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STEM LESSONS Made Easy. By Maggie Wentworth. A little background…. Maggie Wentworth Teaching since 1977 Science, grades 4-8 Now, BIOSCOPES District Coordinator for Bay County About six years ago I was introduced to STEM Became a STEM Master Teacher
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STEM LESSONS Made Easy By Maggie Wentworth
A little background… • Maggie Wentworth • Teaching since 1977 • Science, grades 4-8 • Now, BIOSCOPES District Coordinator for Bay County • About six years ago I was introduced to STEM • Became a STEM Master Teacher • Spent 2 years writing STEM lessons for a STEM Lab
STEM LESSONS MADE EASY • Discovered how amazingly easy it was to turn a standard science lesson into a STEM lesson. • 1. Add a challenge to your science lesson by setting parameters • 2. Have students work cooperatively to solve the challenge and share their solutions • a) They will use higher level thinking • b) They will discover and work with several variables • c) They will explain and defend their solutions • d) Through the process, they will make connections to prior knowledge; practice problem solving involving measurement and data collection, and make real-world connections
Why create a STEM Lesson? • Encompass the Following Skill Sets: • Scientific Inquiry Processes • Manipulation of Variables • Measurement • Data Collection • Data Analysis • Predictions Formulated from Data Trends • Conclusions Drawn from Evidence • Expository Writing • Presentation of Findings • Collaborative/Cooperative Skills • Connections to Real-World Applications
A hands-on lesson will demonstrate the recursive process of STEM instruction including the design of a solution, testing, redesign with further testing, data analysis, the drawing of conclusions, and the formulation of additional testing ideas.
Elastic Energy System STEM Challenge: What procedure will land the projectile in the can consistently (at least 3 times in a row)?
Before Adding STEM Challenge: • Does more potential energy provide more kinetic energy? After Adding STEM Challenge: • Were you able to control the kinetic energy by changing variables? • How did you increase and decrease kinetic energy in this system? • What variables did you identify?
Temperature and Chemical Reactions Alka Seltzer Tablets Hot and Cold water Container with a pop off lid. STEM Challenge: What procedure will cause the lid to pop in exactly 10 seconds?
Before Adding STEM Challenge: • What created the energy to pop off the lid? • What evidence do you have that a chemical reaction occurred? After Adding STEM Challenge: • How does adding heat or thermal energy affect the rate of the reaction? • What variables did you change to make the lid pop faster? • Were you able to control the rate of the chemical reaction by changing variables?
Meal Worm Habitat STEM Challenge: Design a habitat that is safe and acceptable for a mealworm.
See the stimulus /response process • Click the picture below to view video clip.
Before Adding STEM Challenge: • What did the stimulus/response tests on the mealworm tell you? After Adding STEM Challenge: • How did your design provide for each limiting factor (food, water, shelter, safety, and space)? • Would you ever use a material that received a negative response? Explain. • How did the mealworm respond to the habitat? • How would you modify the habitat you designed if you had more time/materials?
Conclusion Adding STEM Challenges to standard science activities provides opportunities for students to • use higher level thinking; • explore more than one variable; • relate to real-world problem solving; • describe, explain, and defend their solutions.