Welcome to the GB STEM Club page!
What is STEM Club? S.T.E.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and is offered to our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. This multi-grade leveled, after school club allows students to collaborate on projects that couple rigorous academic concepts with real-world problems [1]. Our emphasis is on the engineering process in which things don't always work the first time and the students must analyze what happened, redesign, and try again [2]. Aside from our daily "Rapid Design Challenges" that require students to work as a team on short, hands-on problems, our club will be producing four student-proposed and chosen projects. The projects will ultimately be presented at the District-wide STEM Showcase in the spring.
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The Value of STEM Education
Credit: Edutopia http://www.edutopia.org/stw-college-career-stem-infographic
The Engineering Process
2014 Showcase Project Topics
1. Hovercrafts: How can we fix the car exhaust pollution using electrical
hovercrafts?
2. Biome: How can we grow plants in a small space?
3. Solar Ovens: How can we use solar energy to lower the cost of cooking school
lunches?
4. Crime Scene: How is forensics science used to solve crime scenes?
hovercrafts?
2. Biome: How can we grow plants in a small space?
3. Solar Ovens: How can we use solar energy to lower the cost of cooking school
lunches?
4. Crime Scene: How is forensics science used to solve crime scenes?
Photo Gallery 2013-2014
Building Bridges Activity
YOUR TASK: We challenge you to... design a bridge made of spaghetti that will hold the most weight before/without collapsing.
1. Learn: What are the different types of bridges? Get ideas!
2. Test shapes: Which shapes hold the most weight? (green tile)
3. Test your knowledge: Construct bridges in the Bridge Building
Game (green tile)
4. Explore further: Blue tiles
1. Learn: What are the different types of bridges? Get ideas!
2. Test shapes: Which shapes hold the most weight? (green tile)
3. Test your knowledge: Construct bridges in the Bridge Building
Game (green tile)
4. Explore further: Blue tiles
Orange= Background information*
Green= Must Do Activities*
Blue= Explore further
Grey= Teacher Resources
Green= Must Do Activities*
Blue= Explore further
Grey= Teacher Resources
Interest Meeting Activities
What is STEM?
You are going to research to find out! To get started, click on the button below.
- projects ideas are in orange
- video examples are in teal
- teacher and related resources in yellow
- and some loftier examples sources are in green.
Your task:
With the people around you, propose a project idea that our club could possibly work on and showcase! We will vote on four project ideas by the end of the meeting today.
References
[1] California Department of Education. (2013). Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics. Retrieved from
http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/stemintrod.asp
[2] Andrade, David. (2011). STEM- descriptions, ideas and resources for educators. Retrieved from
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2011/11/10/stem-description-ideas-and-resources-for-educators/
[1] California Department of Education. (2013). Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics. Retrieved from
http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/stemintrod.asp
[2] Andrade, David. (2011). STEM- descriptions, ideas and resources for educators. Retrieved from
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2011/11/10/stem-description-ideas-and-resources-for-educators/