Merging STEAM/STEM with Reading - Novel Engineering

This. Will. Change. Your. Life.

Merging STEAM/STEM with Reading...

by Engineering Solutions for Books!

So, you're students are already superstars at identifying the main problem of a story...but have they have had the chance to actually DESIGN & CREATE different solutions for those problems!? You need to do this with your kiddos.

      

This can be done with picture books like these....










or novels  (even during literature circles!) like these...














With this easy-to-use guide, your students will be identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, working collaboratively, MAKING, giving feedback, and improving their designs using the 5 EASY STEPS OF ENGINEERING DESIGN:

1. Ask
2. Imagine
3. Plan
4. Create
5. Improve

Check out some of the creations that students came up!

An under-ground storage area!

A hover board!

A way to prevent forest fires!

The nitty gritty of it...

How to Introduce Growth Mindset to your Intermediate Students

#GrowthMindset lesson in a nutshell. pic.twitter.com/2UtFrY1TMB

— 20 Percent Genius (@20percentgenius) August 31, 2015

 For the first time ever, we decided to teach a lesson on Growth Mindset to our students! Here's how we went about it!

Read The Most Magnificent Thing

Simply do a read aloud and discuss her character traits, or if you have time try this AMAZING reading lesson that promotes creativity and incorporates planning and peer feedback! (Yay for getting those Genius Hour elements in!) 

Read About how the Brain Works

We used this article to teach students that the brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked! We had the class read the article aloud, then had students answer comprehension questions with a group. 

Make Connections Between the two and Create an Anchor Chart

We asked students to share character traits (and provide evidence) of the main character in the story. We then asked students to share the gist of the Brain is Like a Muscle article. We set that a mindset is like a belief, and that the character in The Most Magnificent Thing believes in the Growth Mindset, and the author of the other article does as well. Based on this, we asked students to define what a Growth Mindset is. 

We provided examples of something someone with a fixed mindset might say and how to change your wording to shift to a growth mindset. Students then provided their own examples of both fixed and growth mindset phrases.

To conclude the lesson, we directed students' attention to the posters hanging in the room. We said that students can use these as a reference and add to it throughout the year. 

Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, that's it! 

Genius Hour 20 Day Challenge - Day 16: Knowing When to Move On & Where I Am Board

Day 16: Knowing When to Move On & Where I Am Board

To help understand where each student or group is in the process, I leave this Mimio document posted during Genius Hour time.

Students drag their name and put it in the appropriate stage. I'm sure to point out to students that some groups may be further along than others, or go back and forth between stages (which is FINE). Some projects require more creation, while some require more research. Some benefit from an interview, while others can skip a step! This simple management strategy helps keep students stay motivated and on track, and it helps the teacher understand who may need some additional support. You don't need a Mimio to do this! A FREEBIE printable version that would work just like a behavior management board (with names on clothespins). You can use chart paper and post-its or make a chart on your computer. This was a quick visual for us to see who needed more help and who was ready to move on.

Your chart may be as simple as this:

Researching                                 Interviewing                        Working on Final Project

At this point you are running to the finish lineeeeee. Almost.There.

YESSSSSS!!!!

After students have had some time to research/interview/tinker/etc., we have some students are start to get near the end. This is a time that we do a mini-lesson about Knowing When to Move On. 

Mini Lesson # 6: Knowing When to Move On

• Read through your RESEARCH question or step. 
• Think about the information you just gained, and if you've answered your question.
• If you have, move on. If you haven't, think about what you're missing. 

We have students go back and make sure that they have answered their questions. The first time we did Genius Hour, we skipped this step....PSA: DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!! Students need the time (and a reminder!) to make sure that they are answering their questions.

Using our Google Site (check out the bundle here) makes things so easy! By having everything in one place, it helps the students stay organized AND YOU stay organized! At the bottom of their Documentation/Notes pages, we have students copy and paste their question at the bottom. Then, they write a short paragraph answering their question. If they have trouble using their research/interviews/notes to answer their questions, then they may need to do some more research.