The Importance of STEM Education at Northeast Middle School

The following blog post was written by Patrice Banks, Spark-Y Sustainability Educator, on STEM education at our school program partner Northeast Middle School.

Framework of STEM

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM) in early education plays a key role in the sustained growth and stability of our youth’s creativity. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables our next generation of innovators.

Most professions of the future will require a basic understanding of math and science. However, despite these compelling facts, mathematics and science scores on average among U.S. students are lagging behind other developing countries. Located in Minneapolis, Northeast Middle School(NEMS) provides core (reading, writing, math, science, social studies) instruction to underserved school aged students in grades 6-8. NEMS also ranks high amongst other schools as one of the most diverse public middle schools in Hennepin County. From personal and professional experience, there is not enough diversity in STEM career fields. Furthermore, once multiple career fields achieve diversity then we see more innovation and can serve the world's problems. This is why core-subject areas in STEM is important as well as the effectiveness of STEM education teachers.

Northeast Middle School is helping to create the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers by delivering STEM experiences to children. Spark-Y institutes such science curriculum through hands-on learning that is geared towards student leadership and engagement, critical thinking, teamwork, and troubleshooting their problems. Susan Thyen is the lead life science teacher at NEMS exposing students daily to STEM and giving them opportunities to explore STEM-related concepts. With Spark-Y, Susan accelerates students’ learning each Friday as they explore sustainable food systems and understanding of how they impact the world and their community by acknowledging the importance of a sustainable environment.

Few teachers can engage students in a diverse inner city school and effectively teach them science concepts. However, teachers like Susan Thyen are changing that. Ms. Thyen is taking a more personable approach to teaching science in the classroom - and it’s leaving students more excited to understand the discipline and develop into scientists.

Using Minnesota Science Standards, the Department of Education supports educators with the implementation and best practices of academic standards. For Friday programming with Spark-Y in Northeast Middle School (NEMS), we promote STEM through the use of project-based learning and encouraging youth to critically think and troubleshoot their problems.

Preliminary research on successful STEM schools indicates that cultivating partnerships with higher education, nonprofits, museums, and industries is important for engaging students in STEM learning through internships, mentorships, and interdisciplinary project-based learning (Means, 2008; National Research Council, 2011)

The mission at NEMS is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To accomplish this, NEMS provides all students with a supportive and nurturing environment where the quality of teaching and learning demonstrates that. All students attending NEMS each day are encouraged to develop themselves academically and be transparent, taking accountability for their work.

This year, Spark-Y continues a cooperative relationship with NEMS, working with seventh graders in their Life Sciences class, exploring and reconnecting sustainable food systems to their natural world. Most of the students demonstrate active participation in their daily classes, and in particularly enjoy their science class.

Big Picture for STEM

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics that integrates all four disciplines into a cohesive learning models based on real-world applications. In the classroom, STEM curriculum is implemented in science, reading/language arts, computer science and history classes.

Classes in Northeast Middle School’s STEM program serve more than 500 students in grades 6-8 and most students rotate through at least one STEM class where they can emphasize the application of knowledge to real-life situations. As an educator in the classroom, I recognize that students, no matter their background, question everything and always try to make sense of new information. Naturally, when students have unanswered questions, they are driven to find answers and spark curiosity with what they discover. When this becomes a regular part of classroom practice, students will regularly ask meaningful questions to support their learning across all areas. By exposing students to STEM and giving them opportunities to explore the field in a fun and engaging way, we are also providing lifelong benefits to them beyond the classroom such as creativity, improved problem-solving skills, attentiveness, collaboration and teamwork. As educators, we need to ensure that every student has a chance to reap these benefits.

Distinctive Syllabus

In Minnesota middle schools, 7th grade Life/Physical Science students are driven through an inquiry-based course. They study six major units of science including natural systems, physical properties of matter, and the structure and function of living systems. Investigations in these units provide meaningful opportunities for students, while connecting them to other STEM principles including engineering, math, and art.

Worth mentioning are the classroom outcomes that are associated with most STEM curriculum and International Baccalaureate (IB) teaching strategies. Similar to STEM disciplines, IB education creates responsible, socially conscious individuals who use their cross-cultural education to promote connections between themselves and the greater world. Both STEM- and IB- education share similar curriculum that encourages students to:

1. Be inquirers: Develop your natural curiosity and ask questions when you are stuck and when you need to be challenged.

2. Take risks: Approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and not being afraid to make mistakes

3. Be open-minded: Understand and appreciate your own personal perspectives and that of others. Be willing to grow from the experience.

4. Become Communicative: Explain your science thinking and express ideas and information in a variety of modes of communication.

Looking Ahead

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an increasing demand for expertise in the sciences which is projected to result in employment growth for those in this field. This means it is even more important for youth in our programs to experience STEM-based education and increase youth exposure to science. Teachers like Susan Thyen, have put in many hours to create, develop, and improve the academic experiences in her classroom. Support for these types of teachers and programs empower students to become scientifically-cultured citizens.

As student’s awareness of STEM fields and the academic requirements of such fields continue, programs in school can help youth see that STEM is more than a class to finish. Moreover, youth explorations of STEM and related careers begin at middle school, particularly for underrepresented populations. Perhaps Ms. Thyen put it best: “STEM provides my students with outlets to be creative, work as a team, and think critically to solve real world problems. STEM helps build skills that my students will need when they are out of school so they can be contributing members of society. I love teaching STEM because it’s meaningful and it’s fun!”

How Hands-On Curriculums Cater to Different Learning Styles

The following blog post was contributed by established education blogger, Alyssa Abel.

In the evolving world of education and youth instruction, it’s becoming more important than ever to incorporate newer, better learning — to keep youth engaged, promote personalized learning and contribute to a more successful education system.

When it comes to offering an engaging experience across subjects and school levels, hands-on education systems are what we need to re-engage students in a time too tied with technology. Whether it’s through classroom-based models, hands-on labs or out-of-school experiences, experiential education programs like those offered at Spark-Y do more than enable youth empowerment — they bridge the gap and offer value for every learning style.

Here’s how hands-on learning is effective and revolutionary for all learners:

1. Hands-On Learning Engages Tactile Learners

When it comes to traditional classroom instruction or lecture-based educational programming, tactile learners are at a disadvantage. They’re not engaged by listening — they’re engaged by doing.

Children with a kinesthetic learning style quickly and permanently learn what they do in and out of the classroom, which is why schools and youth programming alike should employ more hands-on learning methods over classic instruction or technology-based models.

2. Hands-On Learning Offers Cultural Exposure

In a traditional classroom environment, students sit side by side, encouraged to engage with a static lecture or presentation — but not necessarily encouraged to engage with each other. Classrooms and youth-centered programs comprise students of so many different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. In this evolving social age, exposing children to diversity is more important than ever, but standard classroom methods may not be the most conducive to real exposure.

From a young age, cultural exchanges and educational experiences are essential to youth development, but not every family is able to offer their children the enriching experience of cultural exchange environments. In hands-on environments like Spark-Y’s in-school programs, internships and urban agriculture labs, children are able to interact and work directly with each other, exposing them to a variety of backgrounds — no matter what they’re studying.

While cultural exposure isn’t the focal point of a hands-on curriculum, it’s an inevitable benefit. Through these tactile educational experiences, youth participants gain a deeper understanding of the world — and of each other.

Spark-Y program youth visit the Urban Ag Lab at Casket Arts headquarters to tour the microgreens growing tower and DIY Bio Lab.

3. Hands-On Activities Provide Experiential Learning Opportunities

Many educators treat experiential learning like a side dish instead of the main course. But experiential learning gets all students engaged because it focuses on building knowledge through what students do and observe. Traditional lectures engage only a small number of students, while experiential learning demands youth take ownership of their educational experience.

At Spark-Y, for example, educators like Cecelia Watkins facilitate unique hands-on learning experiences that offer students the physical context and personal investment to drive learning concepts home. Through unique “Action Lab” stations during Spark-Y’s annual harvest celebrations, students from partner schools are offered the unique opportunity to put their agricultural education into direct practice.

After spending months sustainably cultivating and growing food through hands-on aquaponics systems, students are assigned relevant, real-world tasks — like making guacamole with their own supply of cilantro or harvesting kale for kale chips. When the main course is experiential education, students are poised to taste more success.

As Watkins asserts, “independent, experiential learning” is the goal — and it makes all the difference. “Having a purpose and some autonomy about how to achieve it deeply engages students of all ability levels and age ranges,” she says. The result? Indelible learning outcomes.

4. Hands-On Curriculums Encourage Cognitive Development and Collaboration

When students engage in activities that require movement, talking and listening, it activates different brain regions, boosting cognitive development. Even for auditory learners, listening to a lecture only stimulates one or two brain areas.

Additionally, hands-on activities enable students to collaborate directly with their peers. Children learn best when they discuss what they've learned with others — the act of verbalizing their ideas helps cement them. Furthermore, students who don't understand an instructor's explanation of the material sometimes grasp it when they can work with other students to see the results.

5. Educators Have More Time to Individualize Instruction

Some students struggle with written or verbal language applications. Others wrestle with inductive and deductive reasoning. Regardless of the individual need, hands-on activities allow school and program leaders time to personalize instruction.

Teachers can create separate learning stations for different activities around their classroom, and assign students to small groups to complete these activities. In such an environment, teachers adopt a facilitator role, circulating the room and offering personalized advice. Students can spend additional time at stations designed to bolster skills they struggle with.

Inquiry Zone at Crossroads Elementary

For example, a Spark-Y partner program at Crossroads Elementary offers students in hands-on engineering classes the opportunity to use their talents and applications to come up with real-life solutions for classroom challenges. In the “Inquiry Zone,” instructors encourage third- and fourth-graders to focus on brainstorming their own ideas in stations — for both tactile challenges like building floating boats with pennies and theoretical solutions like improving the classroom.

By encouraging all students to “feel comfortable facing problems and thinking of creative solutions,” says Spark-Y educator Gabrielle Anderson, this program provides each individual with “a unique space to play and experiment without being told their answer is right or wrong.”

6. Students Of All Learning Styles Benefit From Hands-On Challenges

Some students learn best when they work independently. For students with a solitary learning style, hands-on activities provide them time to immerse themselves in studies they feel passionate about. Because of the variety of ways in which students learn, instructors would do well to include hands-on activities that engage all the senses.

Spark-Y’s hands-on focus on sustainability, agriculture and entrepreneurship offers students of all learning styles the opportunity to thrive — with elements of collaboration, individual responsibility and full sensory immersion in each unique program.

Want to Improve Engagement and Classroom Management? Incorporate More Hands-On Activities

When it comes to challenging kids’ creativity, exposing them to enriching opportunities and expanding their capabilities, hands-on learning is the key. And when educators choose to integrate hands-on experiences and curriculums into their classrooms, they can do more than engage students of all learning styles — they can encourage and empower all students to exceed their potential.

About the Author

Alyssa Abel is an established education blogger with a special interest in new learning methodologies. Read more of her work for students and educators of all levels on Syllabusy.

Fostering a Culture of Inquiry, Changing the World

The following blog post was written by Carley Rice, Lead Sustainability Educator, on our Spark-Y program partnership with Community School of Excellence

The students at Community School of Excellence are lots of things, but if they are one thing, they are truly excellent. This group of fifth grade students shocks and inspires me with their innate curiosity and deep rooted LOVE for learning. Leading them on a small portion of their education journey this year has been a true honor. As I part ways with my students for the summer I reflect on the lessons they have taught me, about education, about children, and about the future of a planet in peril.

We started off the year asking lots of questions: What is sustainability? How can we live more sustainably? How can we treat our planet better? How can we treat each other better?

I think that starting off the year with open inquiry and dialogue set us up for success. Too often young people are afraid to ask questions. Maybe adults in their life discredit their opinions. Maybe they’ve been shut down by others. Maybe they don’t feel that their thoughts are valuable.

This has to change.

Creating a culture of inquiry is one of my top priorities as an educator. How can we expect children to learn and grow if they don’t ask questions?

This year our fifth graders at CSE used power tools to build garden beds and aquaponics systems, cared for fish, grew plants, experimented with pH, and even solved engineering challenges. Throughout all of these activities they were encouraged and pushed to think critically, be creative, and ask questions. Many of these activities were new for our students and pushed them out of their comfort zones. It’s not everyday that you see a 10-year-old child successfully use a chop saw. These activities wouldn’t be possible without a group of open-minded, eager, curious young learners. Working with students like these makes my job as an educator pretty easy. CSE is a school that takes its time with students to ensure everyone feels included, heard, and important. Not all students in our city are so lucky. At Spark-Y we make it our mission and our priority to reach those students who are under-served and at-risk.

The question that is constantly on my mind as an educator is this: Why does the traditional education system fail so many young people? How can we reach these students?

I think these are questions that you could spend a lifetime considering and trying to solve. Right now, I think the answer has to do with empowerment. Too many students don’t believe in their own power. They’ve never been told that they CAN, in fact, do anything. They haven’t been given the opportunities, skill sets, and guidance to reach their potential. Their thoughts, opinions, and ideas have been ignored. Their voices have been silenced. If we can target this issue maybe we can begin to reach all students, not just the top 5-10%. I think this begins with communication. Students need to feel heard. But, before they can feel comfortable opening up and sharing they need to feel respected, safe, and trusted.

Every week at CSE students were presented with a challenge that is currently facing our world. Topics such as waste, water consumption, pollution, inequity, food deserts, and climate change were introduced and discussed. Some may think that these topics are “too big,” or “too daunting” for young minds. I disagree. I think that by trusting our youth with these ideas and challenges we are showing them that we respect them, that we need their help, and that we fully believe in their abilities. It is their generation that will turn our climate crisis around. Why wait till they are adults to present these ideas? This approach lets students know that we trust them, and that it’s okay to share their opinions. Young people just want to feel like adults actually see them, hear them, and understand them.

Our work at CSE this year was a great example of this. These 10 and 11 year old students not only were able to grasp big, complicated concepts, but they were able to articulate their thoughts and even brainstorm potential solutions. It’s amazing what children are capable of when they are in an empowering environment that cultivates curiosity, critical thinking, and inquiry.

A few weeks ago I had a student ask me why earthworms come out of the ground after a rainstorm. I told him that that’s such a great question, and then asked him to find the answer for me and report back next week. As soon as I walked into the classroom the following week he came up to me with a piece of notebook paper and presented his findings. It’s simple, small moments like this that reassure me that our approach is working. Children are innately curious. It’s up to us to keep that fire ignited and do our best to never let it burn out.

Spark-Y 'On Fire' and In the News

Things have been heating up this summer here at Spark-Y, with awards, grants, and even a snippet of our organization on HBO.

The Latest and Greatest:

Spark-Y is featured in Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal for Minne Inno Award
We are the grateful recipients of a Minne Inno award, recognizing Twin Cities' startups that are blazing trails in technology and innovation. Spark-Y was awarded for innovation in Education and was subsequently in Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal - full article here.

Spark-Y recipient of major grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to fund Northeast Sustainability Hub
This grant will go towards the creation of a Northeast Sustainability Hub at our headquarters in The Casket Arts building. This project will include an expansion of our Urban Agriculture Lab into a farm surrounding the Casket Arts Building, including:

• community farming zone to grow fresh, local produce, including raised garden beds

• pollinators houses

• composting

• tools storage for outdoor work.

Through this project, we are empowering more community members, achieving a greater environmental impact, and strengthen our local economy.

In keeping with our self-sustaining model, the expansion will be naturally embedded into our operations — leveraging our established position as a community leader in education and sustainability to provide a new center for urban agricultural growth and discovery -- the Northeast Sustainability Hub.

HBO --- Wyatt Cenac's show, “Problem Areas,” came to Minneapolis to visit the Spark-Y Urban Agriculture Lab
Spark-Y’s microgreens timber-frame tower and Caitlin Barnhart, Spark-Y Urban Farm Manager, were featured in clips of the HBO show, “Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas.” HBO came to town to discuss health and school lunches and interview Minneapolis Public Schools Culinary and Wellness Director, Bertrand Weber, who connected show producers to Spark-Y through the youth in our Thomas Edison High School Program. This school program focuses on garden-to-cafeteria food, through an in-school aquaponics system and gardens combined with hands-on education for credit.

Staff and youth from Edison High School were filmed for for the day at our headquarters in the Casket Arts Building, an experience our youth were very excited about. You can watch the full episode here. And those microgreens Wyatt is staring so lovingly at? Yeah! That’s us!

Wyatt Cenac with Spark-Y staff and Edison youth.

Special thanks to our supporters, partners, and friends for sharing our work and helping us to continue our mission of youth empowerment!