Michael Comer and Joanne Vasquez, authors of STEM Lesson Essentials and STEM Lesson Guideposts, presents Developing STEM Lessons with the W.H.E.R.E. Model:
Creating integrated STEM experiences provides an opportunity for educators to realize the goal of the new science standards by developing learning experiences that are engaging, relevant and of personal importance to the students. It should connect the acquisition of new knowledge to the goals of the classroom instruction by building on the student’s own life experiences or interests. The authors will introduce the W.H.E.R.E. model, a template for planning your own STEM units. The W.H.E.R.E. Model includes five key components, or guideposts:
W = What and Why: What needs to be learned and why?
H = How: How do I plan to get there? What experiences do students need to have?
E = Evidence and Evaluation: What evidence of learning will be used and how will I evaluate the final product or project?
R = Rigor and Relevance: How will I provide opportunities to increase the rigor of students’ thinking and the relevance to students’ experiences in the real world?
E = Excite, Engage, and Explore: How do I excite the learners, cognitively engage them, and allow for them to explore for deeper understanding of the content and skills?
