The curricular materials below have been developed by ITEST projects and shared for dissemination to broader audiences through STELAR’s resource library. ITEST projects work with PreK-12 youth in a variety of STEM disciplines and settings. Additional information is included within each entry, including information about the project’s focus and audience, as well as PDFs and/or URLs to the original resource. These materials are made available for public use through the National Science Foundation’s public access policy, which encourages funded projects to share all materials generated over the course of the grant. Unless otherwise noted, these curricular materials are free to use with appropriate credit to the organization/authors.
Supersized Life: Comparing Across Scales
Curricular MaterialsDRIVING QUESTION: How wide is the scale of living beings that we encounter, even if we can’t see them? LEARNING GOALS: To prepare and empower students to undertake a more formal study of exponents and logarithms by creating and solving math problems involving changes on a logarithmic base-ten scale. To give students an intuitive sense and appreciation of how large changes by orders of magnitude are. STEM INTEGRATION: Science: Students will learn about animals and viruses that are usually too small and fragile to see and manipulate through 3D printed models of these organisms and information
Mammal Skull Versus Reptile: What are the differences?
Curricular MaterialsDRIVING QUESTION: If you find a fossilized skull, what clues tell you if it is a mammal or reptile? LEARNING GOALS: Learning goals are for students to collect, analyze and interpret data found in 3D printed fossil skulls. Students will be able to understand what type of information fossils can provide, including the environment where animals lived and the type of food they ate. In addition, they will have a better understanding of how much information can be found from past events regardless of size and or/time periods. COLLABORATIONS: Students will be placed in groups of 4. Each member of the
Stitching the Loop: An Electronic Textiles Unit in Exploring Computer Science
Curricular MaterialsIn our new curriculum unit, students explore electronic textiles (e-textiles): articles of clothing, accessories, or home furnishings with embedded electronic and computational elements. This curriculum is an alternate for Unit 6: Robotics. After conducting various studies on curriculum design, teaching strategies, student learning, and portfolio designs, this unit is ready for download and classroom implementation by ECS teachers.Design-Focused: To make electronic textiles (e-textiles), students first imagine and journal about the project they wish to make, then design circuits that connect
Indigenous Environmental Science 101 (with Drones)
Curricular MaterialsThis course is designed for students enrolled in the Bridge Idaho Upward Bound program. During a 2-week stay at the McCall Outdoor Science School, students will explore basic environmental science topics through the lens of local and traditional knowledge and the use of remote sensing technology. Students will learn about the use of UAVs to work on local socio-ecological issues and design and conduct student-led projects that explore the application of the technology to issues of interest to them and to their community.Participants will learn about basic environmental science topics like
Billion Oyster Project Environmental Restoration Science Curricula 2018
Curricular MaterialsStudents will go outdoors to observe and document the water cycle in motion where they live. Students will also discover how they and their community impact not only the movement of water through the cycle, but also the water quality.ObjectivesDescribe the movement of water through the water cycle. Understand that water changes states when it gains energy from the sun or loses energy to the environment. Understand that gravity causes water to move downhill and to precipitate from the clouds. Create a model of the water cycle using the original pictures of water in the act of precipitating
STEM Mio Journey
Curricular MaterialsSTEM Mio aims to impact students, family and the community by engaging students in inquiry-based STEM learning, educating entire families on STEM careers and Latino role models, and preparing students for college pathways to STEM careers.Latinos make up the youngest and fastest growing demographic in the US but remain underrepresented in STEM professions. While clearly capable, Latino students often lack familiarity with potential STEM careers, Latino STEM role models, and the college resources available to them.
Mystery of Taiga River
Curricular MaterialsThis game narrative is designed to help players understand the complexities in decision-making that exist in all communities, as they investigate and propose solutions to resolve a fish decline in a small national park. As a part of this experience, students take on the role of a scientific field investigator by interviewing stakeholders, conducting experiments on how water quality affects fish life, and collecting data. They will explore the scientific method to develop hypotheses about the park’s problem and pose possible solutions. Through these efforts they will come to understand the idea
WearTec Curriculum Series
Curricular MaterialsThe Nebraska 4-H Wearable Technologies (WearTec) project was funded by the National Science Foundation's Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program in October of 2014.The overall goal for this three-year WearTec project is to study a systematic set of learning experiences focused upon the use of wearable technologies to effectively support student comprehension of the engineering design process and to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academics and careers by students in grades 4 to 6. The project is also interested
Middle School Pathways in Computer Science Curriculum
Curricular MaterialsCS Pathways is a 20-hour introductory computer science curriculum for middle school which builds digital literacy skills as a pathway into computer science. It is based on having students design mobile apps for social good. The curriculum was developed with NSF funding in a collaboration with teachers in Everett and Medford, MA, and is intended to be integrated into technology, engineering, science, math, library, or art courses. During the first project year, a reference curriculum was prepared by teachers Denise Salemi and Dawn Munro, both technology teachers in the Everett School district
Experiential Learning Curricular Modules
Curricular MaterialsAdvancing Geospatial Thinking and Technologies in Grades 9-12 This curricular model provides an effective and accessible way of introducing geospatial technologies to students through local issues, while providing them with the skills and motivation for pursuing STEM careers that utilize geospatial technology. Learning modules include historical geography, parks and gardens, green space, crime, housing, and youth employment. Critical thinking, technological tools & skills, civic engagement, and career paths are integrated into each module that can be adapted to any school setting and community