STEM MINDSET |
Take a Walk Through |
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We are a team of learners.
I am the leader of my own learning. I act responsibly and take charge of my own success. I collaborate because I know we achieve more when we work together. I show integrity and do the right thing even when no one is looking. I innovate and use new ideas to solve problems and improve our world. I strive for quality and work toward excellence. I support knowledge and global citizenship for all. |
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STEM and the Ontario Curriculum
STEM learning can be a lot of fun and there are so many great project ideas out there. The trick is to make sure that the projects you are doing with your students fit into the curriculum you are trying to cover. Once and a while it's good to throw in a project just for fun but the majority of your projects should have a connection to what you are learning. STEM should not be an "extra" that you have to teach it should be integrated into everything you do in your class!
I have had a lot of teachers and administrators say "this looks fun but how are you tying this into curriculum?" So let's start with the obvious two subjects Science and Math.
If you look at the BIG IDEAS in the Ontario Science Curriculum (Pg 11) you can see some easy connections to STEM projects.
1. to relate science and technology to society and the environment
2. to develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry and technological problem solving
3. to understand the basic concepts of science and technology
If you dig deeper and look in the specific expectations, reference is made in all grades to the following three skill areas: scientific inquiry/experimentation skills, scientific inquiry/research skills technological problem-solving skills. In my STEM challenges I follow a format of SPARK- PLAN- BUILD-TEST-IMPROVE- SHARE which fits nicely with the scientific problem solving skills (Pg 12):
Link your STEM project to a real world problem in the grade specific topics you are to cover and voila curriculum expectations are met.
Now let's look at math. Attention to the processes that support effective learning of mathematics is considered to be essential to a balanced mathematics program. Seven mathematical processes are identified in the curriculum document: problem solving, reasoning and proving, reflecting, selecting tools and computational strategies, connecting, representing, and communicating. (Pg 4). When I am choosing a STEM project I want one that makes the children do those seven things.
Looking specifically at the strands STEM projects can help students learn math concepts in real world contexts.
Number Sense- Experience suggests that students do not grasp these relationships automatically. A broad range of activities and investigations, along with guidance by the teacher, will help students construct an understanding of number that allows them to make sense of mathematics. (Pg 8)
Measurement- Measurement concepts and skills are directly applicable to the world in which students live. Concrete experience in solving measurement problems gives students the foundation necessary for using measurement tools and applying their understanding of measurement relationships. (Pg 8)
Geometry- Students learn to recognize basic shapes and figures, to distinguish between the attributes of an object that are geometric properties and those that are not. Mathematical concepts and skills related to location and movement are also addressed in this strand. (Pg 9)
Patterning- Requires students to recognize, describe, and generalize patterns and to build mathematical models to simulate the behaviour of real-world phenomena that exhibit observable patterns. (pg 9)
Data Management and Probability- Data management and probability are highly relevant to everyday life. Graphs and statistics bombard the public in advertising, opinion polls, population trends, reliability estimates, descriptions of discoveries by scientists, and estimates of health risks, to name just a few. (pg 10)
STEM projects also cover a number of language expectations as students read the procedures or research a problem, write a procedure and share their findings with the class (oral and media).
There are lots of great links to projects that also incorporate visual arts and music.
You also have an opportunity to learn lots about a students learning skills when they are working on a project. Do they have collaboration skills? Can they work independently on a project? Do they work in an organized method and make a plan before building or are they more hap hazard in how they build a project? Do they have the initiative to ask for help when they get stuck or the perseverance skills to work through a road block.
There are amble curriculum connections to STEM projects if you are selecting rigorous projects that allow students to solve real world applications that are relevant to the curriculum you need to cover and still allows students to have fun with their learning.
I have had a lot of teachers and administrators say "this looks fun but how are you tying this into curriculum?" So let's start with the obvious two subjects Science and Math.
If you look at the BIG IDEAS in the Ontario Science Curriculum (Pg 11) you can see some easy connections to STEM projects.
1. to relate science and technology to society and the environment
2. to develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry and technological problem solving
3. to understand the basic concepts of science and technology
If you dig deeper and look in the specific expectations, reference is made in all grades to the following three skill areas: scientific inquiry/experimentation skills, scientific inquiry/research skills technological problem-solving skills. In my STEM challenges I follow a format of SPARK- PLAN- BUILD-TEST-IMPROVE- SHARE which fits nicely with the scientific problem solving skills (Pg 12):
- initiating and planning (e.g., asking questions, clarifying problems, planning procedures)
- performing and recording (e.g., following procedures, accessing information, recording observations and findings)
- analysing and interpreting (e.g., organizing data, reflecting on the effectiveness of actions performed, drawing conclusions)
- communicating (e.g., using appropriate vocabulary, communicating findings in a variety of ways)
Link your STEM project to a real world problem in the grade specific topics you are to cover and voila curriculum expectations are met.
Now let's look at math. Attention to the processes that support effective learning of mathematics is considered to be essential to a balanced mathematics program. Seven mathematical processes are identified in the curriculum document: problem solving, reasoning and proving, reflecting, selecting tools and computational strategies, connecting, representing, and communicating. (Pg 4). When I am choosing a STEM project I want one that makes the children do those seven things.
Looking specifically at the strands STEM projects can help students learn math concepts in real world contexts.
Number Sense- Experience suggests that students do not grasp these relationships automatically. A broad range of activities and investigations, along with guidance by the teacher, will help students construct an understanding of number that allows them to make sense of mathematics. (Pg 8)
Measurement- Measurement concepts and skills are directly applicable to the world in which students live. Concrete experience in solving measurement problems gives students the foundation necessary for using measurement tools and applying their understanding of measurement relationships. (Pg 8)
Geometry- Students learn to recognize basic shapes and figures, to distinguish between the attributes of an object that are geometric properties and those that are not. Mathematical concepts and skills related to location and movement are also addressed in this strand. (Pg 9)
Patterning- Requires students to recognize, describe, and generalize patterns and to build mathematical models to simulate the behaviour of real-world phenomena that exhibit observable patterns. (pg 9)
Data Management and Probability- Data management and probability are highly relevant to everyday life. Graphs and statistics bombard the public in advertising, opinion polls, population trends, reliability estimates, descriptions of discoveries by scientists, and estimates of health risks, to name just a few. (pg 10)
STEM projects also cover a number of language expectations as students read the procedures or research a problem, write a procedure and share their findings with the class (oral and media).
There are lots of great links to projects that also incorporate visual arts and music.
You also have an opportunity to learn lots about a students learning skills when they are working on a project. Do they have collaboration skills? Can they work independently on a project? Do they work in an organized method and make a plan before building or are they more hap hazard in how they build a project? Do they have the initiative to ask for help when they get stuck or the perseverance skills to work through a road block.
There are amble curriculum connections to STEM projects if you are selecting rigorous projects that allow students to solve real world applications that are relevant to the curriculum you need to cover and still allows students to have fun with their learning.
