Naomi Meredith  00:00

What should a fifth grade STEM curriculum look like? In this episode, I am breaking down exactly how to plan for your year when it comes to fifth grade, an example of what a week and a project can look like, and also, in my opinion, the top three things that a fifth grader should walk away from my STEM class knowing. This is part six of the six part series where I am doing this whole system for all the grade levels K through five. So you definitely want to make sure you go and check out all those episodes, because you can see the whole wide spectrum of things when it comes to planning STEM and K through five. Whether you are a STEM teacher, a classroom teacher who's implementing STEM, or any type of specialist who is also implementing STEM in their spaces, you're gonna walk away with a ton of useful information. 

Naomi Meredith  01:22

Like I mentioned in the intro, this is the last part of this series. I do love recording series, because I can get in the mindset and the zone when it comes to talking about this topic. So this has been a really great series when it comes to your planning. And this is actually by request. So I had a lot of you fill out my audience podcast survey way back in February of 2023. And there was so much interest when it comes to planning and what that actually looks like in K through five. So I heard you and I answered on this series. So when you guys respond to me, sometimes it takes me a while just based on what I have planned for the year. But I hear you and I love saying what you need, and how I can fill those needs for you whether it's me talking, or finding the right guests to talk about it. Now, when it comes to your needs, I just hosted a free live training, when it comes to actually planning out your full year. And what that looks like. If you missed out on the live training, have no fear, it was all recorded for you. And you can still jump in on that. So not only can you rewatch the video recording and see my lovely face, but a lot of you are here and listen to the audio of this podcast. So there's also a private podcast option that you will get once you sign up. So you can access this at Naomi meredith.com/maytraining. And I am here to support you along the way. And it's so exciting. This training was so much fun. And there was a lot of success in this. So you definitely don't want to miss out. So you if you're listening to this live, you only have until May 31, 2023, to access this training, and then it's going to disappear. So I would love for you to jump in on that. So you can feel successful when it comes to planning out your whole year and STEM a great time ending the school year or going into summer. So you can have some time to think through everything and how it will work best for you. I can safely say after teaching all the grades K through five, there are some that are my favorites when it comes to ages and some that are not my favorite. I love children. Regardless, don't get me wrong. There are some grades that are not my fave. And I would say for me personally fifth grade is pretty much up there next to first grade. I told you in the first grade episode, my thoughts about that. So go back and listen to that. Fifth grade, I love the content. I love being able to dive deeper with the kids. Their stamina on projects is incredible, especially when they are invested in things. But there's just some things about fifth grade again, the attitudes. Maybe I don't like the attitudes because I was one of those fifth graders with an attitude. I was very nice at school, just a little sassy at home. But there's just submit about that. And I don't do Well with that, because I'll give it right back to them. So maybe I would be a really good fifth grade teacher because I don't deal with that kind of stuff.

Naomi Meredith  04:22

But no, fifth grade is good, especially when I've had him for so long. We have a good relationship. And there's some things like hey, you know me, I know you were not doing this in here. So fifth grade is very interesting for me. Like I said, I like the content, the age is not one of my faves. So let's talk about what an overview of fifth grade can actually look like. Like I said, fifth grade lessons are actually really, really fun. So when I actually do my planning, I always start when I plan out my unit K through five. I actually start with third grade. I start in the middle because I know third grade really well. And then oftentimes I will flex all the way to get up to fifth grade. So a lot of times, I'll do third, fifth, fourth, and then do second K and one. So that's a lot of times what happens. So not always, sometimes I might think of a fifth grade lesson first. And then I have to pare things down. So here's how this actual year looks like for fifth grade. If you've been listening along to this whole series, it's fun that you can actually hear the progression of learning how it's gotten up to this point. So we first start off the year. And this actually is one of my favorite STEM survival camp lessons. And it is build the shelter challenge, because that is the number one thing that they do in the show alone. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go back and listen to episode four, because I talked all about STEM survival camp. So students are tasked with building a shelter that will withstand the elements that are different stations for them to test. And they have a little small prototype of what their shelter could look like. After that, we get into digital citizenship, and we talk about a topic that you might not think that you should talk to students about. But it's super important. And it's all about information privacy, how websites might be trying to trick you to get your information. So when you're thinking about the past lessons is digital citizenship, when we're talking about private and personal information. This is really about what our websites doing to try to get that information and how we can't fall for fake. This can be websites. But this can also be humans, different types of scams, and they're getting trickier and trickier, even text messages, I tell them about things that happen to me. But this is a really good topic that aligns with Google's Be Internet Awesome curriculum, which is free, or you might have also heard as Interland, but they actually have lessons that I like to teach in this unit. And students design a digital sticker that will be cut on cut out on our class Cricut machines that will represent how to stay safe online. So they have to get really thoughtful in their design. So it can be cut out Well and be used as an actual sticker. Then we go into our Maker month and all of our Earth Systems, K through five, and we get into that Makerspace. What's interesting about this fifth grade lesson is yes, they have Makerspace items, but a lot of the things that they are using in this project are things that can be reused over and over again. So think about that. When your projects, yes, you have Makerspace. But there are things that students can use and actually put back. So that's a little twist on this lesson. So we talk about chain reactions, and Rube Goldberg ecosystems where students research about different ecosystems. They're provided those resources, and then they have to create a Rube Goldberg machine to show the chain reaction when it comes to all of the living things in that environment. And their pathways can get super complicated depending on how many steps that they add. Then after that, we get into our sensational space, our video and audio production unit, which is a fun one. And this one also intrigues the fifth graders a whole lot because we talk about podcasting. Now there are a couple episodes that I really go into depth when it comes to podcasting with kids. In Episode 80, I actually interviewed Jerry Colbert, who is from the who's smarted podcast, and he gives his perspective on why podcasting is important. And then this lesson, specifically that I'm talking about is in Episode 65. So you can actually go back and listen to that one. Of course, it'll be linked in the show notes for you to check out. But for this unit, students actually designed their own short podcast, it's one to three minutes long, not very long when it comes to actual podcast. And you know, me, I like doing short projects, they can get all the things done, but jam packed in that tiny little project. So we actually go through the whole process of podcasting, which I'm also going to talk about when it comes to the breakdown of the week, then we end the year with our Hour of Code month. And by now students have had a lot of different experience when it comes to coding and feeling very proficient in their block coding. Now it depends on the grade, I will get into more of that JavaScript typing. So bitsbox is a great example of this. Or if it was my students need more practice, we will stick to that block coding and connect it using the Makey Makey, which is a system that there are little alligator clips that you clip on and it connects electricity. And when you touch the Eclipse or, or when you touch the item, it will then send the message to the computer and perform the code depending on it. So it's making that more interactive. So like I said, it will switch off with a year depending on my kids knowledge and experience and also the time that we have. But you can see from there that progression of learning when it comes to the coding. After that we dive into our winter robotics in January. And the lesson that we are jumping into is all about the identity Right now here in Colorado, my students really haven't heard about it yet are out. And you probably also sign out, have seen a theme with my lessons, I tried to make them more obscure because then they can't tell me they know everything about the lesson, they have to listen to me and learn because we're in school. So we learn about the idea to Rod and students are given a path of the identified race. And then they have to design a sled that their robot will pull through that pathway, and successfully complete the race through coding. After that, we will get into a 3D printing. And this is a more open ended design, when it comes to what they are creating. What has been really cool with my fifth graders, especially when it comes to their 3D printing is that their designs have really progressed over the years. So we are using that same platform when it comes to creation Tinkercad. So they're used to the platform by this point, if they've been with me, but the way that they are manipulating the shapes and putting things together or deconstructing things, so that they will print better is pretty amazing. So their challenge is how can they create an invention that will help the environment to either protect the resources, prevent the resources from being harmed, or even stop a problem all together. So this is really helping them bring that awareness and that empathy, which I even talked about in that fifth grade episode, why your fifth graders might not be engaged in STEM, but really thinking about others that are not themselves, whether it's their world around them, like their school world, or even bigger than that, and showing them all these problems out there. And what's pretty amazing in this project is they actually do care. They are, they do care of what's happening. So there's some pretty cool things that come out of that. After that, I jump into LEGO builds, and there is some state testing tagged during that spring season. And I talked about it in the third grade episode. But it's the LEGO spike essential kit, which is an excellent kit that I highly recommend. And it really differentiates first, first second through fifth grade. And we like I like to do the carnival games lessons in there. So students will build and actually code their design. And their code can get really sophisticated, again, re emphasizing having that circle, having that review of the skill and they can actually practice coding and figuring it out. So actually don't do a whole lot of pre teaching when it comes to coding. It's more of that. What are you now how are we going to apply it to this program. You can also fill in, of course, what LEGO education kits that you have, if you have your students for a while, I would actually say that the LEGO we do to point out when it comes to the actual building instructions, is quite simple. Now students can build and design on their own. But also the coding is pretty simple, too. So if you are able to level up your LEGO education kids, I would recommend that now in my opinion, the LEGO Mindstorms a little bit too complicated for fifth grade during a class time, I tried it three years in a row, even with a class that had a gifted and talented cluster. And just during that amount of time, it would just eating more time than what you have in a week. So you could do it as an after school club. But that's just based on my experience, just how complicated not too hard, but just how it's more involved when you're using that tool. If we have time, we then will get into stop motion animation, whether students are building physically or doing things digitally. And they are talking about all of Earth's spheres, sort of the hydrosphere, the biosphere, all of those spheres and what they are, how they connect together, and also how much water is on earth. So they create an animation to teach others about that. Then we end the year with our STEM-musement Park. And we talk about the different types of force and motion when it comes to also that potential and kinetic energy and students design their own roller coaster that a marble can travel through. And you might think that this is too simple, but these designs get very, very intricate and so much fun to see their creativity shine. And with me their last project that they end the year with. 

Naomi Meredith  14:08

Now you have an overall picture of what the year looks like. What does it look like when you break down that structure of the week? So I'm going to be breaking down that podcasting lesson if you want to hear more about it. There's an episode that is more in depth about this lesson because I think podcasting is a great skill to teach students. It's an awesome, awesome skill and it's not as hard as you think even recording this podcast. I don't think it's too hard. Now I do have somebody who helps me. Thanks, Andria. But I could do it on my own if I had to. So if you need more help when it comes to planning, I actually do have a workshop a three to five step planning workshop that is pre recorded. You can jump on in everything's there for you as soon as you sign up. So you can grab that at Naomimeredith.com/secondaryworkshop. Just like fourth grade fifth fifth grade. We can hit the ground running with these projects. And because the topics are so obscure, they really want to know what we're going to do and how we're going to get it done. So with this projects, we're learning all about light pollution, which is a type of pollution that they don't know about, and haven't heard about. I hadn't even heard about until my master's program, maybe you have, but that's where I'm at. So we actually before we even get into that learn actually more about what podcasts are some kids have an inkling of that not so much. I even show them my podcasts a little bit. And they're super amazed. And then also a lot of podcasts that are made for kids to give them inspiration. So we do that ask and imagining for that first day getting ideas of what a podcast is, and what it could be, then the second day, we move into the plan. And it's a little bit different, because they are planning out what their script is actually going to be like. So they take specific notes that are aligned to the standards. And then they take these notes to put it into their script and what they're actually going to say and who's going to say what, now a little bit different than my podcast, I do have an outline when I'm talking that I'm not typically reading word for word, what I'm saying, I'm looking at the camera the whole time. And so I look a little bit of a notes, but then I just start talking. But for kids, they need more guidance. So it's not taking away their creativity. It's setting up a base of what a podcast could be. And trust me, a lot of kids after this project end up creating their own podcasts on their own, but then they have a structure of having producing a really good podcast. So from there, the third, fourth and a little bit of the fifth students are recording and editing their podcasts. The podcasts are pretty short one to three minutes. Like I said, I like smaller projects because they can get everything done. But once they record, they can take out the parts they don't like they can rerecord the introduction, maybe they want a little bit of a song for intro music. So they really start experimenting of what a podcast could be. And the best part their favorite part, especially for a fifth grader, because they care about what other people think about them. Other kids their age, so they get about them is they post their podcast on our class seesaw. And then they listen to each other's work and give meaningful feedback, which again, we reiterate from what they've done in fourth grade. 

Naomi Meredith  17:24

So finally, when it comes to a fifth grader, what are the three things that I would want them to walk away my STEM class knowing. So in no particular order, here is what I have observed. And here's what I would hope for. So first is really being thoughtful and not rushing through their work, I see a lot of trends when it comes to first and fifth graders, that's probably why they're kind of my least favorite ages of kids. But they kind of do a lot of the same things. So I noticed that they like to rush through their work and just get it done to be done so they can sit and chat with their friends. So of course I need not giving a more work, but more thoughtful work. How can you modify this, you're not just checking the box off your list? How are you really thinking through this project and making it better. So that is something I'm always pushing to do with my first fifth graders, and they don't like it, but then they really secretly do and their projects turn out so much better. So that is something that I want my fifth graders to walk away with knowing next, this is actually a fun one for the upper grades is having projects that will show off their skills, and using things that they have learned throughout the years, not just here years. And having some of that choice, it is pretty neat saying kids will talk kids will actually bring up past projects, they'll say, remember when we did this, and I did this, and now I'm adding it to this project. That's actually pretty cool. As a STEM teacher, if you teach multiple grades, you don't always get that as a classroom teacher unless you've looped with them. So they're taking those skills that we learned. I even gave the example of the 3D printing projects, how they are using those skills along the years. So giving them opportunities to keep practicing those skills, and showing what they know is pretty awesome for these fifth graders. It's cool for them, but cool for me as a teacher. And the last thing that I would want my fifth graders walking away with is being able to share with a greater audience. And so yes, they have their classmates which are so important to them. But what are ways that we can share with the outside world? Maybe not for every project, but could we share a podcast with a another classroom? Could we share it with our book buddies who are in a younger grade and teach them about it? Can we have a STEM Maker Faire where we're sharing our projects, so just other ways where they're actually sharing with that greater world? This might even be in the form of an after school club or a competition that can also happen too, but Just really sharing getting out of their comfort zone and sharing their audience with the bigger world, which of course is great for any age, but they really start understanding it more when they are in fifth grade and beyond. 

Naomi Meredith  20:12

As a recap, here's what we talked about when it comes to your fifth grade STEM curriculum. First, we talked about the overview of the year and what your lessons could look like. Then we broke down the structure of the week of how it actually plans out for a typical project. Then I shared with you my top three things that I would hope a fifth grader could walk away from my STEM class knowing, of course, I'm always here to support you. So jump in on that live training when we talk about planning out your year more in detail. So by this point, it is recorded, but definitely still meaningful, you can watch the video or get the private podcast link, it'll just pop up in your podcast player, which is super cool. So that's pretty fun. But you can grab that at Naomi meredith.com/may, training all one word, no spaces. And also I have all of these lessons in my TPT shop already done for you. So if you don't want to spend all the time planning and researching and finding out all the things, I love this kind of stuff. And I love talking about it. And I love making them. So you can grab the whole year K through five all done for you. And there's a lot more things that are going to be updated in this next year, including how I can actually be teaching the lessons. So you definitely want to jump in on that now at the lowest price because that will definitely go up with all the updates. So you can grab that in my TPT shop, I have the full K through five STEM bundle, you can buy just fifth grade, you can even buy just three through five. So that's all in there for you. So if you want to save some time planning and start the year knowing everything's all done for you, then jump in on that. Of course I am here for you. That is the end of this series when not the end of this podcast. There's a lot more to talk about. So I can't wait for those other episodes and how I can help support you with your STEM planning.