I will be the first one to tell you that I am not always the best at integrating Art into STEM. Many teachers can do this seamlessly, but I am not one of them. Recently I was invited to participate in "Art Discovery Day" at one of the elementary schools that I support. I jumped at the chance to open the STEM Lab for some "STEAM" and to challenge myself to create Art activities in the STEM Lab.

I decided that I wanted to include robots in the Art Discovery Day, so I grabbed some Ozobots and Spheros and came up with a plan. From my experience, students really love drawing the line codes for Ozobot to follow, and often don't get enough time in the STEM Lab to do so. So, with this in mind, I pulled some giant butcher paper and brought brand new markers. The paper was set up on the ground, with the markers, Ozobots, and a copy of the Ozocodes. The directions given to students were simply to draw line codes for Ozobot to follow, and work together with your group.

With the Spheros, I've always wanted to paint with them, but never had the perfect opportunity, until now. I put together a big box to keep the Sphero contained, and pulled more big butcher paper. With dots of paint scattered around the paper, students were told to drive the Sphero and spread the paint. I set a timer for 2 minutes for each student, and that seemed to work really well.

In addition to the Ozobots and the Spheros, I opened up a few computers for the "Ozobot Shape Tracer" game which is my favorite way to introduce students to Ozoblockly coding. Not all students want to get down on the floor and draw or paint, so offering a third option of computer coding worked out really well.

The Art Day sessions were successful and students moved between activities on their own, when they felt they were ready to change. I didn't hear any complaints from the students that attended my sessions, and it appeared that most of them were having a blast!

​If you are planning to integrate some "A" in to your STEM, I highly suggest these open-ended activities that really give students the chance to create and play with the robots in a different and unique way.

I have been a huge fan of the Ozobot robots for the past few years. I have been using them in my STEM lab and love introducing them to students and teachers whenever I have the chance. What I like most about the Ozobots are that they are SOOO easy to program. Students can use paper and markers to draw line codes for Ozobot to follow. They can also create codes with block coding (similar to code.org) or program with an iPad.

I often talk to teachers who want to use Ozobots in the classroom, however they don't know how to introduce them to their students. I decided that I would compile the  introduction activities that I've used in the STEM Lab into a "hyperdoc" with instructions that guide students in using Ozobots. I've also created Ozobot task cards (line code) and Ozobot mazes (Ozoblockly) that will support teachers and students in their Ozobot learning adventure. You can find these resources for sale in my TPT store, "Love-Fleck EdTech." The activities can be used with either Ozobot Evo or Bit.
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• The "Introduction to Ozobot" activity is 4-6 hours of instruction that students can do (almost) entirely on their own. The instructions and videos (hosted on YouTube) will walk students through the basics of the Ozobot, including calibrating and drawing line code for the bot. Students will then move on to creating code with Ozoblockly.
• The "Task Cards" provide students with basic Ozobot tasks that all involve drawing line code for Ozobot to follow.
• The "Ozobot Mazes" are great for using together with Ozoblockly. Students can create a code for Ozobot that will guide him through the various mazes. Please note, that if you purchase the "Introduction to Ozobot" download, the mazes are included.

​I would love to hear about how you are using Ozobots in your classroom! Leave a comment below to share your ideas!!

.This is part 4 of my STEM Lab Story. If you have not read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, please go back and read those first.

STEM Lab Schedule
For the 2016/2017 school year, the biggest change that I made to the STEM Lab had to do with the schedule. From the previous year, I noticed that the students in grade 3-5 were never able to complete a project in the STEM Lab, before having to clean up and move on. I made a huge change to the schedule, so that one (3-5) class would visit the STEM Lab at a time. This allowed students from that class to work on a project for one week (4 days). They could store their work-in-progress until the next day, if needed, and then clean up their materials on the final day (Friday).

You can purchase my sample STEM Lab schedule HERE. If you use Google Docs, there is a link within the sample STEM Lab schedule resource that will allow you to make a copy of my schedule. Once you have made the copy, you will be able to modify it however you need. If you have questions about the sample STEM Lab schedule, please leave them in the comments below!

STEM Lab Journal
In addition to the schedule I spent a lot of time working and re-working the journal that students would complete during their time in the STEM Lab. I wanted a journal that focused on reflection and goal setting, so that students could evaluate their own learning. I also figured out, very quickly, that a simple format was better, since I was seeing multiple classes each week in the STEM Lab.

I developed one Journal format for grades 3-5 and a different journal template for grades 6-8. You can purchase my STEM Lab Journal/Reflection (Google Slides) Template HERE. You will need access to Google Slides to use the template, and I suggest distributing and collecting work through Google Classroom.

Advice for Getting Started with your STEM Lab
For those of you that in the beginning stages of setting up a STEM Lab, I would highly suggest creating a set schedule and using some type of journal. There should also be some type of STEM Lab Orientation for students, prior to them working in the Lab. This establishes the rules, procedures, and expectations of the STEM Lab.

Also, remember that it is okay if you are not an expert on every kit or software in your Lab! I figured out many things in the STEM Lab alongside my students. Encourage them to search for their own answers, rather than asking you immediately. That could be talking with a classmate, re-reading a manual, or finding a helpful video on YouTube. 

I would love to support you as you begin your journey with STEM, either in a Lab, or in your classroom. Please leave a comment below with any questions or wonderings, or find me on Twitter @mrslovefleck. 

This is part 3 of my STEM Lab Story. If you have not read Part 1 and Part 2, please go back and read those first.

Kindergarten - Second Grade
I finished out the 2015/2016 school year in the STEM Lab, having students rotate through the various activities in the STEM (Smart) Lab. K-2 students visited me weekly in the STEM Lab for a 45 minute lesson. They used materials including K'Nex, Zometools, and Ozobots, and they used computer programs like code.org and Pixie. We also used consumable materials like cups, string, tongue depressors, etc. to build bridges and towers.

Third - Fifth Grade
Students in grades 3-5 rotated through 5 islands: K'Nex, Snap Circuits, Vernier Sensors, Code.org, and Lego WeDo. One class would visit for 4 days, within one week (M, T, Th, F) for 1 hour each day, then would not return to the lab for 4-5 weeks. This was the best way for students to have enough time to build with their materials, however, it still made sharing the materials and kits a little bit tricky. For example, the students in Class A would come in for an hour, then Class B would come in for an hour following them. Class A and Class B were sharing the same materials and kits, so the students often had to build, then deconstruct their work before leaving.

When working through an activity, students referred to the Creative Learning Systems curriculum for instructions. Some of the directions in the curriculum were difficult for students in grades 3-5 to comprehend, so I would scaffold and support during these activities. Students completed a slide within their STEM Lab journal each day that they worked in the Lab. This was built into the clean-up/closing procedure and quickly became routine. We also looked at exemplar journals so that students knew what was expected of them and their writing. The journals were completed in Google Slides, and distributed and collected through Google Classroom.

Middle School
Middle School students in grades 6-8 worked their way through 15 different activities, using their Google Slides journal as a form of goal setting, planning, and reflection.  The students used the Creative Learning Systems curriculum to guide them through their activities, and for the most part, students were able to follow along with the curriculum independently. Students always worked with a partner and focused not only on the task at hand, but also on the 4C's of 21st Century Learning. 

At the end of the 2015/2016 school year, we held our first STEMfest event, where students in middle school were able to show off their work from the STEM lab to their families. I highly suggest organizing an opportunity for students to share their work with an audience (parents, classmates, experts, etc.). The students really felt the need to step up their presenting game when they knew that they would be sharing their work, and fielding questions, from an authentic audience. 

Following the STEMfest of 2016, everybody was excited about STEM education at Stuart Mesa!! I spent the last few weeks of the school year, cleaning, organizing, inventorying, and reflecting on the STEM Lab. I came up with some pretty exciting plans for the STEM Lab for the 2016/2017 school year. Stay tuned for "STEM Lab Story: Part 4" to hear about changes and improvements I made to improve the STEM Lab for the following year!

This is Part 2 of my STEM Lab Story. If you have not read Part 1, you can find it HERE.​

Let's head back to December of 2015 for a few minutes. That is when I decided to leave my tenured 5th grade teaching job in Vista and take a grant-funded "STEM Lab" job in Oceanside, working with K-8 students on a military base. Kinda crazy to leave so much security and take a risk with a new position. However, I needed a change and felt like I was hitting the ceiling in my self-contained 5th grade classroom, as far as STEM related activities and innovation. So, long story short, although it was a risk, it definitely worked out for me and my teaching career. 

When I first arrived at Stuart Mesa Elementary, the STEM Lab wasn't even completed yet. I actually was able to watch Creative Learning Systems build the STEM Lab (SMART Lab), set up the islands, and unpack the materials. And, how lucky was I that the Lab came with all the technology and supplies!
​Check out the Google Earth Photo sphere of my STEM Lab HERE.

Once the STEM Lab was installed, I went through a week of training with Creative Learning Systems, then had a few extra days of support from them. I spent about a month organizing and learning as much about the Lab as I could, before ever seeing students. That is one thing that really helped me to be successful with the Lab, taking time to create a plan and familiarize myself with the kits, software, hardware, etc. If you are just beginning a lab or slowly piecing one together, take as much time as possible to develop your plan for success!

Creative Learning Systems also provides a curriculum, which I spent time getting to know. Since I was at a K-8 school, I had to figure out a plan for K-5, as well as a plan for 6-8 (the STEM Lab was an enrichment option for them). I familiarized myself with the curriculum for all grade levels, and methodically mapped out what K-5 and 6-8 would work on in the STEM Lab.

In addition to learning as much as possible about the STEM Lab, I also developed quite a bit within the Google Apps for Education (G-Suite) to supplement the lessons and activities. This included a STEM journal, which I created in Google Slides. There was one journal for grades 3-5 and another one for 6-8. The journal was my way of holding students accountable for their work in the STEM Lab. Each day students had to take a picture of their work, and write a reflection on their activity. They recorded the things that worked, as well as their failures and plans for next time. I distributed and collected the STEM journals through Google Classroom. 

Since it was January 2016 by the time I officially opened the lab (Read about the Grand Opening HERE), I developed a plan for the remainder of the 2015/2016 school year. The 6-8 grade students would work through 15 different activities (one at each desk/computer) with a partner, spending about 3 days on each one. Students in grades 3-5 would work through 5 activities (one at each island) with 6 students working on the same activity at once. They would also work with a partner and spend 4 days on each activity. My little ones in K-2 visited the STEM lab once a week, and would have a 45 minute activity, whole class. The teachers in grades K-5 stayed in the Lab with the students, which was extremely helpful!

That's it for Part 2 of the STEM Lab story. Keep looking out for Part 3 to come out soon!
Have a question? Leave a Comment Below! Thanks for Reading!!

As I approach my 3 year anniversary with the Oceanside Unified School District, I've been thinking about how my role has evolved. I am blessed to have so much flexibility in my job and to be given so many opportunities to be innovative and creative. From STEM Lab facilitator, to EdTech TOSA, to Instructional Technology coach, I have worn many hats over these past three years, and have grown so much as a teacher.  

The three schools that I support - Stuart Mesa, Santa Margarita, and North Terrace - all have amazing STEM Labs from Creative Learning Systems. The STEM Lab at Stuart Mesa is where I began with OUSD, and it is a really special place to me. Students in the STEM Lab have the opportunity to try new things - things that they would never try on their own. They get to struggle and fail. They get to troubleshoot and "start over." They get to succeed and improve. They get to do so many things in the STEM Lab that they do not get to do in the regular classroom or even at home. 

Funding a facilitator for the STEM Labs has been a challenge and this year there is very little help in the STEM Labs (as far as a full time position). One school has support from the library/media tech and a substitute teacher, one school is relying on the classroom teachers, and one school is starting to get the library/media tech on board. As the EdTech TOSA for all three schools (and the person with the most familiarity with the Labs) I've been creating a student-driven STEM Lab curriculum for students in grades 3-5. The curriculum consists of 5 activities happening simultaneously in the STEM Labs, and takes about 4 hours to complete each activity. Students work on one activity for 4 hours (one hour per day), then rotate to the next activity when they return to the Lab.

Over the next few Blog posts, I will describe the activities that each grade level is participating in during their STEM Lab week. I will also describe the STEM Lab schedule, journal, routines, organization, and classroom expectations that have been working for my three labs this school year. Are you planning on creating a STEM Lab, Makerspace, Design Lab, etc? Follow my Blog posts to gather some ideas and inspiration to help get you started!!

Have a question about this Blog post? Leave a comment!!