Elementary Preservice Teachers Engaging In & Developing a Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit

• We designed this project for preservice teachers (PSTs) in an undergraduate K-8 teacher certification program. Our two-year program utilizes a cohort model. PSTs were concurrently taking both elementary science methods and elementary mathematics methods courses in the spring of their junior year (the first of two years in the program). The two courses were scheduled in back-to-back 3 hour blocks and met once a week.
• The project could easily be used in an MiT program and could be adapted for secondary PSTs.

• Understanding the vision for science education as described in the K-12 Framework for Science Education, the Next Generation Science Standards, and three dimensional teaching. Science notebooking, the use of anchor phenomenon in science units, science storylines.
• Familiarity with standards for mathematical practice and grade-level content standards as outlined in CCSSM.
• Lesson/unit planning basics - including the identification of Big Ideas, planning backward, assessment, and differentiation.
• Both methods courses foreground issues of equity and diversity specific to mathematics and science teaching and learning. Prior to and while engaging in this project PSTs explore the tenets of culturally responsive teaching.

In line with the gold standard of project-based teaching practices (https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-teaching-practices), PSTs engage in elements of a project-based integrated STEM project as learners and apply the learning from that experience to develop, in small groups, their own project-based integrated STEM unit. The project work occurs across 10 weeks, although not all class sessions are devoted to project work. For example, some weeks PSTs are working through other course content designed to deepen their knowledge and skills related specifically to science and mathematics teaching, while designing their units as homework (see attached Project Timeline). There are class sessions distributed over different weeks in each of the two courses devoted to working on the project and getting feedback from instructors. There are interim assignments / checkpoints that support the PSTs' progress. For example, one page descriptions of the mathematics and science standards that will be integrated into the unit and how these are central to what the elementary children will learn. The final unit plan and a visual representation is a culminating assignment for each course.

PSTs understand:

• The seven essential project design elements of a PBL unit and grounding those in meaningful learning goals (https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-design)
• How to use an essential /driving question or real-world challenge to frame and motivate children in relevant and authentic problem solving and/or inquiry. 
• An engineering design process and the need for mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills to be applied within that process.

PSTs will be able to:

• Create an integrated STEM unit that incorporates the essential project design elements of a PBL unit (https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-design).
• Identify mathematics, science and engineering content and practices that are relevant to solving real-world problems or engaging in interdisciplinary inquiry.
• Authentically integrate grade appropriate standards for mathematics, science, and engineering content and practices in the design of lessons.
• Design a sequence of lessons that follows a coherent storyline and supports each child's success in the project.

PSTs value:

• The essential elements of project-based learning (e.g., student voice & choice, authenticity of the learning, sustained inquiry, meaningful content).
• Situating curriculum in real-world contexts.
• Un-siloing disciplinary content.
• Eliciting and honoring the experience and backgrounds their students bring to their learning experiences.

The project timeline (attached) lays out the sequence of activities across 10 weeks in the science methods (SM) and mathematics methods (MM) courses. Note that the same students (with 2 exceptions) were in both classes. Some project activities occurred in the SM class, some in the MM class. In weeks 2 and 3, class time from both the SM and MM classes were utilized for project activities.

The Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit project was introduced to students in the 6th week of the semester. Here we lay out the sequence of PST learning experiences with respect to the week of the project rather than the week of the semester.

Project week 1: Introduce STEM education and an engineering design process. In the mathematics methods course (MM), students engage in a "data jam" where they need to apply data literacy skills to interpret statistical data and represent science phenomena or events.

Project week 2: In a shortened SM class, PSTs begin their own learning experience by engaging in an abbreviated STEM design challenge to develop an understanding of the engineering design process and how mathematics and science content and practices are meaningfully incorporated.

In combined SM/MM time, the Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit for Elementary Preservice Teachers assignment is introduced (see attached assignment description), along with the seven essential design elements and one learning goal for PBL. In a shortened MM class, PSTs review the similarities across math and science standards (Mayes & Koballa, 2012) and discuss benefits and challenges associated with math/science integration.

Project week 3: In a shortened SM class, PSTs engage in the next phase of the engineering design process: Design a solution. In a combined SM/MM time, PSTs are provided with numerous online examples of integrated project-based elementary STEM units and each group analyzes one in relation to the PBL gold standard design elements (see https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-design).

Project week 4: In SM, PSTs finish their abbreviated STEM design challenge by presenting their design solutions to their client, using a claims-evidence-reasoning framework. Then they are introduced to the Project Planner (attached, modified from PBLworks https://my.pblworks.org/resource/project-planner) and begin to draft their project overview. This is their first check-in date, helping them stay project-focused.

Project week 5: Project work day in SM. PSTs work on defining the challenge or problem for their STEM unit and the standards from science, engineering, and mathematics. They draft and the learning goals from part 2 of the Project Planner (check-in #2).

Project weeks 6 and 7: No class time is explicitly devoted to the STEM project; PSTs do other work related to science and mathematics teaching. There are two project check-ins: the "one pagers" for mathematics and science where PSTs identify the standards integrated into the unit and discuss how those content and practices standards are central to the project and a detailed project description (a revision of part 1 on the project planner template). For more detail on both of these check-ins, see "Graded Elements: 1, 2, 3" on the Assignment Description.

Project week 8: No project time in SM. In MM, this is a project work day for revisions based on feedback from the above check-ins and further work on the project learning segments/storyline (part 3 on the Project Planner) and project calendar (part 4 on the Project Planner).

Project week 9: No project time in MM. In SM, this is a project work day for completing the Project Planner and developing the VoiceThread presentations. Students can check-in for feedback during class.

Project week 10: Students create 5 minute VoiceThread presentations in which they present a poster with specified elements of their STEM unit (see attached VoiceThread Presentation Guidelines) and discuss how the PBL project design elements are incorporated into their unit plan. Students view and critique VoiceThreads from two other groups, providing positive and constructive feedback based on the PBL project design rubric (from https://my.pblworks.org/resource/document/project_design_rubric). PSTs then complete an individual self-reflection on what they learned about project-based integrated STEM unit planning.

Files:

• Assignment Description Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 160kB Mar4 21) 
• Project Planner Template Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 34kB Mar4 21) 
• Project Timeline Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 19kB Mar4 21) 
• VoiceThread Presentation Guidelines for Project-Based Integrated STEM Unit (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 17kB Mar4 21) 
• 1st Graders Learn about Plants Sample PBiSTEM unit (Acrobat (PDF) 991kB Mar4 21)

The time spent on PSTs doing their own design challenge can be shortened.

Part 4 of the Project Planner Template can be eliminated in order to lessen the load on PSTs; the learning segment/storyline (part 3) section is important in helping the PSTs being realistic about what they are expecting their elementary (or middle school) students to accomplish, what is feasible in a school setting, and what supporting learning experiences will be necessary. It helped that our students were well grounded in the Understanding by Design / Backward Planning model (Wiggins & McTighe).

As described in the narrative above, we incorporated a number of formative assessments and embedded checkpoints to provide feedback along the way. Providing intermediate feedback and checkpoints is essential to successful PBL. Students used that feedback to revise project components before submitting their final papers. Final projects were assessed according to the seven essential (+ learning goal) design elements of PBL (see https://my.pblworks.org/resource/document/project_design_rubric for rubric).

We embedded links in the narrative above.