This week, I finished up teaching a module on STEAM education in one of my science methods class. STEAM is a newer iteration of STEM, which includes the arts. STEAM is making its way into schools, particularly at the elementary level, but the amount of curriculum development, in my experience, has been slim. After attending NSTA's STEM conference this past year and attending all the STEAM sessions I could, it seemed that in elementary education, STEAM modules are mostly reading a picture book and building something based on what is in the book. For example, reading the Three Little Pigs and building a house the wolf can't blow down, or reading Those Darn Squirrels and building a squirrel trap. It was important to me teaching a math/science methods block, to teach a STEAM module that had math/science content and practices deeply embedded in the module. Here is an outline of that module, which will eventually be published as I'm also doing research on how my students' understanding of STEAM education changed after participating in this module.
Engage: Discuss the term architecture and discuss the importance of buildings in our lives. The teacher will read aloud Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Betty. Before reading, the teacher will tell the students that buildings are made of shapes and they will be looking for shapes in the book. The teacher will ask the students to look at the buildings in the book and see if they can find shapes. As the teacher reads, students will draw the shapes they see. Students will share their list of shapes and the teacher will record their findings on the board.
Explore:
Part 1: Then, the teacher will introduce the 360 video of buildings in Cincinnati, which will be viewed on iPads. The teacher will remind students that architects create buildings using shapes and that there are many buildings around Cincinnati where you can see the shapes in buildings. Students will be asked to identify a building in Cincinnati they would like to model using shapes (students will watch the video twice, first to identify the building and then to focus in on the building of their choice). Students will pause the video on the building, determine which shapes the building is composed of, and glue down pre-cut shapes to re-create it. Students will share their buildings and describe the shapes that they used to create it (listen for language of position as well).
Part 2: The teacher will then show the students a square magnatile and compare it to a building that a student created. She will then ask if this is what a building looks like in real life. "Can anyone walk into this building? How could we make the building have space inside for people?" She gives students magnatiles to try to build a building that people could walk into.
Explain: Students share their magnatile models, indicating the 2D shapes used to create the 3D shapes (without naming the concepts yet). The teacher will use this conversation as a time to review the definitions of basic two-dimensional shapes that were identified and introduce students to 3D shapes by demonstrating to students the idea that three-dimensional shapes are created from two-dimensional shapes by creating of a cube with magnatiles. "An important part about buildings, is that people use them for shelter, so they need four walls and a roof. So, using more than one "flat" shape, a "solid" shape can be created with space inside for people." A video with new 3D shapes will be shown and students will be asked to think if they've seen buildings with these new shapes.
ENGINEER: The teacher will tell students that they will get the chance to create a building of their own and will remind them of all of the shapes they have been learning about. Students will be tasked with designing a building that they think they need in their own neighborhood. To get ideas the teacher will read aloud If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen and Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale. While they listen to the stories, they will draw ideas. Discuss student ideas keeping the focus on the needs of people in their neighborhoods (students may iterate during the discussion). Students will further model their ideas in 3D with magnatiles and iterate as necessary. When students are happy with their models, they will then use this model to create a more permanent three-dimensional model using the 3Doodler. Students may add extra detail not possible with the magnatiles at this time.
Evaluate: Students will use their 3Doodler model and, in pairs, create a short video on Flipgrid in which they showcase their models by describing all shapes present, their orientations on their model, and comparing it to their partner's model.
Engage: Discuss the term architecture and discuss the importance of buildings in our lives. The teacher will read aloud Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Betty. Before reading, the teacher will tell the students that buildings are made of shapes and they will be looking for shapes in the book. The teacher will ask the students to look at the buildings in the book and see if they can find shapes. As the teacher reads, students will draw the shapes they see. Students will share their list of shapes and the teacher will record their findings on the board.
Explore:
Part 1: Then, the teacher will introduce the 360 video of buildings in Cincinnati, which will be viewed on iPads. The teacher will remind students that architects create buildings using shapes and that there are many buildings around Cincinnati where you can see the shapes in buildings. Students will be asked to identify a building in Cincinnati they would like to model using shapes (students will watch the video twice, first to identify the building and then to focus in on the building of their choice). Students will pause the video on the building, determine which shapes the building is composed of, and glue down pre-cut shapes to re-create it. Students will share their buildings and describe the shapes that they used to create it (listen for language of position as well).
Part 2: The teacher will then show the students a square magnatile and compare it to a building that a student created. She will then ask if this is what a building looks like in real life. "Can anyone walk into this building? How could we make the building have space inside for people?" She gives students magnatiles to try to build a building that people could walk into.
Explain: Students share their magnatile models, indicating the 2D shapes used to create the 3D shapes (without naming the concepts yet). The teacher will use this conversation as a time to review the definitions of basic two-dimensional shapes that were identified and introduce students to 3D shapes by demonstrating to students the idea that three-dimensional shapes are created from two-dimensional shapes by creating of a cube with magnatiles. "An important part about buildings, is that people use them for shelter, so they need four walls and a roof. So, using more than one "flat" shape, a "solid" shape can be created with space inside for people." A video with new 3D shapes will be shown and students will be asked to think if they've seen buildings with these new shapes.
ENGINEER: The teacher will tell students that they will get the chance to create a building of their own and will remind them of all of the shapes they have been learning about. Students will be tasked with designing a building that they think they need in their own neighborhood. To get ideas the teacher will read aloud If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen and Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale. While they listen to the stories, they will draw ideas. Discuss student ideas keeping the focus on the needs of people in their neighborhoods (students may iterate during the discussion). Students will further model their ideas in 3D with magnatiles and iterate as necessary. When students are happy with their models, they will then use this model to create a more permanent three-dimensional model using the 3Doodler. Students may add extra detail not possible with the magnatiles at this time.
Evaluate: Students will use their 3Doodler model and, in pairs, create a short video on Flipgrid in which they showcase their models by describing all shapes present, their orientations on their model, and comparing it to their partner's model.