To improve student achievement, our teachers create rigorous, relevant ,and engaging lessons that are aligned to the curriculum. We know the importance of integrating the academics and we attempt to design learning experiences that are relevant to student interests. We seek to make connections across disciplines and real life. Research supports that learning is about making connections and when each new activity reinforces a concept previously learned it creates meaning for students. Our students need many opportunities to engage in activities that help them make the concepts their own. The final products of Project Based Learning require students to organize knowledge and share their new knowledge with others. The dramatic improvement in all of the end of grade scores demonstrates the value of a successful implementation of these STEM techniques.

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• Teachers at Hendersonville Elementary School work together to integrate STEM into weekly lessons and units. Teachers meet every week at their grade level meetings to talk about STEM related lessons, school wide units, and updates from the STEM meetings. Science teachers also meet vertically once a month during their STEM meetings to discuss upcoming units, new school STEM initiatives, and to introduce new community partnerships.

• During the 2016-2017 school year grade level teachers planned and implemented 85 PBL lessons, 100% of PBLs contained more than two curricular areas. 

• Our specials area teachers including art/music, physical education, media, and technology are also involved in PBL instruction (see chart below).

 

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Above is the list of PBL's that have been completed or will be completed at Hendersonville Elementary School in Grades K-5 during the 2016-2017 school year.

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