Danielle Vetesnik

Artifact Title: STEM Farming

Date: October 1, 2013

Artifact description
Artifact 7 is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
farming unit plan, I was assigned to develop with help from three
other group members, for an Early Childhood Methods course at the
University of Wisconsin-Platteville. After researching the purpose of
STEM education, and learning how it is beneficial to early childhood
students, we created this unit plan for students in kindergarten to
demonstrate our understanding of STEM education, and how we
could implement it in our classrooms in the future.
Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment
Standard 7: Instructional Planning. The teacher plans instruction
based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community,
and curriculum goals. This artifact demonstrates my competency in
this standard because; in this unit plan I incorporated four subject
areas, while aligning them with the Common Core Standards, and
used community resources. During this unit, students will be learning
through hands on experiences, real life experiences, smart board
lessons, and power points. First, I create a foundation of learning by
asking students what they know about farming. Next, we discuss
popular dairy farms in Wisconsin and take a virtual tour of a dairy
farm. After that, we create lists of what we would need to create a
farm. Then, we visit a dairy farm to get a real life experience of what
it looks like, and what peoples roles consist of. Lastly, we build our
very own version of a dairy farm in our classroom. Throughout this
five-phase process students are using a variety of academic skills.
Students are specifically using science, math, engineering, and

technology skills, while they work together, research employment

opportunities and responsibilities of a dairy farm, create and build
props, draw the layout of the dairy farm, assign roles, and create a
work schedule for their dairy farm staff.
As a result of this experience, I understand how to build detailed
lesson plans that incorporate a variety of resources, and integrate
different subject areas.
UW Platteville knowledge, skills, disposition, alignment
KSD1.e: Designing Coherent Instruction. The candidate, with
appropriate student input has the ability to develop relevant, goaldirected, engaging, clear, and varied learning activities that progress
coherently and produce a unified instructional setting that reflects
recent professional research. The STEM Farming Unit is designed
for the teacher to facilitate student participation, cooperation, and
learning. During the later phases when students have their stations
created, and roles picked out, the teacher will model roles first for the
students. As the students are carrying out their roles, they are trying
to achieve the goal of each role. For example, the goal of the milker
is to milk ten cows.
As a result from this experience, I have a better understanding of
what it takes to design lessons, and units, with learning activities that
invite students to communicate, and engage in what they are doing.

Secondary KSDS
KSD1.c: Selecting Instructional Goals
KSD2.c: Managing Classroom Procedures
KSD3.c: Engaging Students in Learning

Personal Reflection
What I learned about teaching/ learning:
Since creating the STEM Farming Unit, I am even more convinced
that learning can happen anywhere with anything because students
are always being exposed to different concepts through this unit. I
learned that, by using resources available in the school district and
community, integrating instructional goals with real life scenarios, and
having a sequenced unit, students will be more engaged and be able
to answer their own questions. Furthermore, through experimenting
with roles and ideas facilitated by the teacher, students are able to
develop deeper understandings of the different concepts integrated in
the STEM unit.
Also from this experience, I learned that students would understand
the concepts presented better if they are relatable, and used in more
than one subject area.
What I learned about myself as a prospective educator:
As a result of this experience, I understand why it is important to keep
students interests in mind when developing a lesson or unit. This
STEM unit was geared toward a kindergarten level. However, now
that I have the skills to develop lesson plans that incorporate a variety
of content areas, while still maintaining clear instructional goals, I
could develop a lesson or unit like this that meets higher elementary
grade levels. During the designing of this lesson plan I learned that,
clear instructional goals, knowledge of subject matter and students,
and use of community resources, will give students the ability to be
experts in their learning process. Furthermore, I can be there to
support and facilitate that learning process.

From this experience, I feel confident that I can integrate a variety of

content areas successfully. Consequently, students will develop a
deeper understanding in the content or skill being presented.