Inquiry-Based Learning Environment
- STEM K12 7: Students engage collaboratively in authentic inquiry during ongoing units of study.
|
Systemic work to create a shared vision of appropriate, challenging STEM instructional design has been a major focus for the past five years and has proven to yield tremendous gains with regard to student interest in STEM content and in opportunities to facilitate increased partnerships between the school system and local industry. In terms of classroom instruction, it has been transformed from a traditional model, where students were merely experiencing instruction through a “sit-n-get” mode, to an integrated approach, where collaborative groups of students work on real-world challenges using newly-acquired content knowledge to explore, design, test, modify, and solve problems that simulate those one might experience outside of the classroom environment.
The basic or beginning STEM projects require students to apply knowledge to solve problems, design solutions, and complete work, in new and unpredictable situations. As students progress through the curriculum, they are required to analyze and solve problems and create unique solutions. |
Finally, students must think in complex ways to create solutions and take actions that further develop their skills and knowledge. Students completing the Carrollton High School Engineering pathway have the opportunity to work within teams of students to design and build products utilizing industry-grade machinery to produce architectural drawings, competition robots, 3-D models, and much more. This work is further strengthened by our partnership with Southwire, a leading cable, wire, and cord manufacturer. Through this opportunity students work as interns with Southwire engineers to address existing challenges within the company and arrive at creative solutions, which they present to a panel of Southwire engineers on a bi-monthly basis. The work completed via this internship has resulted in the development of several iPhone apps, improving time down on the assembly line, streamlining information throughout the plant, and many more examples. As evidenced by the examples above, the Carrollton City School System is a firm believer in providing students with learning experiences that provide rigor and relevance through inquiry based activities. With a solid foothold in the Understanding by Design model, we craft learning experiences that provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and apply it to new situations. Students must be able to take what they have learned and solve new and different problems, instead of merely restating information for a test. To determine if students truly understand the course content, we must assess whether or not students can take what they have learned and transfer to challenges that mirror those found in the real world. And when students can successfully master challenges such as these, we can trust that our students have been prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Artifacts:
- Carrollton Junior High School Flex Class Options
- STEM Partnership between CHS and Southwire PBS Video
- CHS STEM Collaboration Log - Shared Google spreadsheet used to document STEM Collaboration
- CHS STEM Activities (Google Form Responses) - Google form used to archive STEM activities and share resources and ideas
- Teachers are expected to assess students using higher levels of thinking and questioning (CHS uses the Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depths of Knowledge models). Our STEM teacher also uses this guide for teaching students for problem-solving skills.
- Reverse Engineering Project
STEM Across the Curriculum Day
For one entire day at CHS, students participated in STEM activities in all of their classes. The CHS STEM Across the Curriculum Day highlights can be found in the following wiki: http://carrolltonhighstemday.wikispaces.com/.
For one entire day at CHS, students participated in STEM activities in all of their classes. The CHS STEM Across the Curriculum Day highlights can be found in the following wiki: http://carrolltonhighstemday.wikispaces.com/.
STEM Students Create Smartphone Accessory
Two CHS STEM students create project called the "Life Cable," a smartphone accessory used to transfer battery power from one device to another (Android or Apple devices).
Their product will be available for purchase online this month. To view more information, visit their website at: http://lifecableus.com/.
Students Develop Smartphone App - Web Article
Students Develop Smartphone App - Times Georgian Article
Biology Students in Chemical Reactions Lab
Students use hands-on materials to simulate enzymes working as catalysts to either synthesize or break down substrates in chemical reactions to meet Georgia Biology Standard SB1.b (Explain how enzymes function as catalysts).
View Pictures from Lab
Education Students School Commercials
Students create a charter school and commercial to promote their school. The commercial must "sell" their school idea, detail their educational philosophy and provide a full description of their school.
Rubric
Psychology Project - Biology and Behavior
Our Psychology students began a new unit focused on the interaction between Biology and Psychology. The teacher wanted to get the unit started by asking students why people engage in extreme activities like mountain climbing or skydiving. He showed a Ted Talk about Alan Eustace who climbed over 135,000 feet into the stratosphere and fell back to Earth. Afterward, the class had a discussion about the science and engineering that made it possible but also the motivation behind what makes someone push their body to the limit to achieve such an extraordinary feat. View the Daily Agenda and Discussion Questions here.
Two CHS STEM students create project called the "Life Cable," a smartphone accessory used to transfer battery power from one device to another (Android or Apple devices).
Their product will be available for purchase online this month. To view more information, visit their website at: http://lifecableus.com/.
Students Develop Smartphone App - Web Article
Students Develop Smartphone App - Times Georgian Article
Biology Students in Chemical Reactions Lab
Students use hands-on materials to simulate enzymes working as catalysts to either synthesize or break down substrates in chemical reactions to meet Georgia Biology Standard SB1.b (Explain how enzymes function as catalysts).
View Pictures from Lab
Education Students School Commercials
Students create a charter school and commercial to promote their school. The commercial must "sell" their school idea, detail their educational philosophy and provide a full description of their school.
Rubric
Psychology Project - Biology and Behavior
Our Psychology students began a new unit focused on the interaction between Biology and Psychology. The teacher wanted to get the unit started by asking students why people engage in extreme activities like mountain climbing or skydiving. He showed a Ted Talk about Alan Eustace who climbed over 135,000 feet into the stratosphere and fell back to Earth. Afterward, the class had a discussion about the science and engineering that made it possible but also the motivation behind what makes someone push their body to the limit to achieve such an extraordinary feat. View the Daily Agenda and Discussion Questions here.
E2E @ SWEA
The pinnacle of the STEM program at Carrollton High School is the Southwire Engineering Academy, a one-year internship program with the Engineering Department at Southwire, a local company and national leader in wire and cable manufacturing. The Southwire Engineering Academy interns regularly participate in E2E (Engineer to Engineer) Competitions. This is inquiry-based learning at its best. One example is the Lego Airplane E2E Competition. To view additional information about this competition, use the following links: |
|