STEM is an educational trend that is based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines, science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an application approach. Rather than teaching these disciplines separately, STEM integrates them into one cohesive learning curriculum based on real-world applications.
STEM’s importance has been growing seamlessly throughout the years and, with the help of ClassFlow, can easily be integrated into everyday lessons.
Introduction: Providing a hook for your students is just as important as the activity itself. Get your students to start thinking about applications beforehand by creating a lesson with leading questions. Check out this lesson on 3D printing here.
Planning: Many STEM activities require students to design, brainstorm, and plan their methods of completion. When students are sketching their plans, why not have them submit their ideas via a ClassFlow Creative Poll!
Designing: Within STEM challenges, students are creating their own questions and following a process that helps them learn to connect ideas and investigate perspectives to solve an issue. “Whether it’s the Engineering Design Process, the Design-Thinking Process, or the Scientific Method, your kids are going to be collaborating with others; asking important questions; taking leadership in their roles; and testing many ideas to reach a solution” says Erin Carmody with STEM Village. Create a ClassFlow assignment with a STEM challenge to students groups so they are able to collaborate and submit their findings as a team.
Differentiate: Do you have beginner and advance engineers or designers? Personalize your activities by giving students specific roles or tasks. Check out this STEM activity that differentiates between beginner and advanced levels in the ClassFlow Marketplace.
As this educational trend becomes more prominent in education and needed in the workforce, its integration within lessons becomes more important. Let ClassFlow help integrate your STEM challenges into your classroom.
In addition to integrating STEM curriculum with ClassFlow, Promethean has taken the guesswork out of designing a comprehensive immersive STEM learning experience with the ActivPanel. There are plenty of devices and other edtech platforms that schools can use with Promethean’s ActivPanels to create a more inspiring digital environment. We have researched and tested the best STEM products to use with Promethean products like Dash the Robot, the Dremel 3D Printer, littleBits Droid Inventor Kit, and so much more. Download the STEM guide to learn more about our top STEM products and app recommendations.
