When planning STEM lessons for young children, teachers need to build on what they know about the world around them. Selecting a topic or problem that is familiar to students is vital to providing authentic STEM learning experiences that engage students and foster independence during these learning experiences.
For this assignment, select a STEM theme/topic that lends itself to IBL that would be appropriate for the grade level of your field experience classroom. The theme/topic should interest the selected grade level and generate multiple questions, ideas, and problems. Using the “STEM Unit Plan Outline” template, select a piece of children’s literature or video that will help introduce the STEM theme/topic and engage students in the unit. Identify state STEM standards for the selected grade level that align with the selected theme/topic. These standards will be used in future topics to develop a three-day STEM unit plan. Include the following in the outline:
Day 1: Select a math standard and a technology standard to be the focus of the learning for this day of the unit. Include an engineering standard (or concept) that would support the concept.
Day 2: Select a science standard and an engineering standard (or concept) to be the focus of the learning for this day of the unit. You may also include a technology standard if applicable.
Day 3: Select a science or math standard as the focus for this day. This standard could be the same as the ones selected for Day 1 or Day 2 of the unit outline. Include a minimum of one other applicable STEM standard.
Lesson Resources: Describe a minimum of one resource for each day of the unit outline that could be integrated into instruction to support the selected standards. Include a rationale of how each resource supports teaching and learning of the selected standards.
Following the unit outline, write a 250-500 word reflection that includes the following:
Explain your rationale for selecting the theme and how it is developmentally appropriate for the intended students.
Discuss how the selected standards support the overall theme of the unit.
Explain how you plan to integrate IBL into your unit and how this will support learning the standards. How will this support the needs of students with and without exceptionalities?
Support this assignment with a minimum of 3-5 resources.
Note to writer: I work with kindergarten aged children. Please make the assignment up and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you.
