STEM implementation in the 5th grade classroom!
USF's College of Education has collaborated with Hillsborough County public schools for student's in the residency program to get the best education and practice of STEM lessons in the K-5 classroom. This past August, UTRPP residents and collaborating teachers were invited to a training session by Hillsborough County Elementary Math and Science departments. The objective of the training was to teach us teachers how to implement science inquiry and STEM lessons. The instructors taught of the power of replacing math/science regular, textbook lessons. The residency program dedicated 45 minutes on our class day for STEM PLC's. I got together every week with my classmates who were also placed in a 5th grade classroom. We chose what textbook lesson we wanted to replace and collaborated on how we would change the textbook lesson to a STEM lesson plan. My classes Teaching Elementary Math and Teaching Elementary Science had our STEM lesson plan assigned as our critical task. I am happy that they did because it was an amazing, learning experience! I cannot wait to implement STEM lessons in my future classroom. Thank you to the preparation from my USF classes and experience in the classroom, I am ready to teach elementary STEM lessons!
stEM Lesson Plan
11/03/2014
USF's required 5 page lesson plan:
My lesson plan notes:
stEM Lesson Reflection
11/12/2014
For my stEM lesson for my Teaching Elementary Mathematics I focused on the objective of adding and subtracting decimals, while keeping a balance and solving real-world problems . It was a two day lesson where my students became lemonade stand entrepreneurs! It was the second to last lesson in the unit plan of adding and subtracting decimals. I replaced the original math textbook lesson plan which was teaching students how to organize data by keeping track of balance.
I started out my lesson by asking my fifth grade students what have we been learning in math and why does it matter? Next, I introduced the RFP (Request for Proposal, image is posted in the slideshow. The RFP is very important element in STEM lessons because it shows students that they are needed in real-world experiences. Then, we reviewed the essential question, which was, "How can data be organized to keep track of a balance?" I organized students into pairs (business partners) differentiating them personality and academically. I chose to differentiate my students in that way because this was their very first STEM lesson and I wanted them to learn from each other and work well with their business partner. They received "business packets" which included graphic organizers for the STEM lesson. Day one focused on students designing a lemonade stand (E), creating a business plan (E), and keeping track of a balance (M). Day two was more hands on. The essential question for day two was "how do we solve real-world problems using whole numbers and decimals?" Student's completed their budget plan and calculated how much to sell their lemonade for based on how much lemons and sugar cost (M). Student's finished the lesson by having a gallery walk when one business partner sold lemonade and the other bought lemonade. Then we had a class discussion on whose lemonade stand was the most successful and why. Student's self-assessed themselves on the rubric given to them on day one.
I recorded both days of the lesson plan and was really proud of my class (and to be honest myself) while I watched the video. My students responded by having fun while learning. There were challenges with students being absent and certain business partners taking the lead. I circulated while teaching to focus on students on task, who needed assistance, and who mastered the lesson objectives. Student's were engaged in conversations and participation when the catch model of the lesson went back to whole group. They were showing their creative side with the lemonade stand design and their slogan for selling the lemonade. I was proud of myself while reviewing the lesson because my math language has improved dramatically over the school year. I try my best to ask H.O.T. questions and consistently use the math vocabulary students are learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of teaching a STEM lesson. I definitely plan on implementing them in future lessons. I believe all of my students learning styles, the stEM objectives were met, and students were engaged while having fun! STEM lessons may take weeks of researching, planning, and maybe two-three days implementing but they are definitely worth it!
I started out my lesson by asking my fifth grade students what have we been learning in math and why does it matter? Next, I introduced the RFP (Request for Proposal, image is posted in the slideshow. The RFP is very important element in STEM lessons because it shows students that they are needed in real-world experiences. Then, we reviewed the essential question, which was, "How can data be organized to keep track of a balance?" I organized students into pairs (business partners) differentiating them personality and academically. I chose to differentiate my students in that way because this was their very first STEM lesson and I wanted them to learn from each other and work well with their business partner. They received "business packets" which included graphic organizers for the STEM lesson. Day one focused on students designing a lemonade stand (E), creating a business plan (E), and keeping track of a balance (M). Day two was more hands on. The essential question for day two was "how do we solve real-world problems using whole numbers and decimals?" Student's completed their budget plan and calculated how much to sell their lemonade for based on how much lemons and sugar cost (M). Student's finished the lesson by having a gallery walk when one business partner sold lemonade and the other bought lemonade. Then we had a class discussion on whose lemonade stand was the most successful and why. Student's self-assessed themselves on the rubric given to them on day one.
I recorded both days of the lesson plan and was really proud of my class (and to be honest myself) while I watched the video. My students responded by having fun while learning. There were challenges with students being absent and certain business partners taking the lead. I circulated while teaching to focus on students on task, who needed assistance, and who mastered the lesson objectives. Student's were engaged in conversations and participation when the catch model of the lesson went back to whole group. They were showing their creative side with the lemonade stand design and their slogan for selling the lemonade. I was proud of myself while reviewing the lesson because my math language has improved dramatically over the school year. I try my best to ask H.O.T. questions and consistently use the math vocabulary students are learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of teaching a STEM lesson. I definitely plan on implementing them in future lessons. I believe all of my students learning styles, the stEM objectives were met, and students were engaged while having fun! STEM lessons may take weeks of researching, planning, and maybe two-three days implementing but they are definitely worth it!
StEM Lesson Plan 12/5/2014
StEM Lesson Reflection 2/17/2015
For my stEM lesson for my Teaching Elementary Science I focused on the objective of human body organs, while keeping a balance and solving real-world, math problems . It was a two day lesson where my students became science researchers! It was the second lesson in the unit plan of teaching the human body. I replaced the original National Geographic textbook lesson plan which was teaching students about specific organs each day of the week.
We reviewed the essential question, which was, "What are the human body organs and what do they do?" I organized students into pairs (research partners) differentiating them personality and academically. I chose to differentiate my students in that way because this was their second STEM lesson and I wanted them to learn from each other and work well with their research partner. Day one focused on students defining an organ (S), researching (E), and keeping track of their findings (S). Day two was more hands on. Student's created their human bodies plan and solved real-world math problems (M). Student's finished the lesson by having a gallery walk to see their classmates human bodies. Student's self-assessed themselves on the rubric given to them on day one.
My students responded by having fun while learning. There were challenges with students being absent and certain research partners taking the lead. I circulated while teaching to focus on students on task, who needed assistance, and who mastered the lesson objectives. Student's were engaged in conversations and participation when the catch model of the lesson went back to whole group. They were showing their creative side with the human bodies design. I was proud of myself while reviewing the lesson because my math language has improved dramatically over the school year. I try my best to ask H.O.T. questions and consistently use the math vocabulary students are learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of teaching a STEM lesson. I definitely plan on implementing them in future lessons. I believe all of my students learning styles, the StEM objectives were met, and students were engaged while having fun! STEM lessons may take weeks of researching, planning, and maybe two-three days implementing but they are definitely worth it!
We reviewed the essential question, which was, "What are the human body organs and what do they do?" I organized students into pairs (research partners) differentiating them personality and academically. I chose to differentiate my students in that way because this was their second STEM lesson and I wanted them to learn from each other and work well with their research partner. Day one focused on students defining an organ (S), researching (E), and keeping track of their findings (S). Day two was more hands on. Student's created their human bodies plan and solved real-world math problems (M). Student's finished the lesson by having a gallery walk to see their classmates human bodies. Student's self-assessed themselves on the rubric given to them on day one.
My students responded by having fun while learning. There were challenges with students being absent and certain research partners taking the lead. I circulated while teaching to focus on students on task, who needed assistance, and who mastered the lesson objectives. Student's were engaged in conversations and participation when the catch model of the lesson went back to whole group. They were showing their creative side with the human bodies design. I was proud of myself while reviewing the lesson because my math language has improved dramatically over the school year. I try my best to ask H.O.T. questions and consistently use the math vocabulary students are learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of teaching a STEM lesson. I definitely plan on implementing them in future lessons. I believe all of my students learning styles, the StEM objectives were met, and students were engaged while having fun! STEM lessons may take weeks of researching, planning, and maybe two-three days implementing but they are definitely worth it!