Bringing STEM to the classroom

Suggested Participants – Primary 5/6/7 pupils

All the food we eat comes on a journey to reach us. Along the journey, farmers, growers and producers use science, technology, engineering and maths to measure, problem solve and collect data. This pack contains a range of simple hands-on activities you can do in your classroom to help answer BIG QUESTIONS that encourage STEM and sustainability learning.

What this pack contains: 

• All the resources to undertake the ‘Farm STEM and sustainability’ experiments with your p5/6/7 class.

• Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and Suggested Experiences & Outcomes.

• Learning for Sustainability links.

• Lesson plan.

• Suggested additional activities.

Learning outcomes:

• We are learning to identify different lifecycle stages.

• We are learning to collect, organise and display data accurately.

• We are investigating physical changes to the properties of materials.

• We are learning to use simple branched keys.

Success Criteria:

• I can construct my own branching key

• I can explain physical changes to the properties of materials

• I can describe how butter is made

• I can describe the journey of food from source to plate

• I can undertake experiments

Experiences and Outcomes

• SCN 2-14a By investigating the life-cycles of plants and animals, I can recognise the different stages of their development.

• SCN 2-15a By contributing to investigations into familiar changes in substances to produce other substances, I can describe how their characteristics have changed.

• SCN 2-17a Having explored the substances that make up Earth’s surface, I can compare some of their characteristics and uses.

• MNU 2-20a Having discussed the variety of ways and range of media used to present data, I can interpret and draw conclusions from the information displayed, recognising that the presentation may be misleading.

• MNU 2-20b I have carried out investigations and surveys, devising and using a variety of methods to gather information and have worked with others to collate, organise and communicate the results in an appropriate way.

• MTH 2-21a I can display data in a clear way using a suitable scale, by choosing appropriately from an extended range of tables, charts, diagrams and graphs, making effective use of technology.

Learning for sustainability:

• Goal 4 Quality education: achieve literacy and numeracy.