February 21, 2018
The Institute for Catholic Schools is hosting its seventh Curriculum Leadership Team program, which is focused on STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
The first of four sessions focused on the Next Generation Science Standards and was presented by Elizabeth Frangella, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent for Curriculum in the Diocese of Brooklyn, NY, and Anthony Biscione, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY.
A second session was held with presenters from ProjectEngin, a company started by engineer Ann P. Kaiser, Ph.D., to provide professional development, resources, and curriculum focused on bringing engineering design into the K–12 classroom. Teachers, principals, and diocesan office staff engaged in hands-on activities as they explored engineering design thinking in all classrooms. Positive feedback from that session indicated that K–4 teachers were most interested in future learning on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) connections to literature, while teachers for grades 5–8 expressed interest in global engineering projects. Administrators wanted to focus on global engineering, as well as math-based engineering, projects. Teachers in all disciplines benefitted from the sessions.
On March 10, the third session will continue this work with ProjectEngin on globally-based challenges involving data visualization and cultural design imperatives; a biomimicry challenge with mathematical and science connections; and a package design project. The final session in April will be presented by a STREAM team from the Diocese of Buffalo, NY.