The Arkansas Department of Education teamed up with
Teacher Created Materials to design rigorous teaching
sessions to address the seven STEM individual
foundations at the elementary, middle, and high school
level. ADE and TCM partnered with AETN to create 7
unique video strategies to demonstrate each individual
foundation. These sessions – demonstrated in
Arkansas classrooms with Arkansas students, are all
archived on the new STEM website created by AETN.
The website contains video footage and lesson
resources - everything needed to recreate the lessons
in your classrooms. This presentation will demonstrate
how to use the website to promote STEM learning and
professional growth at your school.
7 Foundations
Foundation 1: Academic Language Proficiency
Foundation 2: Critical and Close Reading of Nonfiction Text
Foundation 3: Writing Across the Content Areas
Foundation 4: Problem-Solving and the Mathematical Practices
Foundation 5: Historical Thinking and Document Analysis Skills
Foundation 6: Use of Technology for Project-Based/ProblemBased Learning
Foundation 7: Science Content Knowledge and Inquiry Skills
Foundation 1: Academic Language
Proficiency
This foundation provides STEM educators with the
tools they need to build students' vocabulary skills.
It provides teachers with research-based
instructional strategies to design lessons, learning
experiences, and assessments. Materials for
student-use focus on word attack skills (base
words/roots, prefixes and suffixes) and vary by
grade level.
Foundation 2: Critical and Close
Reading of Nonfiction Text
Foundation 2 investigates nonfiction readings from
all content areas. It utilizes a variety of rich texts
as defined by the Common Core State Standards.
STEM educators are given close reading
strategies, graphic organizers and digital
resources to use in their classes. Differentiating
instruction to meet the needs of all student
learners is covered as well.
Foundation 3: Writing Across the
Content Areas
This lesson provides educators with a
supplementary writing program that targets writing
across the curriculum (social sciences, science,
mathematics and literature). It addresses genrespecific writing including nonfiction, expository and
informative, persuasive and argumentative, fiction,
and poetry. All resources are organized by student
skill-level (achieving, struggling, and excelling).
Foundation 4: Problem-Solving and the
Mathematical Practices
This lesson is an example of multiple intervention
strategies that promote student mastery of
mathematical objectives. Other components
include interactive presentations and games,
graphing calculators, and ideas for project-based
learning experiences. Assessment resources and
rubrics are included and may be adjusted to suit
the needs of differing instructional schedules.
Foundation 5: Historical Thinking and
Document Analysis Skills
This lesson includes materials that assist students
as they learn to analyze and think critically about a
broad range of historical events. It includes a
variety of high-interest, visually appealing digital
resources that meet the Common Core State
Standards. Additional components assist STEM
educators in teaching research and inquiry skills
as well as vocabulary and comprehension
strategies.
Foundation 6: Use of Technology for
Project-Based/Problem-Based Learning
Foundation 6 targets project-based/problem-based
learning experiences in all content areas and
environments. The resources contained within this
foundation support STEM educators as they plan
group projects and differentiate instruction.
Foundation 6 also addresses the use of popular
software, online applications, digital photography,
and video-editing programs.
Foundation 7: Science Content
Knowledge and Inquiry Skills Yeah you
Foundation 7 includes a set of curriculum modules
that are based on the science inquiry model,
providing STEM educators with technology-rich,
hands-on activities and labs they can use with their
students. Each integrates speaking and writing
skills and all are heavily-laden with key scientific
concepts. The modules offer tools and strategies
for creating an active learning environment that
enhances effective scientific instruction.
What will I find
on the website?
Each foundation is
accompanied by a
description of the grade
levels and lessons
included.
What will I find
on the website?
The first video link is the
in-studio explanation of the
classroom examples
followed by short clips of
footage from Arkansas
classrooms as examples.
What will I find
on the website?
Also available are the full
classroom lessons – taught
in Arkansas schools with
Arkansas students.
What will I find
on the website?
The associated materials
contain detailed lesson
plans, PowerPoint's, and
other related resources.
Everything a classroom
teacher would need to recreate these lessons in his
or her classroom.
Materials included:
Detailed Lesson Plans
A zip file of lesson materials – for
each grade level, elementary, middle
and high school.
The materials
contained on this site:
• Are aligned to the rigor and
relevance of the CCSS.
• Cover every grade level
from K-12.
• Include technology
integration.
To provide for the
professional growth of
your staff each
foundation will also be
available as
professional
development in the
ArkansasIDEAS portal.