FAQ's and Staff Responses
Incorporating engineering problems in the life sciences.
One of the unstated objectives of our STEM Summer Institute is to have participants begin thinking and acting as science and engineering practitioners. As the classroom teacher you will have to identify the investigable questions (science) and problems for which to develop solutions (engineering) that are appropriate for the level of your students.
It is when we ourselves start thinking like scientists and engineers that the questions and problems start becoming a part of our everyday life and maybe our classroom.
Here are just a couple of engineering problems that need solutions that I have started thinking about recently:
1. Are there better types of headgear that would prevent concussions than the
style that football, hockey, and lacrosse players are now using?
2. What is the best way to control Zika virus carrying mosquitos, during the
upcoming Olympic games? (or actually at anytime)
3. After hearing the term “synthetic biology” for the first time, I started wondering
how difficult it would be to build the organism that would do the most “good”
for mankind. I also started thinking about the ethics of this science, but that’s
another topic.
4. Who was the engineer who helped Flint, Michigan with their water supply?
I think simple water tests could have identified the lead problem.
(An investigable problem: How does the lead in the water affect the plant life
in the Flint area?)
5. Oh yeah, I’m still trying to find a way to keep the squirrels off my bird feeder.
You may want to simply “Google” engineering problems in the life sciences (biology, environment, etc.) Cornell University has a great Biological of Engineering program with great examples of research that is being done. Most people think engineering as building bridges, zip lines, egg catchers, but there are many engineering design problems in the life sciences. The more you start thinking like an engineer, the more problems start becoming evident. The problem, of course, is presenting these problems to the level of students that you have.
Jim Effinger-STEM Institute Staff
What is the goal of STEM instruction? What kind of student are we hoping our instruction will help grow?
This actually is the same question I ask my science education majors at North Central College during the Science Methods course I teach. We are aware of the NGSS, the course specific objectives that are traditional for each of the content areas, and what the textbooks have to offer, but what is it we really want our students to take away from our instruction?
My students start by building a definition of “scientific literacy” that they can use as their own. I think we would all want our students to become scientifically literate, but I’m not sure what that means to each person.
Some say to be a scientifically literate person you could read a newspaper or magazine article, or watch a news report about science and know something about what was being presented.
Others may want a scientifically literate person to be able to solve a simple everyday problem using a method for solving that problem. Other people may include much more in their scientific literacy definition.
I would hope your instruction about science would include:
• sustaining a child’s natural curiosity
• improving a person’s scientific explanations of natural everyday occurrences
• understanding and using technology
• helping students make informed choices in their personal and civic lives
When you get a good definition for “scientific literacy” that works for you and your grade level, let me know. I need all the help I can get teaching the next generation of science teachers.
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff
I need help with finding real world problems to solve that align with NGSS
The Next Generation Science Standards were written in a way that makes all real world problems aligned to these standards!
Every real world problem started by “asking questions” or trying to “design solutions” (see Domain 1, Science and Engineering Practices). Other practices under this domain include: developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; constructing explanations and designing solutions; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information; using mathematical and computational thinking. It’s what science does every day in the real world.
If you look at and try to understand the Cross Cutting Concepts (Domain 2), at least one of those concepts can be applied to real world problems. The example of designing a better head protection system to prevent concussions might include, systems and interactions in those systems, energy and the transfer and conservation of that energy, and structure and function.
Now, if you want to try to select a real world problem to align with one of the Disciplinary Core Ideas (Domain 3), there are most likely many examples that can be found online or by simply talking to peers about what what they are doing or have done in the classroom.
If you buy lunch for Wayne someday and pick his brain for a few hours, you will walk away with more activities than you could ever have time for in your classroom. That’s where I get most of my ideas, from my colleagues, John, Bill, Louise, Carla or Sandra). Try to stay away from Howie or your math classes will never be the same.)
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff
What is the best way to teach STEM?
First of all, you have forgotten the words of my first principal, Don Chase.
“You don’t teach (STEM), you teach kids.”
I would guess you meant,
“What is the best way to have students learn about STEM”?
Or maybe, “What can I (the teacher) do to help facilitateSTEM in my classroom”?
Simple answer, 1. Know and try to understand the Next Generation Science Standards.
2. Present students with problems to solve often. The “Wheel of
Inquiry“ can help them develop more investigable questions. Why not
just have some days for interesting investigations that are not part
of your science unit. Like which duct tape is stickiest? (I would hope these
would be investigable questions —How does the___affect the ___? )
John would want you to collect data that “would suggest”
a conclusion. Remember, you’re not proving anything, only
gathering data that suggests the answer to the investigable question
3. Make students aware of current events that they may be
interested in.
Attribution theory identifies the most effective attribute for success. That attribute is
Time on task
The more time spent on STEM the more successful you and your students will be.
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff
One of the unstated objectives of our STEM Summer Institute is to have participants begin thinking and acting as science and engineering practitioners. As the classroom teacher you will have to identify the investigable questions (science) and problems for which to develop solutions (engineering) that are appropriate for the level of your students.
It is when we ourselves start thinking like scientists and engineers that the questions and problems start becoming a part of our everyday life and maybe our classroom.
Here are just a couple of engineering problems that need solutions that I have started thinking about recently:
1. Are there better types of headgear that would prevent concussions than the
style that football, hockey, and lacrosse players are now using?
2. What is the best way to control Zika virus carrying mosquitos, during the
upcoming Olympic games? (or actually at anytime)
3. After hearing the term “synthetic biology” for the first time, I started wondering
how difficult it would be to build the organism that would do the most “good”
for mankind. I also started thinking about the ethics of this science, but that’s
another topic.
4. Who was the engineer who helped Flint, Michigan with their water supply?
I think simple water tests could have identified the lead problem.
(An investigable problem: How does the lead in the water affect the plant life
in the Flint area?)
5. Oh yeah, I’m still trying to find a way to keep the squirrels off my bird feeder.
You may want to simply “Google” engineering problems in the life sciences (biology, environment, etc.) Cornell University has a great Biological of Engineering program with great examples of research that is being done. Most people think engineering as building bridges, zip lines, egg catchers, but there are many engineering design problems in the life sciences. The more you start thinking like an engineer, the more problems start becoming evident. The problem, of course, is presenting these problems to the level of students that you have.
Jim Effinger-STEM Institute Staff
What is the goal of STEM instruction? What kind of student are we hoping our instruction will help grow?
This actually is the same question I ask my science education majors at North Central College during the Science Methods course I teach. We are aware of the NGSS, the course specific objectives that are traditional for each of the content areas, and what the textbooks have to offer, but what is it we really want our students to take away from our instruction?
My students start by building a definition of “scientific literacy” that they can use as their own. I think we would all want our students to become scientifically literate, but I’m not sure what that means to each person.
Some say to be a scientifically literate person you could read a newspaper or magazine article, or watch a news report about science and know something about what was being presented.
Others may want a scientifically literate person to be able to solve a simple everyday problem using a method for solving that problem. Other people may include much more in their scientific literacy definition.
I would hope your instruction about science would include:
• sustaining a child’s natural curiosity
• improving a person’s scientific explanations of natural everyday occurrences
• understanding and using technology
• helping students make informed choices in their personal and civic lives
When you get a good definition for “scientific literacy” that works for you and your grade level, let me know. I need all the help I can get teaching the next generation of science teachers.
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff
I need help with finding real world problems to solve that align with NGSS
The Next Generation Science Standards were written in a way that makes all real world problems aligned to these standards!
Every real world problem started by “asking questions” or trying to “design solutions” (see Domain 1, Science and Engineering Practices). Other practices under this domain include: developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; constructing explanations and designing solutions; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information; using mathematical and computational thinking. It’s what science does every day in the real world.
If you look at and try to understand the Cross Cutting Concepts (Domain 2), at least one of those concepts can be applied to real world problems. The example of designing a better head protection system to prevent concussions might include, systems and interactions in those systems, energy and the transfer and conservation of that energy, and structure and function.
Now, if you want to try to select a real world problem to align with one of the Disciplinary Core Ideas (Domain 3), there are most likely many examples that can be found online or by simply talking to peers about what what they are doing or have done in the classroom.
If you buy lunch for Wayne someday and pick his brain for a few hours, you will walk away with more activities than you could ever have time for in your classroom. That’s where I get most of my ideas, from my colleagues, John, Bill, Louise, Carla or Sandra). Try to stay away from Howie or your math classes will never be the same.)
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff
What is the best way to teach STEM?
First of all, you have forgotten the words of my first principal, Don Chase.
“You don’t teach (STEM), you teach kids.”
I would guess you meant,
“What is the best way to have students learn about STEM”?
Or maybe, “What can I (the teacher) do to help facilitateSTEM in my classroom”?
Simple answer, 1. Know and try to understand the Next Generation Science Standards.
2. Present students with problems to solve often. The “Wheel of
Inquiry“ can help them develop more investigable questions. Why not
just have some days for interesting investigations that are not part
of your science unit. Like which duct tape is stickiest? (I would hope these
would be investigable questions —How does the___affect the ___? )
John would want you to collect data that “would suggest”
a conclusion. Remember, you’re not proving anything, only
gathering data that suggests the answer to the investigable question
3. Make students aware of current events that they may be
interested in.
Attribution theory identifies the most effective attribute for success. That attribute is
Time on task
The more time spent on STEM the more successful you and your students will be.
Jim Effinger-GA STEM Institute Staff