Syllabus

Bridges to STEM Learning for Grades K-8 (10 professional development hours)

This content is available for individual self-paced learning or can be used to facilitate the training of groups of K-8 teachers (in person or online) in Massachusetts.

If this course is being taken to document Professional Development hours, use the checklist on the left to document course completion.

If you are interested in CEU credit, please contact:

1. Your regional EPS provider (Educator and Provider Support Partnership) http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/workforce-and-professional-development/regional-educator-and-provider-support-partnership/ or
2. BOSTnet at http://www.bostnet.org/

Course Description

This course provides knowledge and skills in supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) infusion throughout Out-of-School Time (OST) environments. Educators learn to support STEM skill development through active, engaging, and fun approaches to each topic, while aligning to the MA-CF and engaging best practices such as ULD and TC/PBL. These online modules are interactive and engaging, providing experiential learning opportunities as well as reflection.

(If you are a supervisor or administrator in an Out of school time program, consider taking the course: Developing a STEM Empowered Program.)

Learning Outcomes

1. Define STEM and describe the similarities and differences between Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
2. Describe key barriers to STEM learning across different populations (age, gender, home language, etc.)
3. Plan lessons and activities that engage youth in active learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
4. Apply MA Curriculum Frameworks to lesson planning
5. Apply Thematic Curriculum and Project-Based Learning best practices to lesson planning
6. Plan a STEM curriculum that brings together the above lessons and best practices

Sessions

1. Exploring. This session will describe STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through narrated interactive lectures, videos, case studies and additional online resources.
2. Going Deeper. This session will delve deeper into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and explain why and how to introduce concepts and terminology to students through lectures and videos.
3. Pulling it All Together. This session will discuss Thematic Curriculum to help make the material easier for students to grasp and provide a framework to develop a program plan based on Universal Design.  It contains a lecture, blank sample plans.

Those taking this course for credit should complete the discussions and assignments. Use the checklist on the menu to the left.

Additional Readings and Resources

• DESE (2011). Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Mathematics. Retrieved from http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html
• DESE (2006). Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Science, Technology and Engineering. Retrieved from http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html
• DESE (2013) Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Standards Draft Revision, Retrieved from http://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/standards/standardsdraft.pdf
• PTA (2013) Parents’ Guide to Student Success. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pta.org/files/Common%20Core%20State%20Standards%20Resources/2013%20Guide%20Bundle_082213.pdf

Authors and Sponsors

This course is developed by Elise Scott and Susan Vinovrski, from BOSTnet.

Funding was provided by the Department of Early Education and Care, Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant.