Standard 11

Standard 11: STEM learning experiences integrate all STEM disciplines with an emphasis on processes and practices associated with STEM.

We want our students to understand that STEAM is everywhere. It is important that STEAM learning experiences integrate all STEAM disciplines. During the summer, groups of teachers collaborated to create new pacing guides for our reading and math curriculum. Within these guides, they tried to integrate STEAM content and activities into the weekly reading lessons. At Childersburg Elementary School we are 1:1 student/devices. Kindergarten students receive iPads and students in grades first through fourth receive Chromebooks. Having easy, consistent access to devices, provides unlimited resources for our students.

All classrooms incorporate blended learning with instructional focuses around the 5 C's: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and computational thinking. Students use technology tools to stimulate their creative and critical thinking skills. They use learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Google Learning Suite, SeeSaw, and FlipGrid to share learning and to communicate and collaborate with peers. Apps such as code.org, scratch, and Kodal are great tools to practice computational skills. Not only are students encouraged to practice the 5 C's using technology, they are also given opportunities to practice these skills in other ways. Teachers invite experts to talk with their students about topics during units of study. Students are taught how to communicate with experts and what kind of questions should be asked. There are also occasions in which students could call on experts to help them with a project. Students are taught how to collaborate with their peers by having specific jobs during projects. They are also taught how to use computational thinking skills to problem solve in their daily lives. As a school, we have focused on promoting the engineering design process and including it as much as possible within our learning experiences and overall school environment.

In October, first graders completed a Halloween-themed PBL. This PBL included science, technology, engineering, and math. Students used social science to identify traditions in our community and how they contribute to the practice of dressing up at Halloween. Students used the engineering design process to answer the driving question, “How can you use raw materials to create a Halloween costume?” and to create something new. At the beginning of the process, the students were given a rubric with expectations listed. The students were able to refer back to this rubric throughout the process. During the first phase of the EDP students made a list of questions they had about the PBL and a list of questions addressing problems they might encounter along the way. Next, the students were given “Think Time” to brainstorm. Students used a four-square planning sheet to jot down their ideas related to the costume design and possible raw materials that could be used. Students were given a diagram of a human and were required to draw the costume and include a label for each part. They also had to show what materials they planned to use. The students made a list of materials they needed to create their costumes. As students began to create, they used technology devices to take a photo of themselves and printed them. Next, the students went to the Makerspace Lab and gathered materials they would need for their costumes. Students used math to measure the materials they needed to make their costumes fit. Then, the teacher took a photo of each child for them to use in creating their costume. Students strategically placed the materials on the photograph according to their earlier diagram. Lastly, the students were given the opportunity to improve their creations. Some students realized some of the materials they chose were larger than the photograph, certain materials would not stick to the photo paper They searched for and applied better choices of raw materials from the CES Makerspace lab.

Students in Nature STEAM Club used the engineering design process to build sprout houses. The following demonstrates their EDP process.

Ask: Students were asked if they would be able to build a house from sprouts. Students initially thought they could not build houses from sprouts because they thought the houses would fall.

Imagine: Students were given supplies of sponges, toothpicks, paper plates, and seeds and instructed to think of possible ways to make a house using them and list their ideas or draw them out.

Plan: After coming up with possible ways to build a house, students were instructed to select their best idea and begin planning to build it.

Create: Students used the supplied materials to build their houses. Students built their houses and then added seeds to the sponges. Water was added in order for the seeds to grow.

Improve: If their house fell, the students had to rethink how they could make it better. They discovered that the toothpicks helped hold the houses together. If there were seeds not growing after a couple of weeks, students discussed the possible reasons why and how they could improve the growth of their seeds.

Fourth-grade students were excited to participate in a math escape room. They were split into collaborative groups of four and given five levels of story problems. There were five story problems for each level. Students worked in one of two fashions: work out the equations together as a team or solve them individually, then compare answers and discuss. Once they solved the five-story problems, their answers revealed a 5 digit code that would "unlock" the next level of questions. If any of their equations were incorrect, it would cause their code to be incorrect. The tricky part of this is that the incorrect digit of the code was not revealed to the students, forcing them to recheck each of their five equations and improve their strategies. Incorrect codes led students to reevaluate equations and examine them more closely. Several students commented that when they got an incorrect code, it was like the improvement stage of the engineering design process. The excitement when a correct code was entered into Google Forms was palpable. Students were so proud of themselves and each other with each unlocked level.

Students in all grade levels participated in Reading With Engineering Day. On this day, students listened to a read-aloud by their teacher and then participated in a STEAM/engineering activity that goes along with the story. Kindergarten students read the book "What To Do With a Box?" and used the engineering design process to plan and design their own magical creation from a box. First-grade students read "I Wanna New Room" and "Roberto The Insect Architect" and created blueprints of new buildings and dream bedrooms. The book, "The Perfect Square", and the engineering design process was used to create a free-standing structure from a square by the second grade. After reading "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble", third grade students had to "save Sylvester" by only using one tool to get Sylvester's life preserver on and put him back in the boat safely. Fourth-grade students read an excerpt from "Ferris's Grand Idea" and used the engineering design process to create a working Ferris wheel.

The “Stormy Weather” STEAM project is aligned with content standards and Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout this project, students worked individually and in collaborative groups. Students conducted research and took notes, created a bar graph, and used an online tool to weatherproof a virtual home. Students followed the engineering design process to develop weatherproofing solutions to protect their homes. The project kicked off with a visit from our local professional meteorologist. The students consulted with the expert to learn the science of weather events, especially tornadoes. Students also received a visit from a tornado survivor who had first-hand experience with the deadly effects of a tornado. Students continued their research by gathering statistical data of Alabama’s tornadic events. Graphs were created to analyze this data. Students utilized the EDP to conduct research, complete learning activities, and weatherproof a virtual home. They used their knowledge to create a 3-D model of a structure that could withstand tornadic winds. A blow dryer and spray bottles of water were used to test the final structure and improvements were made if needed.

Engineering Design Process Model

At CES, Kindergarten through 4th grade use one model for Engineering Design Process: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Improve. This model is used in all content areas to assist in problem-solving but is especially used by students during a STEAM Challenge. Some students use a graphic organizer to guide them through the EDP during activities or units of study. We created a catchy song for kids to remember all the steps in the EDP. The EDP song is sung by students every day during morning announcements. They also see it prominently displayed in our hallways.

Having a school-wide model of the EDP keeps the learning consistent from year to year. Students can build on their previous learning and understanding to become stronger problem solvers and critical thinkers.

Strengths

Every student in our school has a digital device to use at school. Students in grades first through fourth are also allowed to use these devices at home to extend learning. When planning, our teachers do a great job of incorporating STEAM skills into their lessons.

Sustainability

Our teachers remain committed to collaborating and planning the most comprehensive STEAM learning experiences for our students. We also updated our students’ devices this year and continue to strive to offer quality devices for our students.

Opportunities for Improvement

Following our self-assessment, we did not have many lessons specifically incorporating the scientific method. We would like to focus on creating lessons in which the students must move through the steps of the scientific method.

Page updated

Report abuse