Are seatbelts important for safe driving? (3rd grade Physical Science Unit)

In this Unit, students embark on a mission to create a campaign which promotes seat belt use for a teenage audience. In the context of this project, students explore NGSS PE’s 3-PS2-2, 3-PS2-1, 3-5-ETS1-1, 3-PS2-3, and 3-PS2-4 while investigating the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces acting on an object. Through a series of collect evidence to write a claim based on evidence for why seatbelts are important. Download: ForcesAndInteractions.3rdgrade_krEFi7M.pdfDelete Google Drive with Teacher Resources Portions of this storyline can be successfully implemented without access to FOSS instructional or lab materials. Specifically, the unit entry event, driving question, supplemental lessons and online resources, etc., can still be used to engage students in learning the addressed NGSS bundle. For most recent version of this unit, please visit www.stemmaterials.org

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

How can we use sustainable energies to improve quality of life around the world?

This Unit for the 4th Grade Kit, Waves and Energy, weaves together the various FOSS investigations in the context of an authentic and engaging storyline. Through an imaginary correspondence with a 4th grader who lives in the village of Ghaghara, India, students use a series of investigations to build their skills and content knowledge in order to solve larger problems being faced by their friend, Parvathi. Students engage in project-based learning while using science and engineering practices to help solve everyday problems in the context of Parvathi’s life. Students also use online research and evidence from investigations to construct claims based on evidence which inform and drive their practice of engineering.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

How can we use solar energy to improve the lives of people living “off-the-grid” in Kenya? (Middle School Engineering Design)

How can we use solar energy to improve the lives of people living “off-the-grid” in Kenya? This unit explores the NGSS Middle School bundle for Engineering Design (MS-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-3, MS-ETS1-4) by engaging students in a Project-Based engineering task where students develop and apply their understanding of solar energy to create a solar device which can generate electricity for people who have lost power due to a natural disaster.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

Tornado Alley! Middle School Earth and Space Science Unit

This unit explores Performance Expectations MS-ESS2-5 and MS-ESS2-6 to engage students in constructing an explanation through modeling and analyzing data for why so many tornados occur in the United States, and specifically ‘Tornado Alley!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Is my local stream a healthy habitat? (Middle School Life Science Unit)

This unit explores Performance Expectations MS- LS2-4, LS2-5 by having students collect local ecosystems data with a variety of computational tools: pH sensors, turbidity, oxygen levels and temperature – and to develop a presentation to communicate how and why their stream is a healthy habitat, or not!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Is the Pacific Northwest a Safe Place to Live? (Middle School Earth Science Unit)

This unit explores Performance Expectations MS- ESS3-2, ESS2-3 and ETS1-4 by engaging students in Project-Based learning to develop a community presentation that examines whether your community is ready to respond to a major tectonic event.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

How can we harness the wind to aid people in an area devastated by a natural disaster? (Middle School Physical Science and Engineering)

This unit explores Performance Expectations MS-PS2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 3-5 and ETS1-4 via an engineering challenge to design the most efficient wind turbine. Students are pressed to explain why and how wind surfers are able to catch so much wind!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Weather & Climate (Kindergarten Earth Science Unit)

Overview: Developed in partnership with the Jamerson Center for Engineering and Mathematics and ESD112 STEM Initiatives, this unit explores NGSS Performance Expectations for Kindergarten Weather and Climate, including an engineering design performance task. This unit introduces kindergarten students to the patterns and variations in local weather by engaging them in this unit which integrates K NGSS standards for physical science (K-PS3-1, K-PS3-2, K-ESS2-1) with CC ELA standards.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Vickei Hrdina

How can we help save the Pika who live in the Columbia River Gorge? (4th grade Life Science Unit)

This integrated OER unit focuses on the 4th grade NGSS bundle addressing Structure, Function, and Information Processing (Performance expectations 4-PS4-2, 4-LS1-1, and 4-LS1-2). Students are engaged in a storyline which presents them with the problem of preserving the pika population who live in the Columbia River Gorge, a species which has recently been threatened in this region due to climate change. Through a series of activities, labs, and field STEM experiences, students engage in scientific modeling and investigation, while building their understanding of how an organism’s internal and external structures enable survival, growth and reproduction. The unit culminates with the development of a product that can be shared with a public audience to instigate positive change in the community and help protect the pika.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

Ecosystem Invasion! (3rd Grade Life Science Unit)

This integrated 3rd grade unit addresses the NGSS Life Science bundles for Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, and 3-LS4-4) and Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits (3-LS1-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, and 3-LS4-2). Students embark on a mission to protect their native plants and animals by devising a plan to regulate and prevent the spread of invasive species in the area. Through a series of FOSS investigations and other OER (open educational resource) lessons and activities, students learn about how an organism’s traits aid in survival, how parents pass on traits to their offspring, and how the environment influences plant and animal traits and behaviors.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

What's for Dinner? 5th Grade STEM Project

Meaningful STEM learning can happen at home as we problem-solve around the house and make sense of intriguing phenomena around us! Join us as we embark on a mission to create a healthy and nutritious meal for our family! This STEM mini-project can be launched by the teacher and can provide families with a fun project to do in the kitchen.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

Inspired by Nature: 1st grade STEM Project

Meaningful STEM learning can happen at home as we problem-solve around the house and make sense of intriguing phenomena around us! Join us as we explore plants and animals in nature and use them as inspiration to solve an everyday problem for our family!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

Where did the Beach Go?! 2nd Grade STEM Project

Meaningful STEM learning can happen at home! Embark on a journey with your students to answer the driving question: How can we design a solution to prevent Washington’s coast from eroding?

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

Gimme Shelter: K-2 STEM@Home Project

Join us as we create a shelter for our tiny imaginary pet! Students will investigate how different surfaces are heated differently by the sun and will design a shelter to help a critter stay cool and dry in the shade.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Vickei Hrdina

Keep the Coffee Hot: Grades 3-5 STEM@Home Project

Join us on a mission to keep the coffee hot! Students will investigate the insulating properties of different materials and will design a mug sleeve for a grown-up to keep their coffee or tea nice and hot!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

STEM Storyline Development Process

This flowchart illustrates the process of STEM Storyline development at Educational Service District 112.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay

What's For Lunch? 5th Grade STEM Storyline

As our 5th grade students start the shift from childhood to adolescence, it is important for them to be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to take care of their bodies by making healthy eating choices! This unit strives to engage students in the task of crafting a healthy and delicious snack for younger students in their building. Students master Physical Science performance expectations (5-PS1-1, 5-PS1-2, 5-PS1-3, 5-PS1-4), while learning about the properties of different foods that make them healthy or not! The unit culminates with students constructing a snack for their 1st grade buddies.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Homework/Assignment

Author: Pranjali Upadhyay