Model: Over 75% of STEM core and elective teachers regularly make explicit efforts to integrate science, technology, engineering and math, requiring students to organize knowledge across disciplines
1.2 - Frequency of STEM Integration
Teachers at Patriots work together to create quality integrated PBLs across all subject areas. During our four summer STEM curriculum writing days, teachers met in grade level groups, subject area groups, as well as, vertical groups in order to find natural integration points within our curriculum standards. This teacher collaboration is essential for the integration points found in our PBLs. This planning time requires all teachers at Patriots to find connections to STEM objectives within their own subject standards. During the 2014-2015 school year, grade levels submitted 40 PBL lessons to the STEM Coach and District STEM Coordinator for review of PBL quality. Thirty-eight of the forty PBLs contained a minimum of three curricular areas, encompassing 100% of teachers and classrooms around the school. Our special area teachers including art, music, P.E., technology, and media are also involved in PBL instruction as well as integrating STEM concepts into their instruction. When classroom teachers have reading and math pr, our special area teachers participate in h focused professional development and PBL planning time with instructional coaches. This gives them an opportunity to learn about STEM content for each grade level and work with our STEM coordinator to plan lessons that integrate STEM skills into their lessons.
PBL and STEM concepts are included in all classes at Patriots. The picture on the left is a class in the Media Center. After reading the book, Lawn Boy by Gary Paulson, students programed robots to stop at three events of the story in order. At each station, students either gave a summary of what happened in that location or completed a task with the robot.
