STEM AND LITERACY Fairforest Elementary School

HOW WE GOT STARTED…

• Fairforest Elementary was STEM certified 2 years ago
• STEM and Literacy were priorities in our school.
• We both came from the fifth grade classroom where we started working on a STEM
based approach.
• In new positions as STEM Coordinator and Reading Coach, we work together to
integrate literacy and STEM in classrooms.
• Started small with lessons and mini-projects
• Worked towards larger grade level presentations and project based units
 WHAT WE DO…
• With SC curriculum standards as a foundation, we integrate literacy opportunities
in project based learning.
• Begin with text to generate interest, provide background, and begin inquiry
• Work with students to share learning through the design process in all content
areas.
• In STEM-content areas of focus are typically science and math
• We include social studies as well
• Learning is shared with an audience-inside the classroom, school wide, and with
the community.
DESIGN PROCESS
DESIGN PROCESS
 OUR PLANS FOR THIS YEAR…
• 5th Grade Clubs-Pixar in a Box, Newspaper, Garden Club, Design Club, School News
• 5th Grade-School Store
• After-School Program Club-School Yearbook
• 5th Grade Tiny House Unit-See the fifth grade mini-presentation!
• 4th Grade Sound Unit-Trashcan Band
• 2nd Grade Photojournalism Unit
• Integrating the Arts-Music and Art teachers planning and working with classroom teachers
• 1st Grade Community Study-Arts integration
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK-
Ashley Blackwelder (STEM Coordinator) and Heather Register (Reading Coach) have presented together at D6 Universities
for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. They focused on multiple ways to approach content area teaching through the lens of literacy
based inquiry.
3rd Grade Presentation
https://www.emaze.com/@AOOOTWQCO/d6-3rd-grade

4th Grade Presentation

https://www.emaze.com/@AORTRLZWT/d6-4th-grade

5th Grade Presentation

https://www.emaze.com/@AORZIFTCF/teacher-training
 2 ND GRADE PHOTOJOURNALISM
https://www.goupstate.com/news/20190109/take-peek-at-spartanburg-from-eyes-of-second-grader

• Integrated reading, writing, communication, social studies, and math

• Students wrote a book highlighting our community

• We published and had a book release event at a local book store:

Hub City Book Store (run by the Hub City Writer’s Project
ESOL-INQUIRY, LITERACY, AND THE ARTS
Students embraced
learning of other
cultures through a
music lesson on Cuban
music.
Using the Daily 5 approach as a guide, students worked through
centers on reading, writing, and word work. All of this was
integrated into visual art projects with our art teacher, Mrs.
Stemple.