Watchung School STEAM Implementation Implementation This is a model of education in which the classroom can resemble a work environment and students contribute to solving problems in the community. STEAM careers, experiences, and skills drive the curriculum. Curriculum is integrated in authentic problem-based learning that is STEAM career oriented and cross disciplinary. Students collaborate in teams to solve problems. Teachers facilitate teams of students towards solving problems and developing work force skills, commonly the skills required by STEAM businesses in that area or region. Frequently, schools have partnerships with businesses to provide materials and resources. Infrastructure Full STEAM implementation is a highly collaborative environment between teachers, students, staff, and community. Teachers have common planning times in order to collaborate. Teachers may be offered the freedom to partner with each other to create new STEAM opportunity classes. Administrators and Teachers collaborate with external school partners to integrate those opportunities in the classroom. What s Needed Collaborative leadership team (which can include representative from school, district, community, higher education, and STEAM industry) develops a shared mission and vision, high expectations for students, end of program goals, and structures for collaboration time and professional learning. How it s done Vision and mission are clearly defined and communicated to all stakeholders. Student expectations are shared with teachers, parents, and community members. A schedule for collaborative time and planning for professional learning is in place.
Grade level/ra teams meets on a regular basis to monitor program goals and provide guidance and support. Professional learning communities define roles and responsibilities that align to the mission, vision, goals, and expectations. Professional Learning Communities are created with a clearly outlined set of roles and responsibilities. Establish teams of teachers and school administrators to address specific STEM school needs, e.g., technology, behavior management, community partnerships/engagement, etc. Staff is working towards common vision and feel and are part of the evolution and process. School teams establish communication and engagement efforts for parents and community members that elicit feedback from all stakeholders. Community engagement plan Newsletters Website Social Media Informational documentation
Laboratory space, resources, and supplies are identified and included in implementation. Classrooms are stocked and set up by the beginning of the school year. Develop intensive programs to train or refresh new and existing staff. Provide STEAM related professional development activities throughout the year. A plan exists for a natural progression into course/classrooms from grade to grade and subject to subject. Time for planning vertically with other teachers included in schedule. School schedules allow for adequate time for projects, teacher planning, and courses. School schedule is adequate for STEAM education Schedules are prepared in advance of the school year Identify ways in which courses and curriculum can be integrated across multiple STEAM disciplines and allow for co-teaching of the material. Schedule teacher preparation and course together that can allow co-teaching. Also use common planning periods for collaboration. Identify and adopt appropriate technologies aligned Technology needs assessment
to your school s curriculum as well as the your regional workforce needs. Funds/budget aligned for programs, technology, and partnerships Arrange a lab for collaboration or project based experiences. Lab is outfitted with movable furniture (ie. Tables and Chairs) for students instead of individual desks. Grade level teams regularly evaluates program effectiveness. Regularly scheduled meetings among leadership, teachers, students, and community.
Instruction Classes will increase in length but are highly project or inquiry based and allows students to solve real world problems that are relevant to them. Many offer extended opportunities in addition to the school s normal course offerings. STEAM implementation is highly collaborative. Teachers have common planning times in order to collaborate. Teachers may be offered the freedom to partner with each other to create new STEAM opportunity classes. Teachers collaborate with school partners to integrate those opportunities in the classroom. This might team an ELA teacher with a Music teacher. Teachers collaborate with external school partners to integrate those opportunities in the classroom. Students work in teams towards goals. Students collaborate with teachers, often changing the traditional teacher-student relationship to a more collegial relationship. What s Needed Facilitate student participation in problem based learning through STEM investigations, open-ended inquiry, and authentic, real world problems. Use innovative instructional strategies for learning in an integrated educational environment, such as a flipped classroom or virtual collaborative learning days. How It s Done Increased students time on task and student engagement Observation of student approaches to investigation of a problem to include collaboration, questioning, data, communication, evidence- based claims, and critical thinking Teachers are provided training for these strategies Peer observation and dialogue Lesson studies
Develop strategies for identifying student abilities, interests, and strengths for continued engagement. Employ Contextual learning, Problem-based learning, Project-based learning, and Inquiry-based learning. Grade level Meetings Teacher/Student conferencing to identify interests School-wide instructional practice Teacher professional development Teacher collaboration and dialogue Increase teacher s content knowledge in the fields of STEAM, providing explicit instruction on how to integrate content with vertical and horizontal grade level teams. Align professional development with the instructional calendar Specific instruction to teachers in STEM content
Curriculum Courses will be aligned to New Jersey State Curriculum Content Standards and Common Core Standards. However, the school may create new courses that integrate standards from multiple courses that may span a year or more. Courses may be combined with multiple teachers spanning multiple periods. What s Needed Incorporate inquiry and/or project- based curriculum to enhance existing curriculum. How It s Done Consistently utilize Inquiry Curriculum is connected to real-world contexts and careers in STEM fields, aligned to local or regional needs. Curriculum provides instruction on STEM workforce skills Enhance a technology curriculum that can be integrated across all disciplines. Opportunities exist for guest speakers, field work, and application of concepts. Incorporate technology in collaboration with all classes and not instructed in isolation. Calendar of in-school and out-of-school opportunities for students Partnerships with business and community
Sample Schedule Grade 1-3 Per Day: ELA 120 Minutes Math 60+ Minutes RTI 30 Minutes Per Week: ELA Increase of 200+ minutes per week from previous schedule. Math Increase of 120-150 minutes per week from previous schedule. RTI Constant 30 minute for 4-5 times per week from previous schedule. Flex Choice 40 minutes per week of choice STEAM related classes. Provides SAIL periods: grades K-5 each week. Previously not in place. Constant per Cycle: Physical Education Music Technology-Integrated into the classroom in collaboration with the classroom teacher. Cycle Classes: Students cycle trough these classes each cycle depending upon their SLC. Change: Where as each student took each class once per week, now each student will cycle through each disciple per cycle for three days per week. The students receive same time as previously, but now in clusters for more in-depth work. Art Spanish Science Flex Period-Taken once per week per student s choice per cycle. Most classes revolve around STEAM. Exceptions: New classes offered to provide support for general education students (i.e Executive functioning classes, math/ela support etc.)
Watchung Year Schedule Grade 1 Period/Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1st MUSIC 2nd 3rd ELA ELA ELA 4th LUNCH 5th 6th MATH/RTI 7th SLC GYM TECH SLC SLC 8th SS/SCI 1FLEX SS/SCI SS/SCI SS/SCI
Sample Schedule Grade 4-5 Per Day: ELA 80-100 Minutes Math 80+ Minutes RTI 30 Minutes Per Week: ELA Increase of 200+ minutes per week from previous schedule. Math Increase of 120-150 minutes per week from previous schedule. RTI Constant 30 minute for 4-5 times per week from previous schedule. Flex Choice 40 minutes per week of choice STEAM related classes. Provides SAIL periods: grades K-5 each week. Previously not in place. Constant per Cycle: Physical Education Music Technology-Integrated into the classroom in collaboration with the classroom teacher. Cycle Classes: Students cycle trough these classes each cycle depending upon their SLC. Change: Where as each student took each class once per week, now each student will cycle through each disciple per cycle for three days per week. The students receive same time as previously, but now in clusters for more in-depth work. Art Spanish Science Flex Period-Taken once per week per student s choice per cycle. Most classes revolve around STEAM. Exceptions: New classes offered to provide support for general education students (i.e Executive functioning classes, math/ela support etc.)
Watchung Year Schedule Grade 4 Period/Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1st GYM TECH SLC SLC SLC 2nd 3rd 4M 4th 4B 5th 4FLEX 4B 6th LUNCH 7th 4H MUSIC 8th RTI PERIOD 5 LAST 30 MINUTES T-F
Possible Flex class offerings NASA Combining arithmetic concepts with scientific technology from NASA, the student will explore topics related to aerospace, aeronautics, meteorology and living space. The student will participate in many hands-on projects and discuss NASA space missions and experiments. Forensics This course explores different aspects of forensic science including, crime scene basics, DNA and heredity and their uses in identification, tissue structure, skeletal identification, fingerprints, impression evidence, chromatography, hairs and fibers, and blood basics. It also explores uses of technology in the field of forensics. Science activities utilize the skills and techniques outlined in the investigation and experimentation strand of the Content Standards along with some used by professional forensic investigator. Hour of Code Learn the basics of code and how to create your own program from Minecraft to an introduction to java script. Fairytale Trials Discuss the origins of fairytales and how their impact on learning. Students are presented with real world issues through the fairytale and then need to develop, design and build a solution to alter or save the characters course in the tale. Mock Trial Students are presented with a real world case study that deals with STEAM. The students walk through the process and debate and present a case through the mechanics of our legal system.