Worthington Hooker School is a K-8 lottery and neighborhood New Haven school. The administrators are clear and organized. The principal not only knows each student’s name she also knows best practices for each student. The school has monthly town meetings to celebrate student growth and development.
This unit will be introduced to two sections of the 7th grade which is approximately 50 students. This unit touches on all seven foundations. The seven foundations of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) include: Observation, Creativity, Innovation, Planning, Revision, Collaboration, and Presentation. Students will be gaining knowledge on any topic they self-select connected with the topics presented in the teacher google slideshow. Students will then see the power and complex system of eugenics through the S.T.E.A.M. domains. Students will see how many systems are connected to the eugenic systems and that intellect or IQ is not something that can be actually be accurately measured. Students are encouraged to consider themselves, their own family history, their own genes when selecting their own personal interest topic to research. Students will be asked have they ever been assessed in a class unfairly and describe the assignment in which this occurred? Students are questioned do they have any family members who have any IQ, genetic, mental health or brain related issues? For the student who cannot pick the direction of their choosing, ask the student to consider what influences them, or what interests them. Assign a topic if the student is needing support or is not motivated at all The 7th grade students will have a week to explore, peer share, and then self-select their own direction they wish to deep dive S.T.E.A.M. learning in.
Focus group for this unit of grade 7
The middle school students range in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math skills or abilities as well as they have different interest areas, so this S.T.E.A.M. unit will certainly be a challenge for many students. I look forward to seeing the students who weave in data collections like artist Jer Thorpe (who is included in teacher google slide example) or science with a neurographic creation. This unit will be taught in the spring after the students have gained some art studio comfort. In the spring student teacher rapport is well established. If a teacher is not an art teacher, have the students know in advance the material options and how to utilize in order to depict their topic. Explain the material expectations such as: put marker caps on, washing brushes, putting glue tops on, whatever the expectation so they are aware. Generally kids want to make teachers proud however, they do not have all the experience with all the materials necessarily.
