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One challenge I am working on is moving students beyond seeing STEM as separate school subjects and helping them recognize how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics work together to solve real-world problems. I also want my students to see that STEM is a human experience, so representation is an intentional part of my instruction. Students should have opportunities to see people from diverse cultures and backgrounds who have contributed to STEM while also beginning to see themselves as future contributors.
I am currently a STEM Pioneer through Penn State, and I am especially excited about my work with KidWind. I have been tasked with facilitating a STEM experience for fourth- and fifth-grade students in which they will explore wind energy and use the engineering design process to design, build, test, and improve their own wind turbines. I am excited to see how students apply science, engineering, technology, and mathematics to a real-world renewable energy challenge while learning through hands-on exploration.
I begin with the learning goal and standards, but I also think about what students will actually do with that knowledge. I plan opportunities for collaboration, hands-on exploration, productive struggle, discussion, and revision. I also intentionally identify where mathematics connects to the experience because I believe math is the common denominator of STEM—it gives students the tools to measure, compare, analyze, justify, and improve their ideas.
Recently, my fifth-grade scientists were challenged to build the tallest freestanding tower possible. Before touching the building materials, they created blueprints of their designs and thought about how they would construct their towers. Watching them test their structures, experience failures, communicate with their teammates, make adjustments, and try again was incredible. The final towers were exciting, but the real success was seeing students experience the engineering design process rather than simply being told what it is.
One of the most important things I have learned is that STEM is a framework, not four separate entities. I now approach STEM instruction by intentionally looking for the connections among all four areas: science is everything God has given us; technology is everything humans have created to help us navigate and improve our world; engineering is the process of designing and building; and mathematics is the common denominator that connects them all. Understanding STEM this way has changed how I plan instruction because I want my students to experience these disciplines working together, just as they do in the real world.
Make STEM education more inclusive by intentionally introducing students to the diverse people who have contributed to the STEM fields. Women, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and people from cultures around the world have made significant contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, yet many of these individuals are not routinely represented in what students learn in school. Start small: introduce one STEM pioneer connected to the concept you are already teaching and show students how that person’s work helped make our world better. Representation matters; students should see that STEM has always been a human experience and that there is a place for them in its future.
Iesha, I am so excited you stopped by the blog! Thank you so much for sharing all the fantastic things you're doing to create an inclusive and empowering classroom. Your approach to STEM as an interconnected framework is a significant, applicable shift many of us can make to bring meaning and relevance to our students!
If you would like to follow Iesha's STEM work, make sure you give her a follow on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/iesha-griggs-m-ed-m-s-m-a-830b7a27a
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