How to Start a High School STEM Course - Makerspace and NGSS for High School

Do you have the task of starting a STEM class (e.g., full-half year course, elective, or club) or Makerspace at the middle or high school level? Are you Science teacher looking to integrate Engineering practices and Core Disciplinary Ideas from NGSS into your classroom?  Teachers from various content areas (including media specialists) will receive an introduction to design-based pedagogy and necessary skills for facilitating a safe and effective project based, 21st Century Learning Environment aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. Participants leave with sample curriculum outlines and strategies for adaptation within their own school(s); as well as sample instructional, curricular, and assessment materials.

 An integrative STEM course, club and/or elective is an excellent way to acquaint all students to the engineering practices and other conceptual shifts that they will begin to encounter in science, as well as other content areas Grades 6-12. If you are running a makerspace, you’ll certainly need to introduce students to a sequence of activities before they can use the space autonomously!  

Each participant will be issued a certificate for PD hours.

Major topics addressed through hands-on, constructivist experience and group reflections:

Major Topics & Lessons

• Engineering Design Process

• Facilities/Safety

• 2D/3D Sketching and Drawing

• Tools/Machines/Processes

• 3D Modeling

• Color Theory

• Creativity, Invention and Innovation

• Alignment to NGSS and Common Core

• Engineering Core Disciplinary Ideas

• Formative Assessments, Portfolios and Engineering Notebooks

• Co-curriculars Events and Competitions, TSA Club, Robotics Clubs

• Budgeting, Vendors, Donations, Grants

• Nature of Technology, Human Impacts, Systems, Product Life Cycle

• Areas of Designed World: Construction, Manufacturing, Transportation, Communication/Information, Biotechnology, Power & Energy

Design Challenges/Activities Covered

• Engineering/Process Drawings

• Morphologic Charts/Brainstorming

• Innovative Device Stand/ Shark Tank

• Marble Maze Challenge / Paper Engineering

• Foam Sculpture/Form vs. Function

• Rube Goldberg/Simple Machines

• Earth-Friendly Greeting Cards/Structures and Mechanisms

• Socially Responsible Device/Fun Theory/Nudging

• Recycled LED Light Source/Electricity & Circuits

• Mousetrap Car

• Magnetic Levitation Breaking & Control Systems