My childhood days were spent growing up in Bangkok, Thailand and Vientiane, Laos thus when I was contacted to conduct science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) training for the entire teaching staff of St. Paul School in Hanoi, Vietnam I was elated! During a four-day STEAM Institute early childhood-grade 8 teachers and school administrators were introduced to STEAM practices and content. To make the training as beneficial and meaningful to all the staff, the staff was separated into grade levels. There was also scheduled time to meet with individual departments across the disciplines in small groups. The training started off with introducing and modeling inquiry-based teaching practices and learning to the staff. The staff was also introduced to incorporating journaling across the disciplines. All investigations incorporated 21st century skills, and were aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout the four day institute teachers conducting hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based STEAM investigations including: engineering design process, materials science, connecting mathematical principles and architecture, building science, reverse engineering, building dimensional structures with recycled materials, sustainable engineering, incorporating meaningful technology and more. It was a great group of teachers, with a very supportive administrative staff that will help the teaching staff in their efforts to incorporate “meaningful STEAM experiences” within their classrooms in the 2017-2018 year. The entire teaching staff and administrators truly embraced the benefits of incorporating STEAM-based practices and content across the disciplines and all grade levels. I look forward to hearing how St. Paul American School in Hanoi students become immersed in exploring STEAM this year. The following photos are a small sampling of the STEAM-based investigations that were undertaken during the STEAM institute. For more information about the STEM, STEAM, and NGSS professional staff development Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts worldwide complete the contact form found on this website.
Tag: STEMed
Vibrobots and Bristlebots Engineering Design Challenge for STEM and Maker Classrooms
If you are looking for an affordable electrical-based engineering or makespace design challenge, Vibrobots and Bristlebots are the perfect challenge. When I introduce teachers and Media Specialists to the engineering design challenge of designing and building Vibrobots and/or Bristlebots I start off the lesson by having the teachers analyze simple Hexbugs. Hexbugs were invented years ago by Beam Robotics, they are a simple robot that moves about based on a vibrating motor. Hexbug models have become more complex throughout the years, with the later models sensing light, objects, and having the ability to swim in water. Students will choose their own materials to build their Vibrobot or Bristlebot, most materials can be purchased at your local dollar store, as well as using recyclable and re-usable materials. This engineering design challenge can be completed as an individual challenge or in groups of 2. Provide students with basic perimeters and goals to what you expect the Vibrobot or Bristlebot to perform. After students have completed designing, building and testing their models have each student or groups of students provide a demonstration of their model. Students are to discuss how they incorporated the engineering design cycle or design process, and related STEM terms. The following video gives an overview of the Vibrobot Engineering Design Challenge, a challenge that develops and strengthen 21st century skills, and aligns with Next Generation Science Standards. It’s an affordable electrical-based engineering design challenge perfect for the STEM classroom or Makerspace. For more information about the STEM and MakerEd professional staff development Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts worldwide complete the contact information on the contact page. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgonaB2d9co[/embedyt]
Afterschool Staff Attend STEM Professional Staff Development
I recently had the pleasure of meeting and working with sixty afterschool staff of Canyon Independent School District. Debbie Collier, Director of Afterschool Programs has incorporated a STEM component within all Canyon ISD afterschool programs. During the day long STEM-based professional staff development session afterschool staff were introduced to the foundational principles of STEM, inquiry-based teaching and learning, journaling, engineering design process, incorporating STEM-based children’s literature and more. We started off the session by conducting hands-on-minds-on investigations to explore materials science. Participants used affordable technology and digital tools to analyze building and packaging materials as well as super absorbing polymers. We then went on to discover how geometry and architecture are connected via building 3 dimensional geometric structures. Further into the session participants were given the challenge of designing, building and testing a roller coaster like structure that would move a marble from point A to B, having loops, jumps, and twists. The roller coasters were built using readily available materials as well as recycled materials. The end of the training was spent on introducing afterschool staff to incorporating tinkering and take apart centers within their afterschool programs. Participants were given the task of taking apart broken household gadgets, toys, and out-dated electronics. Participants were also taught how to incorporate components within the disassembled gadgets to make new gadgets, sculptures and more. Participants kept journals throughout the training, and also had the opportunity to read numerous children’s STEM-themed books. This was such a highly motivated group, they truly embraced the importance of incorporating STEM practices and content within afterschool programs. I have been told by the district administration as well as many of the afterschool staff that incorporating STEM explorations within their afterschool programs has been extremely successful. The children really enjoy the daily STEM challenges as well as visiting the STEM exploratory centers such as the “Take – Apart Gadget Center” etc.. The following photos are a sampling of some of the STEM investigations the afterschool staff conducted during the day long STEM-based professional staff development designed for afterschool staff.
Tennessee Teachers Attend Two-Day STEAM-Teacher Training Institute
I recently had the pleasure of conducting a two-day STEAM-based teacher training institute for Metro Nashville Public School System. Sixty K-8 educators were introduced to STEAM practices and content via conducting hands-on-minds-on, inquiry-based STEAM investigations. All investigations were directly aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well. The training started off with lively discussion to assure that all participants had a clear understanding of: What a student-driven classroom looks like; Teaching via inquiry-based practices; Incorporating 21st century learning skills and practices within all lessons; Incorporating the engineering design process within STEAM experiences, and Incorporating reflective journaling within the classroom. Throughout the two-day STEAM Institute teachers conducted investigations to explore: materials science principles, architecture and mathematics connections, aeronautics, force, solar energy, reverse engineering, motion and energy concepts. Additionally, teachers were introduced to incorporating meaningful technology including low-tech ed tools and kits, as well as incorporating STEM-related children’s literature. All experiences were inquiry-based, incorporated 21st century skills, and made connections to the related engineering careers such as Materials Science Engineer, Civil and Architectural Engineer, etc. For more information about the STEM and NGSS teacher training workshops Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts world-wide contact her via the contact form on this website. The following photos were taken during the two-day STEAM Institute.