STEM projects are a great addition to your gifted and talented classroom. Students will learn to problem solve, cooperate, and persevere while learning engineering standards, using higher level thinking skills, and preparing for their future careers.
What is STEM?
The acronym STEM was introduced in 2001 by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Hallinen, 2023). It stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. You may have also heard the acronym STEAM which adds an A for art. STEM was introduced as a result of several studies that showed that students in the United States are being outperformed in these areas and are less likely to pursue them as a career.
Why Should I Teach STEM?
- Teach Engineering Standards
- Prepare Students for Future Careers
- Higher Level Thinking Skills
Teach Engineering Standards
The Next Generation Science Standards include engineering design standards for grades kindergarten through twelfth grade (Next Generation, n.d.). While the standards vary by grade, most include designing a solution to a problem, comparing multiple solutions to best solve the problem, and carrying out tests and analyzing the results. Students learn to problem solve, take risks, and persevere when their first solution does not work.
STEM Careers
Many teachers and schools are not familiar with science and technology careers and are less likely to guide their students to pursue them. However, STEM careers are expected to grow 11 percent by 2031 (Langreo, 2023). Gifted and talented students may be well suited for many of them. While many of specific skills that students will require may not even be available yet, we can introduce students to the concepts of identifying a problem, brainstorming solutions, collaborating with others to find the best course of action, designing a solution, and making adjustments as needed.
Higher-Level Thinking Skills
STEM projects require students to use higher-level thinking. There is not one correct answer, and most times, the first attempt does not lead to a successful solution. Students will have to analyze their results to see what is not working correctly and what they can do to get better results. This may take several attempts to make adjustments to see improvements and students will be required to problem-solve.
Importance for Talented and Gifted Students
STEM is particularly beneficial for gifted and talented students because they are used to getting things right on the first try. In STEM, there is not one correct answer. Students will have to persevere to continue to see improvements. This is often difficult for students that are perfectionists, but as STEM projects become a common occurrence in your gifted and talented classroom, students will see the benefits of continued analysis and reflecting on what went well and what could have gone better. They will begin to celebrate their improvements and understand that there is not one correct solution.
Talented and gifted students may also have a hard time cooperating with their teams, particularly in their regular classroom, but the gifted and talented classroom is a great place for teamwork because students will have the opportunity to work with like-ability peers. When working in teams they will learn to communicate their ideas, listen to the ideas of others, and combine ideas to get the best results possible.
STEM In Action
In my gifted and talented classroom we participate in STEM challenges once a week. Students work with the same group for the entire challenge, but groups change with every challenge. I usually have groups of three to four, but group size is adjusted based on the challenge. Each student has a copy of a plan that uses the engineering design process (ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve). Before beginning the creating phase of the project, students must have a written plan. Students are given a set amount of time to create their designs in front of the whole class so that students can learn from the designs in front of the whole class so that students can learn from the designs of others when making improvements. Students record their results and what they will need to do to improve their design. Each group then has ten minutes to make any improvements before testing again. Students test a total of three times and then write a final reflection.
Third grade students completed the Build a Boat STEM Challenge. After learning about buoyancy, density, and displacement, and viewing different types of boat hulls, their challenge was to create a boat that floated on its own and continued to float as weight was added. Students learned through several trials that it helped to have a large surface area on their boats so that the weight could be distributed over a wider area. They also learned the importance of choosing materials that did not become waterlogged so that they could continue to float after multiple trials.
Fourth grade students designed a marble track from recycled materials. Their goal was to create a track that had one funnel, two different paths, and allowed the marble to travel for at least ten seconds before reaching the end. While many groups tried to make the path as long as possible, they watched the most successful group create a path that wound back and forth with smooth transitions so that the marble could travel for a long time without getting stuck.
Fifth grade students had to learn to problem solve and persevere when they built a bridge. With only five sheets of paper and tape, each group had to create a bridge that spanned fifteen inches. Throughout the three trials, groups learned that strong supports spread out through the middle allowed for the most weight to be held.
Getting Started with STEM
Are you ready to get started? These are my top five tips for getting started with STEM.
1. Start Small
Start with STEM projects that use basic materials that you already have on hand. Many STEM projects can be completed with recycled materials or basic school supplies without a lot of extra expense. Save the electrical circuits and robotics for later when you are more comfortable.
2. Teach the Engineering Design Process
Provide students with the big picture by teaching the engineering design process first. Display posters in your classroom so students understand the steps and use recording sheets to help them record their thinking along the way.
3. Pre-Plan Student Groups
Set up mixed ability groups ahead of time. Try to pair students with different strengths in leadership, math, reading, and creative thinking. Change the groups with each challenge so that students learn to work with a variety of other students.
4. Plan for Early Finishers
Use a challenge that is open-ended enough that students do not get done before the time is over or plan an extension if they complete the original task. For example, if your original guideline is to build a tower over six inches, have students record the height when they get to six inches, but then challenge them to keep building an even higher tower.
5. Reflect
Use the reflection questions at the end of the activity. This might seem like a step that you can skip if you are running out of time, but reflecting will help your students think like engineers and have a better plan for next time.
STEM projects are a great addition to your gifted and talented classroom. Students will be engaged in higher level thinking and prepare for their future problem solving career in a fun and engaging way!
Sources:
Hallinen, J. (2023, Dec. 6). STEM. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/STEM-education
Langrea, L. (2023, July 20). Students want STEM careers, but think schools are doing a poor job preparing them. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/students-want-stem-careers-but-think-schools-are-doing-a-poor-job-preparing-them/2023/07
Next Generation Science Standards (n.d.). https://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards
Enhancing Enrichment 