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STEM learning outcomes demonstrate students’ STEM literacy necessary for the next level of STEM learning and for post-secondary and workforce readiness.

Not every student is going to become a scientist, mathematician, inventor, or engineer, but every student should and will be STEM literate by the time they graduate fifth grade at University Place Elementary School. STEM literacy is the most adept way to prepare our students for high school, college, and the work force. One of our goals is to prepare students to be college and career ready and STEM learning and curriculum is a way for us to do that. STEM learning must always be rigorous and relevant for students, but it is also a learning progression. Students must learn the basics first. They must walk before they run. Two ways that the teachers at UPES prepare students for this is with our Lego and coding progressions.

All teachers at University Place have created classroom accounts using code.org. This program allows teachers to teach computer science with a progression of lessons that increase in complexity as students progress from one lesson to the next. Students who are allowed to progress at their own pace while teachers are able to assign and track student progress in real time. In addition, our school has its very own Lego Lab where teachers take students to learn how to imagine and create with legos. Teachers use legos as a means to teach students critical thinking and problem solving skills. They also use this time to extend student learning and integrate subject areas. Students learn how to read and follow blue prints, build 3-dimensional structures, and a robotics progression. The Lego curriculum used at University Place Elementary is a progression that allows students to develop their STEM skills over time and in a developmentally appropriate way. Kindergarten begins with Lego kits to build basic simple machines, whereas fifth grade is building and programming robots. UPES beleives that all curriculum used in our school should be connected and work together seamlessly and code.org and lego do exactly that.

Computer Science and Coding

In today's society it is vital for all students to be computer literate; however, why settle for teaching basic computer skills when we could challenge and engage our students with teaching them the foundational skills for one of the fastest growing job markets there is. UPES has a vision that all students will have computer science background knowledge and be able to code by the time they graduate from fifth grade. By incorporating a coding and robotics progression into our curriculum we are preparing STEM literate students who will be successful in junior high and beyond. One program that all of our students utilize regularly in their classes is Code.org. Code.org is a free website that offers coding curriculum for grades Kindergarten - twelfth. The code.org progression offers both online and offline lessons. It begins with the most basic coding skills and computer science vocabulary and concepts and gradually progresses to more challenging and abstract concepts. One great feature of this progression is that students are able to move at their own pace. It is not a whole group teaching model; therefore, at its core provides differentiation. For example, a student must first learn how to successfully sequence a code before he or she can learn to write a loop, and the program will not advance a student if the skill is not mastered. Coding helps students beyond the world of computer science. It helps students improve both reading and math skills. It provides an engaging and rigorous platform for students to think critically, follow and write directions, solve multi-step problems, and determine the sequence of events.

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Lego Lab

The Lego progression is an engaging way to create STEM literate students, and there is nothing else like it in the TCS school system. We have seen the firsthand benefits of incorporating Legos into our overall educational philosophy and curriculum. The use of Legos has benefited our math and science instruction, and we have seen the positive impact Legos have on our diverse student population including our ELL and Autism units. There is a plethora of both educational and STEM-specific research that proves Legos help students learn how to problem solve and work in collaborative groups. It is a tool that teachers have been able to utilize to connect curriculum across disciplines. Legos for Education has created age appropriate curriculum progression. This Lego Progression actively prepares elementary students for middle and high school. It not only teaches students the fundamentals of computer science with coding and robotics but also engage students in engineering, design and math tasks. The Lego progression also teaches students more science subject matter like simple machines, kinetic and potential energy, and electrical circuits. In addition to the obvious STEM applications (Math, Technology, Engineering) these kits are designed for two or more people to utilize at a time. Therefore, they are equally important educational tools for fostering the development of soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and interpersonal relationships.

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