School-Wide STEM Integration

Grade 3-8
June 13th, 2016
Presenters:
Dr. Jeri Bryant
Robert Clifton

Contact Information:
Robert.clifton@mnps.org
Website Address:
Roseparkstem.weebly.com

Contents
Schedule of the Day................................................................................................... 3
STEM Starter............................................................................................................... 4
K-W-L Chart................................................................................................................. 5
Classroom Comparison............................................................................................... 6
Bellringer Standard Mashup....................................................................................... 7
STEM Starter Samples................................................................................................ 8
Current Event Rubric.................................................................................................. 9
Morning Reflection Questions...................................................................................10
Supplemental Materials............................................................................................ 11
Hook Activity: Popcorn Lab (3rd and 4th Grade)..........................................................12
Hook Activity: Egg Drop (5th Grade)..........................................................................14
Hook Activity: Soda Bottle Rockets (6th Grade).........................................................15
Hook Activity: Neuroscience Memory Activity (7th Grade).........................................16
Hook Activity: Knex Cars (8th Grade)........................................................................18
Survey Information................................................................................................... 23
PBL Unit
Chart..
..20

Schedule of the Day

8:00-8:15am
8:15-8:30am
8:30-9:00am
9:00-9:30am
9:30-10:00am
10:15-10:45am
10:45-11:00am
11:00-12:00pm
12:00-12:30pm
12:30-1:00pm
1:00-2:00pm
2:00-3:00pm
3:00-3:30pm

STEM Starter
Session Focus
Introduction to Our STEM Class
Establish Norms
KWL Chart (K and W completion)
Classroom Comparison
Standard Mashup Bellringer
Current Events Gallery Walk
KWL (L completion)
Morning Reflection Questions
Lunch
Supplemental Materials
Hook Activities
PBL Development
PBL Presentations
Wrap Up Questions
MNPS Survey
STEM Survey

*From 8:00-11:00 am please sit by content area.

**From 12:00-3:30pm please sit by grade level.
If you have any questions at any time during the session please feel free to ask.
Either ask in person, write on a note card and place in the middle of your table, or
email it to me Robert.clifton@mnps.org.

STEM Starter
Background Information: STEM Starters are a bell ringer activity that is used to get
students to practice test taking skills, focus on the class, and mostly are focused on
an activity that is being covered at the time. It could be cross-curricular or can focus
on a single content area. It is the easiest way to incorporate another subject area.
Activity: As a world of consumers, we want to make purchases from companies that
offer consistency. In late celebration of National Donut Day, we will be looking at the
accuracy and precision of Shipleys donut making process. The mathematical term
for a donut shape is known as a torus. This morning you will individually find the
volume, surface area, and height of your donut. The next step, find the average of
the table and report it to either Dr Byant or myself. Next, identify some errors in the
process that may lead to a difference in values. Finally, enjoy your donut!
Individual Measurement
Volume
Surface Area
Height
Formulas:
Volume = (1/4)(pi2)(R2 - r2)(R r)
Surface Area = (pi)2(R2 - r2)

Table Averages

K-W-L Chart
Topic:

K
What do you know about STEM and
STEM integration?

W
What do you want to know STEM
and STEM integration?

L
What have you learned about STEM
and STEM integration?

Classroom Comparison

Content Area:
Classroom

STEM

Bellringer Standard Mashup

NonSTEM Related Standard:

STEM Related Standard:

Bellringer Question:

Answer Choices:

Table Mates Bellringer Question:

Answer:

STEM Starter Samples

1. Sydney is told that the value of a word is determined by multiplying the lettervalues of each letter in the word, and letter values are assigned such that A = 1, B
= 2, C = 3, , Y = 25, Z = 26, what is the value of the word JULY?
Answer:

2. Lacrosse is a popular sport in the United States, Canada and other countries. Few
are familiar with the history of the sport's name. When French pioneers first settled
in eastern Canada, they saw the Native North Americans playing a peculiar game.
They tossed a small ball of stuffed leather back and forth with long-handled sticks.
The sticks were bent or crooked and had nets at the top.
Which sentence would MOST logically fit next in this paragraph?
A. Lacrosse is getting better known in the USA.
B. The field is divided in half by a center line.
C. Lacrosse players must be fast runners and must be able to throw skillfully.
D. To the French, these strange sticks looked like a cross, so they called the game la
crosse.

3.

What is the authors meaning of the picture?

Does the author support the argument that climate change is not occurring?
Explain why or why not.

Check out this NPR Article about Climate Change, you may hear someone
familiar.

Current Event Rubric

Morning Reflection Questions

In what ways can you incorporate STEM into your classroom?

Do you plan to do STEM daily, monthly, quarterly? Explain.

What are your concerns about integrating STEM into your classroom?

If you have any questions, please feel free to write them on the note cards in
the middle of the table. We will look over them over lunch.

Supplemental Materials

Learning Blade

TSA Competitive Guide

http://pcmstechnology7.org/lopez/TSA_MS_Events-Guide_20162017.pdf

NewsELA

http://www.learningblade.com/

https://newsela.com/

For ELL students, we notice that they have an interest in concrete science
ideas such as animal science, space science, and sports science.

We do have a couple of activities that do play into these concrete

ideas.

Also, email their ELL instructor the work so they can get the extra help.

Hook Activity: Popcorn Lab (3rd and 4th Grade)

The Scientific Method applied to Popcorn
Observation: We see that popcorn pops different amounts in different bags.
Collect Information:
1. You can only pop popcorn variety corn
2. When popcorn pops, it is due to a small droplet of water in the kernel that turns
to steam.
3. The parts of a popcorn kernel include the germ, the endosperm, and the pericarp.
4. People used to think it was a spirit that was popping.
5. Popcorn needs 13.5 to 14% water to pop.
6. 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the boiling point of water and creates steams to start
the process. The starch is heated to 347 degrees for the starch to turn into the
shape we recognize.
Form a hypothesis:
Independent variable: The amount of butter in the purchased box of popcorn
Dependent variable: How many popcorn kernels pop.

If the amount of butter in the bag increases, then the number of popped
kernels will increase.
Experimental Design:
Materials:
Microwave, 1 bag of Popweaver Light Butter Popcorn, 1 bag of Popweaver Butter
Popcorn, and 1 bag of Extra Butter Popcorn. Paper towels.
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Gather all of your supplies.

Open the boxes
Remove one individual one individual package and remove the plastic wrapper.
Open the microwave door and place the bag of popcorn inside.
Close the door and click the popcorn button. Wait until the microwave stops.
Open the microwave and remove the bag.
Open the bag and pour it onto paper towels.
Count how many kernels popped and how many kernels did not pop. Write this
data down in data able.
9. Repeat Steps 3-8 for a different type of popcorn.
10.Repeat Steps 3-8 for the last type of popcorn.
11.Compare and analyze your data.

Amount of Butter
Popped Kernels
Unpopped
Kernels
Cost ($)
Time to Pop (s)

Data Table

Conclusion:

Light Butter

Buttered

Extra Butter

Hook Activity: Egg Drop (5th Grade)

Part 1: Complete the Drop on the following website:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Momentum-andCollisions/Egg-Drop/Egg-Drop-Interactive
Record data the Chart Below:
Small Egg

Large Egg

Jumbo Egg

1 meter
Hard Floor
1 meter
1 in Foam
1m
Foam Box
5m
Hard Floor
5m
1 in Foam
5m
Foam Box
10 m
Hard Floor
10 m
1 in Foam
10 m
Foam Box
Conclusion:

Part 2: Create your own Tetrahedron Egg Lander.

1. Blow up balloons to the size of a small balloon. Tie them off.
2. Insert the knots where indicated by the red arrows.
3. Fold along the solid lines, the striped, overlapping areas go on the inside of the
egg lander. Use tape to secure
4. Fill lander with cotton balls and one egg. Seal it up.
5. Carefully standing a chair, test it out. You may go into the lobby and test it out.

Hook Activity: Soda Bottle Rockets (6th Grade)

In this activity, you will be building a soda bottle rocket to test.
Materials:
1-2 Liter Soda Bottle
Sturdy Cardboard (preferably from tissue boxes or cereal boxes)
Tape
Scissors

Build your rocket.

When complete, go to: http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/bottlerocket/br2d_b.swf

Describe your rocket below, provide a sketch:

How did your rocket perform?

Improve on your design and retest. What did your change? How did the
improvements workout?

Hook Activity: Neuroscience Memory Activity (7 th Grade)

Go to the following website: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmemory.html

Complete 5 of the activities that are listed on the website. Include on the activity
name, description of the activity, and provide a brief summary about the activity.
Activity 1 Name:
Description of the Activity:

Summary of the Activity:

Activity 2 Name:
Description of the Activity:

Summary of the Activity:

Activity 3 Name:
Description of the Activity:

Summary of the Activity:

Activity 4 Name:
Description of the Activity:

Summary of the Activity:

Activity 5 Name:
Description of the Activity:

Summary of the Activity:

Hook Activity: Knex Cars (8th Grade)

Back Ground Information:

List 7 facts about cars.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Also list the formula for calculating speed.

1 tile= 31.2 cm

Rolling Racer:
Trail

Distance (cm)

Time (sec)

Speed (dis/time)
(cm/sec)

1
2
3
Mean (Average)
Conclusion: What did you think about the Rolling Racer? What worked well and
what did not? What improvements would you make?

Wind Racer:
Trail
1
2
3

Distance (cm)

Time (sec)

Speed (dis/time)
(cm/sec)

Mean (Average)
Conclusion: What did you think about the Wind Racer? What worked well and
what did not? What improvements would you make?

Short Band Racer:

Trail

Distance (cm)

Time (sec)

Speed (dis/time)
(cm/sec)

1
2
3
Mean (Average)
Conclusion: What did you think about the Short Band Racer? What worked well
and what did not? What improvements would you make?

Develop your own racer and test it out.

Project Design: Overview Page 1

Name of Project:

Durati

Subject/Course:

Teacher(s):

Grade

Other subject(s) to be included:

Significant Content:
(CCSS and/or NGSS)

21st Century
Competencies
(to be taught and
assessed)

Collaboration

Creativity and Innovatio

Communication

Other:

Critical Thinking

Project Design: Overview Page 2

Project Summary
(Include student role,
issue, problem or
challenge, action
taken, and
purpose/beneficiary)

Driving Question

Entry Event

Products

Individual:

Specific content and com

assessed:

Team:

Specific content and com

assessed:

Project Design: Overview Page 3

Public Audience
(Experts, audiences,
or product users
students will engage
with during/ with end
of project)
Resources Needed

On-site people, facilities:

Equipment:
Materials:
Community Resources:

Reflection
Methods
(Individual, Team,
and/or Whole Class)

Journal/Learning Log

Focus Group

Whole-Class Discussion

Fishbowl Discussion

Survey:

Other:

Field Trip

Relate Arts
Incorporation

Survey Information
Personal Survey about the session: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9L2XRJP