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PYD STEM Overview

VCE agents, specialists, and volunteers who engage youth in programming are encouraged to think about STEM connections broadly and use the STEM outcomes described here to aid in planning, evaluating, and reporting impacts of VCE programs.

Fact Sheets for each Theme Area include:

  • A description of the Theme Area
  • Benefits to youth
  • Strategies
  • List of curricula, resources, and other ideas that can be used in programming
  • Impact reporting tools

STEM Theme Areas

The purpose of the VCE PYD STEM theme areas is to help organize youth STEM programs while at the same time helping educators prioritize these outcomes for youth over the specific content they may be using as a vehicle for developing these skills and abilities. The themes encompass many different types of STEM programs and a particular STEM program could address more than one, but should fit within at least one theme. Additionally, these STEM areas can be supported through other 4-H programs that may not traditionally be labeled as STEM.

STEM theme areas:

  • Design Thinking
  • Science Process Skills
  • Using Science in Practice
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Computational Thinking (fact sheet and relevance statement in development for 2020 buy-in)

Cross-cutting outcomes for STEM programs

In addition to the skills and abilities featured in the theme areas, STEM programs can also support a number of cross-cutting outcomes for participants. Many of these relate to other 4-H PYD outcomes; here they are contextualized for STEM programs.

Cross-cutting outcomes that can be supported by STEM programs:

  • Self-confidence in STEM subjects
  • Critical thinking abilities
  • Risk taking, creativity, and resilience
  • STEM-related career aspirations
  • STEM interest and curiosity
  • Using a STEM approach to problem-solving in everyday life
  • Collaboration, teamwork, and perspective taking

Computational thinking (CT) is a problem-solving process that utilizes computer applications to support problem solving across all disciplines, including the humanities, math, and science. It includes (but is not limited to) the following characteristics:

  • Formulating problems in a way that enables us to use a computer and other tools to help solve them.
  • Logically organizing and analyzing data
  • Representing data through abstractions such as models and simulations
  • Automating solutions through algorithmic thinking (a series of ordered steps)
  • Identifying, analyzing, and implementing possible solutions with the goal of achieving the most efficient and effective combination of steps and resources
  • Generalizing and transferring this problem-solving process to a wide variety of problems
  • Coding: Creating instructions for a machine to follow. Programming involves planning, testing, and debugging your code (or written instructions) for the machine to follow.
  • Pattern Recognition: Observing patterns, trends, and regularities in data.

CT skills developed in these programs may include:

  • Confidence in dealing with complexity
  • Persistence in working with difficult problems
  • Tolerance for ambiguity
  • The ability to deal with open ended problems
  • The ability to communicate and work with others to achieve a common goal or solution

Benefits of supporting computational thinking in PYD programs

  • Professional development opportunities
  • Innovative youth programming
  • New ways to engage diversified programming
  • Reaching new audiences
  • Expanding exceptional thinking
  • Opportunities for curriculum development
  • Opportunities for career exploration in STEM

Strategies for supporting computational thinking in PYD programs

  • Secure grant funds
  • Additional hands-on training support and resources
  • Incentives for youth and agent programming
  • Facilitator training support for volunteers and other educators
  • Storage container for kit usage (Easy Stow Pack & Go)

4-H Curricula that support computational thinking

Other computer science resources that can be used in programs that support computational thinking

Commercial kits that can be used in programs that support computational thinking

  • Makey Makey
  • Lego WeDo
  • Spheros
  • Electricity Kit

Other simple activities for engaging youth in computational thinking

  • 4-H STEM Challenge (former NYSD) events
  • Local 4-H programming
  • Intro Scratch Lessons
  • Rainbow Lines in Space
  • Maze Runner

Quantitative Reasoning (QR) is using math to figure out everyday problems. Programs that support QR provide opportunities for learners to use simple math tools to reason (understand, interpret, critique, debunk, challenge, explain, and draw conclusions) and evaluate mathematical information present in everyday life. PYD programs that support QR can serve as a counterpoint to experiences some youth may have in school with difficulty in learning math that may affect their attitudes toward math. A QR approach can support youth seeing the relevance of math and how science and math operate collectively in the real world.

QR skills developed in these programs may include:

  • interpreting graphs and tables and drawing inferences from them
  • representing mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally
  • performing and interpreting results of calculations
  • understanding mathematics well enough to develop informed opinions about quantitative concepts

Benefits of supporting quantitative reasoning in PYD programs

  • Gain awareness of quantitative reasoning use in everyday life.
  • Allows youth the opportunity to strengthen use of quantitative reasoning skills.
  • Help youth have the opportunity to use their prior knowledge.
  • Allow youth to use creativity while identifying quantitative reasoning in activities as well as what process to use in solving problems.
  • Facilitate a positive mindset toward math.
  • Allow youth the opportunity to strengthen their attention to details and increase their understanding for the importance of those skills.
  • Allow youth the opportunity to gain confidence through understanding they already exercise these skills.
  • Allows the opportunity for youth to see the critical role of quantitative reasoning skills in life.
  • Allows the opportunity to increase critical thinking.

Strategies for supporting quantitative reasoning in PYD programs

When designing and implementing programs to support quantitative reasoning, make sure to incorporate the following:

  • Build on prior math knowledge of participants.
  • Connect activities to real-world issues that are relevant to the youth.
  • Concepts taught by keeping the process as “fun” as possible.
  • Promote the mindset that even though not always fun, quantitative reasoning require for success in many areas of life.
  • Incorporate processing questions (what if? why not?) throughout the experience.
  • Make sure that youth have opportunities to communicate their reasoning about quantitative aspects of the activity.
  • Utilize an experiential learning approach (do, reflect, apply), ideally with multiple iterations.

4-H Curricula or programs that support quantitative reasoning

Other programs or curriculum that can be used in programs that support quantitative reasoning

  • Record books (financial and fee calculations)
  • Measurement labs
  • To investigate how different societies have used measurement in the past and deciding which works better for them.
  • Equine nutrition calculations per animal based on visuals and use of animal.
  • Health and Nutrition Curriculum
  • 4-H fundraising

Scientists, engineers, etc., have a toolkit of skills they utilize to develop answers to their questions. One of those “tools” is the ability to think like a designer. The process of taking an idea to fruition/prototype requires working through the design process. Positive Youth Development programs that support design thinking give learners opportunities to participate in and reflect on the process of design in an iterative and flexible way.

In general, the design process includes the following stages:

  • Identify problem
  • Develop solutions
  • Employ solutions
  • Evaluate solutions
  • Communicate, use, and apply results to new challenges

Benefits of supporting design thinking in PYD programs

  • Great way to teach kids that it is OK to fail (FAIL = First attempt in Learning!). Their first effort may not (and probably will not) be perfect.
  • Offers the opportunity to think outside of the box and be creative.
  • Contributes to essential life skills (eg. confidence and teamwork).
  • Allows the opportunity for youth to set and work towards the goal of creating a design to accomplish something.
  • Opportunity to reinforce use of math in context

Strategies for supporting design thinking in PYD programs

When designing and implementing programs to support design thinking, make sure to incorporate the following:

  • Connect activities to real-world issues that are relevant to the youth.
  • Incorporate processing questions (what if? why not?) throughout the experience.
  • Make sure that youth have opportunities to practice communication about their design.
  • Utilize an experiential learning approach (do, reflect, apply), ideally with multiple iterations.

4-H Curricula that support design thinking

Other engineering and design resources that can be used in programs that support design thinking

Commercial kits that can be used in programs that support design thinking

Other simple activities for engaging youth in design thinking

Making the best paper airplane ever!

Design a paper airplane; test: share: redevelop: Test again to see what design works best considering the area of test: have the student that has the best design share how to make the airplane and have everyone fly that design. Talk about what went right, what went wrong, how do we fix the issues if there are any. What did we find out from this process?

Science is a complex, messy, human endeavor in which scientists uncover new knowledge about how and why the world works. Programs that support this theme do so through direct experience with and reflection on learner-centered scientific inquiry. Investigations reflect the practices of scientists and are motivated by questions generated by the learner triggered by real-world experiences.

In general, science process skills include:

  • Predict, Question, Hypothesize, Evaluate, State a Problem, Research Problem, Test
  • Measure, Collect Data, Observe, Compare
  • Interpret/Analyze/Reason, Categorize/Order/Classify, Model/Graph/Use Numbers
  • Collaborate, Communicate, Summarize/Relate

Benefits of supporting science process skills in PYD programs

  • Allows youth to appreciate science and have a better understanding of how science works.
  • Gaining an understanding of the process of science investigation how to compose good questions.
  • Contributes to necessary life skills that will help them as they age out of 4-H.
  • Allows youth to better understand mathematics and other aspects of science to use in a future career.
  • Have the ability see how science can answer questions that to relate youth’s real world experiences to help solve problems.
  • Makes science more relatable and relevant.
  • Allow youth the ability to show creativity in experimental design and collection of scientific data to help solve real world problems.

Strategies for supporting science process skills in PYD programs

When designing programs to support development of science process skills, be sure to incorporate the following:

  • Connect real world experiences/activities in each curricula you plan to implement.
  • Include thought provoking questions (what if? why? why not?) that allow youth to develop their own questions and explanations for scientific phenomena.
  • Implement curricula that will allow youth to engage with the processes of science.
  • Have the ability to allow for shorter sessions that will keep youth engaged.
  • Emphasize exploration and not memorization.

4-H Curricula that support science process skills

Other projects and resources that can be used in programs that support science process skills

  • Horticulture
  • 4-H Science Checklist
  • Soil Inventory
  • Driven to Discover
  • Animal science (equine)
  • Grasses / nutrition / diseases / deworming / horse health / genetics

Science in Practice is the use of theoretical concepts to address real-world problems. Programs using Science in Practice engages youth in experiential, hands-on learning, which helps them connect abstract scientific concepts to concrete examples.

In general, the Science in Practice involves:

  • Understanding scientific concepts
  • Experiencing the process of application
  • Engaging in scientific investigations to evaluate potential solutions to real-world problems
  • Processing questions of what if, why not, how
  • Learning to interpret scientific theories
  • Preparing solutions and discussing findings
  • Finding usefulness of math and science
  • Challenges learned skills to create application in other areas

Benefits of supporting Science in Practice in PYD programs

  • Provides experiential learning process through hands-on application.
  • Engages youth that would not otherwise participate in science.
  • Offers the opportunity to think creatively.
  • Contributes to essential life skills (eg. confidence and teamwork).
  • Confirms use of math and science skills in context.

Strategies for supporting Science in Practice in PYD programs

When designing and implementing programs to support science in practice, incorporate the following:

  • Connect activities to real-world issues that are relevant to the youth.
  • Incorporate processing questions (what if? why not?) throughout the experience.
  • Make sure that youth have opportunities to communicate findings and solutions.
  • Utilize an experiential learning approach (do, reflect, apply), ideally with multiple iterations.

4-H Curricula that support Science in Practice

Other engineering and design resources that can be used in programs that support Science in Practice

Commercial kits that can be used in programs that support Science in Practice

Other simple activities for engaging youth in Science in Practice

Livestock Fecal Sampling

Collect fecal samples of your project and test for parasites. Count the number of parasites found on the slide and decide if the shedding load is light, medium, or heavy and determine how often and when to deworm your animal. Ask the question: is it necessary to deworm your animal on a regular schedule or should you deworm based on the shedding load? What is healthy for the animal, the herd, and the environment?

 

Contact

For additional information, please contact your local extension office.