks. Our students have consistent access to technology through our 1:1 Chromebook initiative that promotes creating complex solutions to authentic problems.

At B.B. Comer Elementary, we focus on educating the whole child. This approach leads educators to look beyond the quantitative data available on a student and consider the strengths, interests, and leadership potential of each learner we serve. Our teachers ensure that they are providing innovative opportunities that are STEAM based and standards driven. This holistic approach ensures that ALL students are exposed to STEAM concepts through an array, that is tailored to programs focused on providing 100% accessibility. BBCES is committed to developing the leadership and STEM "soft skills" necessary for all students to succeed in the high demand STEAM related careers of the future!

Enhancing Learning One-on-One

1:1 Devices

B.B. Comer Elementary was the first elementary school to enter the district's 1:1 device initiative in 2013. From the onset of the 1:1 journey, the mission of our school’s progress has been to provide students with authentic learning opportunities infused with exposure to technologies that would prepare them for the rigors of a 21st century high school experience. With a firm focus on 21st century skills already in place, a shift to STEAM incorporation seemed to be a natural progression in the school’s curricular change.

Building Brighter Futures with STEAM

Our School's Vision for STEAM

STEAM Vision

The 2016-2017 school year marked the beginning of our STEAM integration journey at BBCES. A classroom unit was designated for our STEAM Lab teacher, Mrs. Harbin. All students in kindergarten through sixth grade visited the STEAM Lab every week for 30 minutes. Students were introduced to the Engineering Design Process through STEAM challenges, working collaboratively on tasks, and coding basics with Code.org and robots. Furthermore, our library became home to a Makerspace Lab where students could tinker and create during scheduled visits.

After reflecting upon our first year of STEAM integration, we decided as a school that our vision for STEAM was to make it a more collaborative and purposeful experience for both teachers and students. Therefore, we made adjustments to our STEAM Lab schedule and planning process for the 2017-2018 school year. Teachers met with Mrs. Harbin after school and during planning times to plan lessons that would be modeled and taught collaboratively alongside her in the STEAM Lab. Students began visiting the STEAM Lab monthly for 3 consecutive days for 45 minutes per day.

During 2018-2019 school year, teachers were asked to complete Monthly STEAM Lab Lesson Planning Forms to make the planning process more collaborative and a direct extension of the learning that was taking place in each classroom. Moreover, our school began DLP (Digital Learning Partner) Coaching through Google with teachers. The Technology Integration Specialist helped teachers to integrate technology effectively into their lessons. In addition to the same monthly STEAM visits, as the previous year, teachers were provided additional STEAM Coaching from our STEAM teacher to help with integrating STEAM into classwork and PBL projects. For the first time in our STEAM journey, we were seeing STEAM integration all over our school!

During the 2019-2020 school year came the grand opening of 2 STEAM Labs/Collaboration Spaces at BBCES: The Exploratory (K-2 STEAM Lab) and The Lightbulb Lab (3-6 STEAM Lab). The two lab spaces allowed teachers to bring their classes to work on collaborative projects when STEAM classes are not in session. Moreover, students in 3rd-6th grade are now given up to 4 days to complete STEAM projects during their STEAM visits.

The 2020-2021, school year looked much different. We were no longer able to implement the use of two STEAM labs due to the growing number of students at our school. We needed space for a new classroom teacher that we had to close our second STEAM lab. During that school year, we had a new teacher to take over the STEAM lab. Mrs. Voss, our STEAM teacher opened the newly transformed Innovation Station. Although classes were not able to be held in the Innovation Station, Mrs. Voss used the lab as a planning space. Mrs. Voss rolled into classrooms to engage students in STEAM activities.

During the 2021- 2022 school year, Mrs. Voss has been able to open the Innovation Station to students and teachers. Students in grades Pre-K through 6th visit the STEAM lab for 45 minutes each month. Students are engaged in STEAM activities dealing with Robotics, coding, and the Engineering Design Process. These activities involve current standards that they are working on in their classrooms whether it be reading, math, science or social studies. Students take what they have learned from their classroom teachers and apply it in new ways.

All classroom teachers are expected to integrate the Engineering Design Process as well as collaboration skills into their instructional practices to grow our students into creative thinkers and problem-finders/problem-solvers.

As you can see, STEAM integration and instruction has evolved over the years for us at BBCES. It is our vision to #BuildBrighterFutures for our students by giving them the problem-solving and collaboration skills necessary to be successful beyond their years at B.B. Comer Elementary School.

STEAM for ALL Ages

Ten Apples up on Top

After reading the story, "Ten Apples up on top" students followed the engineering design process to construct a tree to hold at least 10 apples.

Preschool STEAM

At BBCES, we believe that science, technology, engineering, and math skills are crucial, even for young children. Preschool students at BBCES visit the STEAM Lab for 30 minutes each week to participate in engaging STEAM lessons that promote curiosity, inquiry, creativity, exploration, collaboration and critical thinking. All lessons begin with a read-aloud to introduce the STEAM challenge. Students are introduced to a modified Engineering Design Process that they follow when carrying out each STEAM investigation.

Pre-K students showing off their butterflies they made after reading "The Butterfly".

STEAM Equity

STEAM Squad Members

STEAM Squad member, ZaiMiya, assisting with a preschool STEAM class.

STEAM Squad

BBCES offers many leadership opportunities to all students. One of the STEAM leadership roles at our school is the BBCES STEAM Squad. Students can apply to be a member of this team at the beginning of each school year. After submitting their applications, students are interviewed to determine if they are ideal candidates for the team. The duties of STEAM Squad members include the following: assisting with preschool, kindergarten, and first grade classes; being a STEAM advocate for our school; assisting with STEAM events such as school wide club days and becoming experts on our STEAM Lab's robots, tech gadgets, and STEAM resources.

STEAM Squad 2019-2020

BBCES Student Job Application

Creating a Dash & Dot Sleigh to Share at a Community STEAM Event

STEAM Squad Planning Meeting

Sharing Knowledge of Makey Makey Kits During the STEAM By Design Conference

Assisting with Preschool Classes

Key Exemplars of STEAM PBL

Makey Makey Masterpieces

After learning about nonrenewable natural resources and alternative forms of energy, students in fourth and fifth grade used the Engineering Design Process as they worked in collaborative groups to design and create their own futuristic B. B. Comer Elementary School. Each group incorporated an alternative energy source into their design to demonstrate how we could help to preserve our natural resources. They also used recycled materials to build their futuristic school. Students used Makey Makeys to code their alternative energy source for their futuristic school in a variety of creative fashions.

Trashtastic Treasures

In order to provide enrichment to the 5th grade AMSTI Science Ecosystems Unit, students expanded on the idea of what it means to recycle and how it affects our planet. They began by locating credible sources to research why they believe everyone should or should not be required to recycle. Taking that one step further, the students brainstormed guiding questions to answer within in their collaborative groups. Then the groups created artwork or structures out of recycled materials to emphasize their point of views to show the importance of recycling for our planet.

Becoming a Butterfly

During this project, students learned how to create their own websites using Google Sites as they explored AMSTI science lessons about bugs and pollination. The students began learning how butterflies are pollinators and researched the butterfly life cycle on their Chromebooks. Once the caterpillars for the project were ordered, students used the Engineering Design Process to construct a butterfly house. The class prepared an environment for the caterpillars including real flowers, a well for the nectar, and painted a mural much like a real butterfly environment. The class prepared life cycle cards incorporating Makey Makey kits to share their research about the life cycle. The students invited the STEAM teacher, Mrs. Harbin, to help make the life cycle cards interactive with the Makey Makey Technology. Two of the students were chosen to represent their class at the local Technology Showcase. They created a website with information all about butterflies. The students included fun facts, videos, and photographs about their topic on their website. They were able to bring home first place In the K-2 Educational Media category. The class released their butterflies into the environment upon returning to school.

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