PBLWorks

In partnership with Mass STEM Hub, a project of the One8 Foundation, students in grades 6-12 will explore and present on STEM Careers through the lens of “How can we prepare and inspire people in Massachusetts to pursue STEM careers that have the greatest potential for impact?”

In this STEM Week Challenge, students will research an in-demand STEM career that interests them AND reach out to professionals in those fields. Our goal is to create the space for students to understand how the demand for certain careers is changing and what types of opportunities there will be in the future.

What does the challenge include?
- 10-hours of instructional content and robust student and teacher facing materials
- High-quality teacher professional learning (PL) to support implementation
- Resources for networking with industry professionals to help students learn more about careers and practice network-building
- In-person showcase event at the end of STEM Week to provide authentic audience for students’ work

Watch this short video to learn more: https://youtu.be/NMyFQ8fkxls

How to participate:
- Sign up for teacher professional learning (PL). Professional learning is offered IN PERSON from 9am-12pm on Saturday, 9/10 in Worcester, and online from 3-5pm on 9/7, 9/15 and 9/19.
- Carve out 10 hours of instructional time during September and October
- Sign up to participate in an end-of-week showcase to connect with industry professionals.
- Are you a PLTW teacher? Check out implementation guidance here

More information: https://mass-stemhub.org/stem-week/

Wade Institute for Science Education

Extreme Zoo Makeover: A STEM Approach to Habitat Design

Join the Wade Institute for Science Education and our collaborating partners, The Lloyd Center for the Environment and Buttonwood Park Zoo, for our 2022 STEM Challenge “Extreme Zoo Makeover: A STEM Approach to Habitat Design”. The Challenge will engage students in grades 5-8 in a unique experience that integrates science and engineering concepts in a series of inquiry-based investigations that lead up to a student-driven challenge. Elementary and high schools are welcome to participate in the challenge.

Students will be given the following challenge: “Your local Zoo needs a makeover! As we learn more about animals’ needs, we’ve realized the Zoo’s old habitats are no longer adequate and it’s up to you and your engineering team to redesign them.

You must find a way to:
1) Design habitats that meet the specific needs of the animals for which you are designing them,
2) Engineer an enrichment item for your animal species that will stimulate natural behaviors, and
3) Create an interpretive sign and interactive features that will engage the public in your animal habitat.

The Challenge will include:
- A Professional Development session for educators planning to implement the challenge in their classrooms.
- A curriculum guide providing background information and inquiry-based investigations that can be used to lead up to the Challenge.
- A materials kit for implementing the challenge in your classroom.

Working in small groups, students will create a model zoo habitat for the animal of their choice, a piece of animal enrichment, and interpretive signage. At the end of the Challenge students will present their models to their peers, and invited guests, such as representatives of the participating STEM businesses, members of the STEM Advisory Council and educators/staff from the partner organizations. They will choose a presentation type such as a demonstration, video, storyboard, puppet show or skit to present their work. Their work will also be displayed on the social media platforms of the participating organizations and there may be opportunities to display their work at both the Lloyd Center and the Buttonwood Park Zoo.

The curriculum packet includes information and materials that will assist participants in examining zoos from the perspective of three stakeholders: the animals, the animal caretakers, and the zoo guests. Participants can visit a zoo in person or access a livestream of an animal habitat located at a zoo to use as their background information. They will then take on the role the different stakeholders to explore the elements of a habitat and which of those elements are important and can be created in a designed habitat at a zoo, wildlife park or nature center.

The 6-hour Professional Development workshop will be offered in 2 formats: a full day in-person workshop at Buttonwood Park Zoo or a virtual workshop consisting of two 3-hour virtual sessions. During the workshop teachers will participate in the pre-challenge investigations as well as the challenge. The professional development opportunities will include extension resources they can use with their students before or after the design challenge.

Help your students rise to the MA STEM Week theme “See Yourself in STEM” as they use their STEM skills and creativity to meet the “Extreme Zoo Makeover” Challenge.

Registration Information:

Cost: FREE
Pre-Challenge Professional Development Sessions:
Wednesdays, September 21st and 28th, 3:30 PM -6:30 PM ET (virtual session)
OR
Saturday, September 17, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM ET (in-person session at Buttonwood Park Zoo)

All Massachusetts teachers who attend one of the Pre-Challenge workshops will receive a materials kit. The Curriculum Guide will be available for any teachers participating in the Challenge.

While we welcome out-of-state participants to join in this Challenge, funding is restricted to Massachusetts participants only, so we will not be able to provide non-Massachusetts educators with a materials kit.

More information: https://www.wadeinstitutema.org/massachusetts-stem-week-challenges/
Register online: https://wadeinstituteforscienceeducation.wufoo.com/forms/zb603hj1hq6uxq/

Questions? Email us at: wadeinstitute@wadeinstitutema.org

Kids in Tech

This year for Mass STEM Week, student from all over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will participate in a special project, “Everyday Engineering: Using the Ordinary to Create the Extraordinary”, which will deepen their understanding of the different branches of engineering and the variety of careers that they can lead to, all while having fun creating some of their own engineering designs using everyday items.

Pre-Challenge Office Hours
We are here to answer any questions you might have about implementing this STEM Challenge!

September 16, September 23, September 30
12 PM – 1 PM EST | 3 PM – 4 PM EST

Register and Download your Classroom Materials
Each participating educator, please submit the registration form: https://kidsintech.org/stem-week-2022/#register. School and district leaders, feel free to register to receive all communications and materials, but participating teachers in your school or district should also register.

More information: https://kidsintech.org/stem-week-2022/

The STEM Education Center at WPI

In preparation for MA STEM Week, the STEM Education Center is offering several free 90-minute interactive sessions that will introduce educators to the I am STEM – STEM I am Lesson Library. This library of lessons focuses on solving problems in books and is designed to empower PK-6 students to become proud problem solvers. All lessons are aligned with grade-level ELA and math/STE standards, can be done in the classroom or remotely, and use every day and recyclable materials. Our free online workshops will introduce you to the problem solving process, show you how to navigate the library on our new website, allow you to briefly explore grade level lessons (including 6 new lessons), as well as try out an activity with colleagues.

More About I am STEM – STEM I am
The I am STEM – STEM I am Lesson Library includes 5-day lessons that focus on solving problems in books and stories. All lessons are aligned with grade-level ELA and math or STE standards, could be done in the classroom or remotely, and used every-day & recyclable materials.

With continued support from the Massachusetts Governor's STEM Council, the library was expanded to 20 lessons for grades PK-6, enhanced with culturally and linguistically responsive teaching strategies, and is housed on a new website. Whether you're new to the library or if you've tried it with students in the past, join us for this PD to see what's new and get inspired to solve problems with your students!

The I am STEM PD is free and open to any PK-6 educator (in and out of school) interested in implementing a challenge with their students. This interactive and engaging 90-minute session will introduce you to the problem solving process, show you how to navigate the library, allow you to briefly explore grade level lessons, and try out an activity with colleagues. All participants will receive a certificate for 1.5 hours of PD; gift cards available to any educator who implements one of the lessons and completes a survey about the experience.

More information and to register: https://wpi.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_82MwUtIW8IYuSxg

Questions? Please email: dltaylor@wpi.edu

United Way and Boston PIC

This design challenge focuses on social justice for civics by using STEM as the lever for change. Approximately 150 Boston Public School teachers and their classes will participate in this STEM Week design challenge.

Museum of Science

For Mass STEM Week 2022, the Museum of Science, Boston, has created an engineering challenge for students in grades 6–8. The goal: to locate fossil-fuel-based plastic items in their school and design bioplastic substitutes.

On Thursday, October 6, the Museum will host virtual professional development sessions to explain the challenge to educators and answer questions about it. Educators will also have access to a detailed online educator guide.

The challenge itself will take place over all five days on STEM Week (October 17–21). Over the course of the week, students will go through a complete cycle of the Engineering Design Process.