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OBJECTIVE: This lesson will engage kids (4th-6th grades) in cross-disciplinary STEM skills to engineer a bucket pouring system that will hold weight and transfer dry ingredients from one container to another.

STEM Skills Presented in this Lesson:
Science: Students will use skills within the scientific method to design a bucket pouring system that can hold weight and pour.
Technology: Students will use digital technology to document learning and assist in observations of the pouring systems at work.
Engineering: Students will implement a strategy to engineer a bucket pouring system using simple supplies.
Math: Students will explore geometry, spatial concepts, and mathematical relationships as they design and construct the pouring systems.

STEPS for STEM SUCCESS

Print the STEPS for STEM SUCCESS here ( download Steps for Success PDF file here) for each student or small group. Discuss each of the steps and answer questions the students might have before starting the bucket pouring challenge.

STEM Bucket Pouring System Challenge for Kids

The bucket pouring design must be able to hold the weight of the chosen dry ingredient and be able to transfer the ingredients to the second cup in some manner.
Materials needed:

One Instructional Bucket Challenge Sheet - print here (download the PDF file for Bucket Challenge Directions here)

20 Wikki Stix (any color)

8 Large Wooden Craft Sticks

One Pencil

Hole Punch

Two Plastic or Paper Cups

Dry Ingredients (suggestions might include: dry rice, rice or other dry cereal, oatmeal, cornmeal, beans, or small pasta).

Directions:

Kids have 20 minutes to plan and design a simple bucket pouring system from the supplies given. They do not have to use all of the supplies, but no more supplies will be given.

Planning and Construction of the Design

One 5th grade team brainstormed possible design solutions to the challenge and verbally agreed on their construction based on the given materials. The students chose cornmeal as the dry ingredient and the design looked great. In application, the base the students constructed was sturdy and easily held the dry ingredient, but the cup failed to rotate fully as the kids used Wikki Stix to adhere the pencil to the top of the construction.

The pouring system on the right was created by another 5th grade team. The kids brainstormed possible designs and then drew the initial design on paper. Using the given supplies, they constructed their bucket pouring system. The kids predicted that the bucket would rotate forward to pour the dry ingredient into the second cup via the Wikki Stix attachment to the pencil. The system design worked well with rice cereal! It is truly an amazing sight to observe kids planning, creating, learning, playing, and applying knowledge to have success!

To further test the bucket pouring design, the kids chose to pour coins from the "bucket" instead of rice cereal. The weight of the coins made the side V constructions detach from its base! The entire system collapsed! That same student team re-engineered the initial construction to make improvements to the base design to accommodate the additional weight of the coins.

Using Technology for Observations and to Document Learning

To help kids observe the pouring systems, have one student (per group) video the constructions at work. By watching the video in slow motion, kids will have a great visual for learning about successes and what parts of the design could be improved.

To document learning, invite the kids to take digital photographs of each phase: Planning, Constructing, Testing, and Improving. Have the kids fill in the response sheet here ( download the pdf file of Bucket Pouring System Response Sheet here) and then use the STEPS for STEM SUCCESS (linked above), the Response Sheet, and photographed documentation to create a printed book to share.

STEM learning challenges kids to higher level thinking. By incorporating inquiry and solution-based learning into daily education, kids will garner important problem solving skills that will extend far beyond the classroom and into the larger community!
For more lesson plans for STEM and STEAM Education, please visit: STEM Education for Kids: a Make It Move Challenge STEM Education for Kids: Chain Link Building Challenge STEM Education for Kids: Tower Building Challenge STEAM Education for Kids: Mondrian Construction and Design STEAM FOR KIDS: Exploring and Constructing Tessellations STEAM Education: Kandinsky's Concentric Circles STEAM for Kids: Wikki Stix Parachute Man Design Challenge Parts of a Plant Cell STEAM Activity for Kids: Constellation Design Challenge Beyond Memorization: Activities to Promote Critical Thinking with Wikki Stix Open-Ended Engineering in Early Childhood SHAPES! A STEM Building Challenge for Kids!

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STEM Challenge for Kids: Bucket Pouring System Lesson Plan

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Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into daily learning helps kids develop the ability to think critically through the application of cross-disciplinary skills. Using the STEPS to STEM SUCCESS (Ask It, Solve It, Design It, Test It, and Improve It) with a bucket pouring design challenge will help kids understand inquiry and solution-based learning.

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PBS Learning Media

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Explore Engineering Is... , a collection of media resources that focuses on the intersection of engineering and science. The new national science education standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, emphasize engineering design as an essential part of science education. With the Engineering Is...

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There has been wide support throughout the education sector for future primary school teachers to have a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and languages to strengthen teaching in those curriculum areas.

While there are still concerns on the growing demands placed on primary schools teachers across Australia and the lack of resources available, the move to recommend a specialisation for primary school teachers has garnered support.

The Federal Government's Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group report Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers released last month has been hailed a blueprint for "critical and lasting reform" of teacher education. Led by Professor Greg Craven, the Advisory Group was asked to make practical recommendations on improving teacher education programs to better prepare teachers with the skills they need for the classroom, with one of the main recommendations being a specialisation for primary school teachers with a focus on STEM and languages.

Stephen Dinham, National President of the Australian College of Educators and Chair of Teacher Education and Director of Learning and Teaching at the University of Melbourne, told Education Matters that there are two main reasons why the demands on the average primary school teacher had become untenable.

"One is the fact that the social demands on schools have become more and more and more and every time there's a social problem, it gets given to schools to solve," he said. "Also, there's been great pressure on schools to list their results in the light of things like NAPLAN and so forth.

"Now, for primary teachers in particular, trying to be an expert in every area of the curriculum is quite problematic and we know, for example, two areas that people struggle with are maths and science, in some cases.

"At the moment, there are some teachers who go into primary teaching, and they haven't done the higher levels of maths and science in high school," he added. "They admit themselves they lack confidence and in some cases competence in teaching maths and science, so those are two areas where I think we can certainly do a degree of specialisation."

Dinham also highlighted languages as another key area of specialisation for primary teachers that's worth investing in, but stressed extra resources will be needed to make it a reality.

"Everybody talks about the need for students to learn another language but the trouble with this is we haven't got a sufficient supply of language teachers," he said.

"That's another area where you can't expect the average primary teacher to suddenly pick up another language and there's some other areas too where we need some specialist support in schools.

"If there is a whole range of these social expectations that are being placed on schools, which gives you an overcrowded curriculum as a result, then we need paraprofessionals in there to work alongside teachers - we need more psychologists, we need more social workers, and we need more health experts - because you can't expect teachers to do all of that."

Glenn Finger, Professor of Education and Dean (Learning and Teaching) of the Arts, Education and Law Group at Queensland's Griffith University echoed similar thoughts.

"In my view, the requirement for primary teachers to have a specialisation in mathematics, science and languages is a much needed approach," he said. "This will certainly strengthen teaching in those curriculum areas and has been welcomed.

"I can see that these can be designed into four-year undergraduate primary teacher education programs, but will be challenging for two-year equivalent postgraduate initial teacher education programs, where there is less volume of learning available to develop both the breadth of curriculum and the depth. For example, some postgraduate students might not have completed undergraduate programs in mathematics, science or languages, so this will be challenging."

Australian Education Union Federal President Correna Haythorpe said it's important for teachers to have access to broad curriculum expertise, which is very important for a child's development as a whole, but you can't implement provisions around having specialist teachers in place without looking at the resources that will need to be in place to support that.

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Calls mount for primary school teacher STEM focus -

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There has been wide support throughout the education sector for future primary school teachers to have a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and languages to strengthen teaching in those curriculum areas.

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Exploring Links between Pedagogical Knowledge
Practices and Student Outcomes in STEM
Education for Primary Schools 

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Exploring Links between Pedagogical Knowledge
Practices and Student Outcomes in STEM
Education for Primary Schools 

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blog post

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Design Thinking

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NASA Challenges Students to Design 3-D Space Containers

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NASA Challenges Students to Design 3-D Space Containers

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NASA Challenges students to design a 3D Space Container

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Just because...

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http://bit.ly/1Z9xEQX

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Google Education Resources

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Google for Education: Computational Thinking

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Computational thinking (CT) involves a set of problem-solving skills and techniques that software engineers use to write programs that underlie the computer applications you use such as search, email, and maps

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Digital Technologies

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Computer Science Education Research Group

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We run a range of Digital Technologies Programs for Australian teachers, including our free, online CSER MOOC courses, free professional learning events, and our National Lending Library to support implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies and Computer Science into K-12 classrooms.

We have launched a new website that will become a hub for all of our Digital Technologies Education programs, activities and updates. Visit our website at:

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CSER F-10 Digital Technologies Education Support

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We run a range of Digital Technologies Programs for Australian teachers, including our free, online CSER MOOC courses, free professional learning events, and our National Lending Library to support implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies and Computer Science into K-12 classrooms. We have launched a new website that will become a hub for all of our Digital Technologies Education programs, activities and updates.

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ELSA - EARLY LEARNING STEM AUSTRALIA - PILOT PROGRAMME

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ELSA - EARLY LEARNING STEM AUSTRALIA - PILOT PROGRAMME

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projects       department of education and training

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tender from department of education and training

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ELSA - Early Learning STEM Australia - Pilot Programme - News - Australian Tenders

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Get the latest information about tenders and major projects throughout Australia. The Department of Education and Training has started the search for an organisation to implement its $6 million Australia-wide early learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics initiative.

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Makey Makey Interactive Word Problem Posters

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Makey Makey Interactive Word Problem Posters

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Kids always struggle with word problems. Why not have them create their own word problems as an interactive poster? With Makey Makey you can help your kinesthetic learners write, answer, and share their own word problems in Scratch.

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Design a Rube Goldberg machine that

* includes  at least 3 inclined planes (ramps)
* includes a pulley and an inclined plane (ramp)
* includes a device that rolls on a wheel and axle

Everyday tasks
* turn off a light switch
* close a door
* feed the dog
* water the garden

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it should not be used in our class for project work. You can access it by clicking on this link.

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Sphero Edu is your hub to create, contribute, and learn with Sphero robots. Grab a bot, fire up your imagination, and get started.

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Build a bridge using classroom materials and then program Sphero to drive across. This challenge can also include researching different types of bridges and incorporating those concepts into the designs.

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We know that kids love computer games and will spend hours on end totally engrossed in them. But "education games" are often neither educational nor much fun. The challenge is to find a way to organize, implement, manage, assess, guide and provide ample learning opportunities and still keep games fun.

Minecraft - a wildly popular game that kids just can't stop playing - is changing that. I have found that Minecraft combined with design-based learning is the most powerful educational tool I have ever seen!

When I told my fifth grade class that I was writing this article, they were excited to help and began researching the educational benefits of Minecraft and came up with this list of why teachers need to incorporate Minecraft into their classrooms.

1) It allows kids to be creative.
2) It lets kids have fun while they learn.
3) It enables higher-level learning in math at lower grades.
4) It is played by students in more than 40 countries.
5) It can be used to teach math, science, language arts and social studies.
6) It can be used to teach adults as well as children.
Using Minecraft in the classroom
Like many of you, I was a not a gamer. A friend showed me Minecraft, and I saw right away how educators could use it to teach math concepts. So I bought the game, installed it and invited some friends to play along with me.

I was teaching third grade that year in inner-city Los Angeles and was determined to teach math with Minecraft. I was glad I did. Over a span of six months, my class's benchmark test scores shot up from 18 percent to 84 percent in math and from 24 percent to 81 percent in English.

My students also went far beyond what I was supposed to teach them. The 8- and 9-year-olds built models of DNA, made engineered calculators and were doing fifth grade math at a class average.

Yet what was most surprising was the gradual cultural shift happening in my classroom - students wanted to learn because they were excited about what that knowledge would allow them to make. Soon enough, they were engaged in interest-driven, project-based learning with little prompting from me. They cared about engineering binary calculators or showing off their algebra skills by designing houses using algebra architecture. They were having the time of their lives and they were doing it at school.

When other teachers hear about my students' academic growth, they often ask me to show them how they can teach with Minecraft. So I decided create a resource to help educators incorporate game-based learning into their classrooms. Minecraft can also help teachers easily teach and assess Common Core State Standards in a way that kids love!

That's why I made it my mission to train as many teachers as possible in Minecraft. I created MinecraftPLC (professional learning community), a website and server where teachers can find Common Core aligned math lessons called Mathcraft, take professional development classes, and play and collaborate online with other teachers. The lessons are free but you have to sign in to request access. If you would like to play Mathcraft with me, please schedule a time on the online calendar or email me directly at joakleyiii@hotmail.com.
Minecraft primer
If you are just dipping your toe in to Minecraft, here's how to get started.

Get the game. You can buy a Minecraft account on the Minecraft site for under $30 and play on a PC or Mac. In addition, the game is available on the PS4 and Xbox systems and there's also pocket edition for tablets. When playing the computer-based game, you must have a two-button mouse.

Learn the controls. On your keyboard, the WASD keys control how you walk in Minecraft. You change your view by using the mouse. Use the spacebar to jump and fly and the shift key to come down.

Know your modes. There are to two kinds of modes in basic Minecraft: creative and survival. In creative mode, you have access to all the blocks in the game and can fly. Nothing will hurt or attack you, and it's a nice environment to learn how to build. In addition, the game has four levels of difficulty: peaceful, easy, normal and hard.

Learn how to survive. In survival mode, you are born into a world with nothing! You must gather all your own materials by mining and crafting. Use a crafting table to make tools of the game so you can mine for more materials. Also try to survive the night by fighting off monsters.

Ask the wiki. The Minecraft Wiki offers a wealth of information related to Minecraft. Anyone can edit or add to the nearly 5,000 articles on the wiki. It's easily searchable and will tell you anything you need to know about playing the game.
Jim Pike is a fifth grade teacher at Albert Einstein Academy of Beverly Hills. He is also director of game-based learning at CodeRev Kids Learning Centers and the lead consultant on the Rio Hondo College MindCraft Grant Program. He developed the Minecraft Professional Learning community, which offers Common Core Standards aligned lesson plans and professional development workshops. John Stuppy, Ph.D., is the CEO of EDUMETRIX, an education consulting firm, and is also a senior adviser to MinecraftPLC.com. He has created an online tutoring system and wrote a high school textbook about coding and computer-based tutoring. He has served in senior management roles at Sylvan Learning Systems, ETS, the Princeton Review and TutorVista.com.

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We know that kids love computer games and will spend hours engrossed in them. But "educational games" are often neither educational nor much fun. Use Minecraft to organize, implement, manage, assess, guide and provide ample learning opportunities and still keep games fun.

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SPI 2016 - STEM Programme Index 2016 | Australia's Chief Scientist

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A new guide released today by the Office of the Chief Scientist will help teachers and students access over 250 science, technology, engineering and mathematics programmes.

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Engineering Adventures Curriculum Units | Engineering is Elementary

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Choose from ten units with fun, hands-on engineering design challenges based on real events around the world

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Engineering Adventures Resources | Engineering is Elementary

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These free resources will help you facilitate Engineering Adventures units in your program

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Years 3 -5

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Engineering Adventures Curriculum Units | Engineering is Elementary

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Choose from ten units with fun, hands-on engineering design challenges based on real events around the world

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Australian Council for Computers in Education

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Ric Johnson

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Welcome to the RPS Science based STEM-Lab home page ...

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Think your kids are too young to learn to code? Think again.

Coding (also called programming or developing) is telling a computer, app, phone or website what you want it to do. Some educators and experts are calling it the 'new literacy'-a subject so important that every child needs to know the basics to excel in our rapidly changing world.

Four- and five-year-olds can learn the foundations of coding and computer commands before they can even write and spell words. Older kids can learn to code through classes, mentors and online tutorials (see below for learn-to-code resources for all ages).

Learning to code prepares kids for the world we live in today. There are tons of jobs and occupations that use code directly, like web designers, software developers and robotics engineers, and even more where knowing how to code is a huge asset-jobs in manufacturing, nanotechnology or information sciences. However, for most kid-coding advocates, reasons for learning to code run much deeper than career prep.

Four- and five-year-olds can learn the foundations of coding and computer commands before they can even write and spell words.

Understanding Code Helps Explain The World

Today, computing is involved in almost all aspects of our lives, from communications and education to social media, banking, information, security and shopping. Networked computers are capable of controlling our homes' thermostats and lighting, our cars and our health records.

If grade-schoolers are taught biology and mathematics in order to understand the world around them, then knowing the basics of how computers communicate-and how to engage with them-should be a given.

Learning To Code Develops Problem Solving and Computational Thinking Skills

The skills that come with computer programming help kids develop new ways of thinking and foster problem-solving techniques that can have big repercussions in other areas.

Computational thinking allows preschoolers to grasp concepts like algorithms, recursion and heuristics-even if they don't understand the terms, they'll learn the basic concepts (and for parents who don't understand these terms, this article from Mother Jones explains the basics of computational thinking by comparing it to following a recipe for dinner).

Coding is Fun!

Beyond the practical reasons for learning how to code, there's the fact that creating a game or animation can be really fun for kids.

Andrew Duff, a father of two from Toronto, introduced his kids to coding though Hour of Code, a series of one-hour tutorials that teach the basics of coding and computer science. More than 119 million people have tried the Hour of Code since it was introduced in 2013.

"My wife and I wanted our kids to be introduced to computer coding, with the hope they'd develop their love of making things," he says. "They both love video games and making stuff with cardboard, paper and Lego. So when we heard about the free coding lessons, we thought it would be a great opportunity for the kids to see how games are made and possibly ignite a new kind of maker passion."

You'll Also Love: Why Indie Video games Can Be Great For Kids

Andrew's nine-year-old daughter Ava started with a Frozen learn-to-code game from Hour of Code. "I like that it wasn't too hard to do any of the coding and not too easy either, just the right challenge," she says. "I'd like to learn how to make my own games, show people how to play my games and help teach other people how to make games too."

Her seven-year-old brother Jasper agrees. "I did the Frozen games too," he explains. "Then, I made my own Flappy Bird game. I liked that you could make the Flappy Bird go up or down. I liked that I could make the game just the way I wanted it to be."

How to Introduce Your Kids to Code

Interested in getting your kids involved with coding? Try searching online for coding camps or courses in your community, or try one of hundreds of online courses, programs and apps that use cool graphics and simple tutorials dressed up as games to help kids learn to code.

A few suggestions to get you started:

Kids Code Jeunesse: Teaches free computing classes in schools and offers free lessons and resources for parents. If you'd like your child to learn to code in school, have their teacher or principal contact Kids Code Jeunesse.

National Girls Learning Code Day: On November 7, 2015, girls between 8 - 13 can learn HTML & CSS to make their very first websites. For free!

Robot Turtles: A crowd-funded board game for ages four and up. Teaches basic coding skills and computational thinking.

SCRATCH: A program from MIT that lets kids create games and animations without learning programming text-it's a drag-and-drop way to learn computer concepts and have fun.

Raspberry Pi: An inexpensive (about $50) credit-card sized computer that can be programmed just like a desktop PC. Can be used as a learning tool and a full-service computer by kids and adults alike!

LEGO WeDo: The step between traditional building blocks and robotics, this Lego series allows kids to build models with programmable motors and sensor.

Kodable: Designed for users as young as five, this iPad app boasts the tagline "Learn to code before you know how to read." It uses games that subtly teach coding with few instructions.

Tynker: For kids who can already read, this app for Android and iOS helps teach programming logic with visual code blocks.

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Why Kids Should Learn To Code (And How To Get Them Started) | Learning

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Think your kids are too young to learn to code? Think again. Coding (also called programming or developing) is telling a computer, app, phone or website what you want it to do. Some educators and experts are calling it the 'new literacy'-a subject so important that every child needs to know the basics to excel in our rapidly changing world.

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Registration Process

As a teacher/parent/guardian from February 2018 you can register your school or independent entry and the approximate number of teams that may be entering using our on-line registration tool.

Please note the last day for registration is the 10th June 2018. Once you are registered, teachers/parent/guardians can then nominate teams, upload their project details and any attachments until the submission deadlines 24th June.

Please submit a ZIP file including the following items:

A description/report of your project. It is recommended to use the templates available in the information section on the website. Or the report structure on page 8 of the information pack.

Release and permission forms. You can find these documents in the download section. Please enter the requested details, scan the documents and add the scans to the ZIP file.

Additional files and details. Add all additional files and details regarding your project to the ZIP file as well.

If you need help to generate a PDF or a ZIP file, please have a look at the download page of the Young ICT Explorers website or contact us for more assistance.

Downloads
Project Submission Template Release and permission forms Regarding the forms, steps which you should follow:

Complete each form with as much detail as required.

Don't forget to make sure that each form is signed and dated.

If you have any questions, please let us know and we will assist you to complete the forms or answer any queries you may have.

If everything is complete, please add your forms in the submission ZIP file.

ZIP and PDF software
If you don't have any software to create PDF files or ZIP files, please download the following freewares from the websites and install them:
Free industry standard software for students
Many companies' provide students with free copies of their professional-level developer and design tools. If your students need development tools for 3d modelling, mobile app development or other ICT projects they might be interested in these sites.

Microsoft Dreamspark (www.dreamspark.com)
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Embedded CE 6.0, Windows Embedded, Visual Studio Express 2010, Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 R3, XNA Game Studio 4.0, Virtual PC 2007, Windows Phone Developer Tools, Windows MultiPoint Mouse SDK, Microsoft Small Basic and Kodu Game Lab.

Apple Xcode (www.developer.apple.com/tools)
IOS and Mac software development tool

AutoCAD Educational community (www.students.autodesk.com)
AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD for Mac, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD P and ID, AutoCAD Raster Design, AutoCAD Structural Detailing, Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk 3ds Max Design, Autodesk Algor Simulation Professional, Autodesk Alias Automotive, Autodesk Alias Design for Inventor, Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, Autodesk Green Building Studio, Autodesk Impression, Autodesk Inventor Professional, Autodesk Inventor Publisher, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk Mudbox, Autodesk Navisworks Manage, Autodesk Revit Architecture, Autodesk Revit MEP, Autodesk Revit Structure, Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk SketchBook Designer, Autodesk SketchBook Pro, Autodesk Smoke for Mac OS X and Autodesk Softimage.

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As a teacher/parent/guardian from February 2018 you can register your school or independent entry and the approximate number of teams that may be entering using our on-line registration tool. Please note the last day for registration is the 10th June 2018.

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Exploring Computational Thinking

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Google for Education: Computational Thinking

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Computational thinking (CT) involves a set of problem-solving skills and techniques that software engineers use to write programs that underlie the computer applications you use such as search, email, and maps

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A collection of activities fostering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills.

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PDF

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Computational Thinking

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In addition to the Bebras Australia Computational Thinking Challenge, Bebras 365 is available as a free resource throughout the year. These are the past challenges which do not require a student or teacher login. Students will receive immediate feedback once a question is answered. Simply click on the year group to start or head to the FAQ page for more information.

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In addition to the Bebras Australia Computational Thinking Challenge, Bebras 365 is available as a free resource throughout the year. These are the past challenges which do not require a student or teacher login. Students will receive immediate feedback once a question is answered.

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I've scoured the internet, including all of my favourite social media sites, to bring you a fantastic collection of online inquiry and inventive thinking resources that I know will inspire and motivate both you and your students. The collection includes Lego, science, practical activity ideas, engineering, videos, animation, technology and a tonne of fun facts - so there is sure to be something for everyone!

YOUTUBE & VIDEO

RubeGoldberg.com Video Gallery: As I have previously shared, Rube Goldberg challenges provide a wonderful base for the integration of knowledge of simple machines with the application of a range of architectural and engineering based skills. The videos in this gallery are sure to inspire students to want to have a go for themselves.

WEBSITES

PINTEREST

Pinterest is a veritable smorgasbord of great ideas across all grades and subject areas. Here are eight fabulous Pinterest boards dedicated to science, technology, math and engineering ideas for kids to start your search off right.

FACEBOOK

Next time you're hanging out on Facebook check out these great science and engineering inspired pages. You might just find some fun facts or interesting project ideas to share with your kids.
What are your favourite online resources for inspiring kids to think?
You may also like:

Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Read more of Christie's adventures at https://childhood101.com.

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35 Educational Resources to Encourage Inquiry & Inventive Thinking

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I've scoured the internet, including all of my favourite social media sites, to bring you a fantastic collection of online inquiry and inventive thinking resources that I know will inspire and motivate both you and your students. The collection includes Lego, science, practical activity ideas, engineering, videos, animation, technology and a tonne of fun facts ...

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Wesley Fryer

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Construction Design Intro - STEM Curriculum Resources by Dr. Wesley Fryer

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STEM curriculum resources collected and/or created by Wesley Fryer

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Literacy and Technology in STEM  Collaborations    

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Literacy and Technology in STEM  Collaborations    

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Can reading and 3-D printing be merged? How does a math teacher get evaluated well for integrating literacy beyond doing a "famous mathematician" project (bleh)? Let's explore practical models and...

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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Compendium

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Dr Jason Zagami

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Research

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I Blow Minds

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Classroom Management Strategies To Take Control Of Noisy Students

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The Art of Mind Blowing: Why We Need More Teachers (Official Music Video)

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visit http://blowminds.org for more This video is part of a co-funded campaign to inspire math, science, tech, and engineering undergraduates and recent graduates to consider a career in teaching. The United States hasn't exactly been the sharpest bulb in the knife shed when it comes to international rankings in math and science.

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DIY is a safe online community where kids can connect, share their creations, and hang out over common interests like Art, Minecraft, Roblox, Music, and more!

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Did you know that your students can use coding to show the lifecycle of a butterfly? Create a history timeline or interactive story? Demonstrate fractions or probability?

With our new STEM Project Library - featuring ready-to-use project templates that support many academic areas - you can easily enhance STEM learning by making coding a part of what you already teach, while adding a new level of fun for your students.

Integrate Computer Science into any subject area.

Browse through the coding projects by clicking "Explore" in the top navigation bar. Select "STEM Project Library". You'll see "TEMPLATE" projects and "COMPLETE" sample projects for Science, Math, Social Studies, and English.

To see a few examples of what students can do with code to show what they've learned and make learning fun, just click on the finished samples below. You can also use these "COMPLETE" projects to demonstrate the concepts you are teaching in an engaging way.

TEMPLATE Projects provide easy to follow completion instructions.

There are many project templates currently available, and more will be added in the coming months. TEMPLATE Projects feature starter code and a tutorial to guide your students to complete the project, step by step.

Get started!

1. Browse projects and add them to your account as "favorites". If you're not already a Tynker teacher, sign up today.

2. If your school has purchased a Tynker for Schools license, you will also be able to view the starter code and tutorial for each TEMPLATE, and assign projects as lessons to your students. Each project can also easily be adapted (remixed) to support any curriculum topic. When you remix projects, the possibilities for curriculum tie-ins are endless!

3. If you don't have a Tynker for Schools license yet, we've unlocked a couple of the templates for you, so you can get a glimpse of what the starter code and tutorial instructions look like. Just click on the titles below to open the templates, then save them to your Tynker teacher account.

Computer programming can be a fun way to engage kids in the material you are already teaching, while incorporating technology learning and developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The best news? You don't have to have experience with programming to teach with Tynker and use these projects. And Tynker can actually make teaching easier!

"When we introduced Tynker into the 3rd-5th grade classrooms, kids were so engaged in math, language arts, social studies and science - it actually made what we already do easier. And at the same time, we are upleveling our technology learning and STEM content. It wasn't one more thing to teach."
Layne Henn, Technology Coordinator at Loess Hills Elementary.
Interested in learning more about Tynker for Schools, so you can have full access to the STEM Project Library to support your lesson plans?

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Educators, Use the STEM Library to Bring Coding to your Classroom

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Did you know that your students can use coding to show the lifecycle of a butterfly? Create a history timeline or interactive story? Demonstrate fractions or probability? With our new STEM Project Library - featuring ready-to-use project templates that support many academic areas - you can easily enhance STEM learning by making coding a part of what you already teach, while adding a new level of fun for your students.

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The BIG competition for inventive little kids. The 2017 competition is open for entries.

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On 16th March, Robogals EMEA attended The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham NEC - the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people in the UK. The three day fair is jam-packed with interactive workshops, exhibitions, theatre shows, and careers information sessions featuring STEM professionals, to inspire and engage hundreds of [...]

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day: a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. We are incredibly proud to be an organisation that empowers girls and women, especially in STEM. In celebration of #IWD2018, Robogals is launching a monthly #PeopleOfRobogals blog series. This blog is part of our #PeopleOfRobogals [...]

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Robogals - Creating tomorrow's engineers, today

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On 16th March, Robogals EMEA attended The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham NEC - the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people in the UK. The three day fair is jam-packed with interactive workshops, exhibitions, theatre shows, and careers information sessions featuring STEM professionals, to inspire and engage hundreds of [...]

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"The Opti-MINDS Creative Sustainability Challenge is an inclusive team challenge which EMPOWERS participants to THINK, CREATE & COMMUNICATE. Opti-MINDS is a creative problem solving event for teams of participants from Preschool to Adult within 4 divisions."

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Competitions and Challenges

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Student Competitions & Challenges - Aussie Educator

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Competitions, challenges and other events for Australian students at all schooling levels.

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VIDEO GAMES

Fibonacci Project

Bebras Challenge

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EVENTS

EVENTS AND CALENDAR

National Science Week
Run your own Science Week

Communicate Science toolkit

Earth Science Week

I'm a Scientist Get Me Out of Here

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PRIMARY ENGINEER

Engineering Australia - Upper Primary presentation notes and Lower Primary presentation notes

Engineering Curriculum

PRIMARY PROJECTS
MIDDLE YEARS PROJECTS

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Tweetwally #STEM

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This custom tweetwall was created with Tweetwally, allowing you to search Twitter for tweets based on hashtags, usernames, and keywords.

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Endorsed by Australian Education Ministers on 11 December 2015

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Diigo Digital Technologies Curated Resources

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Digtial Technologies ISQ Presentation Links 

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Digtial Technologies ISQ Presentation Links 

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Turn your classroom into a laboratory for creative thinking. Explore this Design-Thinking Tools for Students Top Picks list of 26 tools curated by Common Sense Education editors to find relevant and engaging edtech solutions for your classroom.

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This idea is a ______ [campaign/service/app/program/toolkit/ social enterprise/etc.] that tackles the problem of ______ [the issue being addressed] through these actionable steps: ______ [what your idea looks like in practice].

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Design Thinking in Schools K12 Directory

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Design Thinking in Schools: K12 is a global directory of schools, programs and resources for building creative confidence in youth.

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Exposing Children to Real World Challenges

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Exposing Children to Real World Challenges

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OpenIDEO - How can we equip young people with the skills, information and opportunities to succeed in the world of work? - Primary School - Exposing the children to Real World

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Hi Karolle, First of all, one have to understand the education setup in India concentrate on the wrong factors. Emphasis on 'covering' material isn't going to work out unless the material is properly understood my the students (an insight who must have had in your experience).

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Jamie Oliver won the TED Prize wish last year. His wish was to create a Food Revolution in America, to change the way kids eat by teaching them how to cook and what fresh food can do for them. This is all in the effort to help fight to obesity, one of the largest health issues in the United States.

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Since the F1 in Schools program started in Australia in 2003 there has been an explosion in the Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) capabilities of our Australian Students. They have shown that they can take to STEM like ducks to water, given the opportunity. To be crowned World Champions 4 times is a fantastic result and indicative of the capacity of Australian students to be the best in the world.

In November students from Magdalene Catholic High School, Newington College, Merewether High School & Barker College will be heading to Abu Dhabi with the one goal of becoming the 5th Australian team to take the crown of F1inSchools World Champions. Taking on 9 million students from 44 countries is a tough ask in itself let alone having to exceed the benchmark set by our own Australian students.

To continue to meet the challenge of international competition, however, we need to start even earlier than high school. We need to make F1 in Schools outliers of our primary students.... And there is certainly no resistance from their perspective. Just because big Brother or Big Sister spends every waking hour designing cars, and preparing their portfolio there is no reason why primary students can't become just as involved in all the fun and excitement.

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Since the F1 in Schools program started in Australia in 2003 there has been an explosion in the Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) capabilities of our Australian Students. They have shown that they can take to STEM like ducks to water, given the opportunity.

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Top Builder Challenges . DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL | PBS KIDS

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Join a special building challenge that asks players to make a small project and submit it to the site. Top entries will be voted on by the community.

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Topics include areas such as:

•    Oil spills
•    Water pollution
•    Air quality
•    Endangered species
•    Environmental Health

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NEEF invites you to join us in the nation's largest celebration of environmental education as we get set for the 14th annual National Environmental Education Week (EE Week). Each year, NEEF partners with educators, students, government agencies, businesses, communities, nonprofit organizations, and others to inspire environmental learning and encourage stewardship of our essential resources: land, air, and water.

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Discover pages with the best links about a subject

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Browse and search for NGSS-aligned K-12 STEM curricular materials. Narrow your search by choosing from filters such as curriculum type, grade level, subject area, engineering category, and time required.

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Engineer

Economist

Lawyer

Mathematician

Environmental Expert

Consultants/Subject Matter Experts

Sociologist

Safety Expert

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Learn the techniques of Engineering Mechanics, use them to interpret experiments and apply them to design.

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Real World Problems in the Classroom - A Realistic Application of STEM/STEAM Principles

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Real World Problems in the Classroom - A Realistic Application of STEM/STEAM Principles

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Published in the Journal of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children [IAGC], March, 2014. This article is reproduced with the consent of the Editor of the IAGC Journal, a nationally recognized forum for the education of gifted children and related issues. More can be learned about this organization at www.iagcgifted.org.
Prologue
Studying how problems are solved in the work-a-day world is a powerful way to allow gifted students to practice multi-dimensional problem solving, and apply STEM/STEAM principles in the classroom. The process is the same, and can be learned early in a student's life, for such skills never obsolesce. The world will always need problem solvers.

Introduction
Solving problems involves these important basic aspects:

1) Asking good quality questions, querying the problem in detail-for this approach often leads to high quality solutions;
2) Thinking in an integrated manner, seeing the relationship between concerns and possible constraints-which also leads to robust high quality solutions; and,
3) Assembling and utilizing the advice of a diverse project team-for such teams are generally able to generate 12 times as many good ideas as a person thinking alone, and tend to surface a variety of interesting outlooks on the problem.

Notice, there is no implicit discussion of the speed of the solution. While desirable in the business world to have high speed-to-solution for competitive market positioning, this does not always guarantee a robust solution. Robust solutions require hard work and integrated thinking, tempered with high quality question asking. Experienced problem solvers and project managers in industry will often coach young folks- about 50-70% of the time needed for solving problems is expended in understanding and planning the solution for the problem. Rushing into a quick solution is fraught with many pitfalls. Time spent up-front and careful analysis is the way to go.

A Quick STEM/STEAM Overview
STEM/STEAM is an educational paradigm that integrates the curriculum; both process and content oriented; and standards-based.

It exemplifies open-ended problem solving in the workplace; representing life-on-the-job after graduation, from either high school or college; team-based, head and hands learning. In its most fundamental form, STEM/STEAM thrives in a team-based environment....more to be discussed about this at the end of this treatise.

It uses the scientific inquiry process [asking questions]; the invention process [creativity]; and the engineering design process [designing with constraints].

STEM/STEAM's fundamental premise ...the world is interconnected; and solving problems is an inter-disciplinary and multi-dimensional endeavor ... involving active learning, teamwork, collaboration, and student empowerment.

It challenges students to become comfortable with open-ended, context based problem-solving ... defining the problem first-then asking high quality questions; so robust and high quality solutions can be evaluated. [The quality of the questions asked, determine the quality of the solution(s)]

Problem solution is necessarily an iterative process. There is no answer in the back-of-the book, or a discrete solution that is "right". It is about asking questions and exploring the problem; and then designing a solution that answers the questions. [Non-linear, insightful thinking, lateral thinking, and experiential insights can play a powerful role here.]

STEM/STEAM shines best when students see how math can be used for practical applications; and gain an appreciation of the problem's magnitude and significance.

Designing with constraints, often uses a matrix-style of solution identification, assessment and selection. High quality solutions blend together the technical and non-technical concerns in potential solutions.

Teachers should conduct the classroom in a Socratic style, encouraging students to try new things, document their work, to learn from failure and be ready to try again. Teachers tie the students to the problem, leading them to pursue solutions through their students' own natural exuberance and creativity.

The arts, humanities, and language skills are very important. In its most concentrated state, STEM/STEAM is a complete integration of the entire academic curricula.

Good written and oral communications is an absolute must for students. In the workplace, great ideas poorly presented will not be implemented.

A Timely Example
Let's consider a realistic example of multi-dimensional problem solving. Our case for consideration shall be a solar photovoltaic (sunlight to electricity) system to be installed on the roof of a local school, maybe even one near you. The perspective to be taken by your G&T students will be that of a project manager-the one responsible for planning and implementing the installation of this system.

In our example, we shall note some typical [although not all the possible questions] which could be asked about the project, with these questions arranged in relevant topical categories. This exercise is meant to be illustrative in format and not totally comprehensive ... so you will appreciate how question asking and project management of those concerns are undertaken. The important aspect of this discussion is for your gifted kids to see the integrative aspect of the problem solving-looking at the total picture.

A project engineer would usually be placed in charge of this project and his team of multi-disciplinary talents would be involved in major aspects of the project, probably managing the topical categories shown below, and reporting progress. Such teams might include members, maybe more than one, having disciplines like:

Engineer

Economist

Lawyer

Mathematician

Environmental Expert

Consultants/Subject Matter Experts

Sociologist

Safety Expert

In the case of a publicly sponsored project like this, it is entirely possible there would be members of the community represented or acting as liaison to the team; such folks as council members, teachers/educators, parent-teacher organizations...etc. The project team could be significantly expanded; and these members of the community can ask some interesting questions for the project manager to deal with-which can add to the robustness of the solution.

This is how real world projects are handled by companies and their project engineers, seen through four decades of engineering project management by the author. Much of the discussion below manifests as questions the project manager and his team would be asking.
Technology

Shall we use single crystal, polycrystalline, or thin film solar panel technology?

Will the panels be flat mounted to the roof, or angled at the latitude?

Whose panels and equipment will we order?

How big will the collection panel array be?

Should we have single or multiple inverters to convert the DC power generated to AC power for use in the school?

Can the school roof support the load of the panels, and its normal snow load as well?

Can we tie into the school's electrical system and sell back excess power to the local electric utility?

How long will it take to order and receive all the panels, wiring, and interface equipment?

What equipment guarantees can be expected?

What is our likely completed installation date?

Economy

What will the cost of this solar installation be?

How long will it take for the energy collected and sold to recoup or pay back the initial cost of the system?

What is the local utility buy-back rate for the energy generated?

How much will the yearly operation and maintenance costs for this be?

How will the presence of this installation affect the school's insurance policy and those costs?

Is it better economically to buy cheap solar panels or expensive ones, considering system lifetime and operational costs?

Is it better if the school/town owns the system or does a partnership with an energy purchasing company make better sense?

Safety

What are the safety concerns with a roof mounted system and potential worker injuries to be possibly incurred?

In the event of a roof fire, is this installation and its weight a hazard to fire-fighting crews?

During a fire, will the burning of solar panels release hazardous materials in the air and impact the neighborhood?

How do we protect this installation from lightning?

How do we prevent people receiving shocks if they touch the metal work of the installation?

How do we make sure this system shuts down in the event of a power loss at the utility end, so it does not feed-back and possibly injure utility line workers?

Regulatory

What forms must be filed-out for the school to qualify for the solar energy tax credits for this system?

How does the school system account for this in its annual budget?

What local town/city building and other codes apply to this installation?

Must we have code approval authorities on-board from the beginning of the project? Who coordinates this.....the project team or the school administrators?

What codes and standards must be complied with to obtain local utility company buy-back?

What is their application process time and how soon do they need to be on-board?

Educational

How do we work in an educational aspect of this installation for the pupils in the school?

Should there be an interactive interface available for students to see how the solar system is working?

Do we make this interface via a webpage or a link via the school webpage?

Is there money for this educational aspect in the original budget or should we include more funding?

Should there be a teacher's resource book for teaching solar system basics and operation that can be used in science and technology education classrooms here in the school? Who should write this?

Should we have some teachers on this project team as well?

Government

How do we coordinate this work with the town mayor and council?

Is there going to be an educational liaison person assigned from the mayor's office, or the board of education?

Is there a protocol we need to follow before speaking to any newspaper or media folks about the project?

If we are asked to host visitors to the site, who will coordinate that or are we free to do so?

Social

Is this system likely to produce a sun glare problem for the surrounding homes at certain times of the year? If so, are there mitigating techniques we can use that will not compromise system operation and collection?

Are other schools in this school system likely also to be candidates for such an installation?

What is the town's general feeling for paying for this system in their taxes?

Is there any possibility we could see negative press in local newspapers?

Will this solar installation detract from the architectural beauty of the school or from nearby homes, structures, or municipal edifices?

As discussed at the beginning of this section, this is by no means a comprehensive itemization of all the possible questions a project engineer would be working on. Most likely there will be many more, and new ones that manifest as the project progresses.....and the inevitable problems that arise during normal construction and start-up. The team may need to be expanded to include other experts as well, and their opinions and specialties consulted. These impact areas are quite realistic for this solar technology, and draw upon the author's thirty years of experience with designing and installing solar energy systems during his previous employment.

Practice in the Classroom
Your gifted and talented students can solve complex problems like this as well.
You can organize project teams of 4-5 students and ask them to try and solve problems using the paradigm discussed above-problems that are specific to the school. Each team member can be responsible for assessing one or more concerns and bringing their questions to the plan for a solution. Here are some possible problems with which to challenge your gifted students:

Add a large and working greenhouse to the school

Add a new STEM based wing of classrooms to the school

Change the academic day to a studio-type environment, with each class having a three-hour duration-how would classes be taught?

Re-design the streets around the school to facilitate better parent drop-off and school bus access.

Working with Student Teams-Dynamics and Motivations Affecting Student Response
The very basis of most gifted and talented STEM/STEAM design challenges has its roots firmly planted in student teams working cooperatively. Important it is therefore to examine these dynamics. The very way such teams are initially established in class can influence how well they do in completing their challenge. Monitoring and mentoring these teams is also important to keep them focused and on track. Inter-disciplinary/ inter-departmental teams are a routine part of the globally competitive marketplace. It is never too early to learn this critical skill.

Establishing and Mentoring Teams
Following is a rough listing [not in any rank or priority order] of the things that affect how students/teams respond to design challenges.

Left to their own choosing, like-minded students will tend to self-organize into comfortable teams-not always the best situation. Ideally, teachers will want to mix head and hand learners on teams so a diversity of approaches will be available for team members to learn from. A team is as important in what it teaches each of its members as how well it collectively accomplishes its goal of solving a specific problem. Teams of 3-4 gifted students are usually best.

How gifted students/teams generally perceive the challenge that confronts them ... interesting, timely, something they had input in choosing and forming ... goes a long way to initially motivate the team. Ultimately this helps the team crystallize around the problem, taking ownership of it, wanting to solve it. Allow team members to freely discuss the problem and take possession of it, become comfortable with its texture and feel, knowing they have the freedom to solve it the way they feel is best.

It helps a great deal to let teams develop a logo or name that is unique to their members-a visual construct that puts their own personal stamp upon the problem, letting other teams know who they are...establishing their turf as it were, hoisting their colors, staking their claim ... and setting the stage for some creative tension and friendly competition. Teams that compete are teams that rise to the challenge in unconventional and out-of-the-box ways.

Bear in mind that team members come to school with past experiences, personal ideas and thoughts about how the world works and maybe should work; and possibly strong perspectives about technology and its use. This serves to enrich the team setting, exposing other members to new ideas and personalities-much of which makes for a better chance of generating unusual and unique ideas. Experts agree that teams are probably capable of generating 10-12 times as many ideas as a single person working alone.

To be really effective, teams must be able to communicate effectively among their members and with the teacher and other teams. Great ideas poorly communicated are not going to be convincing. Good oral and communication skills must be strongly emphasized from the very beginning of the team formations. A team log or invention book whereby all members contribute their ideas and thoughts is encouraged as this will help teams to capture their ideas and organize them for discussion and presentation later.

Beware the dominating personality! Teams are supposed to be dialogues, not monologues; but a strong G&T student can overwhelm the others, imposing their will and directions on others. One way to avoid this is to assign rotating team captains so everyone has a chance to lead the team and experience the joy and fun of being team leader.

Open-ended, context based design challenges can be quite disturbing for those used to the regular "chalk and talk", "sage on the stage" ebb and flow of traditional classrooms. Being out in the deep water where "nothing is given and nothing is known" can be paralyzing for gifted head learners. Make sure all teams are comfortable with the ambiguity of learning as you go along, making mistakes and learning quickly from them. Team challenges are largely iterative exercises, something your hand learners may be faster on the draw at than head learners. This is why it is so important to have the teams balanced with both types of learners.

Closely allied with the preceding paragraph is empowering teams to fail, and to learn from mistakes. The stigma of failure is ingrained in students and must be brought to the surface and banished from team dynamics. Thomas Edison always said to "fail your way to success". There is no shame in failure, only shame in not learning from it. Remind your gifted students..... everyone gets to fail in the privacy of their home every night. It's called homework-from which each student learns from their mistakes. Erasers are on the backs of pencils for a reason.

Typically teams will start off in divergent thinking modes, skittering here and there, generating ideas and creating lots of comments and ideas. Eventually they will enter a convergent thinking mode where they zero-in on potential solutions and pick one that seems to be best. Allow enough time for this divergent-convergent crossover! Make sure the teams do not rush this and race to possible solutions.

Always ... always ... always ... make sure your teams are asking questions of their challenge, turning it over in their minds, trying get it to yield information. So crucial is this for context based problem solving; and so powerful will this become later as they enter the professional world. Remember the so-called "ah-ha" moment is not when you get the answer to a challenge, but when you realize the right question(s) to ask of it!

Managing Teams
An effective way to manage student teams is to put them through a series of milestones or checkpoints, guideposts that help organize and focus team energy. Here are some suggestions:

1) Have each team develop a plan for how long it will take them to develop a solution to their challenge and make sure they stick to this schedule-with frequent reports of progress and key tasks completed.

2) Make sure teams daily enter their thoughts, ideas, diagrams and sketches in their notebooks and that other students witness these entries and initial that they have indeed reviewed the work and understand it.

3) List the key questions asked about their challenge and what was concluded.

4) List the resources they consulted with ... human, Internet, books, articles ... etc. and what was learned from these sources.

5) Rotate team captains at regular time intervals.

Water and fertilize team soil, encouraging them to think out of the box, and seek unusual solutions. Give them plenty of cheerleading as they iterate toward a solution. These sorts of open-ended challenges are not easy for newbies-testing them at many levels at once. They may be literally treading water and seeking solutions at the same time. It might be very worthwhile to do a warm-up exercise or two in class before establishing formal teams, or maybe a small scale project each student can try on their own first in maybe 2 person teams. It is OK to work up to a larger challenge.
Sources

Burke, J. (1978). Connections. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.

Burke, J. (1985). The Day the Universe Stood Still. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.

Dombroski T. (2000). Creative Problem Solving: The Door to Individual Success and Change. Lincoln, NE: toEXcel Press.

Roman, H. T. (2011). STEM--Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education for Gifted Students: Designing a Powerful Approach to Real-World Problem Solving for Gifted Students in Middle and High School Grades. Manassas, VA: Gifted Education Press.

Roman, H. T. (2010). Exploring Energy & Alternate Energy Technologies and Issues: Resource Guide for the Gifted Middle and High School Classroom. Manassas, VA: Gifted Education Press.

Roman, H. T. (2009). Energizing Your Gifted Students' Creative Thinking & Imagination: Using Design Principles, Team Activities, and Invention Strategies-A Complete Lesson Guide for Upper Elementary and Middle School Levels. Manassas, VA: Gifted Education Press.

Roman, H. T. (2010). Content and process, a balance for success in problem-solving. Gifted Education Press Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 6.

Straker, D. (1997). Rapid Problem Solving with Post-it Notes. De Capo Press.

Watanabe, K. (2009). Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

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resources for teachers: solving real world problems in the classroom - a realistic application of stem/steam principles

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solving real world problems in the classroom - a realistic application of stem/steam principles

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RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS: Solving Real World Problems in the Classroom - A Realistic Application of STEM/STEAM Principles

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"The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong questions." - Peter Drucker [Men, Ideas & Politics] Prologue Studying how problems are solved in the work-a-day world is a powerful way to allow gifted students to practice multi-dimensional problem solving, and apply STEM/STEAM principles in the classroom.

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Resources . DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL | PBS KIDS

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Engineering activities, animations, engineer profiles, and episodes organized by themes like electricity and simple machines.

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A MiddleWeb Blog

What do STEM teachers do?

According to U.S. News and World Report, STEM teachers pose problems and combine problem solving with project-based learning across disciplines. They work together with students on activities to develop students' critical thinking, communication, assessment, and inquiry skills.

That's an impressive job description; however, one source describes the teacher preparation system for STEM teachers as "chaotic, incoherent, and uncoordinated, filled with 'excellent programs, terrible programs, and many in between.'" That's not surprising, since the STEM acronym has only been around for a few years. But it certainly needs to improve.

What Good STEM Lessons Do

While things seem a bit muddled on the STEM teacher preparation front, we do know some things about STEM curriculum. We know, for example, that a good STEM lesson accomplishes these things:

Helps students apply math and science through authentic, hands-on learning

Includes the use of (or creation of) technology

Involves students in using an engineering design process

Engages students in working in collaborative teams

Appeals equally to girls and boys

Reinforces relevant math and science standards

Addresses a real-world problem

Problem solving is really the heart of STEM investigations. Providing students with real-world problems to solve fuels their curiosity and investigative interests. In its policy paper on establishing effective K-12 STEM education programs, the National Research Council reports that students in high-performing STEM programs "have opportunities to learn science, mathematics, and engineering by addressing problems that have real-world applications."

Providing students with real-world problems and asking them to brainstorm solutions will bring their higher order thinking skills into play. But for me, identifying real-world problems that students can solve is one of the hardest parts of creating STEM lessons.

They have to be problems that students can reasonably grapple with. And those all-important problems may need to synchronize with a specific set of math and/or science standards from the school system's pacing guide. Hopefully you don't have that constraint, but realistically you probably do.

Sites for Real-World Problems

I've located some sites that help me come up with real-world problems, and I'm always on the look-out for more. I'm going to share several sites I've identified, and I hope that you'll share some as well. I invite you to click on these sites and mull over the possibilities.

The National Education Environmental Education Foundation is a great site for problem hunting. The site correctly avows, "Solutions to 21st century environmental challenges often result from STEM knowledge and skills. Hands-on environmental education projects enrich STEM learning and offer an exciting opportunity to engage more students in STEM. The possibilities are endless - from calculating school water usage to observing, documenting, & protecting wildlife populations in the schoolyard."

In the Greening STEM section on this site you'll find ideas for relevant problems. Most environmental topics can fit under standards for either life or physical science, so these may provide you with some real "kid-catchers," or ideas that snag students' interest.

Topics include areas such as:

* Oil spills
* Water pollution
* Air quality
* Endangered species
* Environmental Health

Another favorite site of mine is the Design Squad Nation. They have some real-world problems there that I find intriguing. For example student teams might invent these:

* Band Instrument
* Electric Gamebox
* Confetti Launcher
* Solar Water Heater
* Speedy Shelter

How cool are those ideas? As a middle school science teacher, I found STEM to be a natural fit for most of the topics I taught. Math, however, seems to be a different matter.

The Problem with Math

One issue I hear repeatedly is that math teachers find it difficult to identify real-world problems and implement STEM projects in math classes. (Note that these math teachers are not able to work collaboratively with science teachers to develop/implement lessons, and must therefore "go-it-alone.") However, the math teachers who mentioned this are looking determinedly for ways to implement STEM lessons.

The Common Core Standards state: "Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace." This adds urgency to the search for real-world problems that bring in appropriate math standards.

Among the places that may help with this dilemma is The STEM Collaborative, which offers lessons that focus on key middle school math standards and content. While most of these focus on real problems, you may need to be selective if you want the activity to qualify as a true STEM project.

Math standards addressed by the lessons on this site include these and more:

* Fractions, decimals, percents
* Ratios and proportions
* Estimating and predicting
* Rates and unit rate
* Modeling problems with graphs, tables, and equations
* Comparing, graphing, and interpreting data
* Scale factors
* Geometry and measurement
* Probability
* Proportional reasoning

Another site that links math to real problems is Middle School Math and Science. Students solve problems involving train races, global sun temperature, amount of water usage, and so on. Most of these are Internet-based, so you may want to design some of them as hands-on projects for students. (UPDATE: This Ohio State University site is now an archive, but you'll still find plenty of useful resources.)

Teach Engineering

No list of real-world problem ideas would be complete without mentioning the Teach Engineering lessons. As you peruse these, read the summary of the lessons rather than relying on the titles. Look for projects that include hands-on ideas, such as those involving microbes, rocket-powered boats, solid fuel reactants, the fisheries bycatch problem, and so on. Notice that many of the lessons have hands-on "Associated Activities." These generally hands-on investigations bring the "E" in STEM to your students.

I hope these sites will be of value to you, and will assist you in brainstorming ideas for real-world problems. Feel free to share comments or sites of your own. We're inventing a new specialty and need all the help we can get and share!
Visit Anne's STEM by Design website
for more real-world lesson ideas

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What do STEM teachers do? According to U.S. News and World Report, STEM teachers pose problems and combine problem solving with project-based learning across disciplines. They work together with students on activities to develop students' critical thinking, communication, assessment, and inquiry skills.

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All bookmarks tagged Design, Challenges on Diigo

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Lego Mindstorms

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RoboCup Junior Australia is a project-oriented educational initiative that supports local,regional and international robotic events for young students.

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#GlobalMakerDay

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National Science Week - National Science Week is an annual celebration of science in Australia, an opportunity to join together to enjoy and explore the wonders and benefits of science.

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Science Week 2018

The school theme for National Science Week in 2018 is Game Changers and Change Makers.

This could refer to individuals, teams, technologies or ideas - what does it suggest to you?

In developing the theme and the teaching resource book we took inspiration from three significant celebrations in 2018:

200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (genetic engineering, biotechnologies, prosthetics, bionics, genetic modification, brain enhancement and ethics);

40th anniversary of the birth of the first IVF baby (genetic engineering, biotechnology, nanotechnology);

International Year of the Reef (coral reefs and the scientists who study them.

School grants

Grants of up to $500 to support activity in schools during National Science Week are available. The round is now open for applications through until 23 April. The grant round is administered by the Australian Science Teachers Association.

Game Changers Poster

You can also download a high resolution copy (590 kB, PDF) of the 2018 school poster to print and display in your classroom or library (or both!).

Science Week 2017

The 2017 National Science Week teacher resource book will focus on Australia's sustainability science and highlights those issues that are unique to Australia and our region.

Future Earth book

The Future Earth teaching resource is available as an interactive online flip book and as a downloadable PDF (18MB) that can be printed.

The resource book aim to raise awareness of sustainability science and all of the sciences - social, natural and applied - and encourage positive actions that make a direct contribution to the Earth becoming more sustainable.

Future Earth poster

The Future Earth poster has been created for schools to help them plan their Science Week activities. it lists highlight events in each state and territory and links to other great science resouces. Download and print your own A3 Future Earth poster (4MB, PDF).

Future Earth Initiative

Future Earth launched in 2015 and is a major 10-year international initiative to advance global sustainability science.

Future Earth is a global community of tens of thousands of world-class researchers, projects and institutes brought together around an international research agenda focusing on sustainability science.

The Academy of Science is developing a project office for Future Earth in Australia.

Future Earth's 2025 vision addresses eight key challenges to global sustainability:

Deliver water, energy, and food for all

Decarbonise socio-economic systems to stabilise the climate

Safeguard the terrestrial, freshwater and marine natural assets underpinning human well-being

Build healthy, resilient and productive cities

Promote sustainable rural futures

Improve human health

Encourage sustainable consumption and production patterns

Increase social resilience to future threats.

Get involved

There are a variety of ways you can get your students, class, year level, school and community involved in National Science Week.

Your participation can be as simple as a display in the school library, or as complex as a whole-school science fair. A National Science Week event should:

be fun for the participants

be focused on quality science outcomes

be supportive of your science curriculum

encourage the participants to want to try more science

raise the general profile of science within the community.

A poster and other information about Science Week is posted to every preschool, primary school, high school and TAFE in Australia each year, usually around at the start of Term 2.

School grants

Successful projects were announced in late May. The grant pool of $90 000 is provided by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

Science Week 2016

In 2016 we will embrace the 'Technology' in STEM, in particular autonomous technology, with the National Science Week school theme Drones, Droids and Robots.

The theme will centre on the real-world application of autonomous technologies in areas including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, medicine and space and deep ocean exploration. Of course, we will also look at how this technology has transformed our day-to-day lives - from robot vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers to automated pool cleaners.
Schools poster
The theme poster has been sent to every Australian preschool and school, and you can download and print your own copy (2.4 MB, PDF).
Teacher resource book
The Drones, Droids and Robots resource book is available as an interactive online eBook or via download (PDF, 10 MB).
School grants

Applications for school grants of up to $500 are now closed. The successful applicants were announced on 16 May 2016.

Science Week 2015

The school theme for National Science Week 2015 is Making waves - the science of light, based on the International Year of Light.

The Making waves: the science of light resource online eBook is now available.

The book was prepared by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) teacher and contains an abbreviated curriculum map of the Australian Curriculum: Science covering years F-10. This has then been used to develop a curriculum map of light topics addressing most content descriptions from the Science Understanding and Science as a Human Endeavour sub-strands.

The book is available as an online eBook or as a 88 page PDF (12 MB) that can be printed.

The National Science Week theme poster for 2015 has been sent to all schools and is also available to download (PDF, 3.3 MB).

2015 school grants

Congratulations to the 263 schools that have been successful in receiving grants of up to $500 to help them conduct a range and variety of science activities during National Science Week. More information.

If you're a school who received a grant, here's a media release template (184 kB, .docx) and an example media release (185 kB, .docx) to help you promote your involvement in National Science Week.

On this page you'll find ideas for help with event ideas and running a school event.Once you've organised your event, ensure that you register it in our event diary. Need more help? Contact your local representative from the Australian Science Teachers Association.

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The school theme for National Science Week in 2018 is Game Changers and Change Makers. This could refer to individuals, teams, technologies or ideas - what does it suggest to you?

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ABC Splash half-hour Teacher Talks are at 4pm

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Curriculum-linked learning resources for primary and secondary school teachers and students. Videos, games and interactives covering English, maths, history, science and more!

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Restoring the focus on STEM in schools initiative

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Restoring the focus on STEM in schools initiative

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If you think that javascript should be available, check your browser settings or force a fresh reload of this page - ⌘ F5 in most Windows applications, or ⇧⌘ R or ⌘ R in most browsers. For more information on cache, visit refreshyourcache.com/en/cache/

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CREATE - CONNECT - COLLABORATE

In the JS Library Makerspace, we aim to develop students love of learning through hands-on learning by challenging the thinking process.

It is "a holistic approach that links the disciplines so that the learning becomes connected, focused, meaningful, and relevant to learners" (Smith & Karr-Kidwell, 2000, p. 22).

To celebrate our first week of our newly renovated library (which includes the Makerspace) the students were offered the opportunity to participate in the Global Day of Design (26th April #GDD16). Over three days, we offered three design challenges based on literature.

As a part of the Design Proces s, the students worked in groups to complete the challenge and then reflected on the learning (all in 30 minutes!).

The students were also exposed to the engineering design process which includes identifying a problem, developing ideas and solutions, and sharing these solutions with others.

The Challenges

Huff n Puff

Designing a bridge for the Billy Goats Gruff

Shake it Up

Designing an earthquake proof building

The Sky is the Limit

Paper plane designs

(Stealth: longest flight time in air)

Materials

toothpicks, masking tape and 3 marshmallows

Materials

playing cards and ½ metre of masking tape

Contstraints

Billy Goats have to be attached to a marshmallow.

Have to use all the toothpicks

Contstraints

Have to use all the playing cards.

Contstraints

1 A4 piece of paper

Some of the students' thoughts:

Need to keep it stable and safe and so we used two cards per wall

We thought of strategies to keep the building up

All the parts have a function

Triangles have more stability than other things

Thought about the ways to stabilise and use all the cards

To use the triangle method not the cube

The ICT Mentors for 2016 were introduced to the Design Thinking concept and were available as support for the groups. They exhibited a wonderful enthusiasm and attitude to their role. Well done.

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CREATE - CONNECT - COLLABORATE In the JS Library Makerspace, we aim to develop students love of learning through hands-on learning by challenging the thinking process. It is "a holistic approach that links the disciplines so that the learning becomes connected, focused, meaningful, and relevant to learners" (Smith & Karr-Kidwell, 2000, p.