Module 2:

Implementing STEM/STEAM
into Practice

JSU - EED 554 Integrating STEM and STEAM

Jamie Scrivner
Lesson 1: Chapter 9
• Grade Level: K-2
• Title: Feel the Heat
• Topic: Sunlight and temperatures on various surfaces
• Disciplinary Core Ideas:
• PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
• ETS1:B Developing Possible Solutions
• Crosscutting Concepts:
• Cause and Effect
• Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
• Science and Engineering Practices:
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
• Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
• Why I Chose It: I chose this lesson because I teach a space unit. I liked being
able to integrate this lesson into a unit I already teach. Additionally, the
students always find the sun discussion interesting and I am confident this
will encourage their learning.
• Lesson Overview: The lesson is teaching the • Materials Needed:
students about the sun and its effect on the • Books
Earth. It also teaches students how surfaces
absorb heat differently. The lesson begins with • Summer Sun Risin’ by W. Nikola-Lisa
engaging by inferring from the Summer Sun Risin’ • The Sun: Our Nearest Star by Franklyn M.
and then reading the story. It is followed by Branley
asking questions and connecting to the text. The • Infrared digital thermometer
students then explore by recording temperatures • Cooler of ice
on four different surfaces, both in the shade and
in the sun. To explain, the students create a • 2 ice cubes of same size and shape
temperature graph showing the difference in • Lunch sized paper bags
temperature. Next, The Sun: Our Nearest Star is
read a loud. Elaboration takes place through the • Shade supplies such as:
design challenge of building a model shade • Construction paper
structure. To evaluate, the students test the • Index cards and/or cardboard
shade models by using ice cubes. They are also • Pieces of cloth or felt
allowed to brainstorm and offer improvements to • 4 or more straws
their designs.
• 4 or more craft sticks
• Design Challenge: Design a model of a structure • Roll of masking tape
which would provide a shade on the playground • Scissors
allowing the students to cool off.
• Student pages
• Comparing Temperatures
• Let’s Learn About the Sun
• Keep It Cool Design Challenge
• STEM at Home
• Student Knowledge and Skills Needed to Complete Task:
• Read and write numbers
• Ability to write a sentence
• Able to create a bar graph
• Knowledge of greater than or less than
• Safety Considerations:
The infrared thermometer has a laser. Students should not use it. It should also
not be used on reflective surfaces.
Use caution with scissors, sticks, etc.
Clean up spilled water to prevent possible injuries.
• Assessment Considerations:
• Evaluate how well the structure kept the ice from melting.
• If the ice melted, how well did the students adapt and improve the structure.
• Observe the students specifically during the writing of numbers and graphing
to check for understanding and comprehension.
Lesson 2: Chapter 14
• Grade Level: K-2: Without modification, I would recommend 1st or 2nd.
• Title: Crayons
• Topic: How crayons are made
• Disciplinary Core Ideas:
• PS1.B: Chemical Reactions
• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
• Crosscutting Concept:
• Energy and Matter
• Cause and Effect
• Science and Engineering Practices:
• Asking Questions and Defining Problems
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
• Why I Chose It: I read the book “The Day the Crayons Quit” to my students
every year and they love it. I love it too! Even though I have not read “The
Day the Crayons Came Home”, I enjoy the author and think the lesson would
be fun.
• Lesson Overview: The students are invited to • Materials Needed:
learn and experiment through a familiar object: • Books:
the crayon. Engagement starts by placing a • The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
crayon in a bag and describing what is inside. • From Wax to Crayon by Robin Nelson
The book, The Day the Crayons Came Home is • Paper bag
read aloud. Exploration starts with crayon • One Crayon
observations such as color, length, etc. To • Crayons
explain, students sequence How Crayons Are
Made cards before and after reading, From • Ruler (1 per student)
Wax to Crayons. Exploration continues through • Box of crayons, any size
a demonstration of melting crayons with a hair • Nonstick or silicone candy making or baking
dryer and hot glue gun. Elaboration occurs at molds
the design challenge of recycling crayons. The • Silicone ice cube trays
students try to create a way to recycle old and • Silicone muffin cups (1 per student)
broken crayons. Finally, evaluation takes place • How Crayons are Made cards (in plastic sandwich
when the students write a postcard from the bags)
point of view of the crayon. • Blowdryer
• Design Challenge: How to make old and broken • Cardstock
crayons into new ones. • Several colors of unwrapped crayons
• Hot glue gun
• Student Pages
• Crayon Observations
• Postcard from a Crayon template
• STEM at Home
• Student Knowledge and Skills Needed to Complete Task:
• Ability to read and write.
• Understanding of vocabulary: color, shape, odor, texture, length
• Ability to sequence
• Graphing
• Safety Considerations:
• Melting crayons can emit fumes. Must have proper ventilation.
• Keep students away from hot or liquid wax or hot appliances used to melt the wax.
• Assessment Considerations:
• Create a rubrics for what a successful recycled crayon is and is not.
• The postcard, written from the crayon’s point of view, can be used to check for
comprehension.
• Create a list of questions to ask throughout the lesson to check for understanding.
Lesson 3: Chapter 18
• Grade Level: K-2: I would recommend 2nd grade
• Title: Flight of the Pollinators
• Topic: Understanding Pollinators and their Jobs
• Disciplinary Core Ideas:
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
• Crosscutting Concept:
• Structure and Function
• Systems and System Models
• Science and Engineering Practices:
• Developing and Using Models
• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
• Why I Chose It: Bees have been in the news a lot in the past ten years, mainly
because humans are causing their destruction. Bees are vital to our life. I think the
best way to save the bees, thus saving humans, is to introduce to young students
the importance of bees. I also love to grow a variety of flowers in my own yard, so I
think I could enjoy sharing the pollination process with students.
• Lesson Overview: Students are engaging
through the inferring, synthesizing, and
reading Flowers Are Calling. The students
explore by looking at a flower and recording
details such as color, shape, and smell.
Students will also locate the pollen.
Explanation occurs during the read aloud,
What Is Pollination?. Additionally, the
students complete the student page, What is
Pollination?. To elaborate, students must look
at a real pollinator and then create a ‘robo’
version. The model has to move pollen from
one place to another. Finally, students will
evaluate by presenting their ‘robo’ pollinator
and using the rubrics to evaluate its
effectiveness.
• Design Challenge: Students design and build a
model pollinator.
• Materials Needed:
• Books:
• Flowers Are Calling by Rita Gray
• What is Pollination? by Bobbie Kalman
• Variety of Types of Flowers (per student or pair)
• Hand lens (per student or pair)
• Cotton swab (per student or pair)
• Piece of clear tape (per student or pair)
• 1 acrylic glove (per student)
• 5 Velcro dots (per student)
• 5 multicolor acrylic pom-poms (per student)
• 2 small paper cups (per student)
• Variety of supplies to build and decorate models
• Construction paper
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Coffee filters
• Scissors
• Tape
• Glue
• Student Pages
• Look at a Flower – What Do You See?
• What Is Pollination?
• Pollinator Model Design Challenge
• 4-3-2-1 Pollination Presentation Rubric
• STEM at Home
• Student Knowledge and Skills Needed to Complete Task:
• Ability to read and write.
• Understanding basic vocabulary such as color, pattern, shape.
• Ability to use scissors.
• Safety Considerations:
Pollen can be an allergy trigger for some students.
• Assessment Considerations:
• During the evaluation phase, a rubrics is used to evaluate the effectiveness of
the pollinators. The rubrics could be incorporated into the assessment as well.
• The student sheet , What is Pollination? could be used to check for
comprehension.
• Though subjective, a rubrics regarding student interaction, ability to answer
questions regarding subject matter, cooperation with others, etc.
What I Learned
• Stem is interesting! I was intrigued by the lessons, so that is encouraging. If
the teacher finds the lessons interesting, the students are also likely to
enjoy it.
• I’ve have been intimidated in the past by STEM. This book and the lessons
made it particularly approachable and doable.
• I also have a much greater understanding of each of the phases: engage,
explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate.
• There is a difference between engineering and science, which teachers
often confuse. Science = question. Engineering = problem.
• Children’s books are an excellent way to teach anything, including STEM.