Hands-On STEM: Explore It!
California After School Resource Center
(C.A.S.R.C.)
Administered for the California Department of Education (C.D.E.)
Welcome to the Hands-On STEM: Explore It! training. This training was
developed with funding from the California Department of Education After
School Division. It will take about 30 minutes to complete, so let's get
started!
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Objectives
1. Explore the interdisciplinary nature and
importance of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
2. Recognize six recommended practices for
supporting STEM.
3. Access high-quality STEM materials
available for free loan from C.A.S.R.C.
By the end of this training, you will be able to:
1. Explore the interdisciplinary nature and importance of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),
2. Understand six recommended practices for supporting STEM, and
3. Access high-quality STEM materials available for free loan from the
California After School Resource Center.
Please note that this is a basic training intended to provide you with an
overview of STEM and resources to support students in after school. We
recommend that you complete this module before completing the more indepth training which will address specific STEM content knowledge and
teaching strategies. To learn more, we recommend you also complete the
Hands-On STEM: Dig In! module.
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Why Focus on STEM?
Science
Technology Engineering Mathematics
Does STEM only stand for science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics? What if you or some of your students are artists, history buffs,
or writers? During this training, we will demonstrate that you do not need to
be a rocket scientist to integrate STEM. In fact, you will understand that
STEM connects to many disciplines beyond those found in the acronym, and
that all students benefit from exposure to STEM. It is natural for many nonscientists or non-mathematicians to feel overwhelmed by STEM.
Incorporating STEM into your program can be done in small steps.
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Gauge Your STEM Factor
Consider these questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What makes a good scientist?
Does technology make our lives easier?
Is engineering an art form?
How fun is math?
(Answers will vary)
This is a quick exercise to get you thinking about STEM in ways that you can
relate to with ease. Take a moment to consider the questions on this slide:
1. What makes a good scientist?
2. Does technology make our lives easier?
3. Is engineering an art form?
4. How fun is math?
There are no right or wrong answers, so relax, put on your thinking cap, and
take a few notes before going on to the next slide. As you reflect, notice how
much you already know about these questions without necessarily being a
STEM expert.
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Sample Responses
Technology helps us to
fight diseases and be
more productive.
Math can be fun,
but some math
textbooks are not
engaging!
Good scientists
are curious and
never give up!
Engineers build machines
and create inventions, so
engineering could be an
art form.
Here are some actual responses from the field. Good scientists are curious
and never give up. Technology helps us to fight diseases and be more
productive. Engineers build machines and create inventions, so engineering
could be considered an art form. Lastly, math can be fun, but some math
textbooks are not engaging. These are just a few sample answers. The main
idea here is that most people know something about STEM.
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Objective 1: The Interdisciplinary
Nature and Importance of STEM
Take a moment to study the graphic on this slide. Notice the overlapping
circles containing a few fields from various disciplines. This graphic shows
the interdisciplinary nature of STEM, which connects to the language arts,
visual and performing arts, history-social science, and more. For example,
scientists rely on language to record their observations, plan experiments,
present their findings, and build inventions, such as robots or space ships.
Similarly, architects rely on geometric shapes, formulas, and art skills to
design buildings. By the same token, computer engineers use language and
algorithms for calculations, data processing, and programming. These are
just a few samples of STEM applications across the disciplines.
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STEM All Around Us
Law
Enforcement
Business and
Finance
Social
Sciences
You may be surprised to find many important STEM applications in
occupations that are relevant to all humankind. For instance, police
detectives rely heavily on fingerprint technology, the laws of physics, and
sense of timing to draw conclusions when solving a case. Similarly, people
in business use numbers and technology to create budgets and make fiscal
projections. Archaeologists conduct land surveys to identify locations to
study, and then use tools to excavate the land, analyze fossils or ruins, and
present findings. However, a very significant application of STEM involves
an important trend—the move toward a green or eco-friendly future.
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STEM in the 21st Century
Organic Farms
& Products
EnergyEfficient
Transportation
Renewable
Energy
Housing
demand
Let’s turn our attention to twenty-first century skills. There are increased
demands for eco-friendly products and practices to help the planet. For
instance, environmentally sound farming practices and organic products are
on the rise. Car manufacturers are seeking alternative, energy-efficient
forms of travel. There is a rising interest in homes with solar panels, or
housing that uses renewable energy sources. So how does this affect
current and future generations of students?
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Preparing Students for the Future
Environment
• Air, Land, and Water Use
• Waste Management and Recycling
Building Design
• Energy-Efficient Construction
• Resource Utilization
Energy
• Solar, Wind, and Bio-Fuel
Marketing
• Advertising and Evaluation of Green Products
Being informed about labor market trends helps educators better prepare
students for a bright future. Reports from the United States Department of
Labor indicate that over 50 percent of the fastest growing occupations
require a high degree of STEM knowledge and training. While some of the
highest paid jobs continue to be in the medical, finance, and legal fields,
students benefit from knowing about career opportunities in rapidly growing
areas that support the environment, building design, energy, marketing, and
evaluation of green products and practices. So what about those students
who may not be STEM-oriented?
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Case Scenario:
Film Production and STEM
How does
film
production
involve
STEM?
Take a moment to consider how STEM is involved in film production. Write
down some notes before moving on to the next slide. Relax—the answers
will vary.
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Sample Response to
Film Production and STEM
Film production begins with a well-written story, which then becomes a
movie script. This involves language arts. The actors are guided by a
director with artistic and technical skills. Dancers and singers may be
included, depending on the film. Creative make-up and costume designers
usually help to develop the characters. Music composers create unique
scores for the films. The visual and performing arts are essential for the
entire production. What about STEM? Architects and set designers build
stages. Let’s not forget that special effects usually involve careful
calculations and ingenuity. Technology also plays a key part in the process.
Financing a film is complex mathematical work from beginning to end. Film
production is a good example of the interdisciplinary nature of STEM.
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Objective 2: Recommended
Practices for Supporting STEM
1. Foster a positive, bias-free learning
environment.
2. Find real-world connections.
3. Forge partnerships with individuals,
projects, and organizations that support
STEM.
4. Connect to the instructional day.
5. Build a conceptual understanding of
STEM.
6. Apply inquiry-based learning.
Now that we have examined the importance and interdisciplinary nature of
STEM, let’s get familiar with six essential practices for supporting STEM in
after school:
1. Foster a positive, bias-free learning environment.
2. Find real-world connections.
3. Forge partnerships with individuals, projects, and organizations that
support STEM.
4. Connect to the school day.
5. Build a conceptual understanding of STEM.
6. Apply inquiry-based learning.
This information is especially helpful for site directors or coordinators to
make important programming decisions. However, frontline staff working
directly with students will also find these practices helpful to begin
incorporating STEM into daily instructional activities.
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Science and Engineering Degrees
Earned by Underrepresented Minorities
1989-2008
National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. 2011. Women, Minorities,
and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2011. Special Report NSF 11-309.
Arlington, VA. Available at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/.
Why is it important to create a positive, bias-free environment to support
STEM in after school? Let’s take a few moments to learn about the ethnic
and gender gap in STEM. The National Science Foundation (N.S.F.) graph
on this slide shows the science and engineering degrees earned by
minorities in 1989 through 2008. Although the graph indicates gradual
increases, the total number is still below 20 percent for undergraduate
degrees, 15 percent for master’s degrees, and less than 10 percent for
doctorates. These statistics reveal that minorities are largely
underrepresented in science and engineering, one indicator of an ethnic gap
in STEM.
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Science and Engineering Degrees
Earned by Minority Women 1989-2008
National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. 2011. Women, Minorities,
and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2011. Special Report NSF 11-309.
Arlington, VA. Available at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/.
Now let’s take a look at an N.S.F. graph of science and engineering degrees
earned by minority women from 1989 to 2008. The U.S. Department of
Labor reports that women currently hold less than 25 percent of STEM jobs
in the country, even though females comprise nearly half of the workforce in
the nation. These numbers indicate an alarming gender gap in STEM, and
remind educators to help female students build skills in high-demand areas.
It is very important to avoid stereotyping of any sort in educational settings in
order to help all students reach their potential.
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STEM in After School
Learning in Afterschool
•
•
•
•
•
Active
Collaborative
Meaningful
Conducive to mastery
Aimed at expanding
students’ horizons
• Complementary of
school learning
The After-School
Corporation (TASC)
• Hands-on and inquirybased
• Thematically connected
• Assessed
• Student-driven
• Program-appropriate
One of the main challenges to STEM in after school is the limited number of
age-appropriate curricula and resources, according to The After School
Corporation (TASC), a New York-based organization. The Learning in
Afterschool Project recommends learning that is active, collaborative, and
meaningful in general. Learning that supports mastery and expands
students’ horizons is also suggested. Similar principles of learning in after
school are also reflected in the Science After School: How to Design and
Run Great Programs and Activities Guidebook for Program Leaders,
published by TASC. This guidebook recommends learning that is hands-on
and inquiry-based, student-driven, thematically connected, assessed on an
ongoing basis, and based on the program’s structure and needs. To access
more information about TASC or the Learning in Afterschool Project, see the
resources section at the end of this training.
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A Positive, Bias-Free Environment
3 Essential Es:
1. Expectations
2. Exposure
3. Engagement
A positive, bias-free environment is fundamental to address the ethnic and
gender gaps in STEM. Remembering the three essential Es is a great way to
begin addressing these disparities:
First, set and maintain high expectations for all students, regardless of
gender, ethnicity, or ability levels. All students can and will succeed if given
the right supports and instruction.
Second, expose students to high-quality STEM content continually. There is
no need to reinvent the wheel, download lessons or activities that have not
been tried and tested from the Internet, or spend a lot of money buying
curricula. The California After School Resource Center library offers a variety
of materials that have been rigorously reviewed for after school
appropriateness, standards alignment, and research basis.
Third, keep the engagement level high. Using hands-on lessons and
activities that pique the students’ interests is the most effective way to get
and retain their attention.
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Real-World Connections
Science Fairs
Guest Speakers
Study Trips
After school programs lend themselves to excellent opportunities for
students to learn about STEM in real-world contexts. Study trips to
museums and science centers, as well as camp-like experiences, allow
students to learn and make real-world connections between school and the
larger global community. Many local science centers offer student activities,
exhibits, and classes, and low-cost workshops and trainings for educators.
Another idea to bring classroom learning to life is to invite guest speakers to
your program to share about careers in STEM or other fields. Career day or
career events allow students to make connections between the skills they
learn at school and their future. This allows them to understand how to be
really good at something, which supports them in building mastery of skills.
In addition, guest experts are often available at low or no cost to after school
programs. For instance, parent volunteers or acquaintances can serve as
career day guests.
Participating in science fairs not only gives students an opportunity to
investigate topics of interest to them and to practice their presentation skills.
It also exposes them to a variety of other concepts and ideas, and gives
students a community venue to showcase what they learn in after school.
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Partnerships to Support STEM
Oakland Unified—Techbridge
Professional Learning Community Goals
• Expanding knowledge base
• Developing core competencies and innovation
• Increasing knowledge of strategies to promote
equity in science
• Increasing student interest
• Increasing awareness of careers in science
• Obtaining buy-in from local stakeholders
Some after school programs have joined forces with external STEM
providers to bring high-quality STEM to their sites. Partnerships offer a
strategic approach to serve students if both sides share mutual goals and
objectives. It is important to understand that partnerships are founded on
clear communication and strong relationships between the provider and the
after school program.
For example, Oakland Unified School District (O.U.S.D.) entered into a
partnership with Techbridge, an organization that originated at the Chabot
Space and Science Center, whose mission it is to promote students’ STEM
interests and skills, and to develop resources for teachers, role models,
families, and partners. The O.U.S.D.-Techbridge partnership created a
professional learning community in 2010 aimed at expanding the knowledge
base of participants, developing core competencies and innovation among
after school staff, increasing knowledge of strategies to promote equity in
science, increasing interest in science among students, and obtaining buy-in
and support from local stakeholders.
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Program in Action:
AfterSchool KidzScience
• Science inquiry
• Family involvement
• Career exploration
The students on this slide are completing a lesson from the AfterSchool
KidzScience Falling and Flying Kit. They built and tested paper rockets using
readily accessible materials as they learned about air resistance, gravity,
and rocket design principles. This curriculum focuses on science inquiry,
family involvement, and career exploration, in addition to providing science
skills and knowledge.
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Program in Action:
MOUSE Squad
• Information Technology
• Job Skills
• Embedded Training
Another partnership sample involves the MOUSE Squad of California
Student Tech Leadership Program currently serving over 100 sites
throughout the state. Students who participate in this program become
certified MOUSE Squad Technicians through the curriculum, which focuses
on information technology, customer service, teamwork, communication, and
leadership skills. Guided by a trained advisor, students apply the skills as
they track and respond to computer support requests to help their school or
after school program. Students learn how to ask questions, research and
identify problems and solutions, document the process, and provide
feedback. The technical lessons focus on a variety of areas, such as
computer configuration basics, user errors, hardware, and software. This
slide shows students working on a lesson that requires them to design a
computer hub. Collaboration with the instructional day faculty and
administration is essential for optimal results. So what are some intentional
ways to connect to the instructional day?
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Connect to the Instructional Day
1.
2.
3.
4.
Engage in ongoing communication.
Access curriculum maps.
Collaborate with an academic coach.
Support key standards with:
•
•
•
Endurance (long-lasting and foundational)
Leverage (connected to other standards)
Support for the next grade level
Connecting with the school day can be done in a variety of ways. You may
access the Connect to the Instructional Day Handout available at the end of
this training to learn more about the practices shown on this slide:
1. Engage in ongoing communication.
2. Access curriculum maps.
3. Collaborate with an academic coach.
4. Support key standards with endurance, leverage, and support for the
next grade level.
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Build Conceptual Understanding
Professional development opportunities:
• Reading
• Workshops/Trainings
• Professional Learning Communities
If your after school program is unable to hire a STEM coach or is not ready
to build partnerships, encourage your staff to build conceptual understanding
of STEM. Completing this training alone is a useful step toward having a
basic understanding of STEM and its relevancy to after school programs. In
the meantime, any after school educator can engage in self-guided reading
about STEM, attend workshops or training opportunities to continue building
their capacity, or create small professional learning communities where they
can support each other in incorporating STEM. The California After School
Resource Center library offers a variety of useful resources to help with
professional development, as well as with instruction, such as the books,
Teaching the Female Brain by Abigail Norfleet James, Inquire Within by
Douglas Llewellyn, or Helping Children Learn Mathematics by Jeremy
Kilpatrick and Jane Swafford.
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The 5 Es Inquiry Learning Model
Inquiry-based learning is popular in science, and is becoming increasingly
used across other disciplines due to its effectiveness in raising student
engagement. Students’ interests are at the core of inquiry learning. There
are many visual representations of this instructional approach. The one
shown on this slide depicts the 5 Es Inquiry Learning Model. It consists of
engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. After
completing this training, you may continue to part two in the series, HandsOn STEM: Dig In! for more detailed information about inquiry-based
learning.
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STEM Readiness Checklist
 Does your learning environment promote STEM
for every student?
 Are you helping students find real-world
connections to STEM?
 Have you secured partnerships to support STEM
in your program?
 Are you deliberately connecting to school day
instruction?
 Are you actively building a conceptual
understanding of STEM?
 Are you in the process of applying inquiry-based
learning?
You may access the STEM Readiness Checklist available at the end of this
training to get a better sense of how you are doing with incorporating STEM
into your program, and for additional ideas to support the essential practices
presented in this training.
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Wrap-Up
Today, you learned about
• The interdisciplinary nature and importance
of STEM.
• Six essential practices for supporting STEM:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
•
Foster a bias-free learning environment.
Provide real-world connections.
Forge partnerships.
Connect to the school day.
Build a conceptual understanding.
Apply the inquiry-based model.
How to access STEM resources.
In this training you learned about the interdisciplinary nature and importance
of STEM, as well as the six essential practices for supporting STEM in your
program. You may now proceed to access library resources, handouts, and
other resources to support you with STEM.
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Thank You!
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Hands-On STEM: Explore
It! training.
You will now have the opportunity to take a quiz to test the knowledge you
have acquired in this training. If you receive a passing score, a completion
certificate will be e-mailed to you at the e-mail address you provided. If you
don’t receive a passing score, you will have the opportunity to take the quiz
again at any time.
Following the quiz, you will be asked to complete a brief feedback survey.
After you complete the survey, you will be able to access sample California
After School Resource Center library resources and additional information
about STEM. You may start the quiz by selecting the quiz link. Thank you for
your participation!
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