10 Performance-Based STEM Projects for Grades K-1

10 Performance-Based STEM Projects for Grades K-1 provides 10 ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills while learning about science, technology, engineering, and math. Projects are aligned to national standards and feature crosscurricular connections, allowing students to explore and be creative as well as gain an enduring understanding. Each project is linked to national STEM education goals and represents one of a variety of performance assessments, including oral presentations, research papers, and exhibitions. Included for each project are a suggested calendar to allow teachers to easily plan a schedule, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain an understanding of what they are doing, as well as multiple rubrics that can be used to objectively assess the performance of students. The lessons are laid out in an easy-to-follow format that will allow teachers to implement the projects immediately. Grades K-1

INTRODUCTION Why Project-Based Learning? Why STEM? Why STEM and PBL? How This Book Is Organized Project 1: Communicate Effectively Project Outline: Create Your Own Crayon Suggested Timeline Lesson: What Are Primary Colors? Lesson: What Are Secondary Colors? Lesson: What Is a “Good” Color? Lesson: How to Develop a Pitch 9 Handout Product Rubric Project 2: Focus on Inquiry and Collaboration Project Outline: Art Bot Suggested Timeline Lesson: What Is “Good” Art? Lesson: How to Analyze Art Handouts Project 3: Understand Multiple Content Areas Project Outline: Bubblegum Suggested Timeline Lesson: How Many Gumballs Are in the Jar? Lesson: The Social Responsibility of Chewing Gum Lesson: Which Gum Lasts the Longest? Lesson: Expressing Gum Through Poetry Handouts Product Rubric Project 4: Explore Contemporary Issues Project Outline: Recycling, Huh! What Is It Good For? Suggested Timeline Lesson: What Is Recycling? Lesson: What Is Recyclable? Lesson: What Are the Benefits of Recycling? Product Rubric Project 5: Use Technology, Math, and Reasoning Project Outline: Crack the Code Suggested Timeline Lesson: How Can Numbers Represent Other Things? Lesson: How Do You Create a Code? Handouts Product Rubric Project 6: Use and Analyze Models Project Outline: Where in the World Is Your Neighborhood? Suggested Timeline Lesson: How Well Do You Know Your Neighborhood? Lesson: What Are the Different Types of Maps? Lesson: What Makes a Map Look Professional? Handout Product Rubric Project 7: Record and Analyze Data Project Outline: How Far Will It Fly? Suggested Timeline Lesson: Setting Up the Experiment Lesson: What Is a Variable? Lesson: Graphing Data Handouts Product Rubric Project 8: Investigate Change Over Time and Patterns Project Outline: What Do You See in the Clouds? Suggested Timeline Lesson: What Are Clouds? Product Rubric Project 9: Use Computer Models or Simulations Project Outline: What If There Were No Light Bulb? Suggested Timeline Lesson: What Are the Most Important Inventions Ever? Lesson: What Would Life Look Like If We Took Away the Light Bulb? Handout Product Rubric Project 10: Construct and Explain Systems Project Outline: Everyone Is Playing It Suggested Timeline Lesson: How Are Sports Organized? Lesson: How Is Math Used in Sports? Handout Product Rubric DEVELOP YOUR OWN STEM PROJECTS REFERENCES ABOUT THE AUTHOR NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Todd Stanley is author of seven teacher education books including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st-Century Classroom and Performance-Based Assessment for 21st-Century Skills.