SESSION TITLE: K-8 Science STEMposium: The Future is Now
AUDIENCE: K-8 Administrators
FACILITATOR:Dr. Ava D. Rosales/ Mr. Dan Gangeri
CO-FACILITATOR:Ms. Laura Pena
RESOURCES: Discovery Education, NBC Learn, MDCPS Project Based STEM Activities, GIZMOS, MDCPS Science website
OUTCOMES:
  • Supporting STEM-centered classrooms.
  • Supporting hands-on STEM engineering connections.
  • Incorporate M-DCPS instructional resources to support science teaching and learning:
  • Use of Open Inquiry
  • Digital Convergence
  • Reading and Writing in Science
  • Encourage participation in STEM related activities

GUIDING QUESTIONS:
  • How can we increase the frequency of open inquiry during effective NGSSS aligned science content instruction?
  • How can use the Florida Standards to facilitate a deeper understanding of the Science content?
  • How do STEM engineering practices and competitions increase the rigor and support the instructional focus for science content?
  • How can we reinforce and illustrate the scaffolding nature of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and the importance of standards-aligned content instruction in the lower grade levels?

WHAT? / SO WHAT? / NOW WHAT?
12:25 pm–12:40 am (15 min)
-Introduction
Introduce the Agenda and the Objective of the session.
-Icebreaker Activity (Observation - Video Camera Protocol Modified)
Learning Methodologies: Which way is best?
  • Corn Activity (Hands-on Demonstration)

12:40 pm–1:20pm (40 min)
Engineering Activity within the Science content (Instructional Focus)
Properties of Matter (SC.8.P.8.4; SC.8.P.8.2; SC.8.P.8.3; SC.8.N.1.1; SC.8.N.1.2; SC.8.N.1.6, SC.5.P.13.4, SC.4.P.8.1, SC.3.P.8.3, SC.5.P.13.1)
  1. Properties of Matter
“Boat Challenge”
-Design and build a device that will float while holding as many pennies as possible using only the supplies listed.
  • 12” x 12” of Foil
  • 10 straws
  • 60 cm of masking tape
The Challenge: Design and build a device that will float while holding as many pennies as possible using only the supplies given.
-First DESIGN
  • You will have 10 minutes to come up with one or more solutions to the challenge.
  • Research pictures of boat designs with your device
  • Sketch or describe the solution plan in your tablet.
  • Build and test your design; take pictures with your device
  • On your device, type out your results and evaluate your design.
  • Improve, Redesign and Retest as needed
  • You will have 10 minutes
Digital Convergence-
Presentation:
  • Using your tablet or device, create a short PowerPoint or Discovery Board Builderpresentation to explain your results.
  • Include pictures of both initial and final designs.
  • Answer these questions within your presentation:
  • Was this the best solution to the problem?
  • What would you have done differently?
  • Discuss who will demonstrate the system and who will talk about what you discovered. Have them stay behind to present your design and solution.
“One Stays and the Rest Stray”
Think Ink Pair share- What content is seen in this engineering activity? What other grade levels might it support? (Think elementary and middle connections)
1:20 pm– 1:40 pm (20 min) Using Data to Support STEM in the Science Classroom “Data Driven Dialogue- Modified”
-In your groups, review data for the district using new individual school information
-Phase I Predictions Surfacing perspectives, beliefs, assumptions, predictions, possibilities, questions, and expectations
-Phase II Observations Analyzing the data for patterns, trends, surprises, and new questions that “jump” out
-Phase III Inferences Generating hypotheses, inferring, explaining, and drawing conclusions. Defining new actions and interactions and the data needed to guide their implementation. Building ownership for decisions
1:40pm– 1:55pm (15 min) Closure Questions“Four Squares”
In groups, visit each question and answer completely. Try to add something in. If you agree with something already there, place a check mark next to it.
  • Why do we need STEM?
  • Why should engineering be brought into your science classroom?
  • What activities and resources do I have available to help my teachers?
  • What should I do as an administrator to support STEM at all grade levels?
Review of Science resources- STEM website, Science Middle School websiteSECME Engineering design Competitions, Grants

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