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STEM is one of the hottest words currently being discussed throughout the education system. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. Museum Magnet School has been incorporating the STEM model since the schools inception. Our use of the museum process engages our students in a process of exploring and experimenting at least twice each year. Every student incorporates each of the STEM concepts during the creation of their two annual exhibits. In addition to integrating the STEM concepts into our curriculum, our students take STEM one step further during the exhibit process. They use art and engineering concepts to create an object or model that will demonstrate their knowledge. Then, they are challenged with the task of presenting their information formally in front of their peers, parents, and teachers. This helps to teach valuable presentation and social skills that many elementary students never get enough chance to practice. Additionally, it helps to ensure that the students have a firm grasp of the content matter that they have been studying.
In addition to using the districts science curriculum and Foss kits Museum Magnet School teachers are part of the Science Museum of Minnesota's STEM resource center called the Science House. The Science House is a resource, staffed by scientists, who help teachers find, use, and check out Science Museum materials for use in their classrooms.
Our teachers will use this resource to create exciting opportunities for students to explore and use real science objects and tools as they prepare for making their exhibits.
All classes receive at least 9 weeks of computer instruction each year. Much of what the students do is linked to the types of projects that they are working on in their classroom. In Kindergarten the students use drawing and simple programming to create pictures with text and then they record their voices. In first grade the students animate a detailed drawing of an insect. These projects are then part of their spring exhibit on insects. The 5th and 6th grade classes learn keyboarding, improve their math skills with FasttMath, and create their own movies using iMovie.
During the exhibit process, students often engage in the making of models or experiments while trying to solve a problem. By definition, this is what engineering is; using math and science ideas to design a solution to a problem. Our fourth graders learn how to design a working electric circuit. In fifth grade the students then use this knowledge to make electric question and answer boards for their exhibit on the Coral Reef. Each grade has its own unique way of incorporating engineering into the exhibit process.
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