Rebecca Caudill
Snapshot
Imagineering
To John Dewey, the educational experience is subject to constant change. One of his famous educational quotes include, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” Therefore, educators must keep up with the many different learning needs of our students. I am fortunate to be in a school district that believes education is constantly changing. In 2019, I became one of the first STEAM educators for my evolving district. Fast forward to 2021, an “R” has now been embedded as an additional focus area. My STREAM classroom has an established studio for each subject area. However, even though each discipline has its own designated space, my ultimate goal is to provide an interdisciplinary environment for my students. For example, I will focus on the engineering studio and bring in other subject areas as well as additional technology. In-class materials that could also serve as take-home resources would be beneficial in the event that remote learning is essential. Students will be presented with various engineering challenges. They will use developed rubrics for all activities on elements of the engineering process. This includes:
- Ask: What is the goal?
- Imagine: Brainstorm ideas and choose the best one.
- Plan: Draw a blueprint and list materials needed.
- Create: Build a product
- Improve: Figure out what worked and what didn’t and then modify the design.
The rubrics will be completed by students on paper or created in a google doc or google slide. Students will then create a Flipgrid giving a summary of their process while showcasing their product. I will then evaluate the Flipgrids and student engagement should be evident.