A Passion for STEM
By: Shanna Meyer

Project at a Glance :

This project is for a IB Math AA SL class (Pre-calc). Students will be using a range of mathematical skills from first semester to build a community passion for STEM in preparation for a STEM night. This unit will start at the beginning of the semester and will culminate with STEM night.   
 
Driving Question:

How can we activate a passion for STEM throughout the WO community?           

Standards:

• Skills4Success 

Team / Culture Building:

• Hopes, Fears, & Norms​

• Values Cards
• Creative DNA 
• Students will use stickers to build a bulletin board showing connections throughout the semester.
• As an entry event students will take the 16 personalities test.

Entry Event:​​

JR Automation

• To build excitement for the project students will take a field trip to Holland Energy Park and JR Automation.

Holland Energy Park

Stakeholders:

• West Ottawa Community and local businesses
• West Ottawa Staff
• West Ottawa Students
• Computer Science, Math, Science, and  Engineering teachers

Empathy Building:

• Stakeholder Map
• Pains & Gains chart
• Empathy Map ​​

• Character Profile
• Watch Austin’s Butterfly video for learning about critique and revision.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Chalk Talk
• Top 10 List/Need to Know
• Gallery Walk
• Tours and interviews
• Rip, Slap, Pass to generate questions for experts (Top 10 list)
• Meet with STEM experts in our community
• Interview other schools that already do a successful STEM night.
• Check with elementary schools who already do a STEM night and ask what works? what doesn’t?
• Speedboat - What are the potential ANCHORS for this project?
• Use video instruction (flipped lessons) for homework throughout the project.

Incubation:

• Use a variety of these Options to generate solution ideas:  Tell it to a Toddler (meet with SAIL class for an elementary audience), Dot Voting, Start Stop Continue, Talking Chips and/or the SWOT analysis.​​

• Idea Quota: 100 ideas in 10 minutes.

• Practice “pitch” to experts, administration and STEM staff - using the Critical Friends protocol.
• Determine what the final product will look like.
• Take home quiz over content after investigation stage.
• Written assessment before Pitch Day.
• Use a variety of these Options to generate solution ideas:

Checking in:

•  Rip, Slap, Pass

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Solution Building:

• ​$100 test
• ​NUF test - Chart paper
• Dot voting
• Storyboarding
• Present storyboards to group members and ask for feedback in the form of I Like, I Wish, What If?

Critique and Revision: 

• Storyboarding
• Poster session
• Elevator Pitch
• Critical Friends​​

• Start, Stop, Continue protocol

Authentic Audience:

• Elaine Stiefel - Director Of Instructional Technology & Virtual Learning at West Ottawa Public Schools
• WO STEM Teachers
• WO Administration
• WO Counselors
• Technology Team Members

Final Presentation:

• Build a prototype​​

• Pitch solution at the West Ottawa district STEM event. 

Reflection and Feedback:

• Students will do a practice run-through with Great Lakes Elementary students on Dec. 4 during school.
• Rubric
• SWOT analysis
• Glows and Grows document

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:
​Shanna Meyer teaches math and is an instructional coach at West Ottawa High School. 

     "Getting students to be genuinely curious and interested in WHY we learn certain mathematical concepts has always been a struggle. PBL gets the students out of their comfort zone, pushes them to do some creative thinking, and let’s them see what math looks like outside of these classroom walls!"