THE STEM CENTER
In Wayne-Westland 10/25/23
thestemcenter@wwcsd.net
The STEM Center Team
2-14-2024
Check Us Out On Facebook! Wayne-Westland K-8 STEM Center
We are booked for the year for field trips!!!! Thank you for all the collaboration. We can not wait to open up our calendar for the upcoming year. We still have opening to come visit you.
Looking For A Couple Of Classroom Opportunities
We Need You!
The STEM Center wants to use our Sphero Blueprints in classrooms. We are looking for a few volunteer classrooms that will let us come in and try one of the lessons this product has to offer. Feel free to take a look at some sample lessons on simple machines and let us know if you want to give it a try OR if you want us to collaborate with you and co-teach using these resources.
Grades 3 & up
Partnering with Square One
Staff across the district who attended Square One's Underwater Rover PD a couple weekends ago that a marvelous time! We were all absolute beginners and had no experience when we arrived. Square One has such wonderful presenters that created an environment for us to be comfortable not knowing and learning as we go. It was a great experience to be in the student's shoes as we built, felt proud, laughed and moved on from mistakes ( or as the instructors state There are no mistakes, just problems that need solutions.)
8th Grade STEM-A-Bration
Teachers and admin across the district are in collaboration for the first annual STEM-A-Bration! Sometime in May, each middle school will be having a variety of STEM activities set up for all 8th graders to participate in. This will be a wonderful way to celebrate their middle school years and prepare for high school in the fall!
STEM in Exercise and Mindfulness For Everyone
Be Looking For April Virtual Challenges (focus on eclipse and Earth Day)
Soon we will have our last Virtual Challenge slide shows to share out. Our focus for these activities will be on the upcoming eclipse and Earth Day. Be on the lookout!
STEM Shout Outs
Did you know that our elementary virtual academy teachers collaborate and plan virtual and in person STEM Days? What a wonderful opportunity to meet ALL of our students whether we see them in person daily or not. Want to know more? Let us know and we can put you in contact with them!
Mrs. Chapman who is Graham's media teacher, offers this opportunity for ALL students in her building. at the end of the month, she hosts a lunch for the students to share their accomplishments and prototypes. Below, Mrs. Chapman shared a bit about her project.
After visiting the STEM center, and seeing all the amazing resources that were available to us and organized in such a great way, I was inspired by Karen and am using her suggestions! She has shared simple STEM ideas to use in the classroom, and I now offer a monthly STEAM Challenge choice board open to all kids at Graham each month. She is always willing to help brainstorm ideas and we appreciate what she has brought to the STEM Center!
LEGO's in Kindergarten
A few teachers across the district gave LEGO Education a try in their classroom. They have the kits and are using them the 2nd half of the school year to share feedback.
So far we have heard that the kids love them! Can't wait to here more!
Engaging Computer Science Activities UNPLUGGED!
Click on the link below to view some great unplugged activities that also include a short summary of a diverse men and woman in STEM and connects to careers. So many wonderful layers here.
https://csfirst.withgoogle.com/c/cs-first/en/cs-first-unplugged/overview.html
Cross Disciplinary Resource For Social Studies
Struggling to fit everything in your school day????
Feel frustrated you have less time for science and social studies?
WELL KEEP READING!
Giants is a wonderful resource for elementary social studies that covers ELA, Literacy Essentials, Math, Science, Social Studies, Arc of Inquiry, assessments and more.
No pressure at all, but feel free to take a look and see if this is something you would like to dabble with for your social studies curriculum. EVERYTHING is laid out beautifully and you check multiple boxes in each lesson. https://www.misocialstudies.org/giantshome.html
Looking For Ways To Reach All The Students In Your Building?
Wildwood is collaborating with The STEM Center to combine STEM and Reading Month. We will be visiting their building and having a story and STEM activity for each grade level during March.
Walker has rotating STEM days. Most Tuesday's we come out and set up in the gym. One grade level each week, comes down and experiences a STEM activity.
Some buildings use their book buddy time and have adapted it to have cross grade level partners participate in a STEM activity.
Have another idea? Please share, we love to collaborate across the district and community!
Suggested Reading:
Contact Us Today!
Email: thestemcenter@wwcsd.net
In District Website: https://sites.google.com/wwcsd.net/stem-center/home
Website: https://www.wwcsd.net/schools/educational-programs/stem-center/
Location: 36105 Marquette Street, Westland, MI, USA
Phone: 734-419-2447