STEM Connect 8 – Educator copy (visit outline and infrastructure)

The project – STEM Connect 8 was designed by BEC STEM Connect committee members (TOSA’s and industry folks) and is meant to be heavily volunteer led. Because experience, comfortability and availability fluctuate from volunteer to volunteer the project begins with a conversation between business volunteer(s), BEC staff and the classroom teacher. Scope, expectations, timelines, roles/responsibilities are discussed and agreed upon before moving forward.

Project Overview (also see volunteer engagement document)

  • 8 week (flexible) project period
  • Project structure may look different in every classroom, but most will include:
  • Teacher/volunteer/BEC pre-meeting to discuss project parameters
  • Class discussion of local area, perceived problems, and potential projects with guiding questions Walking field trip to explore project area(s); data collection, surveying, mapping of area, followed by student research into what elements might be included in their solution design. Students will have (virtual) access to professionals via Oregon Connections to support/enhance their research- ask questions of scope, budget, timelines, etc.
  • Students develop multiple 2D models of possible solutions
  • Business volunteers return to discuss/provide feedback on project to help determine which model to pursue
  • Students create 3D models (foam core, toothpicks, etc.) of solution, altering scale
  • Business volunteers return to provide feedback on 3D models/project solution
  • Students present to a panel of representatives from company or industry

Why we do it – our partnerships are riveted on historically underserved students at critical data points. Our MS program engages 8thgrade students with a priority on sections of math that support students that are behind or at-risk for not passing the 8thgrade math standard. Data on project-based learning supports hands-on learning as a way to increase student engagement and outcomes. Giving the students agency in developing solutions to problems THEY perceive as problems increases the level of engagement.

Program scaffolding and connection to standards – the attached document shares the scaffolding of the program in terms of number of connections with students/ the classroom, timeline and begins to build program relevancy with common core standards. The TOSA’s that worked on this project connected the iterations of the project (scaling up each time and finishing with a 3D model) to be aligned more loosely with 7thgrade standards (ratios, proportional relationships and geometry) because our target was sections of remedial math. They felt the iterations were loose enough for a teacher to integrate 8thgrade standards (expressions & equations … statistics & probability).

Interdisciplinary application – the program is also meant to be interdisciplinary. We expect year-over-year engagement from our business partners and hope to increase the opportunity for our teachers and students to connect their projects to other subjects. We imagine the potential for students to present their projects to people in power (school boards, city commissioners …) and effect real change in their communities.

Why 8 weeks? – this was a suggestion for the amount of time the projects could take, and it is flexible! This program is young. Our 4th/5thgrade program is in its fifth full-year and will serve nearly 4,000 students in Oregon this year. Our students demonstrate a real change in attitude toward math, science and STEM careers. We are committed to evaluation. Our 33 years in the nonprofit sector has taught us our success is dependent on collecting the feedback of our program participants (teachers, students and volunteers) and USING their feedback to inform programming. Each year we ask for and incorporate feedback from all constituents.

The specifics about which teachers participate, number of sections, timeline (what point in the school year, whether the program happens in consecutive weeks or fits into specific units and is spaced out) is part of the discovery process post school and business match.

Updated 180110