An Early Childhood-Elementary STEM Collaboration

Faculty in Early Childhood Education Department (ECED), elementary faculty in the Curriculum and Instruction (CUAI) department, teachers at University School at ETSU, and teachers in the region have been collaborating since 2017 to develop and implement an innovative model of pre-service teacher preparation in STEM education.

The collaboration covers grades Pre-K through 3rd grade for ECED and K-5th grade for CUAI's elementary education program.

Features of the Model

• Faculty and teacher candidates collaborate with local teachers PK-5th grade
• Faculty work across departments
• Teacher candidates create integrated STEM learning plans
• Teacher candidates learn through microteaching experiences
• Project focused on authentic problems of practice
• All collaborators have professional publishing and presenting opportunities (for example, see Worms are Dancing Paper)

Features of Activity Plans

• Integrated STEM projects
• Science focal standard from TN State Science Standards (2016)
• Guided by the 5Es model of science teaching
• Either a 2-week integrated Unit Plan or an Interactive Notebook for K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade. 

Publications from the Collaboration
*student co-authors
**teacher co-authors

Practitioner Articles

• Lange, A., Rice, E.,* Howe, N.,** & Tian, Q.* (in press). A Light Challenge: First Graders Engineer an Obstacle Course with Flashlights. Science and Children.
• Lange, A. A., Atkins, E.*, Tian, Q.*, Bullen, K.,** & Lodien, L.** (under review). I need to make it taller! Engineering to solve wind challenges in preschool. Teaching Young Children.
• Robertson, L., Lange, A. A., Price, J., Lowery, A.,** Lester, L.,** Tian, Q.*, & Nivens, R., (in press). Making Stone Soup: A Collaborative Approach to Integrated STEM. Science and Children.
• The Worms are Dancing! article (2019) for preschool teachers in Science and Children
• Lange, A. A., Lodien, D.,** & Lowe, A.* (2019). The worms are dancing! An integrated learning experience with preschoolers. Science and Children. Apr/May, 41-45.
• Robertson, L., Dunlap, E.,* Nivens, R., & Barnett, K.** (2019). Sailing Into Integration: Planning and implementing integrated 5E learning cycles. Science and Children, 57(1), 61-67. 

​Journal Articles, Peer-Reviewed

• Robertson, L., Nivens, R., & Lange, A. A. (2020). Tackling Integrated STEM in Elementary Education: A Collaborative Approach. International Association of Laboratory Schools.  https://www.ecstemlab.com/uploads/4/0/3/5/40359017/ robertson_nivens_lange_2020_stem_collab_ials.pdf

Conference Presentations

• Lange, A.A., Robertson, L., Howe, N.,** Sexton, A.,* & Barnett, K.,**  (2018). Collaborating to teach science to K-3rd grade students using the new Tennessee state science standards. Workshop session at the ETSU Annual Early Childhood Conference, July 14, Kingsport, TN.
• Robertson, L., Nivens, R. A., Lange, A., & Price, J. (2020). Innovative collaboration for curriculum integration.  Poster presentation at the 14th Annual TN STEM Education Research Conference. February 16, Cookeville, TN.
• Lange, A.A., Robertson, L., Nivens, R., Price, J., Doran, R.,** Casteel, S.,* Salyers, E.,* Rambo, K.,* Rice, E.,* & Tian, Q.* (2019). Creating authentic, integrated STEM learning projects for early childhood teachers using the Tennessee state science standards. Workshop session at the ETSU Annual Early Childhood Conference, July 13, Kingsport, TN.
• Lange, A.A., Meier, L., Tian, Q.,* Clevenger, C.,** Murphy, R.,** & Schock, E.* (2019). To the Moon and Back: Exploring Space Science with Preschoolers. Workshop session at the ETSU Annual Early Childhood Conference, July 13, Kingsport, TN.

​In Preparation

• The impacts of participation in an integrated STEM course on pre-service teachers' knowledge of and attitudes and beliefs towards teaching science (in preparation)

Tackling Integrated STEM in Elementary Education: A Collaborative Approach
Robertson, Nivens, & Lange
Spring 2020
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