Oak Ridge is located
in East Tennessee, not far from Knoxville. Oak Ridge was founded in 1943 by the
U.S. government as a secret city built as part of the Manhattan Project. Oak
Ridge is home to Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12
National Security Complex, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, a regional
medical center, two museums (the American Museum of Science and Energy and the
Oak Ridge Children’s Museum) and a host of industries which work on high
technology metals, nuclear safety, electromechanical devices, energy
infrastructure, chemical engineering, cybersecurity, nanotechnology, automotive
sciences, environmental sciences, and emergency preparedness, among many other
scientific and technical fields. Pioneering work in the development of low-cost
carbon fiber is on the way.
Oak Ridge Schools, which has a picture of an atom as its
symbol, thus prides itself on the STEM content and opportunities available to
its students since the inception of the school system. The following are a few
of the many ways in which STEM is embedded into Oak Ridge Schools’ culture.
STEM content
Students depend on
strong K-12 content in STEM in order to be prepared for college and careers. In
Oak Ridge, STEM begins in elementary school, in which students investigate the
world through inquiry in many ways. Even preschool students investigate
questions, come up with predictions and learn about the world around them.
Oak Ridge middle school students can take high school level
courses in mathematics and world languages. Consistently, 100% of Oak Ridge
middle schoolers who take Algebra 1 score proficient and advanced on the state
end of course exam. Engineering coursework is offered at both middle schools
and continues in high school.
High school courses
are rigorous and varied. In science, students can study biology, chemistry,
physics (electricity and magnetism as well as mechanics), and environmental
science. Students can learn computer programming and continue their engineering
studies. Oak Ridge High school not only offers AP Calculus AB, BC and statistics,
but it also offers multivariate calculus, differential equations and linear
algebra in a partnership with Tennessee Technological University.
STEM content, however, extends beyond what is typically
considered STEM – science, technology, engineering and math. In Oak Ridge, we
believe that STEM depends upon skills in communication, critical thinking,
creativity and collaboration, so any course that develops those skills can be
considered STEM. Communication is developed through programs and content areas
such as English Language Arts, journalism, visual communications, broadcasting,
Web design, world languages, and civics. Creativity is developed in orchestra,
band, 2-D and 3-D art, and digital design. We also have teachers from all
content areas who enjoy integrating traditional STEM content into their
courses.
Student Partnerships
Oak Ridge High
School students have opportunities to participate in wetlands research through
the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization. They conduct computational
or experimental scientific research with scientists from Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. For example, Oak Ridge
computer science students learn from
National Institute of Computational Sciences professionals on the Krakken
supercomputer. Students participate in Materials Sciences camp through the
University of Tennessee Knoxville. They take dual enrollment courses in
animation motion graphics, civil engineering, robotics, digital design,
ceramics, and STEM research. They participate in health sciences clinical internships
at the Methodist Medical Center and other local healthcare facilities,
including veterinary clinics. They participate in simulated business
environments and work-based learning. Oak Ridge High School graduates receive
industry certifications in welding, dual credit towards their post-secondary
welding credentials, and have first rights into post-secondary training in
welding.
Oak Ridge students often finish well in competitions such as
Siemens, Science Bowl, Scholar’s Bowl, Math Bowl, FIRST Lego League and
Robotics, National Chemistry Olympiad, and many others. Oak Ridge Schools also
participates in international exchange programs in Japan, Russia, Germany and
France in order to develop worldwide relationships and understanding.
STEM Coaches
In every school, from preschool to high school, Oak Ridge
has teacher leaders who act as STEM coaches to share STEM-related teaching
techniques and opportunities with their colleagues. STEM coaches themselves
participate in professional development related to inquiry-based and
problem-based learning and receive one-on-one coaching on integrating those
themes into their classrooms and buildings.
Digital Technology
STEM isn’t only about having a device, but using
technological tools helps engage students and opens doors to learning
up-to-date world realities and opportunities. For example, one STEM coach who
is also a middle school social studies teacher recently addressed student
misconceptions about Africa by having students tour Africa via Google Earth.
His students also used Minecraft to create a project about Mesopotamia. Other
teachers use devices for math intervention with Dreambox or TenMarks or to do a
fun quiz review with Kahoot.
Oak Ridge Schools is currently partnering with digital
technology providers Discovery Education, Dreambox, TenMarks, Study Island, Edgenuity,
and Edutyping. Oak Ridge also has Instructional Technology Coaches who help
teachers integrate digital resources into the curriculum.
STEM is about College and Career Readiness
Ultimately, Oak
Ridge believes in STEM in order to prepare students for college and careers. As
the community itself has high-tech, highly skilled jobs right next door, the
schools are
essential starting grounds to supply those jobs with
highly-prepared Tennessee students. Oak Ridge Schools thus carries on the
tradition of energizing minds since 1943.
