At Kid Spark Education we’re proud to offer programs that make it possible for educators in early childhood education to Middle School to teach STEM. Our elementary and middle school STEM programs provide value by helping children to see themselves as critical thinkers and problem solvers, both skills that have countless applications.
That said, when you’re considering what programs are right for your school’s classrooms, it’s important to have all the information about the curriculum and potential learning outcomes. With that in mind, we’ve assembled this quick guide to both our Elementary and Middle School programs to help break down what we do at Kid Spark Education.
Elementary School Program
In our elementary school programs, STEM education can start early. With a comprehensive curriculum, educational media, and professional learning modules, students can start gaining confidence in the basics of STEM, alongside the social and fine motor skills they are already learning in the classroom.
The Kid Spark program curriculum is designed to move progressively through the years:
- Pre-K - 1st Grade STEM Program- In these learning groups, educators mentor students to develop foundational skills needed in STEM learning like spatial reasoning, sequence & correspondence, and creative problem solving— all of which are prerequisite for a lifetime of STEM learning. While many students learn these fluencies at home, this program helps fill in critical gaps that may exist, especially for underserved and underrepresented students.
- 2nd - 5th Grade STEM Program- As students get a little older, in the program, they begin exploring STEM topics like applied mathematics, mechanical engineering, and robotics. Students in these age groups focus on concepts like how to make things strong, how to make things move, how to measure, and how to design and program robotic systems. As they progress, learners gain confidence in their ability to author with technology, to solve real-world problems, and to design new solutions.
Throughout elementary school with Kid Spark Education, kids of all backgrounds and abilities are given an equal chance to learn and love STEM, while we nurture the next generation of successful professionals, bold thinkers, and passionate leaders.
These programs are designed to help young students learn foundational STEM fluencies the moment they enter school and then build upon their learning each and every year.
Our elementary programs cover a range of STEM concepts and can be used to meet any student where they are. The entire Kid Spark Elementary School STEM program curriculum can be taught using the same two labs year after year, across grade levels and topics. Simply roll your STEM labs where you need them and distribute a single kit to each team of four students. With Foundational Fluencies and STEM Pathways Pathways, students learn the foundations of scientific thinking and the fundamentals to problem-solve across STEM disciplines.
Middle School Program
Our Middle School program builds on that STEM growth, allowing students to explore challenging concepts from their everyday world by authoring technology to solve problems and create new solutions. Through the Kid Spark curriculum, students explore concepts in structural engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, rapid prototyping, 3D printing, computer science, and robotics.
Through all the years of Middle School, from 6th grade to 8th grade, all lessons follow Kid Spark’s convergent to divergent learning format, which allows students to learn new content and then apply what they have learned through creative invention challenges. These challenges include learning all about:
- Kid Spark Basics
- Simple Machines
- Compound Machines
- Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing
- Loops and Variables
- Integrated Engineering Challenges
By learning this curriculum, students can gain the skills and confidence to persist in STEM throughout their lives.
In addition, with our engineering pathways mobile STEM labs, students build on STEM concepts while learning about new technologies and getting a deeper understanding of engineering. Through this programming, learners can gain the skills and confidence to design new solutions for real-world problems in any career they choose, no matter their background.
Want to Add KidSpark to Your Curriculum?
If you’re ready to get started with Kid Spark Education in your classrooms, we’d love to talk to you further. We help schools and educational service providers disrupt the pattern of educational inequity by providing STEM education early and consistently for Pre-K – 8th grade students. By giving kids of all backgrounds and abilities an equal chance to learn and love STEM, we are nurturing the next generation of successful professionals, bold thinkers, and passionate leaders.
To get started, check out our STEM labs. If you need help with grants or other solutions to help bring the power of STEM education to your classroom, you can learn more here.