Teacher Training By Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski

For the past three years the majority of my teacher training consulting contracts have been STEM based. Consistently I have found that teachers question whether they have the time to implement STEM philosophy, practices, and content. The reality is STEM practices and content is naturally aligned with Common Core  principles. STEM practices and content allows students to be creative, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, these skills are the foundation of the Common Core. Project and problem-based learning experiences allow students to engage in interdisciplinary thinking, and make real-world connections.

In simple terms STEM relates to the Common Core Principles by its design:

• Reading, writing, and vocabulary are at the forefront (reflective journaling, science notebooks, etc.)
• Cross-curricular lesson content
• Complex texts and tasks
• Literacy connections
• Communication and collaboration
• Problem-based learning, and
• Inquiry-based learning.

For more information on the K-12 STEM teacher training workshops I offer nation and worldwide check out my STEM Teacher Training Brochure here.

One of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) investigations I often introduce during the STEM teacher training workshops I conduct nation and worldwide is the science of Parachutes.We begin the investigation by analyzing seeds and how they are dispersed. That may be followed up by designing and constructing a paper helicopter that floats through the air similar to how milkweed, pine cone, and dandelion seeds travel. We discuss how man borrowed the design of the modern-day parachute from nature as in the flight of dandelion seeds. Leonardo daVinci is said to have gotten his inspiration for his triangular-shaped parachute from observing and analyzing how seeds were dispersed. Additionally, we discuss STEM-related concepts relative to parachutes (air resistance, surface area, gravity, Newton’s Laws of Motion, kinetic and potential energy, and other concepts). We then move onto the engineering design process. Teachers observe and analyze a variety of pre-made parachutes. They then design, construct, and test their own parachutes, re-designing if necessary. I provide a wide-array of materials for teachers to build with. Low-cost and accessible being number one priority. Plastic trash bags, paper bags, tissue paper, string, washers, plastic figurines, tape, digital balances, and rulers are about all you need to design some pretty cool and functional parachutes.

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