Connections

Challenges
Some of the school goals include varying learning
experiences to increase success in college and career There are a few challenges to implementing my
pathways, differentiating resources for students based plan. First, gathering the materials has proven
on needs, and developing stakeholder involvement to difficult and expensive in the past. Students rarely
promote student success. By implementing STEAM donate items, and buying supplies gets expensive.
challenges, students are given opportunities to begin Secondly, background knowledge often takes
practicing the engineering process, which closely longer than anticipated to master, and students are
parallels the scientific method and the writing process. frequently pulled out for small group instruction;
Integrating all of these areas provides engineering Goal therefore, implementation and completion of a
experiences which is a critical area for future study in project prove difficult. Finally, I have to overcome
the United States. These challenges provide students My goal for the 2017-2018 school my own need for complete organization and
with many different learning experiences. Because year is to incorporate at least one in- control. By this, I mean that I have difficulty
depth STEAM challenge into each teaching and working when stuff is everywhere
students are creating and designing, the challenges are
unit of study and use C.E.R (Claim, and messy. At times, organized chaos may be
differentiated. Additionally, students are able to see Evidence, and Reasoning to help
the products of others to perform. needed when students are creating and building.
articulate science. Students are
Therefore, detailed planning on my part will be
highly motivated when completing
the STEAM challenges; therefore, I necessary.
hope to encourage more students to
develop a love of science and math
so they can continue in these fields
Changes in the future. Collaboration
There will be some changes to my current To implement my plan of completing at least one
practices that must be made. First, I will have to STEAM challenge for each unit, I will need
change my practice of closely following the times support with buying supplies when necessary.
in my schedule. Flexibility with time when Additionally, flexibility in schedules, pull outs, and
completing STEAM activities will be necessary. data collection will be needed. Close
Making sure all resources (interactive notes or collaboration and work with my team is
background information) are available and imperative to ensure consistency. Team teaching
complete in students science interactive with my teammate will be even more important
notebook so students will have easy access to because of the detailed planning needed for
pertinent information will be a priority. Finally, integrating STEAM. Finally, to integrate the arts,
Fifth grade math is providing more experiences early in the year to collaboration with the art and music teachers is What are some fiction
difficult to integrate into collaborate and work in groups will help to ensure integral. and nonfiction
5th grade science. How
students work together smoothly when literature that can be
can it be integrated
participating in STEAM challenges. used to help build
more effectively and background and teach
efficiently? reading standards?