Science Template

Whitlow Elementary# Principals ChatSTEM WHY STEM?By 2014, there are expected to be 2 million jobs created in STEM-Related fieldsConcern about Americas ability to be competitive in the global economy has lead to a number of calls to action to strengthen the pipeline to these fieldsForty percent (40%) of all students test at below basic science levelThe number of engineering degrees awarded in the U.S. is down 20% from the peak year of 1985.More than 50% of all engineering doctorial degrees awarded by U.S. engineering colleges are to individuals ineligible for the security clearances required for most defense industrial base jobs.STEMtisticsIn 2009, just 34 percent of U.S. 8th graders were rated proficient or higher in a national math assessment, and more than one in four scored below the basic level.In an international exam given to 15 year olds in 2009, U.S. high school students ranked significantly behind 12 industrial nations in science and 17 in math. Students in only 4 industrialized nations scored lower in math. In 2011-Only 45 percent of U.S. High School students were ready for college-level mathOnly 30 percent of U.S. High School students were ready for college-level scienceBy 2018, America will be short one million nurses, 200,000 doctors and 400,000 engineersRigor and RelevanceAt Whitlow, we have students who are capable and can go beyond the statistics of failure that have been reported. It is urgent that we start preparing our students for the world that awaits them in the very near future. We are preparing our children for jobs that we cant even dream about. It is not only our job to give our students the best education possible, but it is our legacy to prepare students for success in their future.STEMI Choose "C"WHAT IS STEM EDUCATION?STEM stands forScience Technology EngineeringMath

What is STEM?STEM is an integrated approach to learning that combines elements from 2 or more of the STEM components to solve a problem

STEM encourages students to develop 21st century thinking skills by organizing and understanding complex concepts

Lets break it down. SCIENCE

SCIENCEScience- Involves the investigation and understanding of the natural world as well as the process that we use to determine those understandings.

Students engage in exploration and investigation of a subject or problem.

TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

Technology is the use of tools to facilitate science and engineering. Technology is not limited to computers. We use common ordinary objects every day that represent technology.

ENGINEERING

Engineering is the process of applying scientific practices to solve practical problems and accomplish goals by applying the engineering design process.

MATHMath is the language we use to measure the application of science. It is used to quantify and analyze data. Students apply learned strategies to solve problems. This application helps students to see the relevance of math.

MATH

STEM DESIGN PROCESS

STEM in an Elementary ClassroomFactors to consider:

PhilosophyPhysical SpaceCollaborationRole of InstructorAssessment

ROLE OF TEACHERSTEACHERS ROLE CHANGES FROM THE GIVER OF KNOWLEDGE TO ONE WHO FOSTERS HIGHER ORDER THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVINGSETS HIGH EXPECTATIONSFACILITATES LEARNINGPROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DIG DEEP INTO LEARNINGTEACHES STANDARDSALLOWS FOR RISK- TAKING ALLOWS FOR FAILURE AND SECOND ATTEMPTS WHEN TRYING TO PROBLEM SOLVEPROVIDE RIGOROUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTSPROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING THROUGH LITERACYUSE TEACHNOLOGY AUTHENTICALLY

ROLE OF TEACHERSTEACHERS ROLE CHANGES FROM THE GIVER OF KNOWLEDGE TO ONE WHO FOSTERS HIGHER ORDER THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVINGSETS HIGH EXPECTATIONSPROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DIG DEEP INTO LEARNINGTEACHES STANDARDSALLOWS FOR RISK TAKING ALLOWS FOR FAILURE AND SECOND ATTEMPTS WHEN TRYING TO PROBLEM SOLVEPROVIDES RIGOROUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIESFOR STUDENTSPROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING THROUGH LITERACYUSES TECHNOLOGY AUTHENTICALLY

ROLE OF STUDENTLEARNER AND EXPLORERWILLING TO LOOK AT PROBLEMS AND INFORMATION IN DIFFERENT WAYSHARDWORKER/COMMITTED STUDENTWRITER ACROSS THE CURRICULUMACCESSOR OF KNOWLEDGE ACROSS THE CURRICULUMCOOPERATIVE TEAM MEMBERUNDERSTANDS THAT FIRST ATTEMPTS MAY NOT ALWAYS PRODUCE THE FINAL ANSWERKNOWLEDGE ABOUT DIFFERENT STEM CAREERS

ROLE OF PARENTSUnderstanding that the work provided to students is more rigorous than that what we did not long ago.Support for students, school and teachersParent Volunteers are needed and wantedOpportunities for parents to share their expertise with studentsSupport for STEM nights, Literacy, and Technology Staying abreast of happenings at school by reading newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, conferences with teacher, etc. STEM

TEACHING Problem Based Learning- Task in which a student is given a particular problem to solve which requires a creative solution.

WHAT DOES A STEM CLASSROOM LOOK LIKE?

What does a STEM Classroom Look Like?Physical SpaceLarge TablesDesign Process PostedCommon materials- organized and available for students to utilize independentlyBuilding Toys- Lego, Knex, Tinker Toys

Physical SpaceReference PostersSamples of Student WorkLearning ResourcesTechnologyBooksiPads

Physical SpaceCHILDREN ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN GROUPS AND AS INDIVIDUALS What does a STEM classroom look like?COLLABORATIONTeam work is essential. Students not only participate in group efforts in the classroom, they participate in competitions both inside and outside of the school day.

Science Olympiad, Science and Social Studies Fair, Robotics Competitions

AssessmentsAssessment:Students are expected to perform at high standards. They participate in all district, state and national assessments. CertificationThree Year ProcessCertified Through the Georgia State Department of education. So far three elementary schools are certified in Georgia.STEM Certification RubricProfessional Learning for Teachers- Endorsements in Science and MathInformation sessions for parentsFunding from PTA/Local Funds/ and GrantsSupport from District officeGo DaysSTEM Choice Specials

GO WOLVESQuestions and Comments