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Goal

The goal of this grant is to continue a STEM club with 5th grade students at R. J. Longstreet Elementary (in partnership with General Electric volunteers) who demonstrate a passion for science and math. Fifth grade students look forward to being part of STEM Club and this is the year they can immerse themselves in hands-on learning experiences. This year our goal will be to provide STEM experience to those students who may not have these experiences otherwise. I work in a Title I school, so I see the disadvantage that those students have regarding experiences. It's my goal to give experiences to students that will level the playing field and add to students’ background knowledge. In this club, students will be given the opportunity to take their learning to the next level. They will hone in on their curiosity and dive deeper in the science and math standards covered in the classroom while making real-life connections to how learning is connected and are the building blocks for deeper and higher level thinking. It's a chance for the students to combine knowledge they've learned with things they now wonder with the help and support of a teacher and volunteers.  

What will be done with my students

R. J. Longstreet Elementary has partnered with General Electric volunteers to provide hands-on experiences for students. While each month will have a different content focus, students may explore different questions or ideas within this topic, and then will be given a chance to share their creations and knowledge with other students in the club. Some of the topics that will be further explored are:
- comeback toys (force and motion, SC.5.P.13.1)
-tangrams (MA.5.GR.1)
-geometrees (MA.5.GR.1)
-Soma cubes (MA.5.GR.3
- circuits (electricity, SC.5.P.10.4)
- robotic hands (human body SC.5.L.14.1)
-number spirals (MA.5.M.1, MA.5.GR.1)
- bird feeders (classifying vertebrates, SC.3.L.15.1 and MA.5.GR.2, area and perimeter of rectangles with fractional side lengths)
- rockets (force and motion, SC.5.P.13.2)

While this club may hit different focus standards on different weeks, students will work with the nature of science standards and problem solving every week. Those standards include, but are not limited to:
- MA.5.NSO.1 (place value through thousandths)
-MA.5.NSO.2 (operations with multi-digit numbers)
-MA.5.AR.1 (problem solving with four operations with whole numbers and fractions)
-SC.5.N.2.1 (science is grounded in empirical evidence)
- SC.5.N.1.1 (define problem, plan and carry out investigations)
- SC.5.N.2.2 (scientific investigations should be replicable by others)
- SC.5.N.1.3 (recognize the need for repeated trials)
- SC.5.N.1.4 (importance of control group)
- SC.5.N.1.2 (types of investigations)
- SC.5.N.1.5 (authentic investigations don't parallel the steps of the scientific method)  

Benefits to my students

In math and science, students learn that once you have an answer, you should have many more questions and question structures and patterns in mathematics. After an investigation, students are always asked, "What are you wondering now?" or “How is this connected to...?” They brainstorm new questions, but they rarely get enough class time to design investigations to answer new questions. This STEM club will be students' opportunities to do just that, explore their wonderings and unleash their curiosity. I also hope this club will provide equity and level the playing field for more students because they will have new experiences and opportunities to try new things.  

Budget Narrative

Students will each have their own snap circuit kit to work with, as well as a bird feeder kit. Wood and nails will be used for Soma cubes, and foam board will be used for Tangrams. All other materials for DREAMS STEM Club will be donated by our GE volunteers. 

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