children’s 3/18

VOLUME 22 I ISSUE 3

technology and
engineering
A Journal for Elementary School Technology and Engineering Education

I n t e g r a t i v e
Br i d g i n g
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e
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 Elementary Educators!
Check out the Unique Professional Development
Opportunities Coming to Atlanta in 2018!
Programming is provided by ITEEA’s Children’s Council

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

4:00pm - Workshop - STEM Strategies for the Elementary Classroom

Thursday, April 12, 2018

8:00am - Strengthening STEM in the Elementary School
2:00pm - Inventors’ Stories Encouraging STEM Engagement
2:00pm - Blue Whale STEM Integration for Elementary Students
3:00pm - Captivating Them Early: Elementary STEM That Works!
4:00pm - Baby STEM: STEM in Primary Education

Friday, April 13, 2018

8:00am - Easy STEM Integration with NASA Resources
8:00am - STEM Camp: Animatronics and Coding
1:00pm - Making STEM Work: Writing for Children’s Technology and Engineering
2:00pm - Connected Learning: Building Partnerships Within Your School
2:00pm - Collaborative Engineering with Skype
3:00pm - Global Collaboration = STEM = Exponential Learning
3:00pm - Secondary Technology and Engineering Educators Supporting Elementary STEM

ITEEA’s Children’s Council works to provide a top-notch professional development experience

for educators and proponents of STEM Education at the Elementary Level!

Don’t miss out! Register today!

www.iteea.org/ITEEA_Conference_2018.aspx
Questions about Children’s Council programming can be directed
to Thomas Roberts at otrober@bgsu.edu.

ITEEA’s Children’s Council

 children’s rative
CONTENTS
Bridging Integunities:
technology and
nt
i e
i s
STEM Comm
engineering
A Journal for Elementary School Technology and Engineering Education
Commu

P.7
features ARTICLE
project ConnecT: creating a STEM
community partnership
Jeff Thomas and Trish Kavanaugh

P.12 ACTIVITY
community connections
Laura J. Hummell, DTE

P.18 ARTICLE
teaching manufacturing through
board game creation
Cameron Moon and Scott R. Bartholomew

P.22 ACTIVITY
STEM children’s rhymes: Cover Image courtesy of Susan Mahood.
STEM Baa Baa Black Sheep

departments
Emily Yoshikawa and Scott R. Bartholomew

P.30 ACTIVITY
introduce coding to students
with the littleBits code kit
Jorge Valenzuela
P.4 FROM THE EDITOR
bridging integrative STEM communities
Virginia R. Jones

P.5 MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDREN’S COUNCIL

PRESIDENT
children and technology
Charlotte P. Holter

P.16 CAREER CONNECTIONS

software developer
Bryanne Peterson

P.26 LITERACY STRATEGIES

literacy strategies in STEM education
Jorge Valenzuela

P.33 BOOKS TO BRIEFS

the future is green
Brittany Adams

P.36 THE SPACE PLACE

Produced by the International studying storms from the sky
www.iteea.org Technology and Engineering Teagan Wall
Educators Association
in conjunction with its
Children’s Council

March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 3

 children’s
o r i a l
EDITORIAL

technology and
engineering edi t by Virginia R. Jones

A Journal for Elementary School Technology and Engineering Education

Publisher, Steven A. Barbato

Bridging Integrative STEM
Communities
Editor-in-Chief, Kathleen B. de la Paz
Field Editors, Virginia R. Jones and Thomas Roberts
Editor/Layout, Kathie F. Cluff

C
ITEEA Board of Directors
Ed Reeve, DTE, President
Jared P. Bitting, DTE, Past President
Yvonne Spicer, DTE, President-Elect
ommunity is a concept we as educators often take for granted. We embrace
Debra E. Shapiro, Director, Region I our learning communities within our grade levels or our specific STEM
Jason Hlavacs, Director, Region II
Kurt R. Helgeson, Director, Region III disciplines. A community of learners with strong STEM leaders is one of
Michael Wagner, Director, Region IV
Mark Crenshaw, Director, ITEEA-CSL our educational goals. But look at community through a different lens to
Marie Hoepfl, Director, CTETE see that the concept of community is the lifeblood that connects learning with the real
Scott Greenhalgh, Director, TEECA
Laura Hummell, DTE, Director, ITEEA-CC world around us. Developing strong ties with community partners is an opportunity
Steven A. Barbato, DTE, Executive Director
to let our learners experience situations beyond the classroom. Strong ties with STEM
Field Editors professionals in your community brings opportunities for students to experience many
Volume 22
Virginia R. Jones: vrjones@rappahonnock.edu different professions. Community professionals can highlight the connections between
Rappahannock Community College
Thomas Roberts: otrober@bgsu.edu
mathematics, sciences, technology, and engineering in their jobs so learners under-
Bowling Green State University stand the importance of mastering these skills. Students can visit local sites to better
2016-2017 Editorial Review Board
understand how professionals make their community a safer, better place to live. Stu-
Classroom Teacher University Professional dents can learn from our community partners while our community partners learn how
Reviewers Reviewers
ANDREA BENNETT SCOTT BEVINS important strong, integrative STEM education is for the future of our community.
Chase STEM Academy, OH University of Virginia
PAMELA CHAPMAN at Wise
Avant Garde Academy, FL SHARON BRUSIC This issue’s theme focuses on the importance of involvement outside the school walls—
CHARLOTTE HOLTER Millersville University
Rockingham (VA) MIKE DAUGHERTY those in the community with the capacity to help support the growth and development
Schools University of Arkansas
MARY MAVROUDAS WILLIAM HAVICE
of young learners of the community. When children learn to improve their communities,
Woodbrook ES, NJ Clemson University they learn to develop the capacity to organize others as well as acquire problem-solv-
AMANDA ROBERTS ROGER HILL
Liberty Christian University of Georgia ing, planning, and time-management skills. They learn about community agencies and
Academy, VA KURT MICHAEL
MARTHA SMITH Liberty University how local governments' work. Experiences that involve teamwork, collaboration, and
J.B. Watkins ES, VA interaction are training grounds for future organized citizens—people who set goals,
Children’s Council of ITEEA Officers
work within established systems, and motivate others to help. Community service dur-
Charlotte P. Holter, President ing adolescence trains students to become innovative citizens. This helps them develop
Kimberly Bradshaw, President-Elect
Laura Hummell, DTE, Past President systems to question why some people face hunger, debate solutions for clean energy,
Lisa Moyer, Secretary
Julie Sicks-Panus, Treasurer and investigate the relationship between race and poverty. Parents, educators, and
Mohamad Barbarji, Vice President - Communications community leaders can work together to help students become part of a new genera-
Thomas Roberts, Vice President - Programming
tion that is prepared to take responsibility, lead others, and tackle tomorrow’s social
Children’s Technology and Engineering is
published four times a year (September, December,
and environmental challenges (Price-Mitchell, 2015).
March, and May) by the International Technology
and Engineering Educators Association. Electronic
subscriptions are included in Children’s Council Community involvement is important, and I certainly hope that you will be able to at-
dues and all group membership dues. Electronic
subscriptions to the journal are $30.00 per year.
tend ITEEA's 80th Annual Conference, "Building Bridges Within the STEM Community
Single copies of back issues are available for $8.00. and Beyond," April 12-14, in Atlanta, Georgia. There is a strand specifically designed
Advertising Sales for elementary STEM educators as well as the STEM Showcase and poster session to
ITEEA Publication Department
703-860-2100 highlight emerging trends and best practices in integrative STEM education. There will
membership.sales@iteea.org
also be a table for the journal during the Showcase, so please stop by and learn more
Subscription Claims
All subscription claims must be made within 60 about our journal, including how to be part of our community of contributors.
days of the first day of the month appearing on the
cover of the journal.
Address Changes
Go to the ITEEA website – www.iteea.org. Log in
reference
and edit your profile. It’s that simple.
Article Submissions Price-Mitchell, M. (May 26, 2015). Community service ideas for kids: Why giving back
All contributions for review should be sent to:
Kathleen B. de la Paz, Editor in Chief
matters. Retrieved from www.rootsofaction.com/community-service-ideas-for-
at: kdelapaz@iteea.org youth/
Submission guidelines can be found at: https://
www.iteea.org/File.aspx?id=53850&v=63b4fb90
Contents copyright © 2017 by the International Virginia R. Jones, Ph.D., is Dean of Student Success and enrollment services at Patrick
Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
703-860-2100, www.iteea.org.
Henry Community College. She can be reached at vjones@patrickhenry.edu.

4 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

 from the Children’s Council President
MESSAGE
children
and
technology
L
ast month I attended the 22nd
annual Virginia Children’s
Engineering Convention in
Roanoke, Virginia. I have been
part of this organization and have at-
tended for 15 years. Some keywords
found from workshop session descrip-
tions this time were: differentiation, cod-
ing, integration, project-based learning,
STEM, interdisciplinary STEAM, circuits,
engineering, inventing, squishy circuit,
design, building, and making. The com-
mon thread that resonated throughout
the workshops and convention was that
children can develop and integrate their
learning through different methods and
that children can be given the opportu-
nity to creatively think on their own in
order to solve problems through integra-
tive STEM approaches. Excitement was
evident among teachers who found that
teaching integrative STEM education
could be done with slight and intentional
adjustments to their previous method
of teaching. They learned that in using
varied methods, whether they are com-
back to contents
mercially made products or creations
from recycled materials, the focus must
be on allowing children to use their
minds in a productive and meaningful
way. The underlying theme throughout
all of these methods is allowing children
to design and create.
Most sessions I attended strongly sup-
ported the ideology of deeper learning.
So what is deeper learning all about? It
has certainly become a “buzz” word in
educational settings today. I scanned
the internet for what others had to say
about it. They say that deeper learn-
ing involves learning to work col-
laboratively, communicate effectively,
and be self-directed, critically solving
problems, engaging analytical reason-
ing, and learning how to learn. These
skills and knowledge are going to be
necessary for today’s students in 21st
century society and the workplace.
Many organizations are embracing ways
to help teachers teach deeper learn-
ing strategies. The William and Flora
March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 5
l
rime
re g St
it : G
ge cred
Ima
by Charlotte P. Holter
Hewlett Foundation introduced “Deeper
Learning” in 2010. Their educational
outcomes include:
• Mastery of rigorous academic
content.
• Development of critical-thinking
and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively.
• Effective oral and written commu-
nication.
• Learning how to learn.
• Developing and maintaining an
academic mindset (Hewlett, 2010).
All of these “deeper thinking” strate-
gies must and should begin at the
elementary level, and it is possible
to begin with the youngest students.
Elementary school learning focuses on
the introductory STEM courses, as well
as STEM occupation awareness. It is
here that students can experience the
thrill of learning as well as begin to think
“deeper.” The goal is to pique students’
interest without creating phobias or pre-
conceived notions about Science, Tech-
 Charlotte P.
Holter, Ed.D., an
elementary teacher
for 30+ years, is
currently a Gifted
Education Special-
nology, Engineering, and Mathematic reference ist for Rockingham
subject areas that tend to deter students
County, VA. She is
in later grades. Elementary teachers American Institutes for Research.
an adjunct professor
can and must create the desire to learn (2014). Does deeper learning improve for James Madison University, Harrisonburg,
through integrative STEM education. student outcomes? William and Flora VA and has been extensively involved with
Hewlett Foundation. Retrieved from elementary STEM/Children’s Engineering
It has been said that today’s elementary www.hewlett.org/library/does-deeper- professional development for both preservice
students are preparing for jobs that learning-improve-student-outcomes/ and inservice teachers. She has published
haven’t even been created yet, so we elementary STEM Education materials for use
are challenged to equip them with skills in the classroom. Dr. Holter can be reached at
that will give them success and joy. We charlo56@vt.edu.
must be intentional about how we bring
deeper learning into the classroom.

Call for Articles/Activities

ITEEA encourages its readers to submit articles for the Children’s Technology and Engineering journal.
Each issue is themed, and articles should address that theme. In addition to articles and activities, regular
features include Books to Briefs, Literacy Strategies, and Career Connections.

The Children’s Technology and Engineering journal also now offers a peer-review option for publication. At
the time of submission, contributing authors will have the option to request that manuscripts undergo peer
review prior to publication.

Before submitting, potential authors should consult the themes and subthemes for specific issues and
indicate interest in covering a particular topic by emailing kdelapaz@iteea.org.

children’s
The theme for Volume 22 (2017-18 school year) is:
Bridging Integrative STEM Communities,
with the following subthemes for upcoming individual issues:

technology and 22-4: Beyond the Schools (May 2018)

engineering
A Journal for Elementary School Technology and Engineering Education

6 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

 c t C o n n e c T :
e
FEATURE ARTICLE

p r o j c o m m u n i t y p a r t n e r s h i p
n g a S T E M
creati

by Jeff Thomas and Trish Kavanaugh

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 7

FEATURE ARTICLE
introduction
Helping children learn the importance
and excitement of engineering lies at the
heart of a collaborative effort between
the authors (a second grade teacher
and teacher educator) as they team-
teach lessons over a 16-week period.
Project ConnecT is designed to bridge
elementary students’ learning about
engineering and technology with our
understanding of how they do it. This
article shares how the project material-
ized so that the reader might recreate it
for a local classroom.
background
Project ConnecT is a collaborative
partnership designed to help bring
engineering and technology lessons to
a classroom of second grade students
while the authors refine an understand-
ing of the types of learning called for
by Next Generation Science Standards
(NGSS) (2013), the International Tech-
nology Education Association’s (ITEA/
8 children’s technology and engineering March 2018
ITEEA) (2000/2002/2007) standards,
and our own state standards. The C and
the T are capitalized to represent “class-
room” and “teaching” and form the
basis of the project to “connect” a com-
munity resource (referred to as teacher
educator throughout this article) with
a classroom in order to build a STEM
community of learners. There are many
benefits for such partnerships. One,
elementary students benefit from the
deliberative focus, effort, and interest of
a community partner. Two, teacher edu-
cators might have access to educational
resources and equipment (e.g., internal
grants, purchasing budget, and sensors)
that a P-6 teacher does not. Three, a
classroom teacher can share emerging
professional issues in the building and
district with the teacher educator.
establishing your own
partnership
We offer the following phases to assist
readers in establishing their own part-
nerships. In retrospect, each phase took
about one year to transition through.
While a phase might be expedited a bit,
one should expect progression to take
time and purposeful effort.
Phase 1: Identify a community part-
ner. The partnership was initiated by
happenstance over a discussion about
Lubber crickets one of the authors (the
teacher educator) was raising. The
teacher asked if he could bring them
into class for the children to observe
and learn about. After a successful and
pleasant experience with the crickets, a
decision was made to schedule another
visit. As we talked about possibilities,
common interests aligned with needs
in the teacher’s district-mandated
curriculum map. The teacher educator
prepared three lessons to explore the
engineering-by-design process, the
meaning of technology, and how tech-
nology is present in our communities.
We reflected on the lessons and experi-
ences as the school year ended. During
that reflection we realized how reward-
back to contents
ing it had been for us and the students.
The teacher was able to connect a com-
munity partner to the classroom, incorpo-
rate lessons using materials she did not
readily have at her disposal, and learned
new strategies for teaching engineering-
focused lessons. The teacher educator
evolved his understanding of key learning
and assessment strategies in engineering
lessons, learned of several important as-
sessment initiatives present in the district,
and realized he could utilize student work
in his science methods coursework. We
concluded that extending the collabora-
tion was a wonderful idea.
Phase 2: Fostering collegiality and
trust. As the following school year rolled
around we decided to schedule visits two
or three times per week during the spring
semester. In the fall semester, we began
meeting after school to construct lessons
and aligning them to the district curricu-
lum map. The teacher educator needed
to be briefed on class norms, the school
citizenship plan, and behavior manage-
ment strategies used in the classroom. As
part of the process, we identified several
university-based grant resources that
the teacher educator could access to
purchase materials. Examples included
children’s literature aligned to engineering
and technology, biographies of famous
scientists, and pieces of equipment to
use with students. Formal permission was
sought from the school principal during
this planning, since it consumed students'
instructional time and there were impor-
tant safety and visitor policies in place. A
solid plan emerged, and we implemented
it successfully in the spring. A second
year reflection resulted in continued
enthusiasm for the project and an agree-
ment to work together in the third year.
Phase 3: Developing a shared practice.
After five years of partnering, we value
and trust our STEM community to the
extent that we can pilot new ideas and
strategies and evaluate their successes
and failures. Importantly, we aren’t afraid
to fail in front of one another as we push
forward with our own development for
student learning.
back to contents
Our focus is on engineering and tech-
nology because our state’s new science
standards closely mirror NGSS and
include expectations that engineering
will connect with other science subjects.
Many articles and lesson ideas from
Children’s Technology and Engineering
offer classroom-ready resources for the
reader as they establish their partner-
ship. Specific lessons in our partnership
include engineering: (a) an amusement
park ride, (b) water transportation vehicle,
(c) lifeguard chair, (d) tower to celebrate
a town’s birthday, (e) simple machines to
throw fly balls to children and Frisbees
to dogs, (f) rescue devices, and (g) a
lunar orbiter to crash-land on the moon.
Peppered throughout these lessons
are ones incorporating: (a) biographies
of famous scientists and their connec-
tion to engineering and technology; (b)
students writing and recording videos
about failures and mistakes made during
the design process and the lessons they
learned from them, and (c) technology
found in society.
A list of biographies is provided to high-
light some of the titles we use. A purpose-
ful effort is made to identify new, high-
quality selections (e.g., content-rich, vivid
illustrations, positive reviews from leading
children’s literature organizations) that fo-
March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 9
cus on successful women and books that
share stories of when the scientists were
children. We believe elementary students
better connect to biographies when they
showcase the scientists in their youth.
Advanced readers are able to read some
of the intermediate level books, and
several can be used in a read-aloud or to
share particular stories in targeted ways
(e.g., how Thomas Edison encouraged
Henry Ford to “keep at it!”). Among the
many read-aloud strategies and student
retell strategies, educators may wish to
consider Van Loo’s (2012) description for
using biographies. Readers might also
identify other connections for using books
in Children’s Technology and Engineering's
reoccurring Books to Briefs section.
conclusions
Our partnership fosters excitement and
meaningful experiences for students
while they learn about engineering and
technology. While that alone is sufficient,
we also have a vested interest in teach-
ing these lessons with one another to
develop our own teaching and assess-
ment strategies around engineering and
technology. Engineering lessons provide
a dynamic context to help children learn
from their successes and failures. They
provide the same for us. We encourage

FEATURE ARTICLE
educators to consider what type of com-
munity partner can enhance classroom
and student experiences in engineering
and technology.
primary level biography
resources
• A Passion for Elephants: The Real
Life Adventure of Field Scientist
Cynthia Moss. 2015. Toni Buzzeo.
Illus. Holly Berry. Dial Books (Pen-
guin). 32pp. ISBN: 9780399187254.
• Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her
Flying Machine. 2016. Heather
Lang. Illus. Raul Colon. Calkins
Creek. 40pp. ISBN: 9781620916506.
• Me…Jane. 2011. Patrick McDonnell.
Little Brown Books for Young Read-
ers. 40pp. ISBN: 9780316045469.
• Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea:
Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean
Floor. 2016. Robert Burleigh. Illus.
Raúl Colón. Simon & Schuster/
10 children’s technology and engineering March 2018
Paula Wiseman Books. 40pp. ISBN:
9781481416009.
• Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mys-
teries of the Universe. 2014. Stepha-
nie Roth Sissen. Roaring Book
Press. 42pp. ISBN: 9781596439603.
• The Boy Who Loved Math: The
Improbable Life of Paul Erdös. 2013.
Deborah Heiligman. Illus. LeUyen
Pham. Roaring Book Press. 44pp.
ISBN: 9781596433076.
• The Tree Lady: The True Story
of How One Tree-Loving Woman
Changed a City Forever. 2013.
Joseph Hopkins. Illus. Jill McElmur-
ry. Beach Lane. 32pp. ISBN:
9781442414020.
• The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life
With the Chimps. 2011. Jeanette
Winter. Schwartz & Wade. 48pp.
ISBN: 9780375867743.
• Wangari Angari Maathai: The
Woman Who Planted Millions of
Trees. 2015. Franck Prévot. Illus.
Aurelia Fronty. Charlesbridge. 48pp.
ISBN: 9781580896269.
• Who Says Women Can't Be Doc-
tors? The Story of Elizabeth Black-
well. 2013. Tanya Lee Stone. Illus.
Marjorie Priceman. Henry Holt &
Co. 40pp. ISBN: 9780805090482.
intermediate level
biography resources
• Ada Lovelace and the Thinking
Machine. Laurie Wallmark. Illus.
April Chu. Creston. 40pp. ISBN:
9781939547200.
• Ben Franklin's Big Splash. Barb
Resenstock. Illus. S.D. Schindler.
Calkins Creek. 32pp. ISBN:
9781620914465.
• Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla
Lit Up the World. 2013. Elizabeth
Rusch. Illus. Oliver Dominguez.
Candlewick Press. 40pp. ISBN:
9780763658557.
• Life in the Ocean: The Story of the
Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. 2012.
Claire A Nivola. Farrar, Straus, & Gi-
roux. 32pp. ISBN: 9780374380687.
• Look Up: Henrietta Leavitt, Pio-
neering Woman Astronomer. 2013.
Robert Burleigh. Illus. Raúl Colón.
Simon & Schuster. 32 pp. ISBN:
9781416958192.
• Mr. Ferris and His Wheel. 2014.
Kathryn Gibbs Davis. Illus. Gilbert
Ford. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Books for Young Readers. 40pp.
ISBN: 9780547959221.
• The Inventor's Secret: What
Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford.
Suzanne Slade. Illus. Jennifer Black
Reinhardt. Charlesbridge. 48pp.
ISBN: 9781580896672.
• Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science
Who Changed the World. Rachel
Swaby. Delacorte Books. 176pp.
ISBN: 9780399554162.
• Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's
Super-Soaking Stream of Inven-
tions. Chris Barton. Illus. Don
Tate. Charlesbridge. 32pp. ISBN:
9781580892971.
back to contents
references NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next genera- Jeff Thomas is a
tion science standards: For states, professor of teacher
Dankenbring, C., Capobianco, B., & Eich- by states. Washington, DC: National education at the
inger, D. (2014). How to develop an Academies Press. doi:10.17226/18290. University of Southern
engineering design task. Science & Van Loo, B. (2012). Core connections: Indiana. He can be
Children, 52(4), 70-75. Why language arts is vital to teach- reached at jathomas@
International Technology Educa- ing technology and engineering. usi.edu.
tion Association (ITEA/ITEEA). Children's Technology & Engineering,
(2000/2002/2007). Standards for 17(1), 14-16. Trish Kavanaugh is
technological literacy: Content for a second grade teach-
the study of technology. Reston, VA: er at West Terrace
Author. Elementary School.
She can be reached
at trisha.kavanaugh@
evsck12.com.

JOIN US in April for a PREVIEW of some FUN and Powerful Approaches

to K-8 STEM Learning of Language, Logic, Coding, and Control

What? The workshop will help elementary and middle school teachers combine concepts of literacy, logical thinking, and easy-to-
understand but powerful coding into activities that will allow students to control devices they design and create.

When and Where?

The 80th ITEEA Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA April 11-13, 2018 – “Introductory Systems and Control” Preconference Workshop sched-
uled for April 11 from 8:00am–5:00pm. Learn more about the workshop at www.iteea.org/SystemsControlWorkshop.aspx and register
for the conference at www.iteea.org/Registration_2018.aspx

Who? Presenters, Members of a US/UK Collaborative Team on sharing STEM Resources;

with Support from ITEEA, D&TA (Design and Technology Association), Redfern/Crumble, (UK) and TeacherGeek, (US)

K- -8

the Crumble Controller

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 11

ACTIVITY

m u n i t y
c om

connections
by Laura J. Hummell, DTE Photo Credit: Susan Mahood.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 12

community connections
Building regular school-community connections is significant
and, if developed and implemented well, can have lasting pos-
itive impacts on the students, teachers, and community mem-
bers involved for years to come. Often parents, school board
members, and community members are curious about what
Technology and Engineering Education is at the elementary
level. Some of the best ways to get your community involved
in your Technology and Engineering Education programs
include open communication through regular home-school
messages using the various media available, such as school
websites, school social media accounts, posts to the class or
school learning management systems, newspaper articles,
newsletters, and phone calls.

Ways to integrate the community into your classroom include

reaching out to the experts in your area and encouraging
them to be guest speakers or volunteers in your classroom.
Each school and district varies in its policies about this
inclusion of parents and community members, so be sure to
plan well ahead of time and know the requirements prior to
requesting and involving others’ participation in your class’s
activities, especially those people who may have direct con-
tact with you and your students. Safety is always a priority for Credit: Susan Mahood.
everyone involved.

We know how crucial collaboration with a wide variety of
people from diverse backgrounds is to student long-term
success, particularly in education. Problems are complex,
people learn more effectively from one another than in isola-
tion, more resources are available when everyone works
together, students are energized and learn critical social skills
by interacting positively with each other and a variety of other
people regularly, there is more diversity in the classroom,
contacts and networks are built for the future, and those
networks may prove to be useful in other areas outside the
STEM classes and school. For example, my class sponsored a
retired military pilot, who came and spoke to my classes about
the importance of education, teamwork, training, safety, flight,
the military, and other topics regularly for years. Students built
relationships with this person and eventually became pilots
themselves. They became so close that many of them invited
him to their graduations, weddings, and other significant
events in their lives.
ACTIVITY ONE:
STEM safety activities
Grade Levels: PK-5
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) should
be an integrated, interdisciplinary, and student-centered ap-
proach to learning that encourages curiosity, creativity, artistic
expression, collaboration, communication, problem solving,
critical thinking, and design thinking.
STEM education is built on the following foundational beliefs:
• All students are capable of STEM literacy.
• Iteration and reflection are an important part of the STEM
learning process.
• STEM education transcends the classroom walls, inte-
grating into the community.
• STEM education success depends upon the partnership
between educators, students, families, postsecondary
providers, legislators, business, and industry.
• STEM should embrace the scientific method, sound
mathematics, technology integration, and the engineering
design process.
Each grade level or teacher develops daily (or weekly) STEM
safety plans and activities to culminate in a STEM Showcase
at the end of each semester or year.
Safety Daily (or Weekly) Activities
• Discuss STEM Safety.
• Discuss computer and online safety.
• Discuss personal safety.
• Discuss vehicle safety.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 13

ACTIVITY
Credit: Susan Mahood.
STL Standards Addressed:
• The Nature of Technology, Standard 1. Students will de-
velop an understanding of the characteristics and scope
of technology.
• The Nature of Technology, Standard 2. Students will de-
velop an understanding of the core concepts of technol-
ogy.
• The Nature of Technology, Standard 3: Students will
develop an understanding of the relationships among
technologies and the connections between technology
and other fields of study.
• Abilities for a Technological World, Standard 12: Students
will develop abilities to use and maintain technological
products and systems.
• The Designed World, Standard 17: Students will develop
an understanding of and be able to select and use infor-
mation and communication technologies.
Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of
Technology (ITEA/ITEEA, 2000/2002/2007).
ACTIVITY TWO: STEM PD
Often our colleagues, who may or may not have had STEM
training, can be very curious about what we do daily to in-
tegrate STEM activities and curriculum into our classrooms.
Solve the mystery and invite them to your classrooms on
professional development days or after school to do projects,
14 children’s technology and engineering March 2018
use equipment, and experience firsthand what you and your
students are doing.
STEM Education Professional Development Day (or Year)
• Invite colleagues to professional development in your
STEM classroom or makerspace.
• PD goals and objectives—explain the difference between
goals and objectives.
• Identify various STEM and STEAM concepts.
• Look at the history.
• Do short- and long-term plans.
ACTIVITY THREE:
STEM community building
Community STEM Involvement Ideas
• Have community members come to the classroom or
space.
• Have guest speakers.
• Have project days for younger students taught and super-
vised by the older students.
• Have a community STEM space like a community garden,
art installation, STEM installation, recycling area, etc.
ACTIVITY FOUR:
STEM community resources
• Offer regular workshops, competitions, conferences—like
a fix it or DIY day each month.
• Offer a "STEM in literature" online course, blog, or con-
nections website, with website maintained by the stu-
dents and teachers.
• Have a "STEM in history" website maintained by the stu-
dents and teachers.
• Do a "This Day in STEM" in the local paper, on the school
website, or as part of school announcements daily or
weekly or monthly.
• Have an "Applied STEM" website maintained by the stu-
dents and teachers.
ACTIVITY FIVE:
STEM theme units (or months) in your
school
• STEM in Your daily life—brainstorm about what you use
or how STEM affects what you do every day and how you
do things
• STEM in Flight—First in Flight Society and Smithsonian
four forces of flight, exploring flight—natural vs man-
made, airline travel, hot air balloon travel, gliders
• STEM Travels—transportation or trips focused on applied
study of how vehicles work
back to contents
• STEM in the Military
• STEM in Space
• STEM Around the World
o Examine how STEM education, business, and indus-
try is done in countries all over the globe.
o Develop global "pen pals" with whom you could
FaceTime or otherwise communicate.
summary
By involving entire communities in STEM, the schools can
reach a wider audience and have a greater impact on STEM
education. All schools, teachers, and students can tap into
potential resources, guest speakers, and ideas that they may
never have considered before. From the simple homework
brainstorming exercise to more complex community STEM
programs, expanding outreach to your students’ extended
families can have numerous benefits.
suggested sites and ideas to explore:
• Building STEM Teacher Leadership in Elementary STEM
https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/stem/building-
stem-teacher-leadership/faqs-elementary-stem-teacher-
leaders-3/
• Engineering: Go for it! www.egfi-k12.org/
• ITEEA website and webinars www.iteea.org
• U.S. Department of Education Science, Technology, Engi-
neering, and Math: Education for Global Leadership
www.ed.gov/stem
references
• International Technology Education Association (ITEA/
ITEEA). (2000/2002/2007). Standards for technologi-
cal literacy: Content for the study of technology. Res-
ton, VA: Author. Available online at www.iteea.org/File.
aspx?id=67767
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and
Improvement. (2017). How can elementary STEM teacher
leaders overcome common barriers to support elementary
STEM learning? Available online at https://innovation.
ed.gov/what-we-do/stem/building-stem-teacher-leader-
ship/stem-teacher-leaders-overcome-common-barriers-
to-support-elementary-stem-learning/
• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS). (2014). STEM 101: Intro to tomorrow’s jobs. Occupa-
tional Outlook Quarterly. Washington, DC: BLS. Available
online at www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2014/spring/art01.
pdf
Laura J. Hummell, Ed.D, DTE, is a
technology and engineering educator.
Her main interest is the promotion of
elementary technology and engineering
education throughout the world. She can
be reached at laurahummell@gmail.com.

FROM ITEEA'S CHILDREN'S TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

THE BEST OF BOOKS TO BRIEFS
Books to Briefs has long been a popular feature
in ITEEA’s Children’s Technology and Engineering
journal. Educator authors begin with children’s
books and make clear connections to technology
and engineering elementary curriculum through
ready-to-use lesson plans, goals, worksheets, and
more. The Best of Books to Briefs is organized
into three relevant content areas:

The Engineering Design Process

• The Environment
• Making Connections

Members $19/Nonmembers $22

Product number: P267E.pdf

Purchase and download The Best of Books to Briefs

in the ITEEA eStore at
www.iteea.org/STEMProducts.aspx

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 15

 a r e
CAREER CONNECTIONS
n s

w
t i o

t
n e c

f
C o n

o
Career

s developer

by Bryanne Peterson

16 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

 play a large role in

I
rt of ever yd ay life . Electronics specifically
ology is a pa , for ex-
n today ’s world, techn bu ilt by all so rts of en gineers. A smartphone
ese electronics are gineers, and even mech
anical engi-
modern society, and th en gin ee rs, ma terial en
m of electrical and comfortable
ample, would have a tea de vic e th at do es n’t overheat , is durable,
work to bu ild a rams
neers. These engineers e. So ftw are is a ge ne ral term for all the prog
ftwar
vices are loaded with so
to hold. Once built, de
ics.
used to operate electron

Software is written by software developers, who are the creative
minds behind computer programs (BLS, 2018). They write code
to communicate with electronic devices in special languages,
such as Ruby, Javascript, or Python. Some software developers
focus on applications that allow people to interact with a device,
like an app on an iPhone, or MS Word on a computer. Others
develop the systems that run the device behind the scenes; the
language you use to “talk” to the device depends on what you’re
trying to do, and sometimes, which you prefer.
Software development is a sophisticated form of communication
between a person and a computer; it’s easy to learn but takes a
lot of work to master. While some software developers are self-
taught or go through a certificate program, software developers
typically earn a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software
engineering, or a related field. While writing code is important,
software developers also need skills related to the industry in
which they work (BLS, 2018). For example, if a developer is
building database programs for a health insurance provider,
Quick Facts: Operations Research Analysts
2016 Median Pay $102,280 per year
$49.17 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related None
Occupation
On-the-Job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2016 1,256,200
Job Outlook, 2016-26 24% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2016-26 302,500
they will need to have an understanding of healthcare manage-
ment. This is because a software developer is a problem solver.
Their job is not just to communicate with a computer; a software
developer’s job is to help people solve problems by getting a
device to do what is necessary.
Because our society is advancing technology so quickly, soft-
ware developers are in high demand. From 2016 to 2026, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that most job fields will
grow by seven percent. However, software developers have an
estimated job growth rate of 24 percent; that’s much faster than
average (BLS, 2018). Software development requires a lot of
skill and background knowledge in more than just one field, and
qualified developers are sought after by companies, so it usually
pays very well. The median pay for a software developer in 2016
was $102,280 a year (BLS, 2018). In some parts of the country,
like California and Washington state, the average salary is closer
to $140,000.
references
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2018).
Occupational outlook handbook, software developers. Re-
trieved from www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-
technology/software-developers.htm
Bryanne Peterson, Ph.D., has a decade of
classroom experience and now works with edu-
cators to improve STEM education and career
development in their classrooms. She can be
reached at bryanne@vt.edu.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 17

 u r i n g
FEATURE ARTICLE

ing m a n u f a c t
teach through
a m e c r e a t i o n
b oa r d g

by Cameron Moon and Scott R. Bartholomew

18 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

B
oard game manufacturing
involves several different types
of people coming together
in a complex process with a
physical product as the end goal. This
process typically starts off with a board
game designer who brainstorms board
game ideas and experiments by playing
a variety of games. After brainstorming
and coming up with a “potentially win-
ning” idea, a board game designer will
construct a working prototype with the
accompanying pieces, instructions, and
rules. Constructing this prototype involves
the use of a wide array of resources
including websites, books, conferences
and conventions, and stores. Following
the creation of the prototype, the idea
is pitched to other board game design-
ers and players who offer guidance and
suggestions. (T. Colver, Personal com-
munication, December 7th, 2017). Using
the provided feedback, a board game
designer may choose to make improve-
ments or submit their game idea to a
board game publisher.

Table 1. Board Game Manufacturing Lesson Overview

Time: 120 minutes
Intended Grade Level: 4th-6th grade
Lesson Purpose: Students will create and manufacture a board game while learning the different processes used in making the
game. By following the process of board game manufacturing (brainstorm, prototype, playtest, revise, manufacture), students may
increase their understanding of the work that is involved in manufacturing a product and take pride in taking their idea from the
brainstorming step to the final product.
Core Content Standards: (Standards for Technological Literacy/STL)
 STL Standard 6: Students will develop an understanding of the role of society in the development and use of technology.
º Benchmark A. Products are made to meet individual needs and wants.
 STL Standard 8: Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.
º Benchmark D. Requirements for a design include such factors as the desired elements and features of a product or sys-
tem or the limits that are placed on the design.
 STL Standard 9: Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
º Benchmark D. When designing an object, it is important to be creative and consider all ideas.
 STL Standard 11: Students will develop the abilities to apply the design process.
º Benchmark E. The process of designing involves presenting some possible solutions in visual form and then selecting the
best solution(s) from many.
Global or Local Issue: Students need to understand the manufacturing processes and how products are made and what goes in
to making a product.
STEM Standards: (Next Generation Science Standards)
 3-5-ETS1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specific criteria for success and con-
straints on materials, time, or cost.
 3-5-ETS1-2: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the
criteria and constraints of the problem.
 3-5-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the
best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
 3-5 ETS1-4: Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process
such that an optimal design can be achieved.
Student Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
1. Describe manufacturing processes.
2. Explain how manufacturing works to create products for consumers.
3. Apply the basic principles of board game design in a manufacturing setting.
4. Create a board game that demonstrates different manufacturing techniques.
Driving Question: What manufacturing processes are used to create and manufacture a board game?
Career Connections:
1. Board game designer
2. Machinist
3. Graphic Designer

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 19

 Table 2. Board Game Manufacturing Lesson Plan
FEATURE ARTICLE
Engineering Design-Based Lesson Plan
Material list: Optional Materials:
 Example board games that are easy to teach and learn  3D printer
 Paper for brainstorming and creating game boards  Plastic molding equipment
 Cardstock for tokens or cards  CNC machine
 Coins, nuts, bolts to use for tokens or pawns while prototyping  Laser engraver
 Photo editing program or vector drawing program  Lathe
 Actual board game pieces students could use as board game pieces for their game  Large format printer
 Band saw
Defining manufacturing, products, and consumers: The teacher should demonstrate what manufacturing looks like by show-
ing this video. It may be beneficial to pause the video and discuss the different manufacturing processes in the video. Discuss
what students learned in the video:
 What did you learn about manufacturing from the video?
 What material are Legos manufactured from?
 What is one of the steps Legos must go through before they are completed?
The teacher should explain that board games must be manufactured as well. Explain that manufacturing brings products to con-
sumers (a consumer is someone who wants to buy a product).
Allow students to play and test different board games to expose them to the different types of games. After allowing them to
play the games for a few minutes ask them about what they learned and what differences they found between each board game.
Discussion:
 Which board game did you enjoy the most? Why?
 Which board game did you enjoy the least? Why?
 What were some differences between the board games you played?
Board game design-Brainstorm: Students will work individually to come up with different board game ideas. The more ideas
they come up with, the more likely it is they will come up with a creative idea. Ask students about the ideas they have and help
guide them towards ideas that are creative. Have them explain their idea to their neighbor to help get feedback. Invite some stu-
dents to share their final idea with the class, offering feedback as needed. Throughout the brainstorming process, ask prompting
questions to the class to help focus their ideas:
 How do you win your game?
 Is there a specific theme for your game?
 Are there similarities to your game you could change to make it more unique?
Board game design-Prototype and Playtest: Students will choose an idea and create a prototype using large pieces of paper
as boards and small nuts, bolts, or coins to act as tokens and playing pieces. They will need to write the rules to their game on
a separate sheet of paper. The teacher should help students understand the importance of prototyping in the design process by
outlining prototyping principles.
The purpose of prototyping is to show other people your idea to see if there are any problems with it.
Sometimes, when we think we have a good idea, others may offer ideas to make our idea even better.
Offer an example of how it is important to receive feedback on our ideas to make them better.
As students are getting close to finishing their prototype, approve their prototype before allowing it to be play-tested to ensure
that their prototype is ready. Peers can play-test each other’s game and offer feedback to make the game better. Students can
revise their board game design as they see fit. If students are struggling to provide effective feedback, give an example to the
class of how feedback should be given, using a student’s board game as a demonstration. Example feedback:
 I really like the artwork on your game board.
 Could you change the number of dice from one to two to help the game move faster?
 Why did you choose this theme? Would it be better with a different theme?
Board game Manufacturing: The teacher will need to decide beforehand which manufacturing processes will be available to
the students. This is primarily based on the resources available. For classrooms with limited resources, use multistep processes
to simulate a manufacturing process (e.g., printing then cutting tokens, printing the board then gluing or taping it together, etc.).
For classes with more resources, the teacher may choose to use a lathe, CNC machine, or a sander as part of the board game
manufacturing process. Teachers could potentially require students to use at least two different manufacturing processes to
complete their board game.
A step-by-step example:
1. Students will design their board game by first creating the game board in digital format using a photo editing program or a
vector drawing program.
2. The students will print their boards on a printer.
3. Playing pieces can be 3D printed, molded in plastic, or created out of existing materials using a variety of manufacturing
processes (e.g., gluing materials together, sanding wood). Tokens and cards can be printed on cardstock.
Presentation: Students will take turns briefly explaining their game, the main goal (how to win), and what manufacturing pro-
cesses were used to make the various pieces for their board game. Students can play other students' games if time allows. The
teacher will use the rubric on the next page to grade each board game.

20 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

Once received by a publisher, the board playing pieces; assembling moveable teach students principles of design and
game design is reviewed and sent to a parts; and creating the boxes for the manufacturing through the context of
team of graphic designers, marketing board game components (Broadie & creating their own board game.
teams, playtesters, and manufacturers— Coleson, 2012, July 15).  
a culminating point in the board game references
creation process that involves many Board game design, creation, and dissem-
individuals working in tandem to produce ination represents a prime opportunity for Broadie, F. & Coleson, R. (2012, July 15).
a cohesive board game that not only students to learn a variety of processes as Made for play: Board games & mod-
appeals visually to potential buyers, but well as develop their own manufacturing ern industry [Video file]. Retrieved
also creates a gaming experience that skills as they fill the roles of board game from https://vimeo.com/45796947
individuals will want to play and will be designer and creator. Initially, students International Technology Education
willing to purchase. will experience designing as they work Association (ITEA/ITEEA).
in a variety of mediums (e.g., paper, (2000/2002/2007). Standards for
Once a final design is completed, a electronic) to design their game. Follow- technological literacy: Content for
board game publisher contacts potential ing the initial designing, students can the study of technology. Reston, VA:
manufacturers to begin the manufactur- use lathes, drill presses, band saws, and Author.
ing of the actual board games. Typically other equipment and materials to create Kumar, A. (2013). Types of production pro-
the process of manufacturing requires a working prototype of their game. Lastly, cesses [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved
several types of machinery, materials, and students can experience advertising and from www.slideshare.net/anupamkr/
processes (Kumar, 2013), as board games marketing as they work to communicate types-of-production-processes
often have a variety of components. Ex- rules, provide and receive feedback from
amples of the processes involved include others, and sell their game idea to others.
printing boards, tokens, and cards on We present on the previous page a simple Cameron Moon is
thick cardstock paper; molding plastic lesson plan that teachers might use to a graduate research
assistant and
master’s student in
the Engineering/
Rubric Technology Teacher
Education program
Rulebook
in the Purdue Poly-
The rulebook explains the rules of the game and how to win the game. /15
technic Institute at Purdue University. He
The rulebook has section headings to help players look up rules as they /10 can be reached at moon108@purdue.edu.
play the game.
Important information (How many players, how long the game is) /15 Scott R. Bar-
should be included in the rulebook. tholomew, Ph.D., is
Components an assistant profes-
Components use more than one manufacturing process. /15 sor of Engineering/
Components are unique and fit the design and theme of the board /10 Technology Teacher
game. Education in the
The components fit on the spaces on the board. /5 Purdue Polytechnic
Institute at Purdue
The Board
University. He can be reached at sbartho@
The board is unique to the creator. /5
purdue.edu.
The board is creative and uses colors to draw the player into the board /10
game. This is a peer-reviewed article.
The board design fits the theme of the board game. /15
Total

Comments/Notes:

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 21

 e n ’ s R h y m e s
ACTIVITY

STEM Childr

S T E M
a a
B ackB a a
Bl eep
by Emily Yoshikawa
Sh
and Scott R. Bartholomew

22 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

overview
Rhyme
This activity allows students to use a familiar Nursery Rhyme
Baa, baa, black sheep,
to learn and incorporate principles of integrated STEM. Stu-
dents practice recognizing words, identifying a problem (we Have you any wool?
want to be able to separate the wool into three different bags), Yes, sir, yes, sir,
and developing solutions and prototypes.
Three bags full!
This activity is designed to take approximately 90 minutes. One for the master,
The progression includes: reviewing the rhyme, completing
And one for the dame,
a cut-out and fill-in activity, and producing a STEM portfolio.
Once the students have worked through the portfolio, they And one for the little boy
will work to build a prototype of their solution. While prototyp- Who lives down the lane.
ing, the students will use “wool” in the classroom to test and
improve their designs.
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
materials Yes, sir, yes, sir,
• Cotton Balls (used to represent the wool) Three bags full.
• Handouts (Cut-out/Fill-in activity, STEM design portfolio
packet)
• Building materials (e.g., construction/tissue/printer paper,
lesson objectives
cardboard, pipe cleaners, straws, toothpicks, Styrofoam,
K.CCSSI_ELA.RR.1 With prompting and support, ask and
tinfoil, etc.)
answer questions about key details in a text.
K.CCSSI_ELA.RR.2 With prompting and support, identify the
suggestions for adapting to older main topic and retell key details of a text.
grades K.CCSSI_ELA.RR.3 With prompting and support, describe
the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or
• Requiring automation in final product pieces of information in a text.
• Have students design how to separate and transport the K.CCSSI_ELA.CC.2 Confirm understanding of a text read
wool aloud or information presented orally or through other
media by asking and answering questions about key
history details and requesting clarification if something is not
understood.
“Baa Baa Black Sheep” is said to be a political satire in refer-
ence to King Edward I in 1275 with his tax on all exports of phase one
wool.
Gather the class together and go over “Baa Baa Black Sheep”
Another rumored basis for “Baa Baa Black Sheep” was King together. Use the cutout sheets to allow the students to fill in
Edward II (1307-1327). During his reign, the best wool was pro- the blanks.
duced in England. This was because of the complex finishing
used on wool cloth. King Edward II encouraged the weav- Once you have said the children’s rhyme together, hand out
ers and cloth dyers to continue to improve the English wool the planning sheets and go over the key details of the rhyme.
products.
What does the Black sheep have?
Source: www.rhymes.org.uk/baa_baa_black_sheep.htm How many bags of wool are there?
How can we separate the wool?
Baa Baa Black Sheep lesson plan
identify the problem
Level: Kindergarten
Duration: 1.5 hr With the students explain that, in order to transport the wool,
we want to design a way for the black sheep and its master to
separate the wool into three bags.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 23

ACTIVITY
Choose one idea that you had and draw it with as much
Baa Baa Black Sheep STEM Worksheet
detail as you can!

List three ideas to help the Black Sheep separate the wool
into three different bags.

1. _____________________________________

2. _____________________________________

3. _____________________________________
Teacher Initials______

Go look at the materials and then list three ideas that you
can make using the materials we have.

1. _____________________________________
Find the teacher and explain the drawing to them so they
can take notes below.
2. _____________________________________

3. _____________________________________
Teacher Initials______

activity
The students will participate in a design challenge where they
have to design a way to separate the wool into three separate
bags. There will be teacher sign-offs so that students work
through the design process.
On the worksheet, have the students list three things that they
could make to separate the wool into three separate bags.
When they are done with this, have them get a teacher sign-
off.
Once the teacher has looked at the three ideas, have the
students look at materials. Once they know what materials are
on the table, have the students list three things that they could
build to separate the wool with the supplies available.
improvement, encourage the students to go back and improve
and make further iterations on their designs.
The students can then come together as a class and explain
their products and share what they chose and discuss im-
provements or questions peers may have.
Emily Yoshikawa is a graduate research
assistant in Engineering/Technology Teacher
Education at Purdue University; West Lafay-
ette, IN.

Have the students pick their favorite idea and do a more

detailed drawing of it. Once the drawing is complete, have the Scott R. Bartholomew is an assistant
students find the teacher to explain their product. The teacher professor of Engineering/Technology Teacher
can then write down the description of their product. Education at Purdue University; West Lafay-
ette, IN.

build, improve, and share

Have students build from their drawn designs. Allow the
students to come up and test the design using the "wool" (can
be material such as cotton balls or quilting batting) that was
brought to class." As they see what works and what needs Correspondence concerning this manuscript should be ad-
dressed to Emily Yoshikawa at eyoshika@purdue.edu.

24 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

 Baa Baa Black Sheep 
Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master,

One for the ,

And one for the little

Who lives down the

Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full...

Note: The Baa Baa Black Sheep Portfolio can be accessed at www.iteea.org/130454.aspx,
and the Baa Baa Black Sheep Fill-In can be accessed at www.iteea.org/130452.aspx.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 25

 n
LITERACY STRATEGIES

r a t e g i e s i
literacy st

s t e m i o n
edu c a t

by Jorge Valenzuela

26 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

B
y participating in professional development with the
International Technology and Engineering Educa-
tors Association (ITEEA), educators can learn the
importance of leveraging the multifaceted areas of
the technology and engineering (TE) discipline to help students
with ranging social, academic, and career needs. When using
the Engineering byDesign™ (EbD™) curriculum (ITEEA, 2017), the
aim is to engage ALL students, because they can work and think
like engineers to solve the problems presented in classrooms.
However, having students work like engineers isn’t solely about
learning to use the design process or technology tools (Teach
Engineering STEM Curriculum for K-12, 2017). The work of engi-
neers also includes collaboration, communication, math, global
citizenship, and literacy skills.
Improving the literacy
of students is of utmost
priority and a common
goal for many STEM
educators throughout the
United States. As literacy
(reading and writing) is
a vital skill for every cen-
tury (Alber, 2014), needed
in every career, and virtually in every aspect of life—the concern
makes sense. However, it is essential to understand that literacy
skills are developed over time and through practice and repeti-
tion. There is no quick fix, and there is no shame in revisiting the
literacy standards or learning targets that our students need to
master. As author Tony Robbins says, “Repetition is the mother
of skill.”
In this regard, STEM teachers could employ the following four
strategies for helping their learners improve their literacy skills.
1. Organize Literacy Content in STEM Lessons
Reading (nonfiction informational text), writing, speaking, and
listening are reoccurring strands (in the CCSS) that need to be
taught to students each school year (K-12). These literacy stan-
dards are quite broad and have many learning objectives that
educators should organize, introduce, and revisit (as needed)
with their students during every STEM design challenge.
While organizing STEM lessons, begin with identifying the spe-
cific content and skills you will cover and on which your students
will be assessed. Highlighted in Figure 1 are the literacy topics
that are necessary for many learners to master. Teachers should
also take time to revisit the ELA topics (and those in math) their
students struggle with most. It is important to note that top-
ics in physical science and math will change lesson to lesson
(depending on the design challenge). But students will be able
to improve their literacy skills over time and through consistent
practice when their needs are not glossed over to simply get to
the next standards that need to be covered.
back to contents
Specific content and success skills to be assessed:
Physical Science - Develoop a model to generate data for
iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool,
or process such that an optimal design can be achieved. Forms
of energy and how energy is transferred and the scientific
principles of work, force, and motion. Science and Engineering
Practices – Constructing Explanaitons and Designing Solutions.
STL – Worklace readiness, engineering design processes,
technological and structural systems, materials and processes.
Mathematics – Model addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division of integers; and add, subtract, multiply, and divide
integers. Solve single-step and multistep practical problems,
using proportional reasoning. Apply geometric methods to solve
design problems (designing an object or structure to satisfy
phlsical constraints).
ELA – Informational Writing, correct grammar, editing, sentence
structure, paragraphing, apply knowledge of appropriate refer-
ence. Speaking and listening presentation skills. Critical Think-
ing/Reading Informational Text in presentations.
Figure 1. Highlighted literacy topics in a design challenge.
A great tool for helping to organize TE projects into manageable
parts (i.e., aligning to standards, technology tools, scaffolding,
assessment, etc.) is Project Design: Overview and Student Learn-
ing Guide by the Buck Institute for Education (2017). Teachers
teaching the EbD™ curriculum can also use the tool for organiz-
ing how they will assess students (both formal and informal) and
differentiate instructional tools and strategies in conjunction with
the activities developed by ITEEA's STEM Center for Teaching
and Learning™ (ITEEA, 2017).
2. Use the Jigsaw Protocol Frequently: (reading, writing,
speaking, and listening)
Jigsaws (Jigsaw Classroom, 2017) are an effective strategy for
helping learners chunk large topics of knowledge into smaller
parts, improve reading and writing skills (particularly their abil-
ity to analyze and synthesize information), create artifacts (i.e.,
poster board, presentation slides, digital content, etc.), presenta-
tion skills (speaking and listening), and interactions/collabora-
tion with peers. Reading informational text is an integral part
of the jigsaw protocol, as it helps students unpack content and
transfer it in their own words. The more that students do this, the
better they become at critical reading and writing. If they can’t
read critically, then they won’t be able to write critically and vice
versa.
To start, have students do jigsaws on the engineering design
process, the 6Es, and even the tools in your shop (band saw,
scroll saw, jigsaw, laser engraver, 3D printer, etc.). As they be-
come accustomed to the procedures in the protocol, they will be
able to focus on reading and writing critically but in a low-stakes
setting. Start by:
March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 27
LITERACY STRATEGIES
1. Chunking text into manageable parts and form expert ho-
mogeneous groups.
2. Students will read and analyze text (annotating, highlight-
ing, etc.) and share their learning with their expert team.
3. The expert team should then create a synthesis in the form
of an artifact. Students who struggle with writing can use
graphics or images that they designed to contribute to the
work of the expert team.
Rubric: Engineering Notebook
Exceptional
40 points
Table of Table of contents accurately
Contents represents all of the entries
in the notebook. Page numbers,
titles, and dates are listed for
each entry.
Page Page titles are accurately
Titles/ displayed at the top of each
Objec- page. Titles clearly identify
tive content of each page. Objec-
tive clearly written and dated.
Entries are neat and legible.
Notebook All entries are consistently
Entries done in permanent blue or
black ink. All entries, figures,
and calculation are labeled
clearly and consistently.
Labels and diagram titles are
PRINTED and dated.
Added Items added to the notebook
Items are permanently affixed to a
page. Signature or initials are
written in ink over the edge of
the item.
Mistakes/ Mistakes and errors are
Unused consistently lined out, initialed
Space and corrected. Unused space
is consistently X'd or lined
out, and a signature is present.
Pages ages are consistently signed
signed, and dated by the designer.
dated Witness signatures and dates
and wit- are also consistently displayed.
nessed No errors are evident.
Grade Exceptional
Figure 2: This rubric was adapted from RCampus — an excellent source for educators to use for creating and sharing
assessment tools.
28 children’s technology and engineering March 2018
This graphic is the
logo of the Jigsaw
Classroom, which
was invented and
developed by Dr.
Elliot Aronson
and his students
in the 1970s.
Good
30 points
Table of contents represents most
of the entries in the notebook.
Page numbers, titles, and dates are
occasionally missing. Entries are
fairly neat and legible.
Page titles are displayed at the
top of each page, but are occasion-
ally missing/inaccurate. Objective
fairly clear and dated; however, it
could use more detail.
Entries are fairly neat and legible.
Most entries are done in blue or
black permanent ink. Most en-
tries, figures, and calculations are
labeled. Labels and diagram titles
are PRINTED and dated.
Occasional errors are evident
Items added to the notebook are
permanently affixed to a page.
Signature or initials are missing
over the edge of the item.
Mistakes and errors are lined out,
initialed, and corrected. Unused
space is X'd or lined out, and a
signature is present. Occasional
errors of omission are present.
Pages are signed and dated by the
designer and witness. Occasionally
errors of omission by the designer
orwitness are present.
Grading
Good
4. Have all expert teams return to a heterogeneous group to
present and discuss their learning.
3. Documentation in an Engineering Design Journal: (reading
and writing)
During STEM projects,
it is essential for stu-
dents to document ev-
ery step of the design
process; by doing so
consistently they will
develop their expertise
in reading, writing, and
expressing their ideas
through drawing/sketching. The EbD™ curriculum includes 5E
lesson plans that are augmented by the 6E Learning byDesign
instructional model (ITEEA, 2017). When implemented correctly,
the “Explain” phase of the model becomes a frequent oppor-
tunity for students to document in their engineering design
notebook/journal (Science Buddies, 2002-2017). Also, by having
them use a rubric (Figure 2) they’ll be able to assess their own
performances of the writing portion(s) of the design process to
develop mastery at their own pace. Remember, learning has no
finish line!
Along with literacy
Fair Needs
20 points Improvement skills, the engineer-
Table of contents has only occa- No Table of ing journal can also
sional entries. Page numbers and/ contents exists/No
or dates are missing. Entries are entries in the Table help students improve
barely legible. of contents
their artistic and tech-
An attempt at page titles is Page titles are nical drawing skills
present but inaccurate. Frequent missing. because they learn
omissions occur. Objective is Objective is
weak and missing most of the missing. Not dated. how to communicate
details. Dates may be missing.
Entries are barely legible. their ideas through
Entries are frequently done in Entries are always pictures, sketching,
pencil and only occasionally done done in pencil. No
in permanent ink. An attempt attempt is evident and drawing. Learn-
at labeling entries, figures, and at dating entries ing to use drawing
calculations is evident. Dates are and diagram titles.
inconsistently listed at the begin- tools and building
ning of entries, if at all.
mastery of isometric
Items added to the notebook Items are not per-
are permanently affixed, but are manently affixed to drawing, multiview
done sloppily and with ittle care. the notebook. OR
Items are done drawing, and dimen-
sloppily. sioning (among other
Mistakes and errors are incon- Clear evidence
sistently or improperly lined out, exists where items
artistic skills) will also
initialed, and corrected. Unused have been erased provide vital employ-
space is occasionally X'd or lined or scribbled out.
out, and a signature is sometimes Unused space is evi- ability skills.
present. Errors of omission are dent without being
frequent. X'd or lined out.
Some evidence exists that sig- No evidence is 4. Presentations:
natures have been attempted by present that either
both the designer and witnesses. the designer or a
(speaking and listen-
Frequent lapses and errors of witness has signed ing)
omission are present. and dated pages.
Kids must be able to
Fair Needs articulate their work
Improvement and interact with an
audience, and having
back to contents
them present frequently will significantly improve their speak-
ing and listening literacy skills over time. Teachers can start by
structuring STEM lessons/activities within a PBL unit, where
presentations are a given, and helping students polish how they
speak and present their learning. Not to mention that they will
also learn to include various technology tools and multimedia,
and cite sources during their presentations. Also, learning to
describe their work in presentations effectively and interacting
well with audiences prepares them for life after the K-12 experi-
ence (i.e., college and careers). For assessing students on their
presentations skills, BIE has created rubrics for all grade levels
that are both CCSS ELA and non-CCSS aligned (BIE, 2017).
It is important to note that having students learn to master
speaking and listening isn’t where educators should cap their
growth and development in regard to how they transfer learning
or improve their literacy. Nor should speaking presentations be
their final and only performance either. Suzie Boss beautifully
explains the importance of thinking critically about the audience
for getting the desired results out of project work (Boss, 2014).
Sharing learning with an audience can be a public product
that can serve as both a legacy and motivation for students to
continue learning about a topic(s); that is to say—work that is
published (online), a PSA about civic duty, a mock TED Talk,
spoken word, pitching ideas to a panel of engineers, etc.
By utilizing the classification of the different objectives and skills
found in Bloom’s Taxonomy, educators can be strategic about
helping students plan diverse ways in which they can combine
their literacy and other content knowledge into meaningful
products that will make their transfer pop (Armstrong, 2017)!
Remember to use the Bloom’s Taxonomy of measurable verbs
when writing your student learning objectives and be mindful
of using student-friendly language when designing learning
targets. Again, the use of Project Design: Overview and Student
(Using a “cake-style” hierarchy, this graphic by tips.uark.edu is an up-
date to the original Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid to emphasize how each
level is built on a foundation of the previous levels.)
back to contents
Learning Guide is a great way to organize and map your plan(s)
to effectively engage students in projects.
Remember, learning is not a spectator sport!
“Learning is not a spectator sport!” is a quote by D. Blocher
that’s mentioned in a podcast by Jim Kiwk and Tom Bilyeu. When
educators begin to learn alongside their students actively, then
the term lifelong learning is unfolded and possibly defined for
the individual!
references
Alber, R. (2014). How important is teaching literacy in all content
areas? Retrieved from www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-
instruction-across-curriculum-importance
Armstrong, P. (2017). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Retrieved from https://
cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/
Boss, S. (2014). Focus on audience for better PBL results. Re-
trieved from www.edutopia.org/blog/focus-on-audience-
for-better-pbl-results-suzie-boss
Buck Institute for Education. (2017). Project design: Overview and
student learning guide. Retrieved from www.bie.org/object/
document/project_design_overview_and_student_learn-
ing_guide
Buck Institute for Education. (2017). Rubrics. Retrieved from
www.bie.org/objects/cat/rubrics
ITEEA. (2017). 6E learning byDESIGN. Retrieved from
www.iteea.org/STEMCenter/6ELearningbyDeSIGN.aspx
ITEEA. (2017). ITEEA’s STEM Center for Teaching and Learning.
Retrieved from www.iteea.org/STEMCenter.aspx
ITEEA. (2017). Engineering by design. Retrieved from
www.iteea.org/STEMCenter/EbD.aspx
Jigsaw Classroom. (2017). The jigsaw classroom overview. Re-
trieved from www.jigsaw.org/#overview
Science Buddies. (2002-2017). Design notebook. Retrieved from
www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/
engineering-design-process/engineering-design-
notebook#designnotebookfaq
Teach Engineering STEM Curriculum for K-12. (2017). Engineer-
ing design process. Retrieved from www.teachengineering.
org/k12engineering/designprocess
Jorge Valenzuela is an educational coach
and a graduate teaching assistant at Old
Dominion University. He is also the lead
consultant for Lifelong Learning Defined,
Inc., a national faculty of the Buck Institute
for Education, and a National Teacher Ef-
fectiveness Coach with the International
Technology and Engineering Educators
Association (ITEEA). You can connect with
Jorge on Twitter @JorgeDoesPBL to continue the conversation.
March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 29
ACTIVITY

g t o s t u d e n t s
d u c e c o d i n
i ntro
with the

little B i t s
code k i t by Jorge Valenzuela

30 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

introduction
Incorporating coding into instruction requires educators to
take practical steps for having students learn concepts/prac-
tices and also a system(s) for measuring their progress. My
experiences have taught me that through the inherent nature
of design, STEM/STEAM educators are essentially obligated
to teach the other content areas that are key to educating the
whole child (or learner). When our projects teach students
engineering with the requirement of applying coding, learn-
ing the skill is easier than when learning is attempted without
the context of the design process (Valenzuela, 2017). In that
regard, it is highly recommended to not reinvent the wheel
and use reputable resources:

• The K-12 Computer Science Framework (2016) and Code.

org (2017) are excellent sources for accessing good
guidelines and activities for computer science (CS) edu-
Step 1. Introduce.
cation, which can also be infused into an existing STEM/
STEAM curriculum.
• Getting students started with visual programming lan-
guages is a great place to start developing their coding
skills (Postscapes, 2017).
• The littleBits Code Kit (littleBits, 2017) is a technology tool
that comes equipped with predesigned electronic build-
ing blocks, an app with coding tutorials, and an excellent
scaffold for teaching the concepts of coding, light, sound,
and motion through conceptual model design.

step 1: introduce
Familiarize students with the technology and coding learning
environment in the Code Kit by allowing them to explore the
Step 2.
app and videos. All will be excited by the cool gadgets and Rock star
electronics, but some may initially be intimidated by the app guitar
and the unfamiliar coding tutorials. It is highly recommended project
to pair students up with a code buddy and conduct instruction production.
in small groups.

step 2: create
Pair students and have them pick one of the Code Kit's four
games/design challenges (i.e., ultimate shoot out, rock star
guitar, hot potato, and tug of war) to get started. Make sure
the app is installed correctly and have plenty of art supplies
on hand. Have them work systematically by using the engi-
neering design process or the littleBits invention cycle, and
be sure to use the appropriate Code Kit educator resources
(littleBits, 2017).

Through app tutorials, students learn coding principles and apply new
skills to building games that are controlled by Google Blockly-based
code.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 31

ACTIVITY
Step 4. Rock star guitar project remix.
step 3: play (test)
Allow students to test how their code manipulates the
design(s) they created and use this as a formative assess-
ment opportunity to ensure that the intended learning is being
achieved. Be sure to let them know that it’s OK to fail, and
allow them to revise their designs during this step.
step 4: remix (improve designs)
Allow students to develop their ingenuity skills by improving
their initial code/designs. Doing so ensures that they mas-
tered the coding principles and teaches them how designers
use iteration for refining the products they create before set-
tling on a final solution.
step 5: share
Allow students to explain their designs in a public presenta-
tion format that includes an audience that extends beyond
the teacher and classmates (i.e., parents, community, industry
partners, etc.). This step is great for having students put their
best foot forward while developing their speaking and listen-
ing skills and use of multimedia to elucidate their learning.
references
Code.org. (2017). Projects. Retrieved from https://studio.code.
org/projects/public
32 children’s technology and engineering March 2018
Step 5. Sharing the Rock star guitar project.
K-12 Computer Science Framework Steering Committee.
(2016). K-12 computer science framework. Retrieved from
https://k12cs.org
littleBits. (2016). Introdcuing the invention cycle. Retrieved from
https://littlebits.cc/lessons/introducing-the-invention-
cycle
littleBits. (2017). The code kit. Retrieved from https://shop.
littlebits.cc/products/code-kit
littleBits. (2017). Code kit educator resources. Retrieved from
https://shop.littlebits.cc/pages/code-kit-welcome
Postscapes. (2017). Visual programming guide. Retrieved from
www.postscapes.com/iot-visual-programming-tools/
Valenzuela, J. (2017). Teach kids computer science through
design and inquiry. Retrieved from www.iste.org/explore/
articleDetail?articleid=2105&category=Computer-
Science&article=
Jorge Valenzuela is an educational
coach and a graduate teaching assistant
at Old Dominion University. He is also the
lead consultant for Lifelong Learning De-
fined, Inc., a national faculty of the Buck
Institute for Education, and a national
teacher effectiveness coach with the
International Technology and Engineer-
ing Educators Association (ITEEA). You
can connect with Jorge on Twitter @JorgeDoesPBL to continue
the conversation.
back to contents
BOOKS TO BRIEFS

u r e i s
the f u t
gre e n
by Brittany Adams

Book Used:
Drummond, A. (2016).
Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt
for a Sustainable Future
New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. [40 pages, 0374379998]
Book image courtesy of Amazon.com

Grade Level: 3rd grade

book synopsis
In 2007, a tornado swept across the town of Greensburg, Kansas,
destroying all the buildings and homes in its path. With all the
destruction, residents wondered if it was even worth rebuild-
ing the town. After much debate, the townspeople decided to
not only rebuild the city, but to rebuild it sustainably. After a few
years of hard work Greensburg rebuilt, and it is still one of the
greenest cities in America.
lesson synopsis
After reading Green City, the class can discuss the different
ways the community rebuilt their town in a sustainable way. The
students will work in groups to construct a building that could
be added to Greensburg; this means building sustainably, but
also strong. The groups will test their buildings to see if they can
withstand wind from a fan for 10 seconds, while also adhering to
other constraints.
lesson goal
The goal of this lesson is to allow students to use the engineer-
ing design process to explore the principles of building sustain-
ably. Students will use concepts from multiple academic areas to
learn about how being green can impact their community.
student learning objectives
Students will be able to:
• Use the engineering design process to develop a model that
adheres to the stated constraints.
• Decipher sustainable practices from those that are not.
• Describe how a structure is built to reduce the impact of a
natural disaster.
• Present and discuss their findings with peers.
• Measure lengths using a ruler.
standards addressed
Standards for Technological Literacy
(ITEA/ITEEA, 2000/2002/2007)
• Standard 5: Students will develop an understanding of the
effects of technology on the environment.
0 Benchmark C. The use of technology affects the envi-
ronment in good or bad ways (p. 67).
• Standard 9: Students will develop an understanding of
engineering design.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 33

BOOKS TO BRIEFS
0 Benchmark C. The engineering design process involves
defining a problem, generating ideas, selecting a solu-
tion, testing the solution(s), making the item, evaluating
it, and presenting the results (p. 102).
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013)
• 3-ESS3-1: Make a claim about the merit of a design solution
that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2016).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range
of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 3 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
• CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.B.4: Generate measurement
data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves
and fourths of an inch.

design brief
Student Introduction
As you learned, the process of rebuilding after the tornado hit
was difficult. Some families and businesses decided it was best
to relocate, but others took on the task of rebuilding the commu-
nity. It’s been about 10 years since the tornado struck Greens-
burg, and the community is looking for a way to make America’s
Green City even greener. If the mayor of Greensburg contacted
Casa-ecologica. www.clker.com/cliparts/K/Z/e/G/J/f/house-with-
you for a suggestion on what kind of new green building they
green-energy-hi.png
should build, what would you propose?

• Masking tape
Challenge
• Liquid glue
Design and build a model structure that would enhance the
• Hot glue/guns (with teacher/parent help)
Greensburg community and reinforce its attention to sustain-
• Design log and design brief for each student
ability.

Procedure
Criteria and Constraints
1. After reading the story, Green City by Allan Drummond,
• Your structure must be able to withstand a tornado (a fan)
discuss all the different ways Greensburg was rebuilt to be
for at least 10 seconds.
more sustainable. Ask students about any other sustain-
• Your building plan must include a written explanation of
able practices they are familiar with (such as recycling or
least one innovative feature that will help make Greensburg
fuel-efficient cars). To further engage students, contact local
more sustainable.
community members, such as sustainability managers or
• Your budget is $100,000.
architects, and have them speak to the class.
• Your model should have no dimension greater than 12
2. Prior to the lesson, gather the materials into a “supplies
inches.
shop” and assign each material a monetary value. Students
• Document the entire process in your design log.
must complete their design within the designated budget,
so price items accordingly and expect students to calculate
Materials
the total cost. Consider incorporating the idea of check writ-
• Fan
ing by having students fill out checks to pay for their sup-
• Rulers for each student
plies. If fake money is used, students could practice making
• Stopwatch
change for other groups.
• Construction paper
3. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4, giving each student
• Index cards
a design brief and design log. Describe the challenge and
• Craft sticks
“supplies shop” to students. Give each group time to browse
• Recyclable materials such as cereal boxes, takeout contain-
ers, paper towel rolls, etc.

34 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

 the materials, located at www.iteea.org/130047.aspx and
www.iteea.org/130049.aspx.
4. The design log should be completed by each student as the
process progresses. Consider setting aside 5-10 minutes
per work period for students to work on the documentation
without a distraction. Set aside some time to allow group
members to discuss their logs as well.
5. When finished, groups will test and present their designs.
Use the fan to test the strength and stability of each struc-
ture. Have students measure their structure to demonstrate
that it adheres to guidelines. Students should record their
measurements in the design log. Consider having students
measure other groups’ models to give them more practice.
These results can also be recorded in the design log. While
presenting, students can share their sustainable feature,
too. Instead of just presenting to the class, consider inviting
community members in or even Skyping in the mayor of
Greensburg.
6. Students should complete the “Think about it” section of
their log. Upon completion, provide small-group and whole-
group reflection time. To extend the activity, have students
write letters to community members to share their green
ideas or create posters to hand around the school to spread
the word about going green.
references
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2016). Common core
state standards initiative. Retrieved from
www.corestandards.org/
Drummond, A. (2016). Green city: How one community survived a
tornado and rebuilt for a sustainable future. New York: Farrar
Straus Giroux.
International Technology Education Association (ITEA/ITEEA).
(2000/2002/2007). Standards for technological literacy:
Content for the study of technology. Reston, VA: Author.
NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next generation science standards:
For states, by states. Achieve, Inc. on behalf of the twenty-
six states and partners that collaborated on the NGSS.
Brittany Adams is currently a student at Mill-
ersville University, majoring in early childhood
education with a minor in STEM. She can be
contacted at bpadams@millersville.edu.

support
materials
Please see Design
Log and Design Brief
resources, located at
www.iteea.org/130047.
aspx and www.iteea.
org/130049.aspx.

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 35

 i n g s t o r m s
studyfrom
the sky
by Teagan Wall
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

T
he United States had a rough hurricane season in 2017. Scientists collect information before and during hurricanes to un-
derstand the storms and help people stay safe. However, collecting information during a violent storm is very difficult.

Hurricanes are constantly changing. This means that we need a lot of really precise data about the storm. It’s pretty hard to
learn about hurricanes while inside the storm, and instruments on the ground can be broken by high winds and flooding. One solu-
tion is to study hurricanes from above. NASA and NOAA can use satellites to keep an eye on storms that are difficult to study on the
ground.

In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria was so strong that it knocked out radar before it even hit land. Radar can be used to predict a
storm’s path and intensity—and without radar, it is difficult to tell how intense a storm will be. Luckily, scientists were able to use
information from a weather satellite called GOES-16, short for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite–16.

The “G” in GOES-16 stands for geostationary. This means that the satellite is always above the same place on the Earth, so during
Hurricane Maria, it never lost sight of the storm. GOES-16’s job as a weather satellite hasn’t officially started yet, but it was collecting
information and was able to help.

From 22,000 miles above Earth, GOES-16 watched Hurricane Maria, and kept scientists on the ground up to date. Knowing where a
storm is—and what it’s doing—can help keep people safe, and get help to the people who need it.

36 children’s technology and engineering March 2018 back to contents

These images of Florida and the Bahamas were captured by a satellite called Suomi-NPP. The image on the left was taken before Hurricane Irma, and
the image on the right was taken after the hurricane. The light color along the coast is dirt, sand, and garbage brought up by the storm.
Image credit: NASA/NOAA.

Hurricanes can also have a huge impact on the environment—even after they’re gone. To learn about how Hurricane Irma affected
the Florida coast, scientists used images from an environmental satellite called Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership, or Suomi-
NPP. One of the instruments on this satellite, called VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), took pictures of Florida before
and after the Hurricane.

Hurricane Irma was so big and powerful that it moved massive amounts of dirt, water, and pollution. The information captured by
VIIRS can tell scientists how and where these particles are moving in the water. This can help with recovery efforts and help us
design better ways to prepare for hurricanes in the future.

By using satellites like GOES-16 and Suomi-NPP to observe severe storms, researchers and experts stay up to date in a safe and fast
way. The more we know about hurricanes, the more effectively we can protect people and the environment from them in the future.

To learn more about hurricanes, check out NASA Space Place: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/

back to contents March 2018 children’s technology and engineering 37

 Technology and Engineering bring STEM to Life!
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

iteea.org

Now Available: EbD TEEMS Curriculum for Grades PreK-6!

Engineering byDesign™ (EbD) curriculum was initially developed to address

the need for a standards-based curriculum using Standards for Technological
Literacy, and through a dynamic process, now addresses the needs for a
standards-based Integrative STEM curriculum.

• EbD TEEMS: PreK. Students are introduced to the life cycles of plants, butterflies, and
frogs. They use a multisensory approach as they plant and observe seed growth, experience
hands-on lessons, enjoy literature, and share with teachers and students the circle of life.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade K: A Home for All Seasons. Integrates concepts of science, technol-
ogy, engineering, and mathematics as students create various animal homes.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 1: Can You Hear Me? Integrates concepts of science, technology, en-
gineering, and mathematics through the environmental context of noise pollution.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 2: From Nature to Me. Integrates concepts of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics through the environmental context of learning about bees and
researching why they seem to be disappearing.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 3: Natural Hazards. Integrates concepts of science, technology, engin-
ering, and mathematics through the environmental context of natural hazards.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 4: The Power of Solar. Literacy strategies are integrated throughout
lessons to support the development of reading, writing, and speaking skills.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 5: Every Drop Matters. Integrates concepts of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics through the environmental context of water resource manage-
ment and conservation.
• EbD TEEMS: Grade 6: Our World and Me. Serves as a capstone experience for sixth-grade
learners using hands-on inquiry and design as they explore robotics through the engineer-
ing field of mechatronics, focusing on the integration of mechanical, electrical, and software
systems.

Here’s how YOU can gain access:

1. Request preview access at www.iteea.org/RequestEbDCourseReviewAccess.aspx
2. Help your SCHOOL enjoy the benefits of ITEEA membership! Learn about the many benefits
of an Elementary STEM Membership at www.iteea.org/Community/Membership/2155.aspx
OR
3. Order any individual unit ($26 member/$31 nonmembers) from the ITEEA eStore at
www.iteea.org/Publications/STEMProducts.aspx (members must be logged in to qualify for
member pricing)
Questions?
iteea@iteea.org
 “ Wondering how to infuse engineering into your teaching and
curriculum? Here’s the book for you!
”
—From the Foreword by Richard A. Duschl, Penn State University
ALSO OF INTEREST—
Rethinking Education in the
Age of Technology: The Digital

“ Dr. Cunningham lays out an innovative and achievable vision for

elementary school engineering that engages all students.
”
—Heidi Carlone, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Revolution and Schooling in
America, Second Edition
Allan Collins and

“
Richard Halverson
Schools or districts looking to introduce engineering in ways Find practical suggestions for
that enhance science and mathematics learning can use the how schools can support the
inclusive teaching strategies in this book.
”
—Linda Curtis-Bey, executive director of STEM,
NYC Department of Education
new technologies to enhance
learning for students at all
levels.
Building on the work of a Museum of Science team that has The Young Artist as Scientist:
spent 15 years developing elementary engineering curricula, What Can Leonardo Teach Us?
this resource will help elementary educators integrate engineer- Mary Jo Pollman
ing into their classroom or school in age-appropriate, inclusive, Learn how to connect the
New and engaging ways. creative arts to the STEM
movement, 21st-century
Book Features: skills, and developmentally
• Frameworks to help teachers create curricula and appropriate practice in
structure activities. pre-K–3rd grade.
• A focus on engaging the diversity of learners in today’s
STEM Learning with Young
classrooms.
Children: Inquiry Teaching with
• Experiences from the nation’s leading elementary
Ramps and Pathways
education curriculum that has reached 13.3 million Shelly Counsell et al.
children and 165,000 educators. This guide provides the STEM
• Videos, assessment tools, reproducibles, and other concepts and strategies
Feb 2018 / 176 pages instructional supports available at eie.org/book. needed to implement an early
Paper 978-0-8077-5877-9 STEM curriculum (Ramps and
Christine M. Cunningham is founding director of Engineering
Cloth 978-0-8077-5878-6 Pathways) with children ages
Ebook 978-0-8077-7671-1
is Elementary and a vice president of the Museum of Science,
Boston. 3–8.

Learn more.
www.tcpress.com . 800.575.6566

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