Grades 4-6 C-STEM Curriculum
Overview
The Grades 4-6 C-STEM curriculum deepens students’ understanding of STEM concepts through more complex projects and problem-solving challenges. This curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and leadership while reinforcing Catholic values and teachings. Through technology, engineering, and environmental stewardship, students will explore how STEM can be used to serve others and protect God’s creation.
Weekly Lessons
Lesson: Exploring God’s Patterns and Design
- Topic: Introduction to patterns and navigation in God’s world
- Tools: Dash Robot class set of 7
- Activity:
- Students will guide Dash Robots through a complex path that represents an act of service, such as delivering resources to people in need.
- Introduce advanced coding concepts, focusing on problem-solving and efficient navigation.
- Catholic Integration:
- Reflect on Catholic teachings of helping those in need, as the robots mimic acts of service.
- Discuss how we are called to use our talents and resources to serve others, following the example of Jesus.
Lesson: Building Strong Foundations
- Topic: Engineering strong and durable structures
- Tools: EiE: Designing Bridges Kit
- Activity:
- Students will explore different bridge designs (suspension, beam, arch) and test which holds the most weight.
- Analyze designs to understand the importance of balance, strength, and materials in engineering.
- Catholic Integration:
- Discuss how bridges symbolize connection and support, just as we are called to support and serve our communities.
- Emphasize the role of community and helping others in Catholic teachings.
Lesson: Protecting God’s Creation
- Topic: Engineering solutions to environmental challenges
- Tools: EiE: Cleaning an Oil Spill Kit
- Activity:
- Students will design and implement methods for cleaning up a simulated oil spill.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of their designs and discuss the environmental and ethical challenges of pollution.
- Catholic Integration:
- Reflect on the Catholic call to care for God’s creation and protect the environment for future generations.
- Discuss our responsibility as stewards of the Earth, as taught in the Bible (Genesis 2:15).
Lesson: Innovating for Good
- Topic: Exploring circuits and technology to create solutions
- Tools: Little Bits
- Activity:
- Students will design and build a device using Little Bits to solve a problem, such as creating an alarm system or a sensor-based device.
- Work in teams to brainstorm, design, and test their inventions, applying basic circuitry and engineering principles.
- Catholic Integration:
- Discuss the ethics of innovation and how technology should always serve humanity.
- Reflect on Catholic social teachings regarding the responsible use of technology to respect human dignity and promote the common good.
Lesson: Building and Programming with EV3
- Topic: Advanced Robotics and Engineering
- Tools: EV3 units
- Activity:
- Assemble EV3 robots and program them to navigate a course representing environmental challenges, such as avoiding pollution.
- Explore how different sensors (touch, ultrasonic) function in real-world problem-solving scenarios.
- Catholic Integration:
- Discuss how engineers use their skills to solve problems and care for God’s creation, in line with the principles of Laudato Si’.
- Reflect on our responsibility to protect the environment and use technology ethically.
Assessment
- Participation in group activities and class discussions.
- Application of problem-solving and engineering principles to complete design challenges.
- Demonstration of understanding how Catholic values are integrated into STEM activities.
- Creativity and collaboration in developing solutions to real-world problems.
Conclusion
The Grades 4-6 C-STEM curriculum is designed to challenge students to think critically about how STEM concepts can be applied to solve real-world problems while maintaining a strong foundation in Catholic values. Through these hands-on activities, students will learn how to use their talents to serve others and honor God’s creation.