One Hour STEAM Lesson Plans
- Kai Medina
- Feb 11, 2023
- 1 min read
The accompanying materials consist of slides, comprehensive lesson plans, and multimedia resources designed for implementation in a middle school setting, with an allotted duration of one hour per session.
Please note that these resources are in an outline format, as they are currently being tailored to meet the unique needs of my individual classes with my own background knowledge. Some slides include descriptions in the speaker notes below relevant slides.
Ideally in the future or upon request I will make each lesson more adaptable to other classrooms, with in-depth step-by-step plans.
You are free to utilize these in classroom environments and modify them as needed. However, you may not use these in a public setting without my stated permission, as some included media belongs to myself and/or other individuals.
Invasive Species of North America
Lesson Type: Discussion / Lecture
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify and understand the impacts of invasive species on local ecosystems through discussion and analysis of real-world examples.
Materials: None
Limitations: Descriptions for each invasive species issue + solution are not included and require further research or background knowledge
Energy and Murals
Lesson Type: Discussion / Project-based
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze the elements of art in murals, integrate their understanding of energy into their artwork, and reflect on their creative process through group discussion.
Materials: Canvases & paint supplies
Limitations: Lesson was localized to Trenton murals and muralists. After going through the slides, students will make their own murals using painting supplies.
Volume, Street Design, and Single-Point Perspective
Lesson Type: Lecture / Project-Based
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of volume by applying single-point perspective techniques to create a visually compelling street scene suitable for a movie or comic book.
Materials: Drawing supplies
Limitations:
Mathematics in Ancient Africa Worksheet
Lesson Type: Worksheet and Discussion
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to understand a very basic piece of the rich history of mathematics in ancient Africa and the contributions made by African civilizations to the field of mathematics.
Materials: Worksheet Printout
Limitations: This was created in response to uneducated comments by students in a homeroom environment, to provide social-emotional discussions on the topic.
Storyboards and Light
Lesson Type: Discussion / Project-based
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to apply their understanding of the science of light (from prior classes) and its use in animation (from this class) to create a storyboard that effectively conveys the mood and atmosphere of a movie scene through the use of lighting.
Materials: Drawing Supplies
Overview:
Turn and talk: How does lighting affect our emotions? Draw out how you’re feeling today, using light and shadows.
Watch a video on how lighting is used to tell an emotional story (5-7min)
Activity: Storyboarding
Students partner up and each draw a storyboard (3 panels or more) for someone else to light. They need to tell a story utilizing at least two sources of light, one object for light to bounce off of, and one object for light to move through.
Students swap storyboards, and on a new paper redraw their storyboard with lighting that will add emotion to the scene.
Limitations: Requires a background in how light reflects, transmits, and is absorbed.
Financial purposes of negative numbers, Google Sheets
Lesson Type: Lecture / Project-based
Lesson Objective: Students will review negative numbers, apply them in the context of money, and build excel/google sheet skills.
Materials: Laptops, Poster Paper with Google Sheet Formulas
Overview:
1.1 Discuss the origin of negative numbers
1.2 What is debt? How do negative numbers help us?
Example problems
1.3 Learning basics of google sheets
Showcase examples
Students will make a balance sheet, looking into costs of apartments and salaries of different careers.
Self Driving Cars, Multiplying Negative Numbers, & Google Sheets If/Else Statements
Images: https://imgur.com/a/Kbccd0U
Lesson Type: Discussion / Group Activity / Project-based
Lesson Objective: Students will review multiplying/dividing negative numbers and apply them in the context of image identification through google sheets.
Materials: Laptops
Overview:
1.1 Review or establish basic Google Sheet skills
1.2 Self Driving Car Activity
Provide one student with an image of a stop sign at an angle. They must describe the image using only shapes, colors, and locations, and other students will draw what they interpret
Discussion about how image identification works, self driving cars, and connecting to if/else statements within programming
1.3 Program simple calculators
Utilizing if/else statements in google sheets
Students will create a simple calculator that can multiply/divide negative and positive numbers based on what is inputted. (cell 1 = number, cell 2 = symbol (*, /, +, or -), cell 3 = number)
Watch portions of this self driving car clip if time allows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CfR3Wpz7Y
Limitations: Requires background knowledge on self-driving cars, and students with a basic understanding of google sheets / excel.
"You have Robbed Mr.Medina of his Spaceship" - multiplying negative numbers cards + drawing game
Game Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rrb5WoiO9R9shYsHQ0dsZi7qmTIasVceTYQVjgp64LU/edit?usp=sharing
Lesson Objective: Through gamefied space themed questions, students will draw a space station and manage resources based on events that will require the multiplication and division of positive and negative numbers. Additionally students will build isometric drawing skills.
Materials: Game guide, paper, playing cards, isometric drawing guide / sheet, and certificate for the best ship.
Overview:
1.1 Space Discussion / Intro / Exoplanets (specific slides selected from my ecology steam lessons)
1.2 The Game
How to play
Gameplay
We will vote on the best space station (prompts, art, etc) at the end of class (provide certificate at the top of the link)
Limitations: The game was made in a week, so it does contain some typos. Additionally, some questions such as the proportions of O2, Co2, and N in air are based on my classes lessons in science.
A Map of your Town
Lesson Type: Lecture / Project-Based
Lesson Objective: After understanding the historical and scientific value of maps / landmarks, students will create a map of their own town using thoughtful anti-colonialist ideas.
Materials: Drawing supplies
Limitations: Scientific slides have been removed due to specific ownership rights.
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