Sara Shares STEAM

I was in a Twitter chat about the use of STAR/SLANT in schools. I decided last night that I would be better equipped to write a blog post on the topic rather than a series of tweets.

For those who don’t know STAR/SLANT is common to TLAC (Teach Like a Champion) schools. (From now on, I will just use the acronym STAR.) It sets an expectation for how students should look during lessons. For example, S is Sit up straight, T is Track the speaker, A is Ask/answer like a scholar, R is Respect. Often teachers may be dinged if all students are not in STAR during an observation or walk through. 

My issue with STAR is that it is not a good indicator that students are learning. It is actually an indicator of compliance. The learning takes place when students are thinking about the lesson. Learning improves when students are involved and thinking about their thinking. (Metacognition) It is internal and not external. 

We all know students who are learning even while doing other things. And there are also students who may look like they are learning yet are not understanding the content. Some students need to have something to do while learning; other students need to be focused with few distractions. 

For me, framing STAR as an etiquette skill rather than a “learning” skill makes better sense. For example,“When I am teaching having you look at me helps me believe that you are paying attention and that you value what I am saying. So in this classroom, we will look at the speaker so they feel listened to and that their ideas and thoughts are valued.” 

I also address that when someone is speaking they should be listening while sitting still and quiet. Being still and quiet helps students who need to be focused by eliminating some of the distractions that can interfere with learning. It is being respectful and polite. Framing it like this,“Let’s get our bodies and voices ready to show the speaker that we are paying attention and value what they are saying.” Or “Let’s get our bodies and voices ready to help our friends focus on learning.”

For those students who do need to move during lessons, there are a lot of tools that can meet their need to move without being a distraction to others. If you have students who need to be vocal, build in opportunities for them to do that in a way that doesn’t distract others. Help them be respectful and polite to others, but don’t assume that students who are moving or talking are not listening or learning. 

To help students process lessons better, think-aloud to show them that listening is not a passive skill but an active skill. Students should also think-aloud to share how they are thinking. Bringing metacognition to the forefront is what helps students be better learners. Sitting in a certain way may be helpful to some, but the problem is that it is not an accurate reflection of whether or not learning is happening. It just shows compliance. 

It seems that everywhere you look, people are worried about student’s learning-loss. My concern is that we will see an even stronger push on reading and math skills so that STEAM/STEM gets pushed to the side or even off the allowed curriculum.

So what are some ways to keep STEAM/STEM in the school day? For me, thematic units or content integration may be the easiest.

As an elementary teacher, I like to connect STEAM lessons to literature or non-fiction books. And it is even better when you can use both fiction and non-fiction works. Using literture and non-fiction in your challenges increases vocabulary. The non-fiction can introduce technical vocabulary and build the background knowledge for the challenge. The fiction can set the purpose for the challenge and can introduce literary vocabulary. 

A simple example: Fiction story Three Billy Goats Gruff  Non-fiction How to Build Bridges. The Three Billy Goats Gruff introduces the problem: the goats trip trapping across the bridge wakes up and irritates the Troll. 

Challenge the students to design a bridge that will muffle the goats hoofs so that the troll can sleep. Constraints could be bridge height and span (Troll must fit underneath. It has to span a 2 ft. wide stream.) You may have some plastic goats to test the sound as the trip trap over the bridge and have a troll to fit underneath. One set would be enough; teams borrow to test then to share their designs. Before they begin, you would read the How to Build Bridges book and maybe even have the teams build one of the bridges covered in the book. 

The non-fiction book gives them the vocabulary to talk about and plan their design.  Of course, students are talking and writing about their bridges during the process. Most likely, they may have to go back to the texts to review or get the words they need. When they are finished with their bridge, teams share their bridge and describe how they built it and the process. 

You have some funds and have the okay from your administrator to bring STEAM into your classroom; so where do you begin? This post won’t go into specific tools, but it will be about things to consider before starting.

Before you start to order the fun tools for your program, consider these items:

Devices (Do you need them to use the tool?) Tools/Materials

Access

How to get them

How to return them

Amount needed

Where to store

How to inventory

How to charge

How to assign

How to keep track of logins and passwords

Use and Care

Training

Job aids

Signs

How to clean for health and safety

Who cleans

How do they know what needs cleaning

Safety materials access

What is needed

Hand sanitizer

Googles

Gloves

Masks

Storage

Cleaning

Projects

Work space

Hand washing area or materials

Social distancing markers

Safety notices

Where to store

How to keep them away from others

Organization

Shelves

Bins

Pegboard

Tables

Be sure that you also plan on labeling. Labeling helps with storage, inventory, getting materials, and returning materials. Have a system in place for getting materials and returning them. Use a label maker, printable labels, permanent markers, etc.

One of the advantages of STEM is that most students are engaged in the activities. Teachers may start to put students into “STEM” activities to keep them busy so the teacher can do other tasks. Students also can start to think of STEM as a play or free-time. But we know that STEM provides so many opportunities for students to work on projects while applying the other content areas. So how do you get staff and students to connect STEM to skills in content and not just a “fun” time during the day?

First, it usually is helpful to start with more structured activities so that students can learn how to use the tools or process. Tutorials are helpful so students can see what the tool can do. For example, Scratch has tutorials and other help tools to get students started. A few years ago, I had students work through the online tutorials. One girl was through the first 10 when she then had an idea for a project. She then made her proposal and worked on her idea. If you are doing low-tech projects, start with everyone doing the same project. This is when you teach the process. One of our teachers in our Cardboard Construction class had each student make a cardboard dog. After they learned the process by working on a dog with the group, they then worked in pairs to make a different cardboard animal. This was a K-2 grade group with a few third graders. The animals they made were amazing! By starting on a project as a group, the students were better equipped to do their own. 

All projects must begin with an essential question or problem to solve. This is a perfect time to connect to other content. ELA is usually thought to be difficult, but I think it is one of the easiest to connect. STEM creates opportunities for students to learn vocabulary, read for background knowledge or to complete tutorials, writing in their journals, solving a problem in a story, presenting their project to an audience, etc. Constraints are another way to connect content standards to STEM. Measurement and geometry can be easily connected to projects; i.e.. Make a maze for your robot to move through that is a total of 6 feet in distance, includes 5 angles, and the maze path should be 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. 

I think having a timeline is also important. Students need to be able to complete their projects within a set time frame. By setting check-in points and breaking up the whole timeline into shorter goals, students are more likely to stay focused and be successful. Example: students have 4 weeks to complete a project. The first goal and check in may be to have a plan ready by the end of the first week complete with materials list. The second goal may be to build the first prototype to see if any adjustments need to be made. It is helpful for students to have a checklist to work from or rubric. Be sure to include time for preparing to present. 

Lately, I have seen a lot of things on social media where white people are upset that people of color are being cast into popular characters. Recently the hashtag #NotMyAriel is an example of this. I really don’t get that how in the world they do not see that probably 99% of our experience in the USA is looking at white people. We see white people in all sorts of media, as teachers in children of color’s classrooms, in toys for kids, in advertisements, and pretty much everywhere. We white people don’t have to worry about exposure. 

A bit about me. I grew up in the south from about 1960-1968. I went to segregated schools. Even though Civil Rights legislation outlawed segregation in 1964. I have stories about those days. But those aren’t the stories I want to talk about today. My childhood was pretty white. But we watched the Civil Rights movement on TV. My dad was in the Navy so he worked with men of different races. So I did have some exposure to other races, but it was very small. We drove to downtown Jacksonville, Florida to deliver clothes and food to Pearl who was a wonderful black woman who helped my mom and other Navy wives in the neighborhood with ironing. (Navy uniforms needed a lot of ironing!) So I was aware somewhat of what was going on in the world as a young child. 

Now to get to my point. When I was old enough to just hang out in the toy department at about 7 or 8, I noticed that all of the dolls were white. Barbies were white, baby dolls were white, GI Joes were white! I wondered how did it feel to be black and only see white dolls? I did not think it was a good feeling. I then noticed the same white blindness on TV, movies, advertisements, billboards, etc. I knew it would make kids of color think they needed to look more white. (Which I already thought was wrong.) 

When I saw my first black baby doll, I also noticed it was a white baby doll with dark plastic skin and black hair and brown eyes. The doll looked nothing like Pearl’s kids. I thought it was wrong then. How could those dolls make a black child feel valued? I was 7-8 years old, and I recognized it. 

I then took this same lens while watching TV and movies, reading books, looking at ads in the paper. Why was everyone white when they could be black just as easily? I was confused about it. I also knew it was detrimental to people of color and actually even to white people to only see white people everywhere they looked. 

In 1968, I move to Hawaii! Now I was exposed to and going to school with so many different races, nationalities, and religions. Now I was noticing that Hawaiians, Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, Philipino, Samoan, Native Americans, etc. were pretty much non-existent in media, toys, books, and more. How did those kids feel? I could not imagine not being able to find someone in something that looked like me in minutes... Much less to not see someone in years, decades, or even a lifetime. But I knew that many people of color did not see themselves represented ever. It was heart-breaking. 

We white people have been in the limelight for centuries. A beautiful black girl with a magical voice is the perfect choice for Ariel. Maybe in another version, Ariel will be Asian or Native American or Trans or whoever captures the character.

I had an epiphany yesterday. You see, I watch a lot of cooking show competitions. I realized that the contestants are judged on both flavors and creativity, however, they are never given free-reign to create. They always have constraints, such as having to use basket ingredients on Chopped, only shop certain aisles on Guy’s Grocery Games, make a certain ingredient the star of the dish on Beat Bobby Flay, and others.

The constraints give the contestants a problem to solve. They give the challengers a framework which the contestants need to work with. The framework gives them a starting place that opens up the possibilities of how to meet the challenge and work with the constraints. 

An open-ended challenge would encourage contestants to make something that they already are successful making. They most likely won’t create something new. People would do the tried and true or familiar. It is the constraints that encourage creativity.

We need to remember how important it is to set constraints when we construct challenges for our students so that they have to apply problem-solving, higher-thinking skills, and creativity to be successful. 

Often we think open-ended projects encourage the most creativity. But open-ended projects often leave students hanging without supports. Constraints help students find a starting point and direction to create their projects. This helps them get started earlier and able to plan ahead easier.

Knowing expectations (challenge and constraints) helps students focus on the task and liberates creativity. They help the student plan how to meet the challenge.

When students don’t have limits or constraints, it is like being a kid in a candy store without limits. They are quickly overwhelmed by all of the possibilities.

When students are creating, they are engaged and busy. They are trying new ideas and solutions. It is important that they record the journey so that they can build on what the learned. 

However, many teachers are intimidated by STEM journals, but they don’t need to be. Think about STEM/STEAM challenges as telling a story, and it may be easier to understand the components. 

Minimum journal requirements should be similar to telling a story. Introduction, events, a conclusion should be a part of each entry. 

The introduction can include the challenge, constraints, and materials, It can also include the plan. The events describe what happened during the prototyping period or the first challenges. The conclusion explains what worked, what didn’t work, and what the students would do the next time. 

Don’t forget that students should be encouraged to draw, label, and annotate their entries. 

You have added a lot of materials and devices to your STEM or Makerspace program. Students and staff are getting more adventurous and creative so materials are getting used more often which is a good thing. However, it can get expensive to maintain. How do you keep your program running at a high level without much of a budget?

One of the high costs in a program can be batteries. If students are using battery powered tools, you may be replacing batteries weekly or even more often. Here are some ways to help with battery costs: Be sure to teach students to be frugal and turn off battery-powered equipment when not in use. Buy rechargeable batteries when possible. The initial cost is higher, but it will save a lot of money in the future. Buy AC/DC converters for items that can use them. There is the up-front cost which is higher, but it will save money in the future. If you get AC/DC converters, you may also want to get power strips. 

Be sure to impose constraints. Constraints not only help conserve materials, but they also increase creativity. Limiting the amount of expensive materials available can give more students opportunities to work with them. 

Take apart and recycle materials as often as possible. Often pipe cleaners, craft sticks, pom poms, etc. can be removed and used again. Be sure that students have photos or videos of their projects for posterity. 

To ensure materials are available, use and care cannot be ignored or skimped on. Be sure that you spend a lot of time on how students need to take care of materials. Spend time on how to take inventions and projects part to save materials. Students sometimes get to rambunctious in taking things apart that materials get destroyed in the process. Revisit use and care often. 

It can get expensive to provide tape and glue or other consumable adhesive products. Look at getting tools such as Strawbees and Makedos to connect items without using consumable products. Think about how to use rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips, velcro, and other non-consumables, too. 

Look for business donors. For example, offices, hardware stores, and craft stores may have partially used items available to donate.Have students write letters requesting donations. Example, craft store has a class that uses glue sticks. After the class is done, they can’t sell the glue sticks but may donate them to your program. Home Depot also does a lot of classes that may have some left-over supplies to donate. 

This is a new item for our STEAM Makerspace for 2018-2019! I saw these in a tweet from Ryan Read. I checked them out, and I could see how we could use them in our program.

What are Pix Brix? They are like a single pixel to build with. You may combine them with Legos or similar bricks. 

Since I work with elementary students, I opted to buy the kits from Pix Brix. I ordered each kit! Each kit includes various animals from different biomes. One includes farm animals. 

I finally found organizers from Michaels that fit the small pieces similar to this one. Mine has 17 compartments, and it also sells for under $3. (I got mine for about $1.50 on sale.) I labeled each section with which animal can be built with the parts. I will be adding tweezers to get the small pieces out of the compartments. 

The instructions sheets are laminated and will be stored in a zippered pencil case. 

So what will we use them for? I am thinking of a group project for primary aged students. Each student will make an animal for their biome or environment. The animals and such will be staged on Lego bases. They may also add to the scene using Legos or drawings, etc. 

Each student will do a short research project on their animal. The group will then collaborate on another project to explain how the animals co-exist in the environment. The farm animals will have to adjust the group written project. I am not sure yet what that may look like! I am also open to the idea of a fiction story being told through the Pix Brix. 

I am excited to see how the addition of Pix Brix impacts our program. 

Organizing the space and materials is maybe the most important part of setting up your space. 

One of the challenges is to provide resources for both teachers and students to use while working. Of course, you can use an online storage to house documents; but sometimes, hard copies are easier. I use large binders like these (often your school or district will have used ones in storage somewhere for free) with pencil cases to hold smaller items such as task cards. I also love document holders for heavy-duty laminated sheets. 

I find it necessary to have my own laminator rather than using the school one because mine laminates with a much sturdier plastic. The one I use is a Scotch Laminator. It is easy to find at most stores and online. I also have the extra-wide one. I also have a variety of laminating sheets in various sizes. I laminate help sheets and directions for various tools and projects. They are then stored in some of the document holders.

A label maker is also helpful for labeling shelves, bins, folders, and more. Organizing materials so they are easy to find and return is one of the most important steps in designing your space.

Some of the storage pieces that I like for organizing are Iris Scrapbook Project Cases. I put small laminated posters and handouts for different tools. The cases then are labeled. 

Different sizes of clear bins labeled with their contents are also needed. 

I also have these tackle boxes to hold things like scissors, glue, tape, and some pre-loaded consumable items. These make it easy for students and teachers to have some common supplies readily available to use. 

These carts work well to hold things like robots and circuit tools  with their accessories. I also store the corresponding binders and document folders in the cart. You can find them at better prices. They do need to be put together, but they are roomy and roll from place to place. I also label the carts and the drawers with the contents. 

Then there is shelving to think about! Look around and see what isn’t being used in your building and district before buying. If your shelves are tall, you may also want to have step-stools or ladders for easy access. Keep your eyes open for remodeling of stores or going out of business places to maybe score some shelving for free or at a lower cost. 

These are items and storage solutions that have worked for me. You may find others that work better in your building and space. Just be sure to think about how to organize for easy access and clean-up.

I was thinking about some of the tools that I find to be useful that aren’t on many people’s lists. We all know that having cardboard, tape, glue, tubes, pipe cleaners, pom poms, and googly eyes are helpful, but what else makes life in the Maker Space easier?

I think you should have tweezers available or even small tongs to pick up those tiny items like googly eyes. (Ours are always full of static electricity so the tweezers help you get only what you need.) We also have tweezers in our little Bits kits and Lego kits. These Perler Bead tweezers work fairly well and are easy to find, but regular tweezers are good, too. 

Lunch trays are awesome to use for building surfaces. You can also use box lids if you don’t have the budget to buy or access to trays. Writing student names on the surface also helps with storage and knowing what project belongs to which student. 

I also like to have some smaller storage containers for different parts of supplies. For example, what do you do with the little pieces left from cut up pipe cleaners or yarn bits? Usually, either throw them away or put them back with the larger pieces where they get swallowed up. Having little containers (I like clear ones that stack together) helps keep them together and visible. Students may find exactly what they need pre-cut for them. We also have some storage for colored paper scraps and tissue paper scraps.