STEMterprise at Forest Trail P.S. (HDSB)
Bringing STEM Learning to Life in a Grade 3 French Immersion Classroom
By Chelsea Ito, Grade 3 FI Teacher
Starting out
When I first came across the STEMterprise program and resources, I was curious to see it in action in the classroom. I am always looking for engaging culminating tasks, and I loved that STEMterprise is more than just the end project. Students fully immerse themselves in STEM learning and benefit from the process, not just the final product.
I wanted students to feel motivated to promote their companies, think about their consumers, and engage in real, hands-on learning. Our Grade three students began by talking about what an “enterprise” is and brainstorming real-world examples.
“STEMterprise is more than just the end project—students benefit from the whole process.” – Chelsea Ito, Grade 3 FI teacher
Student engagement
The presentations and resources are designed in a way that truly captures students’ attention from start to finish. When I first presented the granola bar samples, students could not wait to discuss the boxes, imagery, colours, and differences between the products. Immediately, they had ideas for their own designs.
Although we opted not to taste-test, students still compared the bars using visuals and flavour descriptions. We collected data on our favourite box and our favourite granola bar.
The videos, information, and visuals in the presentations were perfect for giving students the knowledge and understanding they needed to come up with their own questions for further investigation. We were also fortunate to work with our Grade 7 learning buddies, who helped us develop questions and ideas for our experiments.
“Right away, students had ideas for their own designs—they were fully engaged.” – Chelsea Ito, Grade 3 FI teacher
Student response
What I loved most about the experience was watching my students—many of whom often find French learning overwhelming—show up excited every day to check on their plants and record their observations. Students had thoughtful conversations about the differences in plant growth and the seeds they planted.
“My students were excited each day to check on their plants and record their observations.” – Chelsea Ito, Grade 3 FI teacher
Advice for getting started
At first, I felt overwhelmed by the number of resources, and I wish I had simply started earlier with the first lesson. Now that I’ve had experience with STEMterprise and can see how much of the curriculum it covers, I will definitely begin sooner next time.
It can also be incredibly helpful to buddy up with a grade partner and work together to find a schedule that fits your program best.
“I wish I had just started earlier—STEMterprise covers so much of the curriculum.” – Chelsea Ito, Grade 3 FI teacher
Final thoughts
What an amazing resource! Your students will love it.
And for French Immersion educators, the French materials worked beautifully in our classroom.
Try STEMterprise in your classroom
Ready to bring this hands-on, curriculum-aligned project to your students?
👉 Download the free STEMterprise teaching resource here (available in English and French).
