Experience the STEM Specialty
Read a book with a STEM focus to consider how the heroes and heroines solve problems and experiment to succeed. Engineer a robot or hypothesize the outcome of an experiment during science. Write a string of code using basic math formulas to dive into technology. These are all examples of students participating in lessons that meet Iowa Core standards and incorporate the STEM theme. Students in
the STEM specialty school will build a strong educational foundation in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Hands-On, Minds-On STEM Lessons
- Creating three-dimensional products (3D Printing)
- Learning Computer Programming
- Experimenting with Computer-Aided Design
- Producing Digital Newscasts
- Programming and Building Robots
21st Century Skills Derived from STEM Education
- Communication
- Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Curiosity
- Decision Making
- Entrepreneurship
- Flexibility
- Initiative
- Leadership
- Media Literacy
- Technology Literacy
- Problem Solving
- Productivity
- Social Skills
The Importance of STEM Education
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “It’s more important than ever that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions. These are the kinds of skills that students develop in science, technology, engineering and math—disciplines collectively known as STEM. If we want a nation where our future leaders, neighbors, and workers have the ability to understand and solve some of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow, and to meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, building students’ skills, content knowledge, and fluency in STEM fields is essential.”