Resources included in these libraries were submitted by ITEST projects or STELAR and are relevant to the work of the NSF ITEST Program. PDFs and/or URLs to the original resource are included in the resource description whenever possible. In some cases, full text publications are located behind publishers’ paywalls and a fee or membership to the third party site may be required for access. Permission for use must be requested through the publisher or author listed in each entry.
Using Robotics and Game Design to Enhance Children’s Self- Efficacy, STEM Attitudes, and Computational Thinking Skills
PublicationThis paper describes the findings of a pilot study that used robotics and game design to develop middle school students’ computational thinking strategies. One hundred and twenty-four students engaged in LEGO® EV3 robotics and created games using Scalable Game Design software. The results of the study revealed students’ pre–post self-efficacy scores on the construct of computer use declined significantly, while the constructs of videogaming and computer gaming remained unchanged. When these constructs were analyzed by type of learning environment, self-efficacy on videogaming increased
Engineering by Design Advanced Technological Applications Course
Curricular Materials"The Engineering byDesign™ Program is built on the belief that the ingenuity of children is untapped, unrealized potential that, when properly motivated, will lead to the next generation of technologists, innovators, designers, and engineers."A Standards-Based Model Program The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association's STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning™ has developed the only standards-based national model for Grades K-12 that delivers technological literacy in a STEM context.The model, Engineering byDesign™ is built on the Common Core State Standards ( High School /
Lens on Climate Change: Teacher Handbook
Curricular MaterialsOverview of the Program The Lens on Climate Change (LOCC) program engages middle and high school students in film production documenting the effects of climatic and environmental changes on their lives and in their communities. Middle and high school students are paired with graduate and undergraduate student mentors to research, film, edit, and ultimately screen their films and participate in a panel discussion. Each student group (4—6 students) is guided by both a science and a film mentor through the completion of the project. The science mentors are science graduate students from the
2017 Hydroponics Curriculum
Curricular MaterialsThis curriculum library contains materials and resources for the 2017 Hydroponics Curriculum.AlignmentsBusiness (Jun)Business (New Development)ChemistryEcological ImpactsElementary MaterialsGamesInquiryMath and StatisticsPowerpointsTrobleTools-Resources
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.