Why Santiago STEAM Magnet?

Discover Why Families Choose Santiago STEAM Magnet School

In January 2018, Saddleback Valley Unified School District proudly approved Santiago Elementary to become a STEAM Magnet School. Since the 2018–2019 school year, we have embraced this honor by transforming learning experiences and creating outstanding outcomes for every student.

Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary—affectionately known as the “School Among the Trees”—is more than a school. It’s a close-knit community where students and families feel truly at home. With a focus on developing intelligent, creative, and compassionate young leaders, our dedicated staff collaborate daily to monitor student progress, implement research-based instructional strategies, and cultivate a welcoming, engaging environment.

Our STEAM Advantage

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education at Santiago is rooted in a creative, inquiry-driven approach that connects academic learning to real-world purpose. Through High Quality Project Based Learning (HQPBL), students engage in meaningful, hands-on projects designed by our talented educators—with room for student voice and choice. We even host an Ignite Night, a community event where students proudly present their work and practice real-world problem-solving and communication skills.

Supporting the Whole Child

We believe academic success must be paired with strong social-emotional development. Santiago integrates the Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program, the district’s Digital Citizenship curriculum (Common Sense Media), and the SVRespects initiative in SVUSD. Our on-campus Wellness Center offers a dedicated space to support students’ mental and emotional well-being.

College & Career Readiness Starts Early

From our vibrant Career Day—where local professionals inspire students with stories of their journeys—to schoolwide field trips to high schools, colleges, and universities across Southern California, we are planting seeds for future success. Every student, every year, gets a taste of higher education and career possibilities.

Innovation in Action

Our Innovation Lab is a hub of creativity and exploration. Students engage with VEX Robotics, LittleBits, Raspberry Pi, Drone Coding, 3D Printing, and much more. We also offer unique opportunities like pottery, sewing, and black-and-white photography. Lower grade students use iPads while upper grades dive deep with Chromebooks, all supporting essential 21st-century skills: research, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.

Powered by Partnership

Our incredible PTA plays a vital role in bringing our school to life. From the Ice Cream Social to Red Ribbon Week, Fall Festival, Jog-a-Thon, and Family Fun Nights, the PTA helps create memorable experiences for students and families alike. They’re also actively developing our outdoor learning environments, working hand-in-hand with partners like Home Depot, garden clubs, and Cal Poly Pomona’s Landscape Architecture program.

Stay Connected with Parent Square

At Santiago, communication matters. That’s why we use Parent Square, a multilingual app that keeps families informed with school updates, classroom news, event calendars, and volunteer opportunities—all in real time and in the language of your choice.

At Santiago STEAM Magnet, we’re not just preparing students for the next grade—we’re preparing them for the future. Come join our family and experience the innovation, care, and community that make our school truly exceptional.

STEAM and HQPBL

What is STEAM?
What is High-Quality Project Based Learning?

What is STEAM?

STEAM logo

STEAM Education focuses on integrating each element (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics into highly engaging projects that not only address our California Standards, but prepare students with the skills necessary for college and careers of the future. Students in our high-level STEAM school will work actively to solve problems, take ownership of their learning, and apply content in real-world contexts.

What is High-Quality Project Based Learning?

Santiago STEAM Magnet will focus on High Quality Project Based Learning to drive instruction throughout the day.

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. In Gold Standard PBL, projects are focused on student learning goals and include Essential Project Design Elements:

Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills - The project is focused on student learning goals, including standards-based content and skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and self-management.
Challenging Problem or Question - The project is framed by a meaningful problem to solve or a question to answer, at the appropriate level of challenge.
Sustained Inquiry - Students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding resources, and applying information.
Authenticity - The project features real-world context, tasks and tools, quality standards, or impact – or speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives.
Student Voice & Choice - Students make some decisions about the project, including how they work and what they create.
Reflection - Students and teachers reflect on learning, the effectiveness of their inquiry and project activities, the quality of student work, obstacles and how to overcome them.
Critique & Revision - Students give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products.
Public Product - Students make their project work public by explaining, displaying and/or presenting it to people beyond the classroom.

*From PBLWorks.org

High Quality Project Based Learning Units

Kindergarten

Unit Zero

Big Idea: My Place in the World- My Place in our Classroom- Welcome to School

Driving Question: What makes me special?

Project Storyline: I am special and unique. I come from an amazing family. I am a valued member of my new class and school community.

Kinder students come from many different cultural and academic backgrounds. Some will have gone to preschool and/or TK, and others will have not experienced any schooling at all yet. Some will have participated in classes and groups and teams, while others have not left their mother’s side. Regardless of their background, we want them to feel appreciated and welcomed.

*First Day/Week Pictures Post on Board with Student Strengths and change out for each project. “I am good at….!”

Final Deliverables:

By the end of the first week, Kinders will know how to post to Seesaw and will have five entries in their journal that show how unique and special they are.

Unit One

Big Idea: My Place In The World

Driving Question: What Do I Need From My World To Survive?

Project Storyline: Kinder students are naturally curious about the world around them. They love learning about animals and plants; they discover that they ARE an animal and so have the same survival needs. They explore how they have grown from a baby to a kinder because of their parents helping them get what they need to survive.

Students use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. Students will also begin to realize that humans depend on natural systems to survive (interdependence). They are also learning about the foundations of literacy, so they begin to understand book features, concepts of print, and how we share our ideas by writing them on paper and assembling our big book.

Final Deliverables:

Class Big Book that features individual student pages
The Living Song- performed at Ignite Night with projects 1 and 2

Unit Two

Big Idea: My Place In The World. How do I change the environment to meet my needs?

Driving Question: How do my choices affect plants and animals?

Project Storyline: Students have learned (in project 1) what plants and animals (including humans) need to grow and survive. Through this project they will begin to realize that humans depend on natural systems to survive (interdependence). Plants, animals, and humans depend on each other for food and shelter. Humans can make choices to affect or not affect the environment around them.

Students expand their understanding of concepts of print. They learn about features of informational text, and explore the roles of authors and illustrators. By the end of the project they become authors and illustrators of their own informational book.

Final Deliverables:

Individual Student Books, displayed at Ignite Night along with Class Big Book.
Perform “It is Living Song.”

Unit Three

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: Why do I observe weather?

Storyline: Students learned in Projects 1 and 2 how humans and animals seek to get the things they need to survive. In order to take shelter from the elements of weather, we need to notice and track weather patterns. We watch and listen to weather forecasters to find out what the weather will be tomorrow, this week, and next week. We can keep ourselves comfortable and safe if we observe and track the weather.

Students begin to describe the weather in qualitative terms (sunny, cloudy, windy, etc) and to record and track weather data. They practice describing the weather and by the end of the project they can deliver their own one-week weather report.

Final Deliverables:

Students make a video presentation of our class weather chart and a written “script” of one week of weather (icons and labels) and a complete sentence
Perform: "What’s the Weather?" Song and learn “Check out the Weather” song

Unit Four

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: How do I use patterns to describe weather? (seasons)

Storyline: In Project 3, students learned to describe weather in qualitative terms (sunny, cloudy, windy, etc) and to record and track weather data. We learn that we watch and listen to weather forecasters to find out what the weather will be tomorrow, this week, and next week. We can keep ourselves comfortable and safe if we observe and track the weather.

Now students will begin to notice and record weather quantitatively on a temperature weather graph. They will begin to look closely at seasonal weather patterns and to understand that we can use those predictable patterns to prepare for major weather events (rainstorms, Santa Ana winds, etc.)

Final Deliverables:

Group 4 Seasons of a Tree Art (with green screen) and group presentation
Students learn and perform The Four Seasons Song.

Unit Five

Big Idea: My Place In This World

Driving Question: How am I affected by sunlight?

Storyline: In Projects 3 and 4, students learned about how to observe weather conditions (qualitatively) and temperature (quantitatively). They learned to record their observations and notice weather patterns (seasons). Within their study of seasons, they learned about how the earth tilts on its axis toward the sun. Consequently, we have the most hours of daylight and warmest temperatures in summer and the least in winter.

In Project 5, students will study the role of the sun (connecting to photosynthesis in project 2) and its effects on living things. They begin to understand that we rely on the sun for so many things on our earth, but we also need to protect ourselves from its rays. We can use our observations of the sun to protect ourselves.

Final Deliverables:

Model of a shelter for an animal (animal made out of UV beads) that will protect it from the effects of sunlight
Performance of “You Are My Sunshine.”

Unit Six

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: How do I make responsible choices?

Storyline: I can make responsible choices to protect natural resources in my world.

In Projects 1 and 2, students learned all about the needs of humans, plants, and animals for growth and survival. Towards the end of Project 2, they began to explore cause and effect- how all living things are interdependent upon each other for growth and survival. In Project 6, they will really dive deep into how humans in particular affect other animals and plants- and how we can make responsible choices to protect the things we care about.

Final Deliverables:

Collaborative model of a project to save resources, with a poster and opinion writing piece
Artwork to accompany the song “It’s a Wonderful World.”

Unit Seven

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: How can I make changes or find solutions?

Storyline: I can change force or direction to affect an object.

In Project 6 we began to explore cause and effect. In Project 7 students conduct trials and make observations about forces and motions and how they can affect an object with pushes and pulls-- and different strength levels.

Final Deliverables:

Students set up a course to rescue an animal (decorated golf ball) from a flood
Students must get that golf ball into a cup (at a higher level)

Unit Eight

Big Idea: My Place In The World

Driving Question: How can I tell if my change or solution is effective?

Storyline: I can use pushes, pulls, and direction changes to avoid obstacles and get a ball through a maze.

In Project 7 students conducted trials and made observations about forces and motions and how they could affect an object with pushes and pulls-- and different strength levels.

This work continues in Project 8 as students learn to use force to affect changes in direction. Students collect data to show if their changes were effective, and explain how the final solution works.

Final Deliverables:

A course to get an animal safely to food while avoiding a predator (with 3 other objects in its path)
Write a narrative to describe the animal’s journey through the course
Code Ozobots to tell the story of the course

First Grade

Unit One

Big Idea: My Place in the Universe

Driving Questions: What are the different types of communities and how are they established? How can we create and design a community that is safe and successful for all?

Project Storyline: I am going on a journey through time. I am on a journey of self-discovery to find how I became part of the universe...how I fit in the universe, why I look the way I do and others do.

I am going on a journey through time to discover the connections between my family and my community members.

Through this journey, I will learn how my familial background can support the contributions I make to my community through my beliefs, traditions, and customs.

I will learn how parents and offspring belong to their own communities and how they support and contribute to their environments in order to be successful.

With my team, we will create our own community. Our community will include locations and buildings necessary for all living things to follow the rules, rights, and responsibilities created by our team to support a successful community of living things.

I can design, construct, and explain what is necessary in a community, so it is beneficial to the success of all living things.

Final Deliverables:

Build representations of a community, featuring models of specific places that help make a community successful.
Presentations via Green Screen Technology and QR Codes.

Unit Two

Big Idea: Communication in the Changing Universe

Driving Questions: How can light and sound be used to solve problems with communication over a distance?

Project Storyline: From long ago until now, my universe has been communicating through light and sound. I am exploring how light and sound has been a communication tool over time, so that I can discover ways to communicate over distance to others.

Final Deliverables:

Create codes to communicate messages using light and sound.
- Communicate:
  - feelings (Happy, Sad, Worried)
  - weather (Sunny, Rainy, Windy)
  - special event (Birthday, Marriage, Holiday), etc.
  - emergency/safe
  - choice
- Student choice:
  - Recycled/ Found Material Instruments and Light sources
  - Technology Resources (Raspberry Pi, Makey Makey, LittleBits, Ozobots)

Unit Three

Big Idea: Survival in the Changing Universe: Survival on Earth (Biomimicry), Laws and Community

Driving Questions: How can we design a device that provides a solution to a given human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use external structures to survive, grow, and/or meet their needs?

Project Storyline: Teams select an animal/plant to study. Students will learn about the external structures of an animal or a plant that helps them to survive, grow, and/or adapt to their environment. By learning about an animal or plants external structures, students will be able to make a connection to human problems that have been solved by mimicking an animal and plant adaptation. They will then develop a solution to a human problem by mimicking the plant or animal structure that they have been researching.

Final Deliverables:

Students design a device that provides a solution to the given human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use external structures to survive, grow, and/or meet their needs. (Slide HyperDoc to present on Ignite Night)

Second Grade

Unit Zero

Big Idea: Celebrating Diversity

Driving Questions: How can we celebrate diversity?

Project Storyline: In this project, students will identify themes and topics related to their families, communities, and cultures, interview their families and local community members, and capture photos. They will use the interviews and photos to develop photographic essays that visually document local cultural and social stories.

Final Deliverables:

Community Photojournalist Photo Essay Project

Unit One

Big Idea: Erosion Design Solutions

Driving Questions: How can we prevent and reduce the impacts wind and water have on the earth’s surface?

Project Storyline: Students will Zoom with a geologist to launch the project. Students will watch the anchoring phenomenon and develop questions using the QFT Protocol. IN collaborative groups, students will participate in the investigative phenomenon. Students will research erosion, causes and solutions. Students will build a model of their erosion solution. Students will present their models to experts, classmates and parents.

Final Deliverables:

Erosion Solution Engineering Proposal

Unit Two

Big Idea: Climate Change

Driving Questions: How can humans impact the environment?

Project Storyline: Second grade students will read and connect science texts and utilize other science resources (videos, interviews with experts, songs) about quick and slow changes to the earth, including how the heating of the earth affects the habitats of humans, plants, and animals. Students will also explore how food production and consumption impact our environment and how limits on resources affect production and consumption. Students will participate in shared research, collaborative conversations and present their knowledge and ideas through dramatization and informative/explanatory writing. They will read and analyze data from bar graphs and picture graphs. Students will learn how to work cooperatively, respect similarities and differences of group members, and ask for help from adults (teacher, experts).

Final Deliverables:

TED Talk
Podcast
Zoom
Green Screen
- Recycling
- Composting
- Greenhouse Gases
- Renewable Energy Sources (wind, solar, water)
- Sustainability

Unit Three

Big Idea: Food Sustainability

Driving Questions: How can we make informed choices as producers and consumers?

Project Storyline: TBD

Final Deliverables:

Design Farm Box with recipes

Unit Four

Big Idea: Systems & Interactions

Driving Questions: How can living things interact with and depend on each other?

Project Storyline: Students will understand systems and the interactions that happen within those systems through observing interactions plants have with the sun and environment, how plants depend upon animals for seed dispersal and pollination, how animals work together within an ecosystem to meet their needs, how our system of government works and how we interact within our system of government, and how our system of government interacts with other nations.

Final Deliverables:

Pollinator Engineering and Proposal

Unit Five

Big Idea: Habitat Biodiversity

Driving Questions: How can biodiversity be preserved in habitats?

Project Storyline: Second grade students will be able to identify different landforms and bodies of water on Earth and use the elements and principles of art to create a piece of art that depicts the illusion of depth using overlapping shapes, relative size, and placement within a picture. Students will extend their knowledge of repetition in art to reading, writing, and performing simple rhythmic patterns using eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, and rests on classroom instruments and poetry in Language Arts.They will be exposed to different types of maps and be able to articulate what maps are useful for. They will also be able to apply their knowledge of maps and map elements (such as title, legend, directional indicator, scale, and date) to create their own treasure maps. Students will understand that humans live in habitats in communities. Students will be diving into the different habitats found around the planet, making observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in those different habitats.

Final Deliverables:

Zoo Habitat Models

Unit Six

Big Idea: Solving Problems in Our Environment With Technology

Driving Questions: How can we use technology to solve problems in our environment?

Project Storyline: Students will explore the character traits of heroes and innovators.

Final Deliverables:

Junior STEAM "Shark Tank"

Third Grade

Unit Zero

Big Idea: Building Community

Driving Questions: How can we change the world?

Project Storyline: Every young child dreams about changing the world. What they don't yet understand is that the biggest way to make an impact globally is by thinking and acting locally. By understanding changes they can make within themselves and with their own actions in their own community, they will become equipped with the tools they need to carve out the future that they dream of.

Final Deliverables:

Class Quilt

Individual student squares. What are you inspired by? What goals and dreams do you have for the short-term and long-term future? Parts of a Whole.

We put this up on our project wall for the whole year, keep referring to it as we grow our goals as individuals and as a class.

Unit One

Big Idea: Discovering My Perspective

Driving Questions: How can we understand identity?

Project Storyline: Every individual has various traits that make them who they are. When we begin to understand diverse perspectives, we discover our similarities and differences. Stories, observations, and interviews provide data to inform our understanding of who we are. When we focus our inquiry on the variations in the data we collect, we can tell a compelling story about our own unique self.

Final Deliverables:

Publish an original story about a character trait you possess.

Unit Two

Big Idea: Representing Who We Are

Driving Questions: How can communities express their collective identity?

Project Storyline: TBD

Final Deliverables:

Create a work of art that represents our Santiago community's collective identity, such as a school song or mural.

Unit Three

Big Idea: Promoting Community Health

Driving Questions: How can individuals and communities support each other?

Project Storyline: We are not alone. We have each other to rely on. Recognizing our individual and collective strength empowers us to make an impact on members of our community. Through strategic community outreach surveys, we can plan effective supports that promote the health and wellness of individuals. By taking care of each other, we are strengthening our whole community.

Final Deliverables:

Establish an advice column with a clear plan on how to maintain the publication.

Unit Four

Big Idea: Observing Nature

Driving Questions: How can we preserve ecological knowledge?

Project Storyline: Environmental stewards use traditional ecological knowledge and scientific practices to understand and interact with nature around them. Native Californians have developed practices based on the geography and climate of the region that they tend to. Wildlife biologists create partnerships with public and private agencies to advocate for the health of local organisms.

Final Deliverables:

Pitch Santiago Outdoor Learning Space plan to the principal, PTA president, parent in charge of outdoor environmental space - attach student artifacts to 360 Thinglink of the space

Fourth Grade

Unit Zero

Big Idea: Self and Community

Driving Questions: How do I reveal myself to others? How can I influence my community?

Project Storyline: Animals are surviving in extreme environments with the use of structures. Humans and their habitats are constantly being affected by natural disasters and climate change. How can we survive?

Final Deliverables:

Unit One

Big Idea: Adaptations in California Regions

Driving Questions: How did the first people survive in California?

Project Storyline: Our story begins with a traveler entering California, who was sent on a Mission to explore the state and its natural resources to determine the best place to settle and start a new town. Their mission is to explore and map out the four regions of California along with their natural resources and their wildlife. Along the way they will meet Native people and learn about how they have adapted to their specific climate and environment. During this journey the traveler will gather data about rainfall (noting the importance of water for each region) and populations based on each region. They will observe plants and wildlife and note the similarities and differences from the other regions. The traveler should bring back artifacts from each region that is culturally significant to the region. Based on the plant and animal adaptations that you have observed state your opinion which region is the best for a human to adapt in and survive.

Final Deliverables:

Given the climate of a specific region, create an animal and plant with the external and internal structures needed to survive in the changing region.

Unit Two

Big Idea: Earth's Systems

Driving Questions: How has California's landscape and people changed over time?

Project Storyline: California’s history has had many changes over time. There are rock formation changes. Political Changes, Culture changes, and changes of people. This is a story about a rock that lives in the same region over thousands of years. Where has this rock been and what has it seen over the course of its time?

Final Deliverables:

Create a children’s book about a rock in California. You will be reading it to your 2nd grade buddy. What kind of Rock are you? Where are you located? What could you be used for? Where do you travel through the state? What people do you interact with? This could be a play, a story a comic book.

Unit Three

Big Idea: Earth's Systems

Driving Questions: How does erosion affect daily like in California?

Project Storyline: The students will be going on a journey to California in the Oregon Trail, through the Isthmus of Panama or around Cape Horn. Noticing the geography of the land - Why are there mountains? Where are the mountains? When students end up in California, who are the people they see and what is life like? The student is asked to present an editorial newspaper to tell the world about their journey, about California.

Final Deliverables:

Where would you choose to build in Trabuco Canyon and why?
BOSCH Construction GROUPS
BOSCH Essay
Editorial Newspaper- How did you get to California? What was your journey like?
OZOBOT MAP PROJECT

Unit Four

Big Idea: Energy

Driving Questions: Cause and Effect: How do people use energy for daily life?

Project Storyline: As we continue through California’s story, there is so much more change to witness and encounter. As we welcome California into the Union what National and International events affect the political, cultural, industrial and agricultural changes does California undergo? And what do the people need to survive in California?

Final Deliverables:

Design, Test and Build a Device that converts one form of energy to complete a task.
Scratch Wave Model
Makey Makey poster on Energy Sources

Unit Five

Big Idea: Earth and Human Activity

Driving Questions: How do we get and use fuel and energy for transportation and communication?

Project Storyline: Timeline of transportation and communication throughout California History

Final Deliverables:

Create a solution to reduce the impact on Earth using natural resources.
Create a product that uses renewable energy for everyday needs.
Create a interactive timeline (Moment, Scene) - California walk through - Native Americans, Explorers, Missionaries, Rancheros, Miners, Immigrant Workers

Fifth Grade

Unit Zero

Big Idea: Creating Community

Driving Questions: How can we promote and establish a successful classroom community?

Project Storyline: As students return from summer break, we will use the first two weeks to build a classroom community while tying in the United States government through the U.S. Constitution. Through interactive read alouds, videos, and class discussions, students will understand how creating norms in our classroom can help establish a positive, equitable community where all students have the opportunity to learn and grow. Students will also imagine what their ideal community might look like by designing their own utopia. This will also be a time for students to share how they are unique contributors to our classroom community.

Final Deliverables:

Students will collaborate to write a class constitution using their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, the Preamble, and the videos/examples of communities working together. This will serve as our class constitution for the year.

Unit One

Big Idea: Interactions: Ecosystems and Energy

Driving Questions: How can we as environmental stewards advocate for and help protect the biodiversity in our local coastal ecosystem?

Project Storyline: Students can identify the parts of an ecosystem - the biotic and abiotic components. Students will be able to explain how these biotic and abiotic factors integrate and rely on each other. In addition to explaining how matter cycles through non-living and living parts of the ecosystem, students will also explain why it is important to protect these ecosystems and how our actions and inactions can affect these ecosystems.

Final Deliverables:

Create a deliverable advocating for the protection of one of our local coaster ecosystems - Crystal Cove Marine Protected Area. Create a call to action (PSA, posters, video, infographic, etc.) to advocate for the protection of our local coastal ecosystems.
Each PSA will be presented to the ranger at Crystal Cove and other PORTS staff. However, it is up to the teacher to determine how the PSAs will be shared publicly beyond that. Another suggestion is to host an event where families are invited to come and see the PSAs students generated. (Ignite Night?)
Students will choose what format to create their PSA. Possibilities:

Hand drawn informational posters
Digitally design informational posters
Infographics created with digital tools
30-60 second PSA video (could be a stop animation video)
Other (students may generate another possible idea)

Unit Two

Big Idea: Nature's Recyclers

Driving Questions: How can we spread awareness about composting and its benefits to our school community?

Project Storyline: Students will trace the flow of energy and matter in ecosystems. They will investigate the needs of plants (air and water). Students will explain how decomposers play an integral role in cycling matter in an ecosystem. Students will use their knowledge as environmental stewards to become community advocates. Students will use their knowledge of the interaction of matter in an ecosystem to explain how composting works. They will use their knowledge of decomposers and other organisms in an ecosystem to research material, sketch a model, develop a plan, and construct their own compost box. Then, they will educate our school about composting at Santiago.

Final Deliverables:

Students will create composting boxes for our school garden and educate the school to show how we compost at Santiago.

Unit Three

Big Idea: Water on Earth/Earth's Water System

Driving Questions: How can we as a community conservationists implement improvements in order to protect our limited fresh-water resources?

Project Storyline: Water is one of Earth's most important resources. A majority of Earth is covered in water, only 3 percent of that is fresh water, most of which is frozen. Water moves through the hydrosphere and interacts with Earth’s other systems. Students will learn how humans negatively impact water resources. They will investigate how human activity can affect Earth’s ecosystems by introducing pollution into the water supply and other parts of the ecosystem. Students will learn about conservation efforts focusing on using drinking water and using water resources wisely.

Final Deliverables:

Create a freshwater/rainwater or gray water collection system. Explain the process and how to implement at home/schools in the community.

Unit Four

Big Idea: Modeling matter: The Chemistry of Food

Driving Questions: How do we as food scientists work to ensure that the food we eat here at Santiago is safe, healthy, affordable, tasty, and convenient?

Project Storyline: In the role of food scientists working for Good Food Production, Inc., students are introduced to the idea that all matter is made of particles too small to see and that each different substance is made of particles (molecules) that are unique. Students are then challenged to solve two problems: One problem requires them to separate a mixture, and the other problem requires them to make unmixable substances mix. Students are challenged to use the particulate model of matter to explain their work to the president of the company. In so doing, students figure out that the properties of materials are related to the properties of the nanoparticles that make up those materials. By the end of the unit, students will understand that there is a connection between the observable properties of materials and the properties of the molecules of which those materials are composed. Students will also be able to explain a variety of things that can happen when two substances are mixed, at both the observable scale and the nanoscale.

Final Deliverables:

Establish a garden using compost soil
Weekly Cooking Show to share out to school
Matter and its Properties Musical

Unit Five

Big Idea: Patterns of Earth and Sky

Driving Questions: How can we as astronomers use ancient artifacts to learn about patterns of the Earth and sky?

Project Storyline: Taking on the role of astronomers, students figure out what the missing piece of a recently discovered artifact might have depicted. As they learn about the sun and other stars and the movement of Earth, students can explain what is shown on the artifact and what might be on the missing piece. Students will design an astronomy event to share with the school through astronomy stations.

Final Deliverables:

Design an artifact that represents the repeating pattern of daytime and nighttime. The artifact will show the patterns of constellations during different times of the year. Students will then present this deliverable, as well as their other deliverables, during our astronomy stations.

Sixth Grade

Unit One

Big Idea: Organisms, their makeup, and their interactions with each other and their environment for survival

Driving Questions: Why are there differences in structures of living things and civilizations?

Project Storyline: All organisms and organizations have diverse structures that form them that serve a specific function that ensures survival. Living things are made of cells (made up of organelles), which form tissues, that form organs, that form organ systems -- each with its own function that ensures survival. Civilizations are made of societies, government, and religions -- each with its own function that ensures its survival. Systems must function for the government to work. Like organisms, governments adapt to their environment and develop differently in different parts of the world.

Students choose a system they wish to compare a cell to. Students will create an explanation of the comparison of parts and a model to present. Presentation can be google slides which can be imbedded with videos, speech bubbles, visuals. Focusing on good presentation components and skills. Students can interview experts (mechanics, store clerk, parents), watch videos, read text (internet), to gain information on cell components and their system.

Body system project: Experts to consult (ask questions)-- nurse, occupational therapist, personal trainer, nutritionist, doctor, chiropractor.

Education Youtubers -- Medlife crisis

Civilization: Local government leaders to speak about structure of government.

Final Deliverables:

Create your own nation, with its own government and religious structures to support the values and beliefs of their citizens.

Unit Two

Big Idea: An organism’s survival depends upon its genetic makeup and the environment in which it lives.

Driving Questions: How and why do organisms survive in their environment? How and why do civilizations survive?

Project Storyline: Plants and animals need to reproduce to ensure the survival of the species. Genetic factors and environment affect survival.

Final Deliverables:

Create a model that predicts the genetic variation of an offspring of two parents with different traits.
Create a genetic animal that reproduces offspring that will survive in an environment you create.

Unit Three

Big Idea: Humans impact Earth’s systems. Within a natural system, the transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter.

Driving Questions: Why is predicting weather useful?

Project Storyline: Humans use their knowledge of Earth’s systems to solve problems that help them adapt to their environments. In doing so, humans impact Earth’s Systems.

Final Deliverables:

Design something that uses water as an energy source, or
Use energy to move water from one location to another.

Unit Four

Big Idea: Weather Patterns Impact Earth’s Systems

Driving Questions: How can we promote and establish a successful classroom community?

Project Storyline: In this unit students will investigate the causes of weather and its impact on climate. Students will gain an understanding of how air masses and weather currents cause weather patterns. Predicting these currents and patterns within Earth’s atmosphere is a powerful tool that can affect the outcome of drought, etc. which affects civilization.

Final Deliverables:

Newscast set in an ancient civilization. Newscast to include a weather forecast and what the people of the civilization should do prior to the event to affect the outcome (lessen the effects of a drought, etc) - explore what the civilization could do if they could predict weather like we can today. The newscast should include an editorial, and a human interest story (historical narrative).

Unit Five

Big Idea: Curiosity and questioning create innovation to solve problems.

Driving Questions: How does Earth inspire human endeavors? What real-world problem are you inspired to solve?

Project Storyline: Man has used human energy to develop ways to solve problems created by Earth’s systems and structures. They were fascinated by the elements Earth, wind, fire, water. Since the beginning of time, man has been trying to overcome/harness these things by being builders and creators.

Final Deliverables:

Create something that solves a problem. Include a product pitch to market your device and lure investors.

Unit Six

Big Idea: Humans can/do impact the environment. Just because we can, should we?

Driving Questions: How can we ensure we have a positive impact on Mother Earth? What causes climate change?)

Project Storyline: Humans are a part of Earth’s biosphere. Of all the organisms in the biosphere, humans have the greatest ability to affect Mother Earth.

Final Deliverables:

Create your own civilization with an environmental heart.