STEAM + Project-Based Learning: Real Solutions From Driving Questions

Summary

At Charles Drew Charter School, students thrive in a STEAM-focused environment, using project-based learning (PBL) to solve real-world problems. With a curriculum that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, students work on collaborative projects like designing solutions for weather-related challenges. By addressing local issues like Atlanta's Snowpocalypse, students not only apply academic knowledge but also engage with the community. Through hands-on activities, such as testing heat transfer and creating safety kits, they gain skills to prepare for future careers in STEAM fields, ensuring learning is both meaningful and impactful.

Takeaways

• 😀 STEAM education at Charles Drew Charter School emphasizes the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math to foster student success.
• 😀 Project-based learning (PBL) is the primary instructional strategy used at the school, encouraging students to learn by solving real-world problems.
• 😀 Students at the school are engaged in various subjects such as robotics, engineering, art, chorus, and band, in addition to their regular curriculum.
• 😀 The focus on collaboration among teachers ensures that subjects are integrated, with a single project-based learning unit combining multiple disciplines each quarter.
• 😀 The school encourages students to explore big-picture questions and break them down into smaller, more manageable questions for deeper understanding.
• 😀 A key project involved teaching third graders about heat, using the real-world context of Atlanta's Snowpocalypse to help students think about preparing for changing weather.
• 😀 The school designs projects with a real-world impact, such as creating safety kits and experimenting with heat transfer to help students better understand how to prepare for extreme weather.
• 😀 Project-based learning is student-centered, with students playing an active role in designing the products and solutions to problems, making learning more meaningful.
• 😀 Teachers work with community members to bring in authentic experiences and perspectives, such as hearing personal stories about the Snowpocalypse to deepen students' understanding of local issues.
• 😀 The integration of technology and hands-on experiments, such as using solar ovens and testing materials for heat conductivity, allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical challenges.

Q & A

What is the primary instructional strategy at Charles Drew Charter School?

The primary instructional strategy at Charles Drew Charter School is project-based learning, integrated with the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum.

How does the project-based learning model benefit students at Charles Drew Charter School?

Project-based learning helps students succeed at high levels by making them actively engaged in solving real-world problems, encouraging critical thinking, collaboration, and applying their learning across different disciplines.

What subjects are emphasized at Charles Drew Charter School's STEAM curriculum?

The STEAM curriculum at Charles Drew Charter School emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, and includes specialized classes such as science lab, robotics, engineering, art, chorus, and band.

How do students at Charles Drew Charter School interact with each other and the learning material?

Students at Charles Drew Charter School collaborate on projects, make connections between subjects, and actively engage with the material by asking questions and working together to solve real-world problems.

What is the role of teachers in project-based learning at this school?

Teachers design and guide projects that integrate multiple subject areas, but students have a significant role in helping to design and create products that solve real-world problems.

What is a key feature of the project-based learning approach at Charles Drew Charter School?

A key feature of project-based learning at Charles Drew Charter School is that projects are designed to have a lasting impact, involve solving a problem, and have an audience to present the final product.

How does the school select topics for project-based learning units?

Teachers select topics for project-based learning units by considering relevant world events, student interests, and academic standards, and then design driving questions to guide the learning process.

What specific real-world event inspired one of the recent projects at Charles Drew Charter School?

The Snowpocalypse event in Atlanta inspired a project where students explored how heat plays a role in preparing for and coping with extreme weather conditions.

What is the driving question for the project related to Snowpocalypse?

The driving question for the Snowpocalypse-related project was: 'How can we better prepare for Atlanta's changing weather?'

What types of projects do students work on as part of their learning at Charles Drew Charter School?

Students work on various hands-on projects, such as building solar ovens, testing materials for heat conductivity, and creating safety kits to prepare for extreme weather events.