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Teacher Session 1: Problem-Driven Learning: Revisiting the Real World Challenges of STEM

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Teacher Session 1: Problem-Driven Learning: Revisiting the Real World Challenges of STEM

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Learning Targets:

I CAN explain how interdisciplinary teaching and learning contributes to the STEM culture in my classroom.

I CAN describe how STEM Connect's problem-driven approach supports interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

I can determine a problem-driven question to drive interdisciplinary teaching and learning in my classroom.

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10/21/2020
In this health lesson students learned seven different ways to protect themselves. Rather than having students read together about each section of the text I decided to jigsaw it so that students could become "experts" in one area and teach the rest of the class. Students were put into small groups and assigned a section of the text to read and made a poster about what they read. They needed at least 3 important details from the text and one visual illustration to represent their section.
Here is how the 4 C's were incorporated:
Communication: Students created a poster to explain to students their section. They took turns sharing different parts of their poster to ensure each person had time to speak.
Collaboration: Students worked in pairs to read and create their poster. They also learned from each other in their presentations.
Creativity: Students posters needed to have a visual representation of their section they read.
Critical Thinking: Students had to synthesize information to explain at least 3 main ideas/details from their section.

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10/30/20
In this activity, students had to use the 4 C's to "break out" of a haunted mansion. They were given 4 different clues that they had to decipher/solve to determine the 4 digit lock combination that would allow them to escape the room. Students were in a group of 3-4 and worked collaboratively to solve the clues. They had to think critically about the meaning of the puzzles in order to solve and also communicate with each other all along. Students went through productive struggle and each group managed to work together to solve all 4 clues.

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11/5/20
We used this SOS strategy with a Discovery Ed video, "Decomposers".  Students watched the short video one time for overall understanding, Then I assigned them each 2 letters.  We then viewed the video a second time and students had an opportunity to write 2 summary statements that started with their assigned letters.  Next, students had a chance to share their statements, and I recorded all of them on the board.  At the end, students each chose the three best peer responses and recorded them on their sheet.

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10/2020
During our science unit in Objects in the Sky students used the 4 C's to develop a presentation of their learning. Students were split up in to groups of 4 and assigned an object. Using collaboration and critical thinking, their first task was to work collaboratively to develop a research question about their topic. They had to agree on ONE overall question to answer. Then for several days the students researched using books, the Discovery Education website, videos and materials that we had watched and discussed in class to find the facts about their topic. As a group they found the answer to their question and individually they came up with one other fact. Using creativity they, illustrated their object on to a poster and recorded their findings. The last step was to present their posters to the class.

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10/1/2020
To combine Science and Writing, we went on a Fall Nature walk. While we walked the students used a graphic organizer to take notes about things they could see, hear, smell, and touch. We ended our walk with a refreshing drink of apple cider which was our "taste" item. After introducing the app Book Creator to the students, they wrote a Fall Five Senses Book using the notes that they recorded. As the students finished their books they shared them with their peers.

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11/10/20
We used "AEIOU" while watching our module phenomenon video in science.  Students watched the short video clip of a baleen whale feeding several times and then filled out an "AEIOU" sheet as a response.  They were then able to share their ideas with each other.

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11/13/20
In Science we are learning about Earth's Systems.  We watched a Discovery video on Earth's Systems and students used the concept circles to identify key ideas & details about each system.

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Teacher Session 2: Problem-Driven Learning: Designing Interdisciplinary STEM Instructional Cycles

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Teacher Session 2: Problem-Driven Learning: Designing Interdisciplinary STEM Instructional Cycles

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Learning Targets:

I CAN explain how an instructional cycle supports problem-driven, interdisciplinary learning.

I CAN describe how the Challenge-Design-Solve framework contributes to students’ interdisciplinary learning.

I CAN begin creating components of a STEM instructional cycle that use an interdisciplinary approach to help students solve a problem.

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Teacher Session 3: Problem-Driven Learning: Designing Interdisciplinary STEM Instructional Cycles

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Teacher Session 3: Problem-Driven Learning: Designing Interdisciplinary STEM Instructional Cycles

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Learning Targets:

I CAN explain how an instructional cycle supports problem-driven, interdisciplinary learning.

I CAN describe how the Challenge-Design-Solve framework contributes to students’ interdisciplinary learning.

I CAN begin creating components of a STEM instructional cycle that use an interdisciplinary approach to help students solve a problem.

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Admin Session 1: Supporting Problem-Driven Learning with Discovery Education and STEM

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Admin Session 1: Supporting Problem-Driven Learning with Discovery Education and STEM

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Learning Targets:

I CAN support teachers in generating inquiry, through an instructional cycle, that creates problem-driven, interdisciplinary learning.

I can identify problem-driven, interdisciplinary classroom “look-fors”.

I can support interdisciplinary teaching and learning in order to foster a STEM culture.

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Admin Session 2: Sustaining the STEM Culture with Discovery Education and STEM

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Admin Session 2: Sustaining the STEM Culture with Discovery Education and STEM

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Learning Targets:

I CAN implement steps to support teachers engaging in the Engineering Design Process.

I CAN identify how Discovery Education resources promote real-world experiences with STEM interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

I CAN refine an action item I need to take in order to continue supporting teachers in sustaining the STEM Culture through interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

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While studying food chains and matter/energy transfer in an ecosystem, students did a simulation where they were matter transferring through a forest ecosystem. After they were done moving through the ecosystem, they had to write a narrative from the perspective of matter. This required students to use Creativity & Critical Thinking. Communication was used when they commented on each other's stories on Seesaw.

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11/20/2020
During Science we needed an activity to explain to students how environmental factors, such as tropism influence how a plant grows. Our science kits lacked the materials for this so we searched discovery for an activity. Students used a board builder to watch short videos displaying tropism independently. They then had to work together to answer the questions about the various types of tropism. This then brought us into a writing piece where students had to create a Haiku on tropism. They could pick a specific type or write about tropism in general. Students had to use critical thinking skills and think creatively about their word choice to synthesize their message to fit the pattern of a haiku.

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12/1/2020
While learning about our STEM Connect activity, How Do I Resist?, students were exploring a new vocabulary word - antibiotics. We used the placemat strategy in groups to first discuss what our ideas were about antibiotic resistance. Students each first wrote on the placemat on their own (prior to discussing) what came to their mind when they heard the word antibiotics. After writing they discussed their ideas together. Then they watched a short DE video about antibiotics/antibiotic resistance. They then each revised/added to their placemat their idea about what antibiotic resistance was. After their new learning we discussed the word "resistance" and what it would mean to combine the words antibiotics and resistance. Together as a class we synthesized our learning and used critical thinking and creativity to come up with a student friendly definition for antibiotic resistance.

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9/4/20
For one of their science assessments students needed to be able to draw, label, and explain different parts of a plant or animal cell. Rather than have students just write what each part was they made a paper slide video about their cell. First students created a model drawing of their cell, then label cards for all of the parts, they then created a video where they labeled each part and described its function in the cell. Students received feedback from eachother on what adjustments were needed and were able to adjust their model and gain ideas from eachother. They composed their final project in imovie.

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While studying Ancient Egypt in Social Studies students watched a DE video about the Nile River. While watching students had to record 5 pieces of information that they learned on 5 different sticky notes (I left their learning options open ended rather than responses to specific questions). After watching students were put into pairs and played tic tac toe with their sticky notes. While playing they had to use sentence stems/accountable talk stems such as "I agree", "I disagree", "I can add to that", "I also found", or "One thing I also learned" each time they played a sticky note piece. When recording their notes students had to use critical thinking. They communicated their ideas while playing the game and responding to each other.

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We wrote sentences about Christmas to review grammar skills using the "Snowball Fight" SOS strategy. Each student started by writing a subject on a piece of paper, then they crumpled it up and tossed it to someone. That person then added a verb, crumpled it, and tossed it to another person. That person added a prepositional phrase. We then took turns reading the sentences aloud.

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We used this strategy to summarize a science video. Students had to write a six word sentence that summarized abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem.

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Students went through the process of inquiry as we discovered how to successfully communicate to various demographics the dangers of bacteria resistance and how to prevent it. Students created a 3-D model of a bacteria cell using different types of paper and tape instead of just looking at a diagram. Students also created their own app to spread awareness of bacteria resistance. They did this with a parter on a paper template and they chose their target audience so that their design appealed to their selection. Students used the 4 Cs with this STEM connect unit (communication (working with partners, creativity- creating app/model, critical thinking- target audience, collab- sharing on how to improve).

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Students created a Haiku to display their understanding of tropism. This follows the 4 Cs because students: communication- shared their poems and explained how it fits with their type of tropism that they picked, collab- worked with others to create their poems, creativity- created a picture to go along with it and got creative with their words, critical thinking- had to think on how to create a haiku and write it out with only so many syllables.

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To practice our comprehension skill this week, we used the 4Cs.  Students had to draw conclusions about 15 different pictures in a Google slide presentation that was shared with the whole class.  They could not duplicate conclusions that were already written about the picture which required them to think critically and creatively.  Students communicated with each other by responding to each other's responses and collaborated because they were all working on the same slide presentation.

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Le12/20
During the weeks leading up to Christmas, we learned about how other countries celebrate the Holidays.  In addition to reading books and watching video clips about holiday customs, we completed a Holiday Costumes Around the. World Stem Activities.
Creativity: In these pictures, students are using cubes to build Italy's La Befana's (the good witch) broom
Collaboration: Students were encourage to help each other out with ideas.  There wasn't a big opportunity for working together here because we had to keep the manipulatives to one kid.
Critical Thinking: Students had to use critical thinking skills to build their broom
Communication: After everyone had built their broom, we had a classroom gallery walk.

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1/5/21
To introduce our new Social Studies topic students were presented with a 2-1-4 (2 clues, 1 hint, and 4 pictures). Their goal was to determine what the next civilization would be. As each piece of evidence was collected students shared their partner their thought on what the next civilization would be and why they thought that based on the clues they had been given so far. As each piece of evidence was given students were able to narrow down the civilization.

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1/29/21
During S.S. students were learning about myths and epics in Ancient Greece. Students watched 3 different videos on various myths. They then chose one myth to write an AEIOU about. After wring their AEIOU students got with their group that did their strategy for the same video and discussed each component. They then were paired with someone who was not in their group and shared their AEIOU with them.

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2/22/21
Students make a fake facebook profile on two rulers of Ancient India. Each ruler had very different strategies for ruling. Students were given one of the two rulers and had to create a "fakebook" account profile that would reflect their ruling. They created a bio, a few friends, pics, that they would post, and three different posts. After they were done students were paired with a partner that had the other ruler and shared their profiles with them to contrast how different they were and analyze how their posts represented those people. Students were very creative in coming up with posts that each person may have made if social media was present during their time.

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Teacher Session 4: Problem-Driven Learning: Linking the Interdisciplinary Approach

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Teacher Session 4: Problem-Driven Learning: Linking the Interdisciplinary Approach

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Learning Targets:

I CAN support students in making connections within STEM interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

I CAN use Discovery Education resources to provide students with future-ready experiences that highlight STEM careers.

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Students were assigned a ruler and they had to create a script using key terms and then they acted it out in a play. Students created props and a setting backdrop.

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Students had to take survey results that was provided by the curriculum to create a graphical representation of it on google sheets with a partner. They were able to color code it and learn how to insert data into google sheets. They did this with a partner and shared their graph on SeeSaw

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With a partner students created an instagram post for 3 key terms: Vedas, Sanskirt, and Reincarnation. Afterwards they posted it on SeeSaw for other students to interact with.

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With a partner students had to create a video that represented one of our vocabulary terms. They posted it to SeeSaw and students had to watch other students' videos and determine what the vocabulary term was.

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SOS Strategy - 25 Things You Didn't Know

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SOS Strategy - 25 Things You Didn't Know

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We used this strategy when watching a DiscoveryEd video about the causes of the Civil War. Each student wrote 5 facts from the video and then they collaborated and communicated with each other to each get a total of 25 facts.

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While learning about the different types of polygons, students used creativity and worked collaboratively to make different polygons out of toothpicks and marshmallows. Using math vocabulary, they communicated with each other and to me about the properties each of their polygons had.

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In health, we are studying safety guidelines. Each student is making a book to show his or her learning about different life situations they may be in and safety guidelines they could follow in each. This activity involves creativity, communication, and critical thinking.

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Students worked collaboratively to take pictures on their iPads of examples of geometry vocabulary around the school. In doing so, they also had to use creativity, communication, and critical thinking. They shared the pictures on Seesaw and viewed each other's work.

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SOS Strategies and Professional Learning

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SOS Strategies and Professional Learning

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During our February Professional Learning day, we divided into groups to read professional articles about math instruction.  Each group summarized their article with an SOS summarizing strategy and shared with the whole group.  We chose the math articles as our building focus is math and used the SOS strategies to help familiarize teachers with four specific strategies and give them practice using the strategy.

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Our March Professional Learning will incorporate all of the 4Cs!  Taking inspiration from the popular cooking show CHOPPED!, teachers will be challenged to create a lesson using only their basket ingredients.
Slide Show is linked here.

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To start our March Professional Learning and to get our brains oiled up and ready to use, we will look at the DiscoveryEd Careers Student Challenges. Teachers will become Mining Engineers as they walk through the content.

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Our math lesson encourage the kids to use nonstandard tools to measure items in our classroom.  We started with paper clips and pencils to measure smaller items.  The kids wanted to measure bigger items, so we discussed how that to measure bigger items we would want a bigger measuring tool.  We decided to use our different body parts
Creativity: Brainstorming which nonstandard measurement tools we wanted to use.
Collaboration: Kids worked in partners to count how many body lengths or "feet" an item was
Communication: Groups had to discuss and agree what to measure and what to use to measure items.
Critical Thinking: Had to decide the appropriate tool to measure objects with, decide what object they wanted to measure, apply what they learned about the process of measuring and record measurement data.

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What was intended to be a classroom reward for getting 10 Super and Good reports from specials turned in a awesome 4 "C's" activity.
Critical Thinking: Kids had to figure out how to keep their blanket forts from falling down by using different weighted materials around the room to anchor the blankets.
Collaboration and Communication: A lot of planning discussions, hashing out what was "working" and what wasn't.  Working together to build a "strong" structure.
Creativity: The kids built some very creative blanket forts!  They pretty much had free access to all materials in the room and were told that desks could be moved as long as everything went back the way it started!

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In our new science curriculum, we have a unit on sound.  For the end of the unit, summative assessment, the kids made musical instruments out of recyclable materials.
Critical Thinking: Before building, students had to brainstorm, sketch their idea, and make a list of supplies needed.  After gathering materials they had to build their instrument and explain how it made sound.
Collaboration: Since this was a summative assessment, each student had to build their own instrument and record their data from the experiment.  During the process they would observe ideas from others, discuss and accept feedback from others are what would work if their instrument wasn't "working".
Creativity: The kids used their imagination and their learning about sound waves to develop a homemade instrument!
Communication: When everyone was finished we had a "jam session", where each student (that wanted to share) could show their instrument and explain how it worked!

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Students read a health lesson on ways to improve healthy relationships with friends and families. Students were put into small groups and each group was assigned a section to read. Each student was given a letter of the alphabet. They needed to write a summary for their section that started with their letter assigned (critical thinking/creativity skills). Once they had their summary they shared their summary with the group reading the same section and discussed how their summaries varied and were able to adjust their summaries if needed (collaboration/refining). They each student read their summary to the class. Listening students had to record three different summaries from other students sections to learn about those sections that they did not read (communicaion skills).

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In Social Studies we are studying Ancient China. Prior to reading we brainstormed inventions and creations of Ancient China. Students did not know of any (except Kung Fu). We watched a DE video about the contributions of Ancient China. After watching students wrote a six word summary listing 6 different contributions of Ancient China. They then got with a partner to share their list and discussed differences that they included.

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Students participated in this STEM Career Challenge in which they became mining engineers to mine chocolate chips from cookies. The 4Cs were evident throughout the activity. Students used creativity to come up with different strategies, critical thinking in deciding which tools to use and how many cookies to mine, and collaboration and communication when reflecting on the experience at the end.

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Students used the engineering and design process to plan independently and then in small groups to create the longest paper chain using only the following given materials: 2 pieces of construction paper, 12 inches of masking tape, and scissors. Students were engaged in the 4Cs throughout the process and enjoyed every minute of it. Creativity was involved in coming up with design ideas. Critical thinking was required to construct a plan as well as when roadblocks came up during the construction phase. Collaboration and Communication happened the whole time as students had to work together and communicate as a team.

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After learning 5 new vocabulary words students were put into 4 groups. Students each started with a word. I modified this strategy to challenge students to add definitions and sentences. Students first took their word and drew a picture to represent the word. They then passed it on in their group. The next student analyzed the picture, folded the paper, and wrote the definition of the word. They then passed the paper analyzed the definition, folded it and wrote the vocabulary word in a sentence. They passed and folded again and drew a final picture to represent the original word. They then unfolded the papers and analyzed how accurate they were from the original word.

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To introduce a new Social Studies topic (Ancient Rome) students watched a short DE video introducing the topic. While watching students recorded 4 things that they learned. They then drew a picture that represented their learning/facts. Students then were given a partner and shared their 4 facts and drawings. Any information that their partner had that they did not include was written on their paper to include additional information.

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For a science investigation students needed to research 5 different variables that influence weather and how those variables are measured. I created a studio board using DE videos and text from our science curriculum to have content all in one place for students to research. Students were put into groups of 4 or 5 and had to collaborate together to research each topic. They were asked either to assign roles for each variable or work together. All groups decided that they would assign each person a specific variable to research and then communicate that information with their group. While researching their own variable students had to use critical thinking skills to identify the how that variable influenced weather and how they could synthesize that information so it could be communicated clearly and easily. Once all group members were done they shared their findings with their group members to record becoming the "expert teacher" for that variable. Groups or students that finished early used the studio board to watch any additional videos it had posted about weather to learn more information.

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Given several materials and certain criteria and constraints, students had to design a flower that would float for at least one minute and the petals could not get wet.  This activity incorporated the 4Cs throughout. Collaboration and Communication were used as they worked in groups, Creativity and Critical Thinking were involved in the design process.

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Students had to collaborate with their group and communicate with one another to create a newspaper for Ancient China. They had to critically think about how Confucius would respond to advice questions and what the weather would be like around the region they chose for their newspaper factory.

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Create a Farm/Garden using triangles and protractor

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Create a Farm/Garden using triangles and protractor

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Students worked with a partner to create a design of a farm using triangles. They had to make down the degrees for each angle. Students had to critically think about the design, what they wanted to farm, and the amount of space for each type of food.

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We have planned a STEM week May 17-21. On May 17 each grade level will have a different STEM activity to do with their class. During specials each day, students will also experience a different STEM activity facilitated by the Specialists. We have communicated with parents and requested donations of materials we will need.

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I co-taught the Cookie Mining activity with Miss Robertson's 1st grade class on Earth Day. She had adjusted the prices for the chips mined to reinforce counting by tens and ones. Students made connections between the cookie and how it was a model of the earth's surface.

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During health students learned about adolescence and becoming more responsible. In partners using the Texting Story app students created a conversation between a teenager and his/her parents. They need to discuss ways of gaining additional independence, such as getting a later curfew, staying home alone, baby-sitting brothers or sisters, or going on dates. They needed to end the conversation with the teen making a decision that affects whether his or her parents were right to grant the teen more independence. Students had to creatively think of what they wanted to ask for and use critical thinking skills to identify how their parents would respond. After students were finished they shared their texting stories with the class and discussed if they would have responded the same way as the adult or if the teens request was reasonable and had enough evidence to support their decision.

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Given several different types of pasta and liquid glue, students had to design and build a bridge that would support the weight of textbooks.  Students had to use the 4Cs all throughout.  They collaborated and communicated with their group members.  They used critical thinking and creativity in their design and to problem solve along the way.

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We used the 4Cs to code the Sphero to draw a square, triangle, and star.  Students collaborated and communicated with each other when coding the robots.  They had to use critical thinking when using the block codes to decide how to set the speed, distance, and angles  in order to "draw" each of the shapes with their Spheros.  Students were not successful right away as they had to refine and try again throughout the process.  But many of them finally got it in the end and they were very proud of themselves (especially with the star).

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I helped in facilitating the first STEM week for LeMay.  Teachers were given a ready-to-go STEM activity and supplies which they did with their students on May 17th.  Each specialist, Music, Art, PE, and Media with help from other staff,  also had a STEM activity that they facilitated for each class.  At the end of the week, each student participated in 5 STEM activities.  Students were so excited as were the teachers and specialists. All supplies were donated by parents with the extras kept for next year's STEM projects.  For next year, we hope to have a take home activity as well.

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Worked with one of our summer school teachers to create activities to do at least once a week with her summer school class. We are using some of the supplies left over from STEM week.

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Students worked in groups to create and design their own shoe company, logo, and shoe. Each group was given $500 as capital and had to decide how to spend it on materials, marketing, and selling. They then had to present their product, marketing strategy, and selling choice. This activity incorporated the 4Cs throughout while at the same time reviewing some 5th grade Social Studies concepts.

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Students were tasked with designing a device that could stack 6 cups into a pyramid tower. They were given 6 cups, string, rubber bands, and scissors to complete their task. Once their device was finished the only part of it they could touch to use their device was the string. Some groups of students tied the string to the rubber band and pulled it apart to stretch it around the cup to grab and lift it into place. Some groups of students wrapped the string through the rubber band rather than tying it. Other groups tied loops with the string and used those to try to pull those cups up. All groups were successfully able to move their cups into the tower by the end of the activity using a different method.

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After a toxic substance was discovered in the room students needed to develop a device that would transfer the toxic substance into a neutralizing container. Students had two cups (one empty and one with beans), string, rubber bands and scissors. Their task was to transfer the "toxic beans" into the neutralizing cup. There was a hula hoop around both cups indicating the radius of the toxic beans. Students device needed to pour the beans into the neutralizing cup and remove the neutralized cup out of the radius of the hula hoop. They could touch any part of their device outside of the radius, but not inside of the radius. If they stepped or went inside of the radius they would "lose" that body part that went inside the radius.