wading into the wetlands what is a stem project or activity? where do i find resources for stem? how...
TRANSCRIPT
Wading Into The Wetlands
• What is a STEM project or activity?
• Where do I find Resources for STEM?
• How do teachers incorporate STEM?
WHAT IS STEM?
• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Math
Yes, we know that, but what is an “authentic” STEM activity/curriculum?
“Educators – teachers, administrators and decision makers - who are vital to the preparation of students for careers in STEM areas find the term confusing and are unsure of its meaning and implications for teaching and learning.”
* STEM Education in Southwestern Pennsylvania - A
Report of a project to identify the missing components
2008
• Inquiry / Investigation
• Team of students working together
• Interdisciplinary
• Complex problem solving
• Multi-faceted
Barriers To Authentic STEM
• Inadequate teacher preparation
• Insufficient time in the classroom
• Deficient financial resources for transportation, technology, materials
• “Pressure” to ‘cover’ the standards and prepare students for testing
• Student inexperience/skill deficiencies
Resources for STEM
• School / Community partnerships
• Grants
• Volunteers
• District resources
• Educational groups (MnSTA, MDE, Educational Cooperative Unions)
Incorporating STEM
• Should NOT be an “Add On”
• Find correlations with state and national standards
• Reduce your lab activities that are not inquiry based
• Use the STEM activity as examples and for “practice problems”
Wading Into The Wetlands
• Introduction of the project
• Resources
• Incorporation into the curriculum
• Future expansion
Cascade Meadow Project
RPS District Video on Wading Into The Wetlands
Cascade Meadow Wetland and Science CenterCascade Meadow Wetland and Science Center
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Southeast Minnesota Wetland CommunitiesSoutheast Minnesota Wetland Communities
Sedge Meadow (Type 2)Type 2)Seasonally Flooded Basin (TypeType 1)
Shallow Marsh (TypeType 3)
Shallow Open Water (TypeType 5) Shrub-Carr (TypeType 6)
Fresh (Wet) Meadow (Type 2)Type 2)
Wet to Wet-Mesic Prairie (Type 2 Type 2 ) Deep Marsh(Type 4 Type 4 )
Hardwood Swamp (TypeType 7)
Rochester Public Utilites: Water
Rochester Public Utilities: Electricity
www.cascademeadow.org
What’s next? :
Expansion to other classes / schools
Continued analysis of inorganic parameters
Analysis of organic material (DOM)
Further analysis of data
Student presentations of results