STEM – Fostering Innovation, Cultivating Creativity

STEM, a world leading course that combines science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is now popular around the world. As an IB continuum school, BIS highly recognizes the concept of interdisciplinary pedagogy and opens the option of STEM course in our Design Cycle in MYP, as well as for G5.

This article focuses on several STEM class projects from both Elementary School and Secondary School, to provide a view of BIS STEM course.

At BIS, we are proud supporters of the UNSDGs. The concept of protecting the earth is implemented into the classes. This unit in STEM class required students to record details of the litters in the local area, and to identify the recyclable ones. The G5 students were introduced to a coding platform called Micro:bit, through which they can design a counting program. After the understanding of the context and the study of the platform, students then used the skills to create a litter-hunting program.

In this unit, students built the Code Base and drove it using the Drive (remote control) mode in VEXcode GO, a coding platform based on Scratch. Our young engineers were instructed to use a remote control with a robot and build the Code Base.

Our G7, G9 and G10 STEM students worked in teams to design their sustainable cities. After the exploration of the existing sustainable facilities around the world, students considered the needs of citizens and the challenges a growing urban population. As a conclusion of this unit, students designed and presented their models of the cities. This interdisciplinary project asked students to use their knowledge and skills learned from Geography, Design and Technology, Math, and Arts.