Eden Prairie STEM Cohort

1. Eden Prairie STEM Cohort Nature of Science & Engineering Doug Paulson, MN Dept. of Education,

2. 1) What are your current challenges with the implementation of STEM? • I would say my biggest challenge is securing the lab time I would like to complete some of the content (robotics, moodles, blogs). (CR) • Just a matter of getting it all organized.  So much of what we are doing is flying by the seat of our pants.  Looking forward to having units mapped out. (PV) • Scheduling --a challenge lately for us at CR is the block of time given for our science schedule; we've had to cut out some of our science time to fit in more math time due to the scheduling of band/orchestra (plus we have felt that we just need more math time; we're not even close to the district-recommended 75 minutes a day). We have gone from the recommended 50-minute block of science down to a 40-minute block, which is difficult to get either things set up, worked on, and put away or turn on computers, log in, explore, log-off (CR) • Technology-- it's also been hard trying to get access to laptops/labs to work with the Moodle courses because of the limited access at our building (to have more than one class work on this at a time). (CR) • Getting materials to and from the Science house (FH) • Lack of opportunity to teach and build connections throughout the day: for example- Mondays, Tuesdays and Wed (morning only) we have students coming and going for small group and large group band and orchestra lessons.  Every day during math time students leave for accelerated math and special education classes.  With all of these interruptions, it is impossible to build connections throughout the day because we are constantly re-teaching to the small groups who leave. (FH) • Unfamiliarity with the curriculum (all aspects) for our team poses limitations since we are constantly trying to familiarize ourselves with the standards at 5th grade and then learn the curriculum to decide how to best teach it.  This process is all encompassing.  We are barely a day ahead regardless of the hours put in. (FH) • Isolation from other STEM teachers.  When we do get together, our time is planned for us.  We have no idea what others are doing or how it is going.  We haven’t really had a chance to share resource or ideas.  It would be great to have time to just create something we could all use together. (FH) • Large class size and lack of materials limits what we are able to do with the students. (FH) • “Literacy Block”, “Math Block”, “Morning Meeting” all feel like blockers.  They are silos of time when the intention of STEM is to teach cross-curricular. (FH) 2) What are your immediate needs related to the implementation of STEM? • Would like to have specific MCA vocab for science, tech and engineering we are likely to see on tests – then implement into our engineering lessons or whatever we have created. (PV)

3. Continue opportunities through inquiry Integrating writing Extending with engineering Implementation Start your planning Debrief/Sharing of takeaways from E4 Science Inquiry and Pedagogy integrating writing Engineering Design and Pedagogy MCA Information Planning time Goals for today Agenda

4. E4 DEBRIEF

6. Problem • You are a part of a famous engineering design team. An agency just awarded your team a contract to design a new Roller Coaster amusement park ride that will be family friendly (ages 5 and older). The ride you design must have several loops or hills while moving at a controlled speed.

7. Roller Coaster Challenge Think about designing a roller coaster: What science ideas do we need to understand? Energy – potential & kinetic Motion Acceleration due to gravity Friction Material properties

8. Investigation Investigate rolling in U shaped tubing • Which variables could affect the rolling of the ball? – tested by height the ball reaches as a percent of the starting height • Choose a variable and write a hypothesis (including an explanation) • Design and conduct the experiment • Record and represent data mathematically • Report your procedure, results and a proposed explanation highlighting your claims and the evidence

9. Conclusions • When we increase ________ this happened • Angle • Friction • Height • Ball mass Summary: The ball will return to a lower height than when it starts because the motion energy is less at the end and there is another form of energy. Potential energy – the energy stored Kinetic energy – the energy in motion

10. Science Processes for a roller coaster

11. Science Concepts for a roller coaster

12. Writing Processes and Concepts • Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

13. Science Inquiry Pedagogy • What was the learning goal? • 5E Science Instruction Model • Engage – Create Interest • Explore – Investigate the phenomena • Explain – Consolidate concepts • Elaborate – Apply to a new situation • Evaluate – Learners and teachers assess

14. Science Vocabulary • Kinetic Energy – Energy in motion • Potential Energy – Energy that is stored and held in readiness • Gravitational Potential Energy – Potential Energy stored in an object as a result of its vertical position • Inertia – Matter will remain at rest if at rest and will keep moving in the same direction if moving, unless acted upon by an outside force – Newton’s 1st Law • Velocity – the rate at which an object changes its position • Acceleration – the rate at which an object changes its velocity

15. Math • Velocity determination – Measure the track in centimeters and then time the run of the marble in seconds. Then divide the actual length by the amount of time it took the marble to complete the track • Velocity = length/time

16. Engineering Design Task • Design a roller coaster for a marble to travel on that has at least one vertical loop and prepare a marketing presentation. • Constraints • Your marble must stay on the track the entire run • You may not use human force to get your marble started • You must have at least one vertical loop • The top of the incline must be at least 20 cm higher than the end of the ride. • The ride must stop 5 cm from the end of the tube.

17. Works Design

18. Engineering Concepts

19. Comparison of typical processes Observation and form a question Hypothesis & procedure Conduct an experiment Refine hypothesis and experiment again Form a conclusion and communicate it Result: Facts & theories Define the problem and the resources available Develop a design Test the design Modify the design and test again Analyze the design and use or market it Result: Products & processes Science Inquiry Engineering Design

20. Relationships Science Engineering Uses Uses Inquiry Processes Design Processes Influences To produce To produce Influences Explanations of phenomena (Theories) Technology (Products & Processes)

21. Lunch

23. MCA Preparation Strategies • Students explore computer tools – use a different grade • Display “question of the week” – model analysis of the question. • Use Classroom Assessment System as pre- and post- test. • Use Test Specifications in lesson planning • Use an ongoing review strategy