Wading Into The Wetlands

• What is a STEM project or activity?

• Where do I find Resources for STEM?

• How do teachers incorporate STEM?

WHAT IS STEM?

• Science

• Technology

• Engineering

• Math

Yes, we know that, but what is an “authentic” STEM activity/curriculum?

“Educators – teachers, administrators and decision makers - who are vital to the preparation of students for careers in STEM areas find the term confusing and are unsure of its meaning and implications for teaching and learning.”

* STEM Education in Southwestern Pennsylvania - A

Report of a project to identify the missing components

2008

• Inquiry / Investigation

• Team of students working together

• Interdisciplinary

• Complex problem solving

• Multi-faceted

Barriers To Authentic STEM

• Inadequate teacher preparation

• Insufficient time in the classroom

• Deficient financial resources for transportation, technology, materials

• “Pressure” to ‘cover’ the standards and prepare students for testing

• Student inexperience/skill deficiencies

Resources for STEM

• School / Community partnerships

• Grants

• Volunteers

• District resources

• Educational groups (MnSTA, MDE, Educational Cooperative Unions)

Incorporating STEM

• Should NOT be an “Add On”

• Find correlations with state and national standards

• Reduce your lab activities that are not inquiry based

• Use the STEM activity as examples and for “practice problems”

Wading Into The Wetlands

• Introduction of the project

• Resources

• Incorporation into the curriculum

• Future expansion

Cascade Meadow Project

RPS District Video on Wading Into The Wetlands

Cascade Meadow Wetland and Science CenterCascade Meadow Wetland and Science Center

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Southeast Minnesota Wetland CommunitiesSoutheast Minnesota Wetland Communities

Sedge Meadow (Type 2)Type 2)Seasonally Flooded Basin (TypeType 1)

Shallow Marsh (TypeType 3)

Shallow Open Water (TypeType 5) Shrub-Carr (TypeType 6)

Fresh (Wet) Meadow (Type 2)Type 2)

Wet to Wet-Mesic Prairie (Type 2 Type 2 ) Deep Marsh(Type 4 Type 4 )

Hardwood Swamp (TypeType 7)

Rochester Public Utilites: Water

Rochester Public Utilities: Electricity

www.cascademeadow.org

What’s next? :

Expansion to other classes / schools

Continued analysis of inorganic parameters

Analysis of organic material (DOM)

Further analysis of data

Student presentations of results