Supporting Documentation of STEM Learning

Supporting Documentation of STEM Learning

Staff and volunteers will be able to support youth to use a variety of documentation strategies during STEM.

As a result of ongoing, consistent professional development efforts, staff and volunteers will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of conveying STEM concepts in multiple formats; particularly using symbols, drawings, models, diagrams, charts, tables, text or non-verbal means.
  • Identify strategies to foster use of a variety of documentation strategies.
  • Connect the process of documenting data, observations, inferences and conclusions to real-world scientific processes.
  • Connect the process of documenting design ideas, sketches, testing results and design solutions to real-world engineering processes.

Resources

Applying Strategies for Documenting STEM

Participants will document their learning with three activities: “Sink or Float,” “Paper Airplanes,” and “Amphibian/Fish Comparison”. They will also complete a self-reflection and set goals for their practice.

View Guide

Developing Your Best Strategies

Learn new strategies for documenting STEM learning.

View Guide

A Perfect Record

Participants will review strategies for having youth document their learning in order to use more STEM writing strategies.

View Guide

Sink or Float

Learn about the science process, classify objects, and observe the behavior of objects by testing whether items sink or float.

Get Activity

Using Science Journals in OST

Learn how you can use science journals to help youth document and reflect upon their STEM learning.

View Webinar

Take Note! Supporting Documentation of STEM Learning

Documenting learning can be a burden at times, especially in an active out-of-school-time setting where children are coming and going throughout the program time. Yet showing evidence of learning may be the lifeline to a program’s funding and survival. In this module, review practical examples of the “why,” “what,” and “how” of STEM processes documentation.

Learn More