Creekview STEM lives up to learning objectives

By Sun Advocate

As the only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) school east of Highway 89 in Utah, Creekview Elementary is stepping up to the plate.
In recent presentations at a STEM Conference in Denver, Colorado six educators from the school that attended the meetings learned a lot, but they also had a lot to give. They were challenged to solve problems that were given to the team they were assigned to and the local instructors were part of the solution to those problems.
The idea of STEM is to use problem based learning projects to define what needs to be done. In other words, propose a problem and the students need to find ways to solve it. Those teachers that went to Colorado faced the same thing their students do. And they brought back some great ideas for pushing along the program that has been going at Creekview since last year, farther.
Under the parameters of STEM there is no such thing as failure, but a better understanding of the problem that is achieved through the process. “It is hands-on learning and exposure,” said Principal John Thomas in a recent interview. “We integrate math, science and language into what we are doing.”
The STEM program was put together by the State of Utah. The Utah STEM Schools Designation Program was developed to define the criteria and elements necessary for a school to create a comprehensive STEM learning environment for their students. The STEM schools designation program allows schools to engage in discussions with faculty and community partners around STEM education as a lens for strong instruction for students to prepare for the world of the future. The involvement of parents and partners (businesses and organizations) is an important part of the STEM School process. Creekview Elementary is working toward become a formal STEM designated school.
There is $1.5 million allocated to support teachers to participate in a newly developed STEM endorsement program through the Utah State Office of Education.
The STEM Action Center, which is part of the governor’s office, will assess long term outcomes of participation in the endorsement program on the performance of the teacher’s students on the SAGE state assessment beginning with data from the 2015-16 school year.
Thomas has been instrumental into bringing Creekview into the STEM fold. His ability to secure funding for projects and curriculum has been outstanding. Creekview was granted $53,000 to implement programs related to STEM. They have used the money to start an Engineering is Elementary and Logo Robotics program in the school. Teachers use the kits to teach science and engineering concepts as those concepts are integrated with reading and writing at each grade level. The kits allow the students to work collaboratively as they solve real-world problems.
Last year the first Family Engineering Night was held. Partners in this process included USU Eastern and Intermountain Electronics. At the Engineering Night those two partners along with the school set up projects and demonstrations for parents and students to work with.
On a weekly basis students in fourth and fifth grades have learned to program the robotic Legos while third graders learned simple machine concepts. The projects also helped younger students to learn hand-eye coordination.
Three sets of Chromebooks were also purchased through the award for the fifth grade classrooms. Having these for the fifth grade has freed up the computer labs in the building for use by other grade levels. Last year the project impacted the 520 students involved at the school and this year all are working on STEM projects too.
Watching fourth grade students in the Lego lab that is set up in the school is an experience everyone should have. The students get out Lego kits and the Chrome books. Sara Christensen, the instructor in the Lego lab, lays out the plan for the days activities, through both verbal instruction and mulitmedia. The students construct a project with the Legos, which is formulated to be used robotically. Then once they have constructed the project they work with the Chromebook to program the robot to do the things assigned to them. When they are done, the delight shows that learning that has gone on.