ST1.11

Students are supported in their STEM learning through adult-world connections and extended day opportunities.

Strengths

Adult-world connections and extended day opportunities are priceless. We are fortunate to be able to support our students in many ways outside the normal school day. We have strong parent and community-based support that continues our STEM initiative with financial resources, materials, and support.

STEM learning is also supported through after school clubs and academic competitions. Lincoln Elementary School students sharpen the saw with an array of extended day enrichment opportunities such as Chorus, Running Club, Archery Club, Garden Club, Tech Team, E3, and the Spring Musical. Students are able to thrive in clubs that will engage, motivate, support, and challenge them above and beyond their learning in the classroom. Through our extended day clubs, we strive to provide real world experiences and interests so that students fully understand the knowledge it takes to be successful outside of school. Our extended day programs hold special performances and events that are open to entire family and community members. Lincoln Elementary School also utilizes field trips frequently as a resource for STEM learning.

Weaknesses/Challenges

With concern to our extended day opportunities, a weakness is transportation. For many of the families in our community, work and income is necessary for both parents. Many of our students utilize bus transportation. This sometimes makes student participation in extended day clubs difficult or even impossible.

Action to Sustain Strengths/Action to Address Weaknesses

We will sustain our STEM program by continuing to strengthen our relationships with parents and community. We will continue our work with extended day programs by offering STEM related field trips, bring experts into the classroom both physically and virtually, and after-school clubs.

To overcome our challenge, we will continue the expansion of clubs to include a virtual platform. We are a 1:1 school with all students K-5 using Chromebooks. Students in grades 3-5 take devices home on a daily basis. While not all extended day clubs can be offered virtually, the addition of virtual clubs can be considered and initiated for those students that must use bus transportation. Not only do we plan to consider virtual clubs, we can offer names and contact information for parents that are willing to support our STEM program with a carpool.

Key Exemplars

Tech Team

Lincoln Elementary's students for the last 10 years have had the opportunity to participate in Tech Team. Each year, over several month, students create self-directed projects. Revision and feedback is a must during this process. The students are required to create a notebook documenting their process and explain their thinking to the judges from start to finish. Students practice their presentation skills weeks in advance including eye contact and shaking hands when introducing themselves. During the presentation at competition, students are asked questions about their presentation. Judges use rubrics to score the presentation and their finished products.

Student Work Sample - Prezi

E³ Team

Through the E³ (Engaging Elementary Engineers) Program, students in third, fourth, and fifth grade are involved in hands-on science and engineering activities that promote critical thinking, teamwork, and interest in STEM occupations. Students are selected based on their performance in the classroom as well as recommendations from classroom teachers. These students meet afters-school every other week for 3 months preparing for engineering challenge competition. During the competition, students are judged based based on collaboration and completion of product using the Engineering Design Process.

Application

Acceptance Letter

2018-2019 Data

The Green STEAM Gardening Team

The Green STEAM Gardening Team provides a great way for students to learn about gardening and gain hands-on experience growing their own food. Being green is our motto, so students find create ways to reused toilet paper rolls and plastic bottles to start our summer garden seeds in. Research and find ways to make nonchemical pesticides for unwanted weeds Gardening is a great way for students to learn patience, trial and error, and working with uncontrollable variables like the weather. Our team is a part of many citizen science projects, for example, the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and the Lost Ladybug Project. These projects help students the importance of roles that everyone and everything play in our environment.

Also at LES, all grade levels plan PBL projects that involve our outdoor classroom. Those projects my serve as a learning station, a themed grade garden as in pizza gardens, herb gardens, butterfly/pollinator gardens, and Walk Across America gardens.

Click here to visit website

Chorus

The Chorus Music program is designed to enhance the musical, creative and expressive qualities of students. Musical opportunities are provided for students to learn the basic skills of singing, playing and reading music, developing song repertoire, broadening listening skills and experiencing the interrelated nature of music with other cultures and content areas. Students are involved in creating their costume design and background scenes. Students express their imagination and creative skills.

Running Club

Running club has been a tradition at LES for many years. During this time students are sharpening the Saw and running for a cause. For several years students ran for Lexi. Lexi is a student in our school with cancer. Part of the proceeds were donated to her family. Students learn to care for others and put others needs before their own. This club meets every Wednesday after school from October to early springtime. It is a great opportunity for students to get some fresh air, enjoy extra time with classmates and friends, and get some exercise but most of all build relationships and learn to self monitor.

Mentoring Program

Lincoln Elementary participates in a partnership called Guiding the Future Program with Lincoln High School Student Ambassadors. This concept is similar to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. The LES students meet biweekly with their Bigs. During this time, LHS Ambassadors work on homework, projects, play in Makerspace, or anything that is needed for their littles. LHS Ambassadors acts as role models and spend this time listening to their littles and building relationships. Our goals at LES are for our students to gain confidence, do well in school, and feel better about themselves.

Report abuse