Spring 2017 STEM Objectives and Problem Based Learning Modules

Dear STEM Teachers,

Please review and complete the required fields in this document which will be used
during our next planning meeting that I would like to conduct next Monday,
February 6th at 3:40. Please notify me immediately if you have a conflict and if too
many people cannot attend, I will try to schedule an alternate date.
We have got to work toward solidifying the problem based learning implementation
throughout the content areas at every grade level. In order to do this, I have
created this planning document to share among all teachers and grade levels. If
your STEM class looks and is being taught like your other classes, with the same
lessons, we are not doing it as it is intended. If AdvancED or Georgia State STEM
teams visits a class and this is the process, we will not receive certification. I will
review the scoring and process from last years visit in our meeting Monday.
Also, I have created a student input and profile system in the One-Drive that I will
show you during our meeting. This data collection will be used to track and
communicate qualitative data for each STEM student.

STEM Certification:
AdvancED: May 4-5
State: Requested To Be Determined

Professional Development:
February 20th Room A319 - Integrating PBLs Into Your Lessons Ms. Willson
March 6th Room B311 Teaching Across Content Areas Mrs. Armsrtong
March 27th Room B 325 Makey Makey Simple Programming and Technology
Integration Mr. Greszes and Ms. Hughes

Problem Based Learning Modules:

Minimum of 2 content integrated lessons per month

Cross Content communication and collaboration by grade level weekly (by

email or in person ) must be documented and communicated to Coordinator

Learning Modules can be executed in one class period or over several class
periods

Exemplary modules and student work must be recorded and communicated

9th Grade

Content Area Possible PBL Required Comments

Topic(s) Suggestions Professional
Description/Overvie Development
w
Biology
Genetics/Heredity Iditarod (see below) Cross Training on
Math
Ecology Carbon Based Footprint EPD Workshop

Lake Ivanhoe and

Kelley Cofer Park -
Eutrophication
Accelerated Coordinate Carbon footprint and
Algebra histograms- analyzing
energy/ water/ waste
Describing Data usage distributions

Geometric Mapping the school

Constructions
Determine the break
Systems of Equations even point for
spending on
conservation efforts
Literature
Vocabulary/Grammar Country of the Blind

Science Fiction Alice Correlation to

Real life
Short Stories
Jack London Iditarod

Civics
Local Regulation Lake Ivanhoe run-off
issues
State regulation
Water Management
Federal

Engineering
Intro Cad
Circuits
Software Design
Simple Machines
10th Grade

Content Area Possible PBL Required Comments

Topic(s) Suggestions Professional
Description/Overvie Development
w
AP Environmental
Science Matrix correlation
Food Webs
Aquaponics/C. Footprint
Nutrient Cycles

Environmental
Activists

Pre- Calculus
Trig Game Theory
Matrices (incentivizing
Statistics conservation efforts)
Probability Food Web Lake
(matrices and square
matrices)
Carbon Footprint
Project (data analysis &
probability)
World Literature
Persuasive Writing Lake Ivanhoe
Watershed Issue
Carbon Footprint
Technical Writing Analysis

AP Chemistry
Engineering
Cad

Software Coding

Complex Machines

11th Grade

Content Area Possible PBL Required Comments

Topic(s) Suggestions Professional
Description/Overvie Development
w
Physics

AP Calculus School water usage and Need data

fluid dynamics from DeKalb
County
Total energy usage and
integrals

Simple harmonic
motion

American Literature
Research Writing Research Papers for Science
Alternative Power Curriculum
How alternative Power
plants work
Persuasive Writing Why Aquaponics?
-
Speech Why Alternative is
Communication better
Alternative power
presentations
Engineering
Robotics Robot to retrieve
floating islands
Circuits
Library inventory
Advanced Design solutions

Current PBLs By Grade Level

9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade

Carbon Footprint Carbon Footprint
Biology Ecology and
Biochemistry
Students will complete
data collection and
presentation of findings to
staff and OPC February
22nd.
Students will combine to 3
groups (water, paper, and
waste) and begin
designing and testing
prototypes to address
these issues.
Engineering Students Engineering Students
will design and build
prototypes of ways to
address the issues
discovered in discovery
stage
Math Students will Math Students will
calculate the impact of
issues discovered
Iditarod
Biology Students are
using genetics to conduct
a virtual breeding program
for sled dogs
ELA Students are
reading short stories
written by Iditarod
Athletes and will write
Alternative Energy
AP Environmental Science Physics Students will
complete presentations of
Students will complete
alternative energy
data collection and
presentation of findings to Calculus students should
staff and OPC February incorporated skills
22nd. obtained in curriculum to
communicate validity of
Students will combine to 3
ideas presented
groups (water, paper, and
waste) and begin Engineering students
designing and testing should begin design and
prototypes to address concept stage of
these issues. alternative power plant
will design and build
prototypes of ways to
address the issues
discovered in discovery
stage
calculate the impact of
issues discovered
Aquaponics Garden,
Pond and Greenhouse
Physics:
Calculus:
letters to this years Engineering: Students are
participants working with architect to
finalize plans for platform
Engineering students will
and bridge for greenhouse
design and construct a
sled and harness system
made from cardboard and
race each other with a 2
person (dog) team and 1
driver
Math Students will
calculate the actual race
course and geometric area
and graph and plot actual
races here at school

Kelley Cofer Lake

Eutrophication

Biology Environmental
Science
Continue to study alga
bloom and create concept
ideas to address

Civics Correlate Lake

Ivanhoe Concerns and
have students address
through civics curriculum

Engineering continue
work on floating islands
nitrogen absorption

ELA Persuasive writing

practice using concerns of
community

Math Estimated effect of

Alga and other run-off in
eventual filling in of lake

Note: full overview of

issue to be published
under separate cover