October 24, 2016
By KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT
Rutherford County Schools
CHRISTIANA — Over the years, Dawn Powell has experienced everything from behavioral issues with her middle school students during long, drawn-out class lectures to some of them developing a tendency of withdrawing from conversations with classmates.
However, the longtime Christiana Middle School teacher has seen a noticeable change with the hands-on engagement of her STEM classes – in part, thanks to a Project Lead the Way Grant she received from Bemis Industries.
Christiana was one of four local middle schools – Rockvale, Blackman and Stewarts Creek being the others – to each receive a $20,000 grant.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
In a letter to the editor, which appeared in the Murfreesboro Post, Rockvale STEM instructor Perry Louden explained the classes engage “students in hands-on, real-world problem solving projects and activities, while integrating core academic elements into one class” through project-based lessons.
In an interview, he later added, “STEM classes are meant to show students math is used in other areas besides the classroom.”
Middle school students are introduced to everything from safety, STEM career paths and exploring technology to engineering and design process as well as principles of flight and even space travel.
Louden said the $20,000 grant is the largest he’s received in the eight years he’s taught STEM.
There are eight middle schools in Rutherford County offering the STEM program.
Most the instructors apply for the annual BEP Nissan Teacher Minigrant Awards, which is a $500 grant that is awarded to as many as 100 innovative teachers. The grant is sponsored by Nissan and the Business Education Partnership Foundation, and is administered through the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
“They’ve been doing that for years,” said Louden, who is regularly in touch with the other STEM instructors, who are involved in Project Lead the Way.
In addition to Louden and Powell, Zac Martin from Blackman and Stephanie Finely from Stewarts Creek also applied and were awarded the generous Project Lead the Way Grant from Bemis.
The four STEM instructors share photos and lesson plans through email and meet regularly during in-service days.
“I’m usually the guy who tries it out first and then I have to tweak it,” said Louden of his adventurous projects. “Then, after I tweak it, I tell them about it. I’ve always tried to make my classroom active and engaging for the students.”
Students analyze “flying machines” and what it takes to make them fly. In addition to air-powered straw rockets and those powered by rubber bands, students will also have an opportunity to make small solid fuel rockets with parachutes, Louden said.
County funds go toward the STEM program and curriculum, while the BEP grants are used elsewhere. The grant from Bemis must be used on Project Lead the Way.
Powell said she’ll use some of her $20,000 grant, which also paid for each instructor to take part in a week-long training session, to replace outdated software and new equipment. She said the larger grant will also allow her to schedule some projects that use “consumables,” which are not reusable materials.
She spent a conservative amount purchasing straws and clay, but is saving a majority of her money to invest in the robotics portion of Project Lead the Way, which includes the coding and building phases. She also hopes to purchase a 3D printer.
“This STEM class has helped make connections to learning science to my career choice of designing cross country courses,” Eighth-grader Emma Best said. “Once our school gets a 3D printer, it will take technical drawing to another level.”
“STEM is my favorite because of science,” added sixth-grader Zach Luna, “so when the robotics program rolls out next year, I hope to be in this class again.”
Powell said she tries to pattern her department after what Louden has done at Rockvale.
“The pace is different,” said Powell, who previously taught English, “and I’ve always been a problem solver. That’s what I tell the kids, this class is about problem-solving.”
Unlike the other programs, Powell said her STEM program at Christiana is set up as an exploratory class, and so students get rotated in and out of the class the same way they would physical education.
Doing so ensures every student will experience it.
She’ll often have apprehensive sixth-graders, who are known as STEM Explorers, enrolled in her class, Powell said.
Sixth-grader Kandice Brooks was one of those students.
“When I got into STEM, my mother and I were worried about it because I was not interested in engineering,” said Brooks, “but this class has given me opportunities to learn hands-on with the rockets, research and working in groups with people I wouldn’t normally choose to work with.”
Austin Christian, an eighth-grader enrolled in the STEM program, said he’s come to realize the lessons are also teaching life skills.
In STEM classes, students learn to work as a group rather than individually. They’re assigned specific tasks within a larger process that involved pairs or groups of three to five students.
“Their behavior becomes much more involved with their learning when they can do (a project) hands on,” Powell said, “and it’s being engaged in the outcome.”
Powell said students respond to the sense of being involved and the instant gratification of success.
One particular student, who she normally has trouble inspiring when it comes to writing and working alone, was outwardly excited when his straw rocket landed on a circular disc representing the moon.
“I just saw it in his eyes,” Powell said, “he wanted to do more. He wanted to help others and he’s not been engaged in the other activities, but when it came to this, he was ready to help others.”
In his letter to the Post, Louden concluded, “Integrated STEM education will be a vital part of the learning. The real world work environment is not separated into distinct areas of math, language, sciences and social studies, but instead all disciplines combine to make up our diverse workforce of today and that of the future.”
PHOTOS / KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT:
Students at Christiana Middle School make last minute adjustments to their air-powered straw rockets before testing their accuracy by launching them across the room toward a circular disc represting the moon.
By KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT
Rutherford County Schools
CHRISTIANA — Over the years, Dawn Powell has experienced everything from behavioral issues with her middle school students during long, drawn-out class lectures to some of them developing a tendency of withdrawing from conversations with classmates.
However, the longtime Christiana Middle School teacher has seen a noticeable change with the hands-on engagement of her STEM classes – in part, thanks to a Project Lead the Way Grant she received from Bemis Industries.
Christiana was one of four local middle schools – Rockvale, Blackman and Stewarts Creek being the others – to each receive a $20,000 grant.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
In a letter to the editor, which appeared in the Murfreesboro Post, Rockvale STEM instructor Perry Louden explained the classes engage “students in hands-on, real-world problem solving projects and activities, while integrating core academic elements into one class” through project-based lessons.
In an interview, he later added, “STEM classes are meant to show students math is used in other areas besides the classroom.”
Middle school students are introduced to everything from safety, STEM career paths and exploring technology to engineering and design process as well as principles of flight and even space travel.
Louden said the $20,000 grant is the largest he’s received in the eight years he’s taught STEM.
There are eight middle schools in Rutherford County offering the STEM program.
Most the instructors apply for the annual BEP Nissan Teacher Minigrant Awards, which is a $500 grant that is awarded to as many as 100 innovative teachers. The grant is sponsored by Nissan and the Business Education Partnership Foundation, and is administered through the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
“They’ve been doing that for years,” said Louden, who is regularly in touch with the other STEM instructors, who are involved in Project Lead the Way.
In addition to Louden and Powell, Zac Martin from Blackman and Stephanie Finely from Stewarts Creek also applied and were awarded the generous Project Lead the Way Grant from Bemis.
The four STEM instructors share photos and lesson plans through email and meet regularly during in-service days.
“I’m usually the guy who tries it out first and then I have to tweak it,” said Louden of his adventurous projects. “Then, after I tweak it, I tell them about it. I’ve always tried to make my classroom active and engaging for the students.”
Students analyze “flying machines” and what it takes to make them fly. In addition to air-powered straw rockets and those powered by rubber bands, students will also have an opportunity to make small solid fuel rockets with parachutes, Louden said.
County funds go toward the STEM program and curriculum, while the BEP grants are used elsewhere. The grant from Bemis must be used on Project Lead the Way.
Powell said she’ll use some of her $20,000 grant, which also paid for each instructor to take part in a week-long training session, to replace outdated software and new equipment. She said the larger grant will also allow her to schedule some projects that use “consumables,” which are not reusable materials.
She spent a conservative amount purchasing straws and clay, but is saving a majority of her money to invest in the robotics portion of Project Lead the Way, which includes the coding and building phases. She also hopes to purchase a 3D printer.
“This STEM class has helped make connections to learning science to my career choice of designing cross country courses,” Eighth-grader Emma Best said. “Once our school gets a 3D printer, it will take technical drawing to another level.”
“STEM is my favorite because of science,” added sixth-grader Zach Luna, “so when the robotics program rolls out next year, I hope to be in this class again.”
Powell said she tries to pattern her department after what Louden has done at Rockvale.
“The pace is different,” said Powell, who previously taught English, “and I’ve always been a problem solver. That’s what I tell the kids, this class is about problem-solving.”
Unlike the other programs, Powell said her STEM program at Christiana is set up as an exploratory class, and so students get rotated in and out of the class the same way they would physical education.
Doing so ensures every student will experience it.
She’ll often have apprehensive sixth-graders, who are known as STEM Explorers, enrolled in her class, Powell said.
Sixth-grader Kandice Brooks was one of those students.
“When I got into STEM, my mother and I were worried about it because I was not interested in engineering,” said Brooks, “but this class has given me opportunities to learn hands-on with the rockets, research and working in groups with people I wouldn’t normally choose to work with.”
Austin Christian, an eighth-grader enrolled in the STEM program, said he’s come to realize the lessons are also teaching life skills.
In STEM classes, students learn to work as a group rather than individually. They’re assigned specific tasks within a larger process that involved pairs or groups of three to five students.
“Their behavior becomes much more involved with their learning when they can do (a project) hands on,” Powell said, “and it’s being engaged in the outcome.”
Powell said students respond to the sense of being involved and the instant gratification of success.
One particular student, who she normally has trouble inspiring when it comes to writing and working alone, was outwardly excited when his straw rocket landed on a circular disc representing the moon.
“I just saw it in his eyes,” Powell said, “he wanted to do more. He wanted to help others and he’s not been engaged in the other activities, but when it came to this, he was ready to help others.”
In his letter to the Post, Louden concluded, “Integrated STEM education will be a vital part of the learning. The real world work environment is not separated into distinct areas of math, language, sciences and social studies, but instead all disciplines combine to make up our diverse workforce of today and that of the future.”
PHOTOS / KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT:
Students at Christiana Middle School make last minute adjustments to their air-powered straw rockets before testing their accuracy by launching them across the room toward a circular disc represting the moon.