Implementation Updates and Report
Last year the assistant principal and I created a list of STEM Habits of Mind, using our school name as an acronym, as a means to enhance interdisciplinary education. During the beginning of this school year, I decided that my first task of my ImagineIt project would be to revise the STEM Habits of Mind so that they are articulated in a way that are more meaningful to our students. I also thought that it was a good foundation for bringing about transformations in the STEM Integration process. Our school STEM Habits of Mind read as follows:
STEM Habits of Mind
Thinking out of the box and communicating with clarity
Inspired to create, innovate and imagine
Leader in change and achievement
Taking responsible risks
Open to new experiences and possibilities
Nonnegotiable Perseverance
In addition to the STEM Habits of Mind, I created a declaration statement that is now now stated over the school intercom by different students every morning along with the Pledge of Allegiance. The declaration statement reads as follows:
Declaration Statement
As a part of Tilton STEM Academy, I am paving the way for a great future.
I think out of the box and communicate with clarity. I am inspired to create,
innovate and imagine. I am a leader in change and achievement. I am willing to
take responsible risks. I am open to new experiences and possibilities. I will persevere
through challenges and difficulties. I am a Tilton tiger.
When providing the first STEM professional development for teachers at the beginning of the school year my focus was the implementation of the engineering design process cycle in the classroom. The engineering design process takes them through the cycle of “ask- imagine-plan-create-improve-reflect” in solving a problem. At the PD, I also shared the revised STEM Habits of Mind and the Declaration Statement and stressed the need to use terminology while teaching that refers to the STEM Habits of Mind. With the emphasis of the PD being the implementation of the engineering design process, teachers were given a design challenge where they had work in groups to build a structure that could withstand the weight of as many books as possible using 10 sheets of paper, 10 paper clips, 10 straws and masking tape. Some teachers’ structures were not only able to hold several text books but was also able to withstand the weight of a person.
From that point on, teachers have been using the engineering design cycle in their classrooms and have learned that the engineering design cycle can be use to guide instruction for any subject matter. There were 3rd grade teachers that used the engineering design process to teach about characterization during their reading block.
Another aspect of STEM integration involved problem based learning. To help foster their understanding, the assistant principal and I discussed implementing monthly design challenges. The first design challenge was a cardboard challenge that was implemented school wide, pre-k through 8th grade. Working in groups of 4, students had to design a toy with 2 movable parts in 1 hour and 15 minutes. The challenge took place at a designated time during the day and with designated materials provided for the students to use. Students designs were displayed during our school open house. Students created such toys as a doll house, basketball rim, car, robots, pizza oven, rocket, bridge and a Jack in the Box. The next challenge is schedule for the month of December.
Some design challenges I have taught in the STEM lab is designing a simple machine like a lever or a seesaw to 2nd and 3rd graders using K'Nex pieces. I have taught designing your on cell phone stand to middle school and primary students. I have taught incorporating a skit, rap, song or other forms of creativity to create your own video using the STEM Habits of Mind.
Taking field trips is another means to give our students real world STEM experiences.. Our 6th, 7th and 8th graders got an opportunity to attend a STEM career conference at the Museum of Science and Industry. I knew that this event would entail a variety of activities that students could not only see but participate in. A video has been provided below for your review.
Technology, which is another part of STEM integration is being met through the implementation of a new math curriculum as well as the use of other resources. Progress has been made and teachers are finding the online resources provided by the new math curriculum to be very helpful. Students are able to do their assignments on Ipads or laptops and receive immediate scores upon submission of assignments. Teachers are able to provide differentiation in instruction when giving assignments. Teachers are also able to show students videos, watch professional development videos and model teaching videos through the new math curriculum. The new math curriculum also offers performance tasks that are problem based tasks that can be done on an electronic device.
In summary, teachers are starting to embrace the integration of STEM in their classroom. Most classrooms display some type of student work that involved using the engineering design cycle. There are still areas that need to be addressed including authentic assessments and student cooperating learning using the Kagan Strategies and the 4 C's (collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking) but progress has been made. Below are a few artifacts of the progress made over time. Enjoy!
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The CARDBOARD CHALLENGE has begun...inspired to create, innovate, and imagine! #tiltoncardboard pic.twitter.com/EmQwuCqoWl
— Mrs. Carr (@MrsCarr3) October 8, 2015