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Have a
question or comment?
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Core
idea:
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The
core idea of our approach is that engineering and
thinking skills need not "stand alone" in the
curriculum, but can and should leverage existing
curricular elements -- in particular literature or
social studies/history. We
envision a supportive curriculum in which students
respond to literature through engineering design
projects by identifying needs that the characters have,
by identifying multiple possible solutions, and by
exploring and refining those solutions through
prototyping and revision. For example, kindergarteners
might respond to a common fairy tale by designing a
house for one of the little pigs (or perhaps a means of
blowing down a house for the wolf!); fifth graders might
respond to the book Island of the Blue Dolphins by
identifying needs and solutions for Karana, the marooned
main character of the novel.
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Background: |
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The process begins with literature, such as fairy
tales, starting in the lower grades and leading to more
sophisticated stories at older ages – stories that
engage students. The teacher facilitate the students
finding
design challenges while reading and discussing the
story. Using the
engineering design process & skillful thinking
methodology, PreK-5 teachers can create motivating
questions that will give students the opportunity to
probe, poke and peek into the mysteries of science &
mathematics while doing an engineering project as well
as learning, through modeling by the teacher, skillful
thinking strategies. |
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What we are
about |
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Interdisciplinary Learning
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Expected outcomes:
Teachers: Have an understanding of the
roles of engineers and their contribution in society. Use the design process for
creating an intergraded curriculum that shows students the
relevance of all subjects in their daily lives. Understand the
use of thinking skills strategies within their lesson plans. Create life long learners
in their students.
PreK-5 students: When entering the
6th grade, they see learning as an
exciting adventure and the relevance of mathematics, science and
engineering in their lives. Learn to work with 21st. century
skills and be able
to contribute content knowledge required of that activity. Be
comfortable with reflecting on their use of thinking skills in
their lives.
It all centers
around the definitions:
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Engineering
is about designing useful products &
processes to make life better using all
disciplines but mainly science & mathematics.
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Science is
about explaining patterns in the universe.
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Mathematics
is the language to manage a design & account
for the patterns in nature.
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Benefits:
Invites the incorporation of
instructional technology into the curriculum.
Engineering is differentiated:
offers an "in" for learners of all types.
Rich cross-curricular possibilities.
Integration with math is an important
way to show students how and why math is relevant
and useful in the world.
Directly connected with improvement
of living conditions/safety/health and welfare of
people.
Engages both students and teachers
in an exciting learning process.
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Overview of the
Professional Development (PD)
program being proposed |
This will
provide a collaborative model for the
teachers to learn the following:
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Understanding of
what engineers, scientists and
mathematicians do. Show that
teachers know more about engineering
then they think. Teachers interview
an engineer. Model that engineering
is all around us.
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How to do
creative designs and problem
solving. Understanding the design
process and
use tools like brainstorming,
brain-writing, shaping,
morphological analysis and decision
tools.
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How to find
design challenges in stories to
create an interdisciplinary learning
opportunity.
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How thinking
skills of questioning, creative and
critical thinking, meta-cognitive
reflection
and strategies are tools of
engineering.
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Use of feedback,
measurements and assessments are
important to the success of a
design challenge project. Setting
outcome goals to use as the basis
for measurements.
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Using inquire
base (project based) learning to
create 21st century learning
experiences.
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Why use
literature ?
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Literature is an integral part of all existing school
curriculum.
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Stories have the
potential to present situations that can challenge children’s
imagination.
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Stories can
serve to encourage students to begin to generate design
proposals and connect to STEM ( science, technology,
engineering, mathematics )
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Literature
is an area of the curriculum that all teachers are familiar
with and, thus, the design process can start from a position of
strength within the classroom.
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Building on
children’s strength.
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Engineering & skillful
thinking focus: |
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We are teaching the students about the
engineering
profession and the process of
engineering
design.
We are not teaching engineering but the
thinking process that underlines engineering With this background, they can apply it to many inquiry based
activities in designing new products or processes. As part
of the engineering method, they are taught about
skillful
thinking, collaboration, "to
fail often to succeed" and
rubrics
to measure their success
and
learning. (see
example). Once a theme is developed
for an activity, both the appropriate mathematics and science framework items can we woven into the story. |
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| What others are saying: |
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