STEM at Wesleyan
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. At Wesleyan School, our STEM program's desire is to develop and prepare the next generation of problem-solvers. Fundamentally, no matter what college, major, career, endeavor, or mission our students are called to in life, they are to help people in their needs by solving problems, using all of their gifts, talents, knowledge, callings, and experiences from within math, science, literature, history, sports, church, and all of life.
Preparing the Next Generation of Problem Solvers
Our STEM Program mission is for every student to discover and develop their unique calling from God as a problem-solver in order to fulfill the great commandment [Matthew 22:38-39]. We love God by obediently following His calling and love others by helping them in their problems and needs. His calling grants us each a unique purpose, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." [Ephesians 2:10]
Exodus 35:31
"And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship."
K-12 STEM Curriculum
Every Wesleyan student takes required STEM classes in grades K-6. Beginning in seventh grade, students may choose STEM electives as part of their school day.
Lower School STEM
With increasing complexity and challenge as they develop, lower school students explore coding, game design, robotics, podcasting, and app design while also practicing technology skills like keyboarding and formatting.
List of 6 items.
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Kindergarten
• Cubetto Robotics Unit
• Tynker Jr. Coding Puzzles
• Computational Thinking Unit
• PLTW Engineer Design Process Activities -
Pre-First
• PLTW VEX Robotics: Animal Habitats
• Introduction to game design
• Spatial sense and coding
• Tynker Jr. Coding_Robotic Animation -
First Grade
• PLTW Unit_Animated Storytelling
• PLTW Unit_ Intro to Game Design
• Fundamentals of game design
• Tynker Jr. Coding_Space Cadet -
Second Grade
• PLTW Engineering: Simple Machines
• PLTW App design: Commands & Coordinates
• Office 365 Formatting & Keyboarding
• VEX GO Robotics_Space Pad & Space Ship
• Tynker Programming 1A -
Third Grade
• PLTW Digital Commuincations_Podcasting
• PLTW App design: Variables & Motion Commands
• Office 365 Formatting & Keyboarding
• Vex Go Robotics_Mars Rover & Mars Base Build
• Tynker Programming 1B -
Fourth Grade
• Businesses of Tomorrow Office 365 project & expo
• Office 365 Formatting & Keyboarding
• PLTW: Advanced game design
• PLTW App design: conditionals & loops
Middle School STEM
Middle school students participate in STEM courses to support their transition to 1:1 tablets and to develop skills in technology, robotics, and design.
List of 3 items.
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Fifth Grade
All fifth grade students take a semester-long course to aid in their transition to 1:1 tablet computers. This course places special emphasis on digital citizenship through keyboarding, coding, and software skills using Microsoft Office. Activities, projects, and problems include disease transmission, prevention, modeling, and simulation; as well as building and programming simple robots using VEX IQ. -
Sixth Grade
Sixth graders participate in a semester-long course to further explore and develop skills in technology, robotics, and 3D design and modeling. Students are exposed to the engineering design process, coding in new programming languages, building more robust robots using VEX IQ, and an introduction to 3D design and modeling. -
Seventh and Eighth Grade
Students in seventh and eighth grade may choose between four semester-long elective courses.
• Computer Science for Makers
• Automation and Robotics
• Medical Detectives
• Advanced CS, Robotics, and Modeling
Course descriptions can be found here.
High School STEM
High school students can continue to explore STEM areas of interest, or they can focus their course selection on one of three series of offerings. Check the categories below for course offerings by emphasis.
List of 5 items.
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Science: Biomedical Science
• Introduction to Biomedical Science
• Core science courses
• AP science courses
• STEM Senior Seminar
Course descriptions can be found here. -
Technology: Computer Science
• Introduction to Computer Science
• AP Computer Science Principles
• AP Computer Science A with Java
• STEM Senior Seminar
Course descriptions can be found here. -
Engineering
• Introduction to Engineering Design
• Honors Principles of Engineering
• Honors Construction, Engineering, and Architecture
• STEM Senior Seminar
Course descriptions can be found here. -
Math
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Annual Projects, Symposium, Showcase, and Senior Seminar
• Wesleyan Annual STEM Showcase is an annual competition for 10th-12th grade students in STEM specialization courses to showcase end-of-year architectural design, engineering design, and computer science projects
• Wesleyan Senior STEM Symposium is an annual competition required for 12th grade students in the culminating STEM Senior Seminar course to present the year-long Senior Design Project to a panel of judges. Seniors will also present at the Wesleyan STEM Showcase.
K-12 STEM Extracurriculars
Every Wesleyan student has the opportunity to participate in STEM activities after school. In lower school, students in grades kindergarten through fourth can participate in after school enrichment classes. In middle school, students in fifth grade can participate in after school Robotics explorations, while sixth through eighth students can join various STEM competition teams. In high school, students in ninth through twelfth can join numerous STEM competition teams.
List of 3 items.
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STEM Enrichment Classes: K-4
After school STEM enrichment classes are offered during certain semesters for kindergarten through fourth grade students. Click here to learn more. -
STEM Robotics Exploration: 5
Students in fifth grade can participate in after school Robotics explorations. -
STEM Wolves Competition Teams: 6-12
Middle School (Grades 6-8)- Middle School Technology Student Association (TSA) competes inter-scholastically in over 20 STEM-related categories.
- The Electric Wolves are the middle school VEX robotics teams, and their competitions focus on refining their robots to best complete the annual challenge established by VEX.
High School (Grades 9-12)- The Steel Wolves are the high school VEX robotics teams, and their competitions focus on refining their robots to best complete the annual challenge established by VEX.
- High school students also compete in TSA, Science Olympiad, and the annual Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering, and Innovation Fair, among others.
