STEM Schools Provide Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Instruction
February 3, 2011 - The new Wake STEM Early College at NC State University will join other WCPSS schools that are focused on science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) instruction.STEM Schools |
Click here for the video STEM Schools to learn more about Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Instruction. |
 NC State Engineering students Andrew Layton and Madison Hobbs with Brentwood STEM lab teacher Emily Hardee visiting the school to mentor students. |
Audio Podcasts 10.5 minute mp3 file Click to listen to Brentwood Elementary STEM lab teacher Emily Hardee talk about STEM instruction 9 minute mp3 file |
STEM Schools Brentwood Elementary Southeast Raleigh Magnet High |
At Brentwood Magnet School of Engineering, students learn science lessons using engineering processes. A team of fifth graders is studying wind energy by designing windmills.
Building Windmills
“Well, we’re making a windmill,” said Jerusalem. “And what we’re doing is taking different materials and making a blade and we’re using a fan so the blade will move. What we’re doing is we’re using that power to see how many washers we can lift.”
“This whole windmill thing is about them teaching us how to be better engineers while we are still young,” said Kaitlyn.
Brentwood has established a STEM lab and STEM lab teacher Emily Hardee helps design the hands-on projects to mesh with classroom instruction.
STEM Instruction
“STEM instruction is integration,” said Hardee. “The students are required to know their science knowledge of what catches wind, but then they are also measuring and applying their math skills in collecting data and putting that all together. Using just one, you wouldn’t have the complete project, you would be learning the skills in isolation.”
In learning about the wind, Hardee used a project that started with students testing materials to design sails to harness the power of the wind. Then over several lab visits, they tested materials, designed and redesigned their windmills. The windmills were outfitted with string and a cup in which washers could be added. Students grew excited as their windmills successfully lifted more and more washers.
“Today they are taking what they have learned and are improving their designs,” said Hardee. “So the teachers are really able to see are they gaining the knowledge of what catches wind, what moves wind, the balance of the windmills and things like that.”
The STEM lab projects are integrated, hands-on, real world tasks that allow Brentwood students to take risks, make connections and apply skills they will need for the future.
“STEM works for every child because it teaches them how to handle anything that they are going to see in life, any kind of problem that will come up, they have a process for handling it,” said Pamela Johnson, Brentwood’s principal. “Throughout that process, they get the opportunity to ask questions; to imagine what are the possibilities; to create what they are going to do. Then they test it and improve it depending on whether there are some changes they need to make.”
The Brentwood students will have the option to attend the Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School. The STEM Early College will open in the fall of 2011 with 50 students.
STEM Early College
WCPSS and NC State University held an open house in the university’s Joyner Visitor Center where families could find out if the STEM Early College would be a good fit for their child. Cherese Boua and Michele Weathersby, mothers of 8th graders, attended the open house.
Boua liked the idea of the Early College’s STEM focus.
“Not only for my child, but every child,” said Boua. “We have to compete with China and India and all those countries, so it will be really good for our children here in America to be able to enhance going to the moon and who knows where. It’s a really good program.”
For Weathersby, the new Early College may prove a good match for her daughter.
“She really loves science and she does really well in math,” said Weathersby. “In fact, she went to a girls’ camp over the summer and built a LEGO robot.”
STEM Early College principal Rob Matheson says there’s a lot of interest in STEM education in North Carolina.
“STEM instruction - science, technology, engineering and math – are the disciplines that really relate to the 21st Century,” said Matheson. "These are the areas of educational focus that our students will need to be able to work within because that is where the jobs are going to be.”
Grand Challenges of Engineering
In the first year, STEM instruction will be integrated within studies around five of the Grand Challenges of Engineering.
“Examples of the Grand Challenges would be making solar energy economical, having access to clean water and managing the nitrogen cycle with respect to using too much fertilizer perhaps in agriculture,” said Matheson. “We will ask the students essential questions related to the Grand Challenges. Let the students determine what they know and what they don’t know, and investigate in their math, science and engineering classrooms. These Grand Challenges will be used as the theme in all the courses that we teach.”
Students will be challenged to consider the skills, knowledge and applications needed to solve these issues. They will also be asked to look at the social, political and economic impacts of solutions they develop.
STEM Early College students will be able to complete their high school studies and take college courses that may prepare them for a degree and a career in science, technology, engineering or math.
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