What’s the benefit of learning about science and engineering outside of science class?
Hillside science teacher Susan Bartol and her colleagues have been exploring that question thanks to a Greenwald Professional Development Grant from the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence.
Bartol is working with her colleagues to use high-quality, non-fiction picture books that showcase STEM careers, and also demonstrate specific science and engineering practices and how they are applied, in English-language arts and other classes. She got the idea after attending a national conference for science educators. Together, teachers review the books with accompanying texts and question sets, and discuss how to implement them in classes.
This non-fiction STEM career library helps kids get excited about science, and the texts also emphasize women in various fields.
“The science books from the MFEE grant have been so helpful in class. I have been using them to support and enrich our science curriculum,” said Bonnie Schatzman, a science and math teacher at Hillside. For example, "'On A Beam of Light: A Story About Albert Einstein,’ was a great read at the beginning of the school year when we started talking about scientific practices. Students were able to make personal connections with Albert Einstein's story; helping them realize their capabilities as scientists. Books about women scientists help support our objectives during Women's History Month and encourage girls in general to engage in scientific practices.”
These particular books also give a practical context for students to exercise their reading, writing and listening skills. Bartol said follow-up activities and prompts help teachers elicit higher level thinking from their students, and to correlate ELA skills with science practices.
“By creating this non-fiction, career-focused library, we open the doors to STEM for all students,” Bartol said.
Through this project, teachers across subject areas have the opportunity to collaborate with each other. They can use these texts to increase their science and engineering vocabulary and understanding of science and engineering practices that are also relevant in ELA, such as, asking questions and defining problems; developing and using models; analyzing and interpreting data; constructing explanations and designing solutions; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating and communicating information, according to Bartol.
What’s the impact on students? They’ve made personal connections to the texts and have begun to recognize science and engineering practices all around them, not only when they are participating in science classes, Bartol said.
"I never knew that if you discover a new species, it could be named after you," one student said.
“I like to prove people wrong, too, when they don't believe in me," said another.
Each year, MFEE awards approximately $60,000 in grants to Montclair Public Schools teachers in three areas: classroom innovation, social and emotional learning and professional development. The grant recipients for the 2024-2025 school year will be announced next month.
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