Pub. 4 2014-2015 Issue 2

12 A Starter Guide for Weaving STEM into Your Elementary Classroom Anthony Murphy, executive direc- tor of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education, wrote in a recent US news article: “Research documents show that by the time students reach fourth grade, a third of boys and girls have lost an interest in science. By eighth grade, almost 50 percent have lost interest or deemed it irrelevant to their education or future plans. At this point in the K–12 system, the STEM pipeline has narrowed to half. That means millions of students have tuned out or lack I t seems with each passing moment the push to more fully emphasize STEM in the classroom grows stronger and stronger. Prime targets of STEM have thus far been middle school and high school students. Recent research indicates that STEM immersion needs to start even sooner. Gayle Shuler, a Riverton Elementary School second grade teacher, is an exemplar of STEM in the elementary classroom. For the past 20 years, she has organized district and school fairs and this year she is organizing a STEM Fair at her school. the confidence to believe they can do science.” Elementary teachers are beginning to more fully bring STEM into their classroom and share their success stories. For Gayle Shuler, a Riverton Elementary School second grade teacher, STEM is an essential part of elementary students’ education. Gayle is an exemplar of STEM in the elementary classroom. For the past 20 years, she has organized district and school fairs and this year she is organizing a STEM Fair at her school. The STEM Fair is an opportunity for students who participated in STEM projects to show off their creations for parents and the school. But if you’re going to try and bring new things to the classroom, especially hands-on projects, then funding can become an issue. This is where the STEM Action Center can help. The STEM Action Center was established in the 2013 legis- lative session and has received a total of $30 million to support STEM education and workforce alignment efforts. The STEM Action Center is co- located in the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and has strong partnerships with the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah System of Higher Education, the Utah Department of Workforce Services and the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools. The overarching purpose of the Center is to prioritize STEM educa- tion, which works to develop Utah’s workforce of the future. This is achieved through greater coordination and col- laboration, resulting in the identification and use of proven practices. The STEM Action Center executes several projects that help to support both educators and students in STEM in K-16 classrooms. The key outcome is to encourage and support the recruit- ment, retention and success of students in STEM-related education and career pathways. One of the STEM Action Center’s programs that teachers are invited to take advantage of is their PreK-12 ClassroomGrant. The grant opportunity is available for educators and adminis- trators to apply for funding focused on improving student understanding and BY KAITLIN FELSTED,UTAH STEM ACTION CENTER