David Lee EdTech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fumAknnkTg Biomimicry, they developed nature-inspired solutions to real human problems. This project, co-designed with my colleague Tracy Blair , was an experiment in meaningful transfer of learning—moving beyond just understanding concepts to applying them in new, complex contexts. NGSS & Core Concepts Our unit was anchored in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for 4th Grade, specifically focusing on: Structure & Function:  How internal/external structures support survival and growth. Information Processing:  How animals receive and respond to sensory information. Cause & Effect and Systems:  Understanding the relationships within natural systems. We started by asking, "Why do animals and plants need structures?" Through observation and experiments, students learned that every beak, leaf vein, and stem has a specific function for survival. Introducing Biomimicry Once students understoo...

Imagine looking at a local river and seeing the water turn a thick, neon green. That is the image we presented to our 5th graders to kick off their latest science unit. We challenged them to become environmental engineers . In this post, I want to share a STEM project I designed with my colleagues, Jessica Jordon and Courtney Gienapp, where students didn’t just study algal blooms — they designed real solutions to stop them. To kick things off, we started with a “provocation.” We showed students images of algal blooms in Singapore and around the world. Although we couldn’t go on a field trip this year due to restrictions, the visual impact of the discolored water was enough to generate curiosity. The Inquiry Cycle This provocation led to three main categories of student questions: The Cause: What is algal bloom and what causes it? Plant Growth: What makes the algae grow so fast? Consequences: How does this contamination affect the ecosystem? Students researched how nutrient-rich ...

"66 percent of 4th grade girls say they like science and math. But only 18 percent of all college engineering majors are female."

Goldie Blox  is a toy company that creates construction toys from a female perspective. Their goal is to help solve the discrepancy between women and men in engineering fields.   

Discovery Education has partnered up with the  US Navy  to create STEM lesson plans for educators. This site gives teachers and students a great look at how the military service branch utilizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and the career paths students can take with STEM education. Here is the list of  STEM lesson plan topics : Robotics and Future Technology Sonar and Echolocation Submarines and Aircraft Carriers: The Science of Nuclear Power GPS and Navigation Oceanography and Meteorology The Science of Diving Jets in Flight Future Fleet