STEM

STEM is part of our Monday homeschool program in Lakewood Ranch. Hands-on science led by Ms. Lisa, who holds a master's degree in education and has more than 35 years of experience teaching STEM. Every step of every project happens in class, so families never have to stage a science project at home.

Led by: Ms. LisaFor: PreK + K/1 (combined for STEM) · Upper Elementary · Middle GradesMondays, 9 to 3

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From the classroom

The great bubble test

PreK and K/1 mixed different bubble solutions, made their own wands and went outside to find which combination made the best bubbles. Then they ran it three more times, because one good result is not proof.

A young STEM student tests a bubble wand outdoors

Featured week

Each older student gets a week in the spotlight, when the whole class runs their science fair experiment through multiple trials. The data goes home for their display board, which is also built in class.

A Think Like a Scientist board beside a microscope station

What kids do

Make a hypothesis, test it, and repeat the trial to see if the result holds
Run classmates' experiments as well as their own
Use real scientific method vocabulary
Present findings at the science fair showcase

Skills they build

Curiosity
Scientific method
Collaboration
Observation
Presentation

A sample hour

01
Wonder
A question, a story or a mystery starts the hour.
02
Predict
Teams write their hypothesis.
03
Test, then test again
Run the trial, then repeat it to see if the result holds.
04
Explain
Share the data and what it means.

How it grows with your child

PreK + K/1 (combined for STEM)

An alphabet-based unit curriculum: each letter brings its own experiments, a poem and a book tied to the topic. Think A for apples, watched over a week or two; bubble solutions tested outdoors; C for crystals; E for eggs. Young learners form hypotheses, test them and repeat trials, using the same vocabulary as the older students. This continues all year.

Upper Elementary

First semester centers on the science fair. Each student chooses an independent topic, and Ms. Lisa guides the class through every step of the scientific method. Each child has a featured week when the whole class runs their experiment through multiple trials, and that data, plus the display board, is completed in class. After the science fair showcase, students explore problems in groups from physics, environmental science, chemistry and biology perspectives.

Middle Grades

The same science fair journey in first semester, with independent topics, featured weeks and class-run trials, followed by a showcase. Second semester, teams analyze real problems from physics, environmental science, chemistry and biology perspectives and work through experiments for each.

Who leads it

Ms. Lisa

STEM Instructor

Ms. Lisa holds a master's degree in education and has over 35 years of experience teaching STEM subjects to students of all ages, abilities, and interests.

Meet Ms. Lisa

How it connects

Featured weeks put every student at the center of the class, and running everyone's experiments exposes children to far more science than one project could.