STEM

Sixth grade has opportunities beyond the school building, including cross-curricular field trips such as Carowinds, Jacksonville Zoo, and to movies that apply to the content.  This inspires a deeper understanding and application of their studies in the real world.  

One example of an interdisciplinary project done in 6th grade focused on catapults.  After learning about the Ancient Greeks’ use of catapults in warfare, the students designed and engineered a catapult in a small group.  The students used their knowledge of work, effort and simple machines from a prior unit to build their designs.  After testing their catapults and measuring distance, students wrote reflections on the success of their design.   This was a true example of students using the engineering design process to solve a real world problem.  

Students enjoyed a STEM-based project where they used the engineering design process to construct and build model houses that would withstand severe weather conditions.  After evaluating the effectiveness of the project, next year our teachers will include more aspects of our curriculum in addition to the engineering and science standards.  Next year, we plan to include recording and graphing different weather variables.  We will also have students research the most destructive severe weather events that have occurred in Bluffton, South Carolina.  

In general, 6th grade would like to increase our use of technology and plan more collaborative, cross-curricular experiences for our students. Our goal is to include all content areas in STEM activities by adding research and writing.  For example, in our structures to withstand extreme weather, we will have a research component that educates the students about severe weather in our area, such as hurricanes.  Students have experienced hurricanes in recent years, and this will be a locally-relevant project.

All students in seventh grade science participate in a science fair project in which students must research, plan, design and implement their own science project.  The projects are initially digital, and students present to a panel of judges.  Students that advance to regional competitions build a typical three-fold presentation board.  

Seventh Grade Social studies is inquiry-driven, and students participate in research, discussion and collaboration virtually every day.  Students are asked to create and design various historical artifacts after reading, analyzing, and discussing both primary and secondary sources from various historical perspectives. Students collaborate through technology and verbally in group settings.  Students have participated in various methods of collaboration, including “digital debates” and joint creation of informational resources such as digital storyboards, digital comic strips, videos, brochures, and cartoons. 

ELA students participate in the River of Words, a national program and competition that incorporates poetry and art with research and scientific study of ecology. Throughout the year, students analyze literary and informational texts, and conduct at least one inquiry project. 

Seventh grade realizes we have things to improve. One goal is to invite community members to share experiences and collaborate with both teachers and students to demonstrate how various content areas are used in the real world. This would provide students with authentic, real-world examples of what future jobs may be of interest to them.

The 8th grade curriculum includes slope, rate, graphing, and data tables in both Math and Science, so these departments consult and plan together regularly.  Science labs include inquiry based investigations. Social Studies participated in National History Day which involved personalized and self-directed learning where students chose topics and creatively presented them in a competition. ELA, ESOL, and science teachers communicate ways to help students write CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) lab reports, since they align with writing standards in ELA.  

In math, teachers facilitate learning through mini-lessons that are applied to real world problems. Students investigate the volume and surface area of cylinders using coke cans, candles, and batteries. Students explore slope by designing bridges with elevation. Students used geometric angle properties to design a city. Geometry students collaborated to create an illustrated storybook using law of logics.  Students work together as a team to persevere through equations, inequalities and matrices while working through kinesthetic activities.

In Social Studies, students researched Ben Tillman and formed educated arguments about the public display of his statue. Students wrote a letter to a state representative to support their opinion. In science class students studied the brain and how trauma has long-term effects. Students collaborated with peers to build a helmet. 

English classes use technology to integrate content areas. Students work together to analyze primary and secondary sources to find evidence of how the news/propaganda effect the truth of history. Based on classroom readings, students drew a scale drawing of a house. The students were required to explain the house properties. 

One goal of the eighth grade is to increase interdisciplinary problem-based curriculum, and to achieve that goal with continued collaboration.  The eighth grade team meets weekly and follows an agenda that includes STEM plans.  The team could add time to reflect on activities to keep better records, describing improvements and future modifications needed.  Based on teacher surveys, eighth grade teachers expressed several professional development needs, including learning more strategies for incorporating interdisciplinary STEM lessons, and developing STEM lessons with real world applications.

Students in all grade levels choose four Related Arts to participate in each year. Students choose between Digital Literacy, Gateway to Technology, Physical Education, Spanish, Visual Art, Media Art, Band, Orchestra, and Chorus. In each class teachers plan problem-based learning experiences where students create or perform tasks in response to real world problems. The Related Arts teaching team aims to use inquiry-based pedagogy in addition to both individual and collaborative performance based assessments to create a hands on learning environment for every student to customize their education. Teachers allow students to self-direct their learning both in the method they are completing their assignments and the concepts they are learning in class. 

Visual Art, Physical Education, Band, Orchestra and Chorus regularly use technology to support the curriculum in their classes. In Physical Education, students collaborate with peers in a software called FitnessGram to evaluate and evolve their personal fitness. Students self-track and self-direct their physical fitness through this software and collaborate with other students to choose activities or work outs to achieve their goals. In Visual Arts, students use their personal devices to supplement their creations with research and connections to other artists in the world. Students regularly present and critique their findings alongside their artwork with their peers. In Band and Orchestra, students use various kinds of software to both assess their performance and to tune their instruments. 

In Gateway to Technology, students use Project Lead the Way to transform their classroom into a collaborative learning environment to enable students to develop knowledge and skills they need to engage in real-world learning and to self-direct their learning. The curriculum includes career pathways to computer science, engineering, and biomedical science to solve real challenges and push them to reimagine how they view themselves. 

The Digital Literacy and Media Art curriculums include career-readiness skills for various industries. Digital Literacy incorporates computer technical skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), Google Applications, MoneySkill and general computer operating skills, and digital ethics. Media Art prepares students for various creative industries including Advertising, Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, Filmmaking and more. Students in Media Art use creative and critical thinking skills to improve their artistic decision making. Media Art performance tasks mirror real jobs and assignments professionals encounter in these industries.

ST1.1 The STEM school/program supports non-traditional student participation through outreach to groups often underrepresented in STEM program areas.

At BLMS our goal is to mirror our current demographic percentages in all of our programs. Over the past few years, our demographic data has changed with a sharp increase in the number of Hispanic/Latino students.  With this rich diverse school community we make it a priority to meet all students individual needs while ensuring an opportunity to engage in a rich STEM environment. 

The Beaufort County School District’s school choice program allows students and their parents to select specialized academic approaches that are tailored to individual students’ talents and interests.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BYxFkLoPjo&feature=youtu.be 

Project Lead the Way

Focusing on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and arts, students are offered a comprehensive program that embeds technology into all core and exploratory classes. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) (including Gateway) places an emphasis on curriculum that encourages hands-on engagement, problem solving and the use of technology for research, collaboration and project presentation. The middle school engineering program (Gateway) features a project-based curriculum and program that provides opportunities for students to design and test their ideas with advanced modeling software. Students study mechanical and computer control systems, robotics and animation, and explore the importance of how to reduce, conserve and produce energy.

School Choice Fair/ESOL Night

To help encourage students to attend Bluffton Middle School, we hold an annual School Choice Fair where students and their families are invited to come and explore all Bluffton Middle School has to offer. We have teachers from our VEX Robotics, band, strings, computer technology, and clubs present challenging hands-on opportunities for our attendees to experience each of these areas and engage in a preview of what they can expect when they attend Bluffton Middle School. 

In conjunction with the School Choice Fair, we simultaneously hold our ESOL Night. This allows these families to share in the School Choice Fair and then go to an additional information session that would specifically meet their needs. In this session we are able to explain our programs in more details, bring in community partners that assist our ESOL community, and answer questions that would specifically address their needs. 

Outreach Programs

To ensure we are reaching all of our students, especially those non-traditional in the STEM fields, we strive to offer a variety of outreach programs that are high interest and accessible to all. STEM-focused clubs at BLMS include VEX Robotics, chess club, Mustang TV, and JROTC. 

Our after-school tutoring program is offered twice a week, and is supported by our Bluffton Middle School Special Education and  bilingual teachers, along with student bilingual tutors.  The average attendance is 60 students per session, which includes all three grades, and represents an equitable cross-section of our demographic groups. As a result of the implementation of our AST tutoring our retention and summer school numbers have decreased significantly.   

ST1.2  Students work independently and collaboratively in an inquiry-based learning environment that encourages finding creative solutions to authentic and complex problems.

Mustang Maker Innovation Zone

The Mustang Maker Innovation Zone was developed out of the need for students to have a place to let their creativity thrive and evolve.  Students utilize the space during PATH time, or as needed for group or individual classroom assignments.  We just added a 3D printer to our space and we are looking forward to adding a LEGO wall over the summer.  Our overarching goal is for a space where students can make mistakes, tinker, invent, explore and develop not only literacy skills but STEM literacies as well. 

Ankle/Foot Orthosis

Design and Modeling students were challenged to create Ankle/Foot Orthosis devices for patients with cerebral palsy. After viewing a video about Cerebral Palsy which informed the students about a device, the students began to discuss the purpose of the AFO device and determine how it improved the life of a patient with cerebral palsy.  Each student started their task by drawing a design of their AFO. The students were then placed into collaborative groups of four where they determined their final design.  The groups had a variety of materials available to them and as a group they decided on which materials they would use to build their device. As a team, students used the materials to build the prototype of their AFO device, testing their product, modified and adjusted their prototypes until the group was satisfied with their final product. The students were asked to demonstrate that their device met all the requirements of the AFO and had to explain their prototype to the class.

Industrial Revolution City 

As part of the unit on the Industrial Revolution, students took on the role of a City Planner. They were given a set of statistics related to the needs of a population during the Industrial Revolution and were asked to design a city from this time in history.  In collaborative groups, students used the information to calculate the number of different types of homes, businesses, other buildings, including the infrastructure that would be needed to house, employ, and service the population. The students next graphed or mapped out their city, inserting the buildings and infrastructure. The groups worked and reworked their designs until the population of their city had their required resources. A map key and scale was created to understand the size of the city at large.

• Collaboration Video 1

• Collaboration Video 2

Ice Cold!

The first unit of study in 6th grade is energy, and one focus is thermal energy. Thermal energy includes the understanding of  insulators, conductors and radiant barriers.  The students worked in collaborative pairs to design a house that would keep an ice cube inside the house from melting when under a radiant light.  The students had to defend their reasoning for their material choices. After a 20 minute test, students measured the amount of melted water produced from their ice cube and evaluated their design. Then students explained the improvements that would be made. 

How’s Our Structure?

In the Fall, our students missed school due to a Hurricane Irma. Living in a coastal region, this is a reality for our communities and understanding how to protect our homes is relative to all of our students. During a STEM Saturday, sixth grade students used their knowledge of climate and weather and personal experiences with storm factors, to design and build a house that would withstand the effects of simulated thunderstorms, floods, and hurricanes.  Students worked in pairs or teams collaborating to develop a blueprint for their house. They were tasked to identify supplies that would best withstand the testing conditions of the simulation.  Teams then constructed their designs into 3D models.  These models were then tested by simulating rain and flooding with buckets of water and hurricane force winds using a leaf blower.  The structures that withstood the tests then were examined further by all students to discuss why these particular structures “survived”.  Students were asked to reflect on their own team’s design and then communicate which improvements they thought could make their structure more sustainable. 
 

Is it Economical?

In the Fall, seventh grade students worked collaboratively to plan a Thanksgiving meal using unit/rate economics. The students worked in diverse groups and took on the role of Thanksgiving hosts with a given budget. They were challenged to calculate and determine the most economical cost for their meal.. The students utilized local grocery websites to plan their meal and find the most economical prices for each of the items. The students used mathematical skills such as unit rate and proportions to find the “best buy” for each of their food items. Once the project was completed, the students presented their menus and final costs to their class. 

ST 1.3 Students are empowered to personalize and self-direct their STEM learning experiences supported by STEM educators who facilitate their learning. 

A-mazing!

In December, the seventh grade math students were challenged to help the elves travel from the North Pole to Grandmother’s house by means of an equation maze/map. The maze was a series of student-created equations with some correct answers and some incorrect answers. Students worked in collaborative groups to uniquely develop and decorate each of the mazes using mathematical concepts learned in class. The groups self-checked their work and when ready, exchanged their mazes with their peers who worked to calculate the correct answers to help the elf find grandma’s house.  If the correct answers were followed, then the elves were successful in finding their way to Grandma’s house! 

Science Fair

Students in the Advanced Science classes conduct a science fair project and choose to complete either individually or as a collaborative group of two.  The students start in September and with the guidance from their teachers, follow a rubric and timeline to complete their project in time for competition in March.  Students self-select a topic, create a hypothesis and design their own experiment to test.  After analyzing the data, they draw conclusions and present their findings. The students have an opportunity to compete at three levels. Level One is held in each individual classroom, where the teacher uses the rubric and votes to move them to Level Two. Level Two is the school-wide competition, where the student projects are judged by the Sea Island Regional Science Fair judges. The winners of the school-wide competition move on to Level Three, the Regional Science Fair. This level includes participants from all of the middle schools in Beaufort County. The winner of the Regional Science Fair has an opportunity to go as an observer to the International Science Fair sponsored by Intel.  In 2018, Twelve BLMS students attended the regional competition, and three placed, including one student who placed second in the region, one who placed third, and one honorable mention.

Socratic Seminar

In our ELA, ESOL Writing Workshop, and Science classes, students regularly engage in student-led discussions using the Socratic Seminar platform. Participants in these discussions start by reading or researching information about a specific topic. As the students read about their topic, their goal is to generate open-ended questions connected to their subject. The most common open-ended questions are identified and the students determine which of those questions will foster discussion and debate. The students and teachers work together to choose a main focus question and several sub-questions to drive the socratic seminar discussion. Students then re-read the original texts, develop opinions and thoughts, and gather evidence to support their ideas.  When the discussion begins, it is completely student-led with students using accountable talk protocols to help the conversation run smoothly.  Students can invite each other into the discussion by asking direct questions, and can ask each other follow-up questions if they seek more explanation or supporting evidence. In classes that have done several socratic seminars, such as ESOL Writing Workshop, students have begun to suggest topics as they come across ideas in their reading which they think would fit well with the Socratic Seminar format. 

National History Competition

Several of our 8th grade social studies students participated in the National History Day Competition.  National History Day is a national year-long project where students choose a historical topic linked to a year long theme. This year’s theme was Conflict and Compromise. Students conducted extensive independent research on their topic of choice by going through and completing several stages; including an annotated bibliography, a process paper, and the creation of the final product. In the process paper  the students explained how they conducted their research, developed their topic idea and created their entry. The students determined the method in which they demonstrated their research.  They had the option to choose either a website, display board, video documentary, paper, or skit.  Our student’s entries included:  The Killing of the Innocents, The Salem Witchcraft Trials, Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Atomic Bomb, Jackie Robinson, Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and Harriet Tubman.  Included in their final unique product was the student’s explanation of the facts of the event, and their long-term impact on our society.  Eleven of our students attended the regional competition at Charleston Southern University, and one student, who placed first in his division, will continue on to the State-level competition. 

Find Your Fit

Bluffton Middle School encourages students to take control of their health. In Physical Education classes, students in grades 6-8 participate in Find Your Fit through our Fitnessgram program. Students are responsible for assess their cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility. They complete a series of activities to obtain their baseline data for each of the areas and use the baseline data to set their individual goals for improvement.  Using their goals and data, the students create an action plan by designing a personalized workout program for themselves. The workout program includes everything from choice of exercise to determining the number of repetitions that they will complete for each activity per week. Half-way through the semester, students complete their second trial, performing the same series of activities that they did for the baseline measurement, and comparing the results to see how they have improved over time. At that point, students re-evaluate their goals and adjust their action plans accordingly. They complete a third trial at the end of the semester, track their changes, and reflect on their progress.  As students move through the grade levels, their goals become more detailed as they add measures for balance, agility, and power. The FitnessGram program allows students to develop skills in personal goal-setting and to develop lifelong fitness skills. 

6th Grade Literature Circles

When students participate in literature circle groups, they self-select the book they would like to read, forming groups based on book choice.  This allows students to read books they are interested in and to connect with peers who have similar interests.  At the beginning of the unit, students work together to create a ‘Book Club Constitution’ that outlines the norms and expectations that all students will follow.  In addition the students develop  a “learning contract” that they all sign. Once organized into groups, students create a reading schedule for themselves, and designate rotating roles that each student will takes on when their group meets.  Roles include discussion leader, question creator, connector, and summarizer.  

Book clubs are ongoing in the 6th grade, and students are reorganized every few weeks into new groups based on their book choices.  Once groups are experienced with self-directing their discussions, the roles are not as formal, and all students contribute through any role based on what they find in their reading. 

Self-Assessment of Learning Targets

Self-assessment and self-direction in learning is a critical skill we encourage at Bluffton Middle School. In sixth grade, math students reflect and determine the level of support that they will need during independent practice. When students are posed with an open-ended problem, after a mini-lesson, they self-assess their understanding of the learning target to determine if they will work independently, with a partner, or with the teacher. During the remainder of the activity, they continue to reflect on their understanding of the material and evaluate their progress.  The students are free to move to a different group if and when needed. For example, a student working with a partner may decide he/she is ready to work independently if he/she fully understands the material. Conversely, he/she may choose to get additional instruction from the teacher if they need clarification.

ST 1.4 - Students use technology resources to conduct research, demonstrate creative and critical thinking, and communicate and work collaboratively. 

1:1

Beaufort County School District is a one-to-one district providing a device for all of our students. Students at Bluffton Middle School take their devices home each day to extend learning outside of their school day. Students use these devices to research, design and create content and give them experience with computational skills. BCSD is a Google Apps for Education district allowing students to utilize the cloud-based platform to collaborate and communicate with other students and teachers on assignments and projects to support their learning and standards. Students can also interact with programs such as Discovery Education, Edgenuity, and USATestPrep and utilize various online websites such as Kahn Academy, IXL, and Overdrive.  In addition to individual devices, our students utilize other technology such as our 3D printers, green screen technology, Photoshop, and SCRATCH and other robotics computer programming interface. 

Mustang TV

MustangTV is a broadcast club at Bluffton Middle School where student crew members are responsible for producing the morning announcements show that broadcasts each morning in first period. Filming occurs in the media center TV production lab which is equipped with the chroma key green space needed for using a green screen, camera, ipad, laptop computer, sound board and other equipment. All crew members are required to try at least three crew member jobs to see which job they are best suited for and interested in. These jobs are: laptop operator, anchor, teleprompter operator, camera operator, AV mixer operator, sound board operator and switch operator. We will also soon include the job of video editor and creator. Students are responsible for collecting footage and creating an intro video for the show, and then use Microsoft Movie Maker for editing. When faced with challenging situations like technical issues, students are encouraged to go through the engineering design process to come up with a solution. 

Link to clip of show: https://youtu.be/XyYFq3Nas5c

Coding and the Cold War

The language of computers is essential to preparing our students for college and careers. Learning coding alongside of their subject matter is an effective way for them to build connections. Here students created interactive maps with various technology tools showing how communism was contained during the Cold War. Students first read informational texts to gain an understanding of Cold War events that demonstrated the US policy of containment.  Texts focused on various locations throughout the world, such as South Korea and Cuba. Using Google Maps, student collaborated in pairs to pin each location relevant to the texts they read and then coded a program using Scratch software to run by Makey Makeys and allowed students to take a virtual historical tour of their maps. By doing the research and using fundamental coding skills, students built the understanding of both computer language and a sense of the geographical reach of the Cold War. 

Communicative Art

Media Art students use creative thinking and artistic decision-making to produce artwork that communicates ideas. Students use desktop computers daily to research, develop, and create artwork. The students study communicative artistic industries including advertising, graphic design, filmmaking, illustration, animation and photography, to help them to create artwork that sends messages or tells stories.  Students primarily use Adobe Photoshop to create their artwork, where they use learning techniques for layering, photo manipulation, and various tools like brushes and textures. For some projects they also use Google Applications, Scratch, Movie Maker, and Adobe Illustrator. Students also get exposure to industry standard equipment  like Wacom drawing tablets and digital cameras. Samples of student projects can be found at the site below.

BLMS Media Art

Tune Up

Band students use an application called Tonal Energy to help them learn to tune their instruments. This program provides students with a visual aid to determine whether their instrument is in tune or if it is sharp or flat. The program also plays a pitch in each instrument’s timbre, which students can match and tune using their ear. This requires the students to critically listen to and analyze their sound, and experiment with an adjustment accordingly. The App has several visual aids including one where it will track the sound waves that are happening in the room. This tracking can show students whether they are all starting a note at the same time, or if there is a staggered start. Tonal Energy provides a helpful visual for students to use in addition to their listening skills.

Our Food’s Journey

After learning about the organs involved in digestion and their function, seventh grade science students chose how to explain the process of food moving through the digestive system. The students were given the freedom to choose the method for their presentation and to personalize the development and creation of the presentation.  Some of the students chose to simulate the digestive system using personification. We saw examples of digital mediums, such as cartoons, comic strips, and songs. Below is an example a student created on PowToon. 

The Journey of a Burger

The Digestive Amusement/Water Park

ST 1.5 - Students demonstrate their learning through performance-based assessments and express their conclusions through elaborated explanations of their thinking. 

Catapults - Force & Motion /Ancient Rome

Interdisciplinary units/projects are utilized as a means to assess multiple aspects of learning and build connection for student understanding. In order to assess force and motion science standards as well as understanding of the need of catapults in Ancient Rome, sixth grade social studies students worked in collaborative groups to design catapults that would reach over the enemy wall.  Students designed, created, tested, and adjusted their catapults until it was time for the final assessment. Students used “boulders”/ pennies as weights to project over the “enemy” wall.  With each successful launch teachers continued to add layers to the wall. Teams who were able to make a successful launch over the tallest wall were crowned “ the ultimate warriors.”  After all the teams tested, the students were asked to reflect on their successes, support their findings with scientific evidence, and also explain how they would improve their designs to make their catapults more successful.

Animal Adaptations

Students in 6th grade science individually chose an animal and conducted online research on how the structural adaptations and processes of animals allow for defense, movement, or resource obtainment.  In small groups, they researched structural adaptations; such as animal eyes, ears, noses, hair and tails.  The groups prepared a digital presentation of the different animals they researched and presented it to the rest of their classmates.  While classmates were presenting, students then chose their favorite structural adaptations. They then used those decisions to design and build 3D representations of ideally adapted animals.  After their animals were built, they wrote a three paragraph essay explaining their animals classification, structural adaptations and behavioral adaptations.

What’s our Angle?

Eighth Grade Geometry Honors students became urban designers when they were tasked to create a city design that used angle relationships (alternate interior, alternate exterior, corresponding and vertical angles). The design requires students to create a solution to traffic flow by the strategic placement of buildings. Along with a 3-D model, students had to create a map key to explain which buildings were located at which angle relationship using symbols, similar to those seen on real world maps. Students presented their cities and defended their choices through oral peer assessments. 

Science Journal 

Students use a variety of techniques to collect and document information and data.  Students keep an interactive science journal to collect the data during lab explorations, for research findings and as a means for the teacher to formatively assess their understanding through a project. Students also have the ability to utilize their tablet for photo evidence and digital note-taking. 

Media Artist Statements

Media Art students complete an Artist Statement after each project to explain their process and analyze the results.  This metacognitive reflection calls for students to recount the steps they took and think about what they learned in terms of the technical aspects of creating the work.  They self-assess their strengths and weaknesses by describing what was easy or difficult throughout the process.  They also analyze the final product by hypothesizing the reaction someone might have when looking at their work.  Students are encouraged to identify elements of art they have learned about when analyzing their own work and articulate the effects those elements could have on a viewer. Because students complete a similar reflection after each assignment, their self-reflection is ongoing throughout the course.

Triangle Inequality Theorem

Seventh grade students were challenged to determine if they could draw a triangle after receiving information that only included various specifications such as length of sides and the angle measurements .  After spending some time working on developing possible drawings of triangles, the students were given cut-out strips of paper to make a model of their designs. This activity led the students to discover the Triangle Inequality Theorem, which states that the sum of the lengths of any two sides of a triangle is greater than the length of the third side, on their own.

ST 1.6 - The interdisciplinary problem-based curriculum includes a focus on real-world applications. 

Rubicon Atlas

Beaufort County School District uses Rubicon Atlas as our curriculum management tool.  District-level essential maps outline units of study, including relevant SCCCR standards, “I can” statements, essential vocabulary, and common assessments. Teachers meet regularly with their PLC groups to discuss the implementation of these units, best practices for instruction, and to reflect on assessment data. We are in the process of reviewing our maps more carefully to look for cross-disciplinary connections.  

Core Curriculum

In our core curriculum at the school level, we incorporate the models of the Literacy Design Collaborative and Mathematics Design Collaborative, which emphasize critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.  We are currently in year two of a three-year implementation process.  We have partnered with the Southern Region Education Board for ongoing professional development and training. 

LDC teachers, which include ELA, science, and social students teachers, create modules of study that focus on analysis of text and writing authentic products.  To date, BLMS teachers have created and implemented 41 modules across the content areas.  As part of every module, teachers build in daily ‘mini-tasks’ where students work towards deeper levels of understanding rigorous reading material.  There is an emphasis on open-ended discussions, collaboration, and the writing process, including the formulation and revision of ideas. 

The MDC framework uses specific tools and strategies allowing students to understand the why and how while developing mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. The goal is to shift towards students taking ownership of their learning through productive struggle and collaboration. Teachers are to support students’ struggles using different types of questions based on their individual needs. The focus of the class becomes student centered as they learn to discuss and defend their mathematical thinking to justify learning.    http://map.mathshell.org/lessons.php

Project Lead the Way

Our Explore and Discover courses offer many opportunities for STEM learning.  A primary component of our STEM curriculum is our Project the Lead the Way program.  With specific courses offered at each grade level, students have opportunities to take Medical Detectives, Design and Modeling, and/or Automation and Robotics.  Approximately 50 students at each grade level are enrolled in PLTW courses each year, and most of our students take at least one course at some years at Bluffton Middle. With a total of 12 sections offered per year, all students have the opportunity to take a PLTW course within their time at BLMS.  

Computer Technology Courses

Students also have access to computer technology courses through our Explore and Discover program, including Google Basics and Digital Literacy.  In these courses, students earn a half credit towards high school graduation and learn the basics of using software effectively.  All BLMS students take a computer technology course at some point in their middle school career.

Media Art

Another Explore and Discover course that focuses on STEM learning is our Media Art class, which is offered at all three grade levels.  In this class, students learn skills that have real-world application as they critically analyze visual media and create projects using Adobe software. Students analyze advertisements in order to better understand how media impacts viewers and the messages that are conveyed.  They also learn to create their own artwork, giving them a taste of several industries, including marketing, graphic design, and website design. 

ST 1.7 - STEM educators collaborate as an interdisciplinary team to plan, implement, and improve integrated STEM learning experiences. 

Professional Learning Communities

Teachers meet twice per month with their PLC groups, which are comprised of teachers who teach like content areas at the same grade level.  These small group discussions are generally self-directed and teachers plan lessons and reflect on instruction.  Within these meetings, teachers discuss how they can incorporate real-world problems within the curriculum.  They also analyze standardized and classroom assessment data, use that information to set instructional goals, and then discuss the best strategies to reach them.

Common Planning Time

Common planning time is highly valued at Bluffton Middle School.  As shown in the master schedule, teachers at each grade level have two common planning periods per day.  This allows ample time for interdisciplinary discussions. In some cases, ESOL and special education teachers are also able to attend common planning sessions to ensure the needs of all learners are addressed. 

LDC Committee Meetings

LDC teachers meet monthly for committee meetings after school.  At these meetings, ELA, Science, nd Social Studies teachers meet to work on creating modules of study that include text-based reading and research, collaboration among students, open-ended discussions, and authentic writing products. Regardless of the discipline, each module is required to have at least one ELA reading standard and one writing standard as a focus. Additionally, ELA teachers have created several modules that connect to science and social studies content by using topics such as child labor, endangered species, and natural disasters.  Four teachers representing various content-areas (social studies, science, ELA, and special education) meet for a full day each quarter to create modules and discuss the ways we can support LDC implementation throughout the school.

STEM Saturdays

During the 2017-18 school year, students participated in a school-wide STEM day.  This year, we were in the unique situation of making up two inclement weather days on Saturdays. On the first of the two days, 6th grade teachers created interdisciplinary STEM lessons that were highly engaging.  Teachers worked in advance to plan these lessons during grade-level meetings, brainstorming ideas, developing hands-on projects, and determining materials needed. After reflecting on the success of those lessons, the STEM Leadership team decided to take the approach school-wide for our second weather make-up day.  

Beaufort County School District STEM Cohort

Teacher from Bluffton Middle School are participating in a STEM Cohort hosted by the district office. The teachers who participate in the STEM Cohort are chosen by their principal, and they represent different grade levels and subject areas. One of the main goals of the STEM Cohort is to take STEM from a word to an action. To begin the process, the teachers participated in a day long workshop that focused on; increasing understanding of what a STEM classroom looks like, increasing teacher’s confidence when using STEM activities, sharing STEM lessons, and modeling cross curricular lessons. The second phase of the STEM Cohort is to have the STEM District Coordinator conduct an observation of each of the teachers teaching a STEM lesson and providing feedback. 

ST 1.8 - STEM learning outcomes demonstrate students’ STEM literacy necessary for the next level of STEM learning and for postsecondary and workforce readiness. 

SC Ready English Language Arts and Math data

STEM can be found throughout the BLMS curriculum and one measurement tool used for student learning is the SC Ready. The SC Ready is a standardized test that students take once a year in Reading and Math. The data below shows BLMS students exceeding the average percentage of Beaufort County 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the Approaches, Met, and Exceeds Expectation category for Math and Reading with the exception of 7th grade Math. 

Classroom Assessment of STEM Literacy Skills

In addition to standardized testing data, teachers continuously assess skills within the classroom and provide feedback to students.  Unlike standardized tests, which only measure content knowledge, teachers have opportunities within their classrooms to focus on enduring skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. These skills across all disciplines and help prepare students for real-world application in the future. 

Literature Circles

In all classes, students collaborate with peers in many ways, including working on group projects.  They often self- and peer-assess their abilities to work together by reflecting on each person’s contributions to the task, their ability to work through disagreements, and leadership skills.  One place where students do this regularly is through literature circles in ELA classes.  At the conclusion of each book, students reflect on the ways in which they each contributed to discussions, how well the group accomplished their tasks, and how well they listened to each other. Since participation in literature circles is an ongoing activity, it is especially useful for students to reflect on their collaboration skills before moving into a new group with the next book.

MDC Formative Assessment Learning (FAL)

As part of MDC, each teacher completes a FAL about ⅔ of the way through the unit.  This is complex math assessment which requires students to understand the conceptual skills being taught within the unit. Students work as either partners or small groups to persevere through the problem. The teachers become a facilitator only giving guiding questions when a group gets “stuck”. At the end of the lesson students will analyze other groups’ work before leading into a class discussion. 

LDC Instructional Ladder

In each LDC module, teachers follow a four-part instructional ladder: Preparing for the Task, Reading Process, Transition to Writing, and Writing Process.  Each step incorporates cross-cutting skills with the strongest focus on collaboration and critical thinking.  For example, during the reading process, students focus on critically analyzing high-level texts using a variety of reading strategies.  During the Transition to Writing portion, students work collaboratively and discuss aspects of the texts in order to prepare them to start the writing process.  Often, students also end the activity present their ideas to peers, improving their communication skills. 

National History Day and the 4 C’s

Students who participated in National History Day, worked together to create projects after conducting extensive research on a topic of their choice.  In this project that spanned an entire semester, the process was a key component and students improved their skills in the 4 C’s along the way.  

Socratic Seminar

Following Socratic seminars, teachers focus on giving qualitative feedback on students’ communication skills. In some classes, students also self-assess their progress, giving them a chance to reflect on their own skills. Teachers complete rubrics for scoring students’ contributions to the discussion, but also give verbal feedback to highlight outstanding examples of communication. 

ST 1.9 - STEM teachers and leaders participate in a continuous program of STEM-specific professional learning. 

Teachers and administrators regularly participate in professional development that is specific to STEM learning. Our Professional Development schedule is strategically created at the beginning of the year and adjusted as needed throughout. Teachers meet at 2 specific times - Tuesdays after the school day and Thursdays during the common planning time.  Below you will find the year-long professional development plans. 

PD Schedule

Workbench Training

BLMS recently partnered with Workbench Project Based Learning to help us develop STEM lessons throughout the content areas. The partnership includes a half-day of face-to-face training and a half-day of virtual training with representatives from the company.  During the face-to-face training, staff members were introduced to the Workbench website which houses a collection of projects for all grade levels and content areas.  Projects can be edited and tailored to fit teachers’ specific needs, or can be created from scratch.  In addition, faculty members had the opportunity to test out three products that students use in many of the Workbench projects: Makey Makey, Parrot Drones, and Circuit Scribe.  Teachers learned about these products through hands-on use and brainstormed ways they could be used in the classroom.

Tech Coaching and Co-Teaching (Colleen Can we add pics or other artifacts

Teachers at Bluffton Middle School frequently  utilize the expertise of the district technology coaches as a resource  to increase their understanding of technology trends which helps to ensure students are 21st Century ready. Beaufort County School District employs 8 Educational Technology Coaches to work with faculty, staff, and students in training, planning, modeling and co-teaching technology integrated lessons and activities that support their standards and curriculum.

FETC 

Teachers and Administrators annually attend The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) to gain insight on emerging technologies, practices and resources that enhance STEM learning in throughout the school environment. FETC offers a variety of session structures designed to foster hands-on and collaborative learning. Participants discover diverse and relevant courses you won’t find anywhere else, with expert-led learning opportunities all focused on the most pressing challenges and technological implementations.

AdvancED Conference

A Bluffton Middle School teacher joined a district administrator to a two-day AdvancED learning opportunity at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missori. During this conference, they participated and learned about STEM integration in all subject areas, strategies to increase student engagement, how the use of space can be utilized to foster the 4Cs, and heard from empowering keynote speakers that challenged our way of thinking and teaching. 

Project Lead the Way Training

Our Project Lead the Way teacher, Mr. Wisdom, participated in extensive training provided through the Gateway to Technology program.  Most recently, this included specialty course training for the Medical Detectives class. Need more details from Mr. Wisdom to complete this section.

Gallery Walks

Every year, teachers participate in a gallery walk during one of our professional development days.  This provides an opportunity for teachers to learn from each other and hear about some of the best practices going on throughout the school.  Approximately ten teachers bring artifacts and information about an outstanding practice they are using in their classrooms, and the remaining staff breaks into small groups to hear short presentations from each teacher.  This year, topics included interactive notebooks, analyzing informational text, and “Grapple Problems,” among others.  After visiting each station, staff members took note of STEM standards aligned to the activity presented and had a chance to discuss how they could incorporate the activity into their own classroom in some way. 

ST 1.10 - Community, post-secondary, and business/industry partners and/or families actively support and are engaged with teachers and students in the STEM program. 

Bluffton Middle School’s strong community ties are an important part of STEM learning. Partnerships with local businesses, family members, and community stakeholders have a tremendous impact on the learning environment at BLMS.  

The Outside Foundation

Environmental issues are always at the forefront of our school community. Bluffton Middle has a long-standing partnership with The Outside Foundation, a non-profit organization that works directly with our seventh graders throughout their environment and ecology unit. The Outside Foundation aims to involve youth in outdoor experiences designed to raise awareness of and educate about the importance of a healthy ecosystem, involve youth in programs that directly impact our local environment To educate on the value of protecting and restoring the quality of these natural environments To practice and promote responsible use of our natural resources To emphasize recycling as a means of lessening our impact on the environment.

Don Ryan Center for Innovation

The partnership with Beaufort County Schools and the Don Ryan Center for Innovation has incorporated an annual showcase of STEM focused activities at Tech Fest 2.0. supported by the Don Ryan Center. Bluffton Middle School students will be participating in their first showcase this Spring where they will demonstrate and teach children how to operate VEX Robots to complete course challenges on April 21st. Part of the experience at Tech Fest 2.0 is collaborating to share ideas so BLMS teachers bring STEM activities/projects to demonstrate and share with other participants and the community. The Don Ryan Center for Innovation (DRCI) was established in mid 2012 as a 501(c)(3). The corporation's mission was to function as a business incubator to grow Bluffton's and the surrounding regions economic base by helping innovative start-up or early stage companies. The organization incubated 29 companies and expanded into partnerships with Beaufort County Schools, USCB, TCL, SCAD and the City of Beaufort to promote and support innovation and entrepreneurship for the purposes of economic development.  

Career Fair

Bluffton Middle School 7th and 8th grade students participate in an annual Career Fair where community members come in to speak to students so they can learn about various career pathways.  This year, the fair was held on March 22, 2018, and 13 community members shared information about the day-to-day aspects of their jobs.  They highlighted the skills needed in their profession, their education paths, and related jobs in their fields.  This year’s group of speakers included an engineer, an architect, a drone repair specialist, and a contractor from Gulf Stream to demonstrate local opportunities in STEM-related fields. 

Arts Center of Coastal Carolina

The Art Center of Coastal Carolina received a contract with the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts to enable them to bring an art program to the special education students of Bluffton Middle School. The program is taught by a certified teacher with her Master’s in Art Education. The students participate in a 12 session art program where they are able to be creative and experience unique opportunities that they would not otherwise encounter. The students’ artwork will be displayed in an online gallery along with work from special education students throughout the country. In May, the Arts Center will host an art show and reception inviting the artists and community members.

La Isla Magazine - Eric Esquivel

Bluffton Middle School has a rich Hispanic and Latino community and work hard to support them within the school. In an effort to do so, we have partnered with La Isla magazine. La Isla is dedicated to serving the diverse Latino community in Bluffton, South Carolina.  Eric Esquivel has been a positive voice for Bluffton Middle School helping to build relationships, communicate important and current information, and reinforcing the importance of education. Mr. Esquivel has attended several  ESOL nights, town hall meetings, and classroom events at Bluffton Middle.  

ST 1.11 - Students are supported in their STEM learning through adult-world connections and extended day opportunities. 

Port Royal Sound STEAM Festival

Sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the first STEAM Festival provided hands-on, innovative and super-cool activities for families to enjoy. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), is an important initiative for educating and preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs. The festival showcased demonstrations, simulations, experiments and hands-on activities by area businesses, organizations and schools that were using STEAM to succeed. BLMS participated, bringing VEX Robotics to the festival which provided a rich STEM experience for a predominantly younger audience. Participants learned basic maneuvers to drive VEX Robots and have them complete work tasks. 

Kids in Kayaks

In conjunction with our partnership with The Outside Foundation, students participated in a field trip to explore our local watershed.  A highlight of the trip is kayaking along the May River, where students are led by knowledgeable tour guides who provide information and and ask questions about local plants and animals.  In addition to kayaking, students also explore an Enviroscape model, a model of a watershed, into which “pollutants” are added and students see how they travel to waterways when it rains. Students also pull organisms from the water and from a floating dock to look at them under microscopes, and test saltwater for dissolved oxygen and PH.  While on this trip, students gain many science skills, but also improve their ability to make observations and think critically about them, learn to adapt and problem solve, communicate and work in teams. The overall goal of the program is to connect students with the their local environment. Students also explore the topic of the local watershed as part of the River of Words project. This is a district-wide initiative that connects art, poetry, and science.  Students write poems about the local ecosystem and create artwork, either traditionally or digitally.  Outstanding poetry and artwork is published in the Beaufort County River of Words anthology.

http://www.outsidefoundation.org/single-post/2017/06/01/Spring-17-Kids-in-Kayaks

Heroes on Horseback

Many of our special education students participate in Heroes on Horseback, a local therapeutic riding program.  This community program provides students with equine-assisted therapy and allows them to gain experiences that are not easily accessible for them.  The students engage in hands-on learning, which includes equine care and maintenance in addition to riding. They also practice communication skills when interacting with volunteers, problem-solve by determining how to complete given tasks both on horseback and from the ground, and create artistic projects. There is a strong emphasis on students making decisions, gaining independence, and improving self-confidence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBhb3k20QOY&t=1s

Clubs:  BLMS offers a variety of clubs that help develop and reinforce the 4 C’s. School sponsored clubs create a positive environment that fosters student interest, community service, and social networking. Clubs such as art, dance, and yearbook give students a means for creativity while robotics and chest foster critical thinking skills. Bluffton Middle School’s Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes focuses on community service and raising money for different charities. Our after-school clubs give students extended opportunities to learn through various community connections.

Vex Robotics 

Students in our Automation and Robotics course learn the foundations of coding and programming. Here they gain experience with the VEX Robots and have hand-on opportunities working with the equipment and software. Students who are interested in competing have the opportunity to join the Robotics Club. This club meets after school to work on the competition level synopsis presented by VEX. Each year, the teams are sent the real-world problem to solve. The full process from design, build, evaluation and competition is done completely by the students with teacher as the facilitator. Bluffton Middle School’s “iRobots” team was successful during the qualifiers round and competed at the state level for the past 2 years. They also were invited to compete at the national competition. 

JROTC 

Mission Statement of the JROTC is, "To motivate young people to become better citizens." The Purpose is to “Gain leadership potential with the ability to live and work cooperatively with others and to demonstrate leadership in situations involving conflict resolution.” This extension program outside the school day has impacted students in need of structure and direction. Now in our third year of the program, we continue to see remarkable growth in participating students who internalize the message of positivity and service to others as a life changing future path.