21st Century STEMS

Laura S. Ward STEM Elementary School

Donella James
Lakeisha Seymour
Suzette Smith
Leslie Armstrong

Unit Mission
This unit was born out of the desire to bring
children into the school house. Often urban
students are faced with challenges that
influence their desire to attend school in a
consistent manner. It is important that they
are involved in the educational partnership.
Their voices and important and their

Backstory
The Kitchen Community is an organization
that provides community gardens for
schools and neighborhoods. This garden
was gifted to Laura S. Ward STEM school in
the spring of 2014. Lakeisha Seymour is
our resident gardener that inspires and
teaches students to take care of our garden

Teachers Following PBL

Sitting around the proverbial round table I decided to implement the PBL process to add
structure to our mission.
Problem

What do we know ?

What would you like to learn ?

The student attendance rates

during the end of September
and early October

James: Violence is
prohibiting students from
feeling safe enough to walk to
school
Seymour:The colder weather
seems to be a factor
Boyd: The students may think
they can skip their morning
prep and come in at 9:00am
Armstrong: I need to include a
hands on activity in conjunction
with the technology STEM

What are our students interests

? Boyd
How can we poll students
about their interest? James
How can we adjust our
pedagogy to include STEM
habits and 21st skills ?
Armstrong
How can we get the students to
care about the garden and
protect it from the unconcerned
? Seymour

What digital communicative platform can be utilized to

quicklyI knew
gather
data ?
that all of the teachers did not have the capability to set
up a poll using Edmodo, but I remembered that Krissy, a
member of my summer STEM group, used a free source called
Socrative.com. I quickly inserviced the group and we decided
to create 5 questions using the multiple choice mode on
Socrative.com.
I enjoy playing sports
A. not at all
B. somewhat
C. yes
62%

I enjoy cooking
A. not at all
B. somewhat
C. yes
70%

I enjoy using technology

to communicate
A. not at all
B. somewhat
C. yes
98%

I eat fresh fruits and

vegetables daily
A. not at all
B. somewhat
C. yes
40%

Conclusions based on the poll

The majority of our students have
poor nutritional habits, but enjoy
cooking. Over half enjoy participating
in some type of athletic activity and
believe that digital communication has
great value.

Actions
We decided to report the
cummulative results to the
students and the overwhelming
majority decided that they
wanted a culinary STEM
activity.

Time to
lesson plan

We decided to inservice the students in

the highlighted content areas.

Tech Advisor

Math Consultants

Gardner/Nutritionist

Armstrong

James/Boyd

Seymour

Storyboarding

Ratios/Proportions

Gardening/Food
Prep 101

Objectives CCS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A1

Students will use ratios

and proportions to
create 2 distinct green
salads that will feed 20
individuals

Students will use ratios

and proportions to
create salad dressings
that complement their
green salads

Objectives 21st Century

COMMUNICATION
Students will be able to:

COLLABORATION
Students will be able to:

Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral,

Demonstrate ability to work effectively and

respectfully with diverse teams

written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of

forms and contexts

in making necessary compromises to accomplish

Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including

a common goal

knowledge, values, attitudes and intentions

Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform,

Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful

Assume shared responsibility for collaborative

instruct, motivate and persuade)

work, and value the individual contributions

Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to

made by each team member

judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their

impact

Day 1 Jobs & Gardening

Each group will determine
roles
mathematicianmedia
sanitation
grocer
spokesperson

The media and

spokesperson must
document and the
mathematician must
approve budget

Each group must research various types of

salads and salad dressings based on available
garden produce, and identify a local grocery
store that has an online sale paper. Each
group of 4-5 students will be given a budget
of $10.00 to select additional items . Each
group must have selected 2 distinct salads
and dressings at close of day 1.

Each class will assemble

with Ms. Seymour to list
available produce that
is available from the
garden
RM :308 11:15-11:35
RM:309 11:40-12:00
RM:310 12:10-12:30

Day 2
Students will rotate to Ms.
Jamess class to receive a
mini-lesson on ratios and
proportions
RM :309 11:15-11:35
RM:310 11:40-12:00
RM:308

12:10-12:30

The media and

spokesperson must
document and the
mathematician must
approve calculations

Students will work

collaboratively using
ratios/proportions to calculate
the quantity of ingredients
needed for their salads and
dressings. The mathematician
will facilitate.

Day 3 Clean and Calculate

The sanitation expert will
research universal
precautions in food
preparation. The sanitation
experts will set up a time to
meet with the schools
lunchroom manager for an
ask the expert session.
Each sanitation expert
must report findings to their
groups.

The group will work

collaboratively to identify any
additional items that will be
needed for food prep. Each
group will have a budget of
$10. The mathematician must
approve the budget. The
spokesperson must arrange a
meeting with their homeroom
teacher to discuss the
purchase of these additional
items.

The media and

spokesperson
must document

Day 4 Its Salad Time

Preliminary Duties of Teacher:
Purchase at least 20 lbs of ice
and 2 small rectangular pans
per group for icing
stations;once salads and
dressings have been created.
All metal and or plastic prep
and serving utensils must be
sanitized 30 minutes before the
session begins
All food items that require
cutting or chopping with cutlery
or use of a food processor is to
be done by classroom teacher

Criteria
Students must use all ingredients
Students must consistently practice
universal sanitary precautions
All daily aspects must be documented
media & ppt.
The grocer is the only individual that
may retrieve any produce, paper goods
and items from the pantry
All salads and dressings must be
created within 30 minutes and chilled

Day 4. Grades

Rubric Each group will receive a grade at the close of the school day based
on following criteria

Criteria

All team
member
s
performe
d duties
that
contribut
ed to a
positive
collabora
tive
experien
ce
All food
items
were

0 poor

1
moderat
e

2
excellent

Attendance Comparison
STEM CULINARY WEEK

TECH STEM WEEK

Attenda
nce

Oct.
17
Day
1,

Oct
. 20
Day
2

Oct. 22
Day 3

Oct. 24
Day 4

Attenda
nce

9/2
6

9/
29

10/
1

10/3

Grade
8
Room
308

92%

98
%

100%

94%

Grade 8
Room 308

89
%

93
%

89
%

80%

100%

Grade 8
Room 309

90
%

85
%

87
%

85%

100%

The % represent data

gathered
during first
Grade
8
87
80
period
class
session
Room 310

89
%

73%

Grade
8
Room
309

89%

Grade
8
Room
310

95%

92
%

90
%

100%

98%

Reflections
The data suggest that
students will attend school if
they are driven by a
combination of hands-on and
technologic projects.
Armstrong

I enjoyed seeing my
students work
collaboratively. I truly
see how the M in
STEM can have
meaning and bring our
students back to
school. Boyd

Great activity ! The

attendance rate was
great, but we cant do this
every week. I am grateful
for any time they say yes
to STEM and no to the
street Seymour

I cant wait until the next

culinary STEM challenge.
This challenge is a 21st
century example of what can
be accomplished by our
students. James

Bibliography
http://www.p21.org/about-us/p21-framew
ork/261

STUDENT PPT. SALAD & DRESSINGS

https://docs.google.com/a/cps.edu/presentation/d/1MiLBbIWtxcbSBwtBV1ZtJ-OOd4lPuLRkFhhp_CvH
y-E/edit#slide=id.p13
https://docs.google.com/a/cps.edu/presentation/d/12_hna94kes6IDQlpgoOQTq_TXLxh0AwrfCYKRr2S
4us/edit#slide=id.p18
https://docs.google.com/a/cps.edu/presentation/d/1D_RspNHc7_fhC8s8S1KvbeWyUd4TUZKqwwtC
xCMwzg4/edit#slide=id.p