Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

5 minutes – Tune in: Objects of wonder
20 minutes – Find out: STEM thinking
30 minutes – Take action: STEM mash-up design challenge
15 minutes – Reflection

Tune in: Objects of wonder

Before starting the lesson, ensure several different objects of wonder and interest are laid out on a table where students can stand around them. Objects could be mobile phones, household pegs, stapler, mugs, paper clips, scissors, pens or similar.

Step 1.

Gather students around the table with the objects of wonder.

Step 2.

On a board or butcher's paper, write out 'S- Science, T- Technology, E- Engineering, M- Maths' as a visual anchor for the students and a learning frame for the focus of the questions. Explain to the students that during this lesson, they will be examining everyday objects through a STEM lens. They will be exploring how Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths each relate to the design of the objects.

You could also add A for Arts if you want to take a STEAM approach. For this, encourage students to consider the design features of the objects. Are they attractive? Symmetrical? How do they demonstrate colour or texture?

Step 3.

Begin the session by showing students the objects of interest and wonder. As you show each item, ask a selection of questions to actively demonstrate the process of using critical thinking questions:

What is this used for?
What is it made of?
Who would use this?
How can it help people?
How does it work?
How do the components interact?

Step 4.

Encourage students to share their ideas with the group and practise asking their own questions about the objects. Allow students to touch and manoeuvre the objects if this helps them explain how it works.

For a bit of fun, you might like to try using a ‘verbal buzzer’ system. For this, students make a noise or sound effect and the quickest one gets to answer the question.

Find out: STEM thinking

Now you can begin to make connections to STEM. Using the STEM acronym on the board, discuss the elements of STEM and what they may mean for the items that the class has viewed.

Step 1.

Ask the students to think about how STEM might be used in each of the examples. Using a classroom stapler is a great example to begin with. Discuss the STEM design of a stapler with the students as a worked example:

Object: Stapler

S - Science: What science is in action?
Suggested answer: forces in the action of pushing the metal staple through the paper
T- Technology: How is the technology used?
Suggested answer: joining the paper together, use of springs and metal plates.
E - Engineering: What is the object made of or how is it put together?
Suggested answer: making of the metal/plastic pieces to form the stapler
M - Maths: What measurements have been used?
Suggested answer: size of the stapler, weight, size of the staple, placement of the staple.

Step 2.

Record the students’ responses and questions as they are offered on the board.

You might like to use a shared online document or mind map to record these ideas. If students have access to devices, you could nominate a couple of representatives to input the information raised in the discussion.

Step 3.

Provide each student with four sticky notes each and the Think, Pair, Share worksheet. The sticky notes are to be used by the students to capture their thoughts and ideas.

Step 4.

Ask the students to write down ONE of the STEM letters on each sticky note. These notes can be stuck on the Think, Pair, Share worksheet to keep their ideas organised. They should stick their notes in the ‘Think’ section.

Step 5.

Display these STEM thinking questions where the students can see them or refer to them on the Think, Pair, Share worksheet:

S - Science: What science is in action? Force, energy, motion, nature, etc.
T- Technology: How is the technology used? Power, switches, springs, etc.
E - Engineering: What is the object made of or how is it put together?
M - Maths: What measurements have been used? Size, shape, weight, etc.

Step 6.

Invite each student to select one item from the table for them to focus on (e.g. peg, paper clips or stapler).

You might like to allow only a few students up to the table at one time to keep things orderly.

Step 7.

Think: Once the item is chosen, instruct the students to consider the STEM thinking questions for the object they selected. They should write their individual answers on the STEM sticky notes. Remind students that the sticky notes should be stuck in the ‘Think’ column.

Step 8.

Pair: Invite students to find a partner or small group of students who looked at the same object as them.

Ask students to share their ideas in their group based on the same object. They should write any new ideas in the ‘Pair’ column.

Step 9.

Share: Invite the students to regroup as a whole class and provide time for the students to share their group's ideas with the class. Students should take notes in the ‘Share’ column to record anything they found especially interesting during their discussion.

Step 10.

In the area prepared before the lesson (the wall, board or butcher’s paper) with the STEM headings, have students add their sticky notes under each relevant section. This can now be a STEM reference area for the remainder of the session.

Take action: STEM mash-up design challenge

Step 1.

Hand out the Student Worksheet and explain to students that they will now become STEM designers. Read this text to students (also on the Student Worksheet):

Your mission is to design a new object by combining two everyday items. This new invention is a ‘STEM mash-up’. You will need to select two different objects from the following list that will form the basis of your design. Then using your STEM thinking you will join them together in an innovative design to create a new, useful object.

Step 2.

Read out the following mashable object list (also on the Student Worksheet):

Column A	Column B
Cork	Household peg
Cup	Spring
Pencil	Whistle
Empty Bottle	Whisk
Hairbrush	Ruler
Shoe	Empty Tin Can
Bucket	Scissors
Rocking Chair	Fork
Pram	Brick

Tell students that they will be choosing one object from column A and up to two objects from column B to use in their design challenge.

Step 3.

Organise the students into STEM mash-up design teams (up to three students maximum). Ensure all teams have ample access to a clear working space and drawing materials. 2B pencils are best for sketching.

You might like to provide some students with modelling clay or playdough to make 3D designs - as not all students are confident with drawing. You also might like to provide samples (or pictures) of the objects so the students can investigate them more closely. However, don't allow them to construct their mashup idea with the object, just let them use the physical object as inspiration for their design.

Step 4.

Explain that they will have 30 minutes to spend on the creative design phase. This time will be broken down into 3 x 10 minute sections. Go through the following process with the students:

Individual innovation draw: Each student draws their ideas on their own paper. This is where creativity flows and ideas are brought to life.
Combine draw: The students then return to their STEM mash-up team and work on this together. They share their ideas and work to create a few (1-3) suitable STEM mash-up design concepts. This is where students get to extend on each other’s ideas and innovate even further. (It can be a noisy process!)
Final draw: The students select one idea, then redraw or redesign the STEM mash-up together. They use a fresh piece of paper to create a final copy of their chosen design. This is where students create a synthesised design and work towards a common aim.

Step 5.

Remind students that this activity is about open mindsets, sharing ideas and working together to create solutions. In a great STEM design team there needs to be plenty of courage in sharing ideas, listening and openness to compromise so that new ideas can be integrated.

Step 6.

Say ‘Ready, Set, Go’ and start the 10 minute timer, running through each of the three sections:

Individual innovation draw: 10 minutes
Combine draw: 10 minutes
Final draw: 10 minutes

Reflection

Bring the whole class back together and allow time for the teams to share their STEM mashable ideas. Ensure that each team's design is seen and that the team has time to talk about their design as an important part of science communication. A great way to do this is to take a picture of the design and show it on an interactive TV or board so all students can see and ask questions about the design. Ensure that any feedback is purposeful and meaningful by bringing it back to a STEM focus.

Depending on how much time you have, you might like to incorporate peer-to-peer feedback by using a PMI framework:

P - Positive/Plus: ideas that the students like about the design ("I really liked…")
M - Minus: ideas that might need some work ("I think this area could be improved by…")
I - Interesting: ideas that are good and new ("I wonder how…" or "The idea used here is interesting because…").

Lead the discussion and, where needed, ask leading questions that bring the students back to thinking about the STEM features of the design:

What science is used in the design?
How is technology a part of the design?
How is engineering used in the design?
How is maths used in your design?

Differentiated Learning

Extension:

Students could use the STEM elements to structure a design statement. A design statement is where students have the opportunity to describe and justify their creative choices.
Designs could be shared with other classes or turned into 3D prototypes using a range of recycled materials such as cardboard, fabric or repurposed objects (or paper mache).

Provisions for Learning Support:

Support may be required for some students during the group design processes. For some students, it may be more effective for them to work alone with an assistant, or with just one partner.
Some students will find it easier to work with collage, clay or playdough to develop their design ideas.
Some students may wish to explain their design idea through words and manoeuvring objects, rather than through pictures. Allow them this opportunity, or have them work with someone who can draw their ideas for them.
The idea sharing component is often challenging for students so assistance may be required. It is important to set ground-rules for peer feedback so that all students feel safe. For example, you may choose to only allow students to provide positive feedback on the designs.
You may like to provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the process of working with others and creating designs within a timeframe. This will help some students process their capacity for collaboration and group work and have the opportunity to share their feelings.

STEM - Objects of Wonder

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