6.1 STEAM Discomfort by Robert Riegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt en-us 2025-08-07 15:32:26 UTC 2025-08-07 17:13:39 UTC hello@padlet.com Uncomfortable with E robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537915122 As an 11th grade English And Language Arts educator, I am not in possession of a strong Science and Math mind. One of the classes I teach is AP English Language and Composition with a student population that is often also enrolled in AP Calculus, AP Physics, and AP Computer Science. I am in awe of what they are capable of at their age. So, when some of them tell me they want pursue 'Engineering' in college, I'm not sure I even know what that means. Now, I'm exaggerating a bit, but if I had to pick a letter that I haven't ever really tried to bring into the ELA classroom, it would be the letter E for Engineering.

]]> 2025-08-07 15:47:45 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537915122 Three Brief Engineering Examples for ELA robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537934122

  • Engage students in building models or structures that represent settings or concepts from novels, like designing a sustainable home for a character. 

  • Students can design and build sets for dramatic productions of literary works, considering the practical and aesthetic aspects of the design. 

  • Students could create literary theme installations using LEDs, sensors, or sound triggers. The AI tool gave the example of using the novel Fahrenheit 451 and creating a "censorship detector" that lights up when someone says "banned words". (Thanks to classmate Erin Connolly for mentioning this during our discussion on Pi-Top.)


    • ]]>     2025-08-07 16:22:00 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537934122     Connecting E with ELA robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537937204 So, how in the world does Engineering fit in a English Language Arts classroom? Should it fit? In my English Department there are some teachers who embrace integrating tech and hands-on type projects and some who believe we should be the one place where students still read and write as much as possible. I fall somewhere in the middle. Obviously, I use technology frequently - Chromebooks, smartboards, Flipgrid, Adobe, etc, but I am often hesitant to take days off for "projects." Engineering projects? In ELA? Never! Maybe, it was something ingrained in me from early in my career where I had a few admins who frowned on anything that wasn't "preparing them for the Regents exam." However, looking through articles, resources, and the posts of our classmates I have seen that there is a place for more hands-on, collaborative work in ELA. So, Engineering? Yes! Let's make models of stage sets, visually represent characters, create a light show for a stage, and more.

    ]]>     2025-08-07 16:27:03 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537937204     Example #1 robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537939177 Design a tiny house for a literary character. Maybe, we can use LEGOs!

    ]]>     2025-08-07 16:31:18 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537939177     Example #2 robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537944327 Scroll through for ways to engage students in the ELA materials they are reading and connect them to the real world through engineering.  

    ]]>     2025-08-07 16:42:09 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537944327     Resource #1 robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537945825 2025-08-07 16:44:42 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537945825 Resource #2 robertriegger https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537946291 2025-08-07 16:45:47 UTC https://padlet.com/robertriegger/9gw9oh75ul4l4qgt/wish/3537946291