Introduction to STEM Education

STEM 40303/50303  Introduction to STEM Education

This course provides an introduction to the foundations of STEM education disciplines and the strategies used to deliver integrated STEM education in the elementary and secondary school setting. The nature of STEM education disciplines, STEM pedagogy, teaching strategies, integrated STEM learning, STEM careers, and project-based instruction are addressed.

STEM 40303 – 50303 Syllabus

STEM 40303 – Spring 2025 Course Schedule

STEM Content Standards

• Arkansas Science Standards
• Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL) – The Role of Technology and Engineering in STEM Education
  • STEL standards and benchmarks
  • STEL full document
• Arkansas Mathematics Standards
• Additional Arkansas Learning Standards

Course Resources

Writing a STEM Design Brief

Engineering-Design-Journal Example

Performance-Based-Assessment-Guide

Week 12

Tuesday, April 1

• Introduction to Electricity – Building electrical circuits to demonstrate transfer of energy.
• Challenge (in-class) – Paper Circuits – Drawing a Circuit Quick Challenge
• Challenge (in-class) – The Simplest Electric Motor

Thursday, April 3

• We will not meet for class, as I will be presenting at the International Technology and Engineering Educator’s Conference.
• Read about our Major Assignment – Electricity Curriculum Project
• Reading Assignment: Chapter 1: Basic Concepts of Electricity – http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/index.html
  • Read about the following concepts –
    • Static Electricity
    • Conductors, Insulators, and Electron Flow
    • What are Electrical Circuits?
    • Voltage and Current
    • Resistance
    • Voltage and Current in a Practical Circuit
  • Complete a reading reflection that identifies the key vocabulary and definitions from each part of Chapter 1 that you can use later as your science content in the Electricity Curriculum Project
  • Be ready with your project idea for class next Tuesday.

Week 11 – Spring Break

Week 10

Tuesday, March 18

• Technical-Procedural Problem Solving PP PP
• Challenge (in-class) – Lego back-to-back Challenge

Thursday, March 20

• Challenge (in-class) – Teacher Geek

 Week 9  

Tuesday, March 11

• Construction Blocks Curriculum Project Presentations and further development
• Construction Block Challenge (in-class)

Thursday, March 13

• Computational Thinking – Construction Block Extension Challenges PP
• Code & Go Robot Mice Challenges (in-class)
• Challenge (in-class) – HexBug Challenge – Part 1
• Introduction to Technical Procedural Problem Solving – Pocket Solar System Activity
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Writing a Technical/Procedural STEM Problem  (summarize the reading, include top 3 take-aways, and describe how you will apply this in your future classroom)

Week 8

Tuesday, March 4

• Using Blocks and Construction Toys for Teaching STEM
• Keva Design Challenges (in class)
  • Keva Workshop
• KEVA Educator Guide Lesson Plans

Thursday, March 6

• Using Blocks and Construction Toys for Teaching STEM
• Team Fort Enclosure Design Challenge (in-class)
• Construction Block Ideation Guide (Due on Tuesday – March 11)

Week 7

Tuesday, February 25

• Literature-Based Curriculum Peer Review
• Literature-based Curriculum Peer Review – PowerPoint from today with feedback from previous submissions

Thursday, February 27

• Using Blocks and Construction Toys for Teaching STEM
• Introduction to Keva Planks
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Using Block Play and Blocks As a Tool for Learning and Reading Reflection Response Directions

Week 6

Tuesday, February 18

• Literature-Based Curriculum Project Development and Ideation
  • Peer-review on February 25
• Resources for project development –
  • Engineering-Design-Journal Example
  • Performance-Based-Assessment-Guide
  • Potential Materials and Tools
  • STEL standards and benchmarks
• Homework for Thursday – complete teacher guide and begin developing your simplified student guide and engineering design journal

Thursday, February 20

• Literature-Based Curriculum Project Development and Ideation

Week 5

Tuesday, February 11 

• The Literature-based STEM Curriculum – Writing a STEM Design Brief
  • The Hot Dog Carrier -2nd Grade Example
• Major Assignment –Major Assignment – Literature-Based Curriculum
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Integrating Literacy and Engineering Instruction for Young Learners
• Engineering Design Challenge Part 1 (in-class)
  • Dog Treat Slinger Design Challenge – Teacher and Student Guide
  • Dogzilla – Intentional Content Integration

Thursday, February 13

• Literature-based Design Challenge Development
• Exploring Potential Tools and Materials
• STEL standards and benchmarks
• Reading Assignment – Developing Big Ideas and Essential Questions
  • Complete Lit-based Curriculum Rough Draft – Part 1
• Engineering Design Challenge Part 2 (in-class)

Week 4

Tuesday, February 4

• Engineering Design Loop/Process Poster Presentations
• The Quick Challenge
• Character Cards (Story Grammar)
  • Character Cards – Maslyk

Thursday, February 6

• Literature-Based STEM Curriculum
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Writing a STEM Design Brief and Major Assignment – Literature-Based Curriculum

Week 3

Tuesday, January 28

• Complete the Space Frame Challenge
• Reading Review – Enhancing the Technology and Engineering in Elementary Classrooms: Safer Tool Usage
• The Design Process PP
• Major Assignment – The Engineering Design Loop/Process
  • Design Loop/Process Assignment Template
• Weekly Reading Assignment – A Framework for STEM Problem-Solving

Thursday, January 30

• Challenge (in-class) – Engineering Design Challenge – A Bridge to Nowhere 
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Connecting Compassion Empathy’s Role in STEM and Literacy Integration and Reading Reflection

Week 2

Tuesday, January 21

• Measuring: Measuring: Materials, Tools, and Processes
• Challenge (in-class) – Space Frame Building Challenge

• Weekly Reading Assignment – Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy and STEM Education article and Reading Reflection.  

Thursday, January 23
• Reading Review – The STEL
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Enhancing the Technology and Engineering in Elementary Classrooms: Safer Tool Usage and Reading Reflection

Week 1

Tuesday, January 14

• Syllabus and Schedule Review
• Introduction to STEM Education PP
• Challenge (in-class) – Earth Ball Introductions
• Challenge (at-home) – YouTube Introduction Assignment – Due Friday.
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Introduction and Background and History of the STEM Movement in The Overlooked STEM Imperatives and Reading Reflection
  • We will discuss expectations for this in class.  Due before class on Thursday.

Thursday, January 16

• Reading Review
• Challenge (in-class) – Engineering Design Challenge – Teacher Trophy Challenge
• Weekly Reading Assignment – Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy and STEM Education article and Reading Reflection.