STEMterprise in the Classroom: A fresh project
Featuring Lori Paris, Grade 3 Teacher, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
“I have been teaching for more than 20 years and am getting close to retirement. It was refreshing to have a new and exciting project to work on with my students.”
That was Lori Paris’ reflection after bringing Ontario Farming STEMterprise into her Grade 3 classroom.
The class began the project in February, paused during EQAO preparation, and then returned to it near the end of May. From there, STEMterprise became an almost daily part of classroom learning.
What students loved
The hands-on parts of the project were clear favourites. Students especially enjoyed:
- creating product boxes and wrappers
- designing logos
- developing their granola bar recipes
- planting seeds
- taste testing
- imagining what their finished products would look like
- working and learning with partners
“Seeing the students become so involved in hands-on learning was amazing. Watching them use their imaginations and creativity in their designs was especially empowering for some students.”
And there was one unexpected success for the teacher, too:
“As someone who definitely does not have a green thumb, seeing our plants actually grow was a wonderful surprise!”
Making STEMterprise work for the class
Like many teachers, she adapted the project to fit the time and learning needs of her students.
Because the class was working within a shortened timeline, some lessons and follow-up activities were skipped, and a few stages were completed in a different order.
She also added learning about how plants are used, how plants and animals depend on one another, Indigenous uses of plants, photosynthesis, and parts of a plant to support other areas of the Grade 3 science curriculum.
The biggest lesson learned: start early
The biggest challenge was simply fitting everything in.
“I wish we had started earlier so we could have made the final granola bars and completed the advertising portion of the project. We simply ran out of time!”
Her advice for teachers trying STEMterprise for the first time is to review the full project before beginning.
“There were a few times when I introduced something one way, only to realize it was covered more fully in an upcoming lesson.”
One example was flavour selection. Students initially chose their own combinations within their groups, but a later STEMterprise lesson had them survey another class and use the results to make the decision.
“The survey was a much richer way for students to make that decision.”
Her advice to other teachers
Take some time to look through the stages before you begin, and give yourself enough time to enjoy the full project.
Most importantly, don’t assume STEMterprise is only for teachers looking for something because they are new to the classroom.
“I have been teaching for more than 20 years, and it was great to have a new and exciting project to work on with the students.”
Looking for more in classroom experience of teachers that have used STEMterprise? Check out these blogs for more learning:
