Table 2 Overview of the Fourth and Fifth-Grade STEM Curriculum Units
Science Discipline | Engineering Challenge | Science Topics | Mathematics Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
Physical Science | create a vaccine container not requiring a power source for warm climates | vaccines, heat energy and heat transfer, conductors, insulators | interpret line graphs, use data tables, measure temperature, perform operations with decimals in real-world problems |
Earth Science | design a device to extract resources from a mining site on an exoplanet | renewable and nonrenewable resources, environmental impact | operations with decimals in real-world cost problems, measure areas by counting unit squares, convert improper fractions to mixed numbers |
Life Science | design a greenhouse to grow food in cold climates | plant needs and parts optimal habitat for a living organism | data collection and analysis, surface area, cost analysis, line graphs |