Montague Township School District
STEM Curriculum Guide
Grade 3
2025-2026
Kayte Snyder
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Description
Computer Science and Design Thinking at Montague School integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on exploration and investigation. Students apply the engineering design process to identify problems, test solutions, and revise their work iteratively. The curriculum emphasizes that failure is a learning opportunity and develops both technical skills and teamwork competencies. Across the year, students work with principles of engineering, coding, properties of materials and design, forces and energy, biomimicry, and digital tools. Assessment focuses on authentic, real-world problem-solving through observation, discussion, and project-based learning rather than traditional testing.
Big Ideas
- The engineering design process guides thinking and problem-solving through multiple iterations and refinement.
- Failure is the first attempt in learning and provides data for improvement.
- Scientific observation, testing, and data analysis inform design decisions.
- Teamwork and communication are essential skills for solving complex problems.
- Technology and design principles exist throughout the natural and human-made world.
Essential Questions
- How do engineers identify and solve problems?
- How do science and mathematics work together to create solutions?
- How can natural designs inspire human engineering?
- What makes a design successful and how can it be improved?
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Earth and Space Sciences
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Algorithms and Programming
Computing Systems
Data and Analysis
Engineering Design
Ethics and Culture
Interaction of Technology and Humans
Nature of Technology
Digital Literacy
Geometry
Measurement
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Students write in science notebooks, create digital stories about plants and animals, and communicate findings through word processing documents and presentations. Students read and interpret informational texts about engineering design and natural systems.
Students measure and record data, create bar graphs and pictographs, calculate area and perimeter, apply multiplication and division to solve engineering problems, and analyze patterns in test results. Students use measurement tools and represent data visually.
Students investigate climate change, environmental impacts, and design solutions to address community and global challenges. Students examine how innovation and entrepreneurship lead to solutions for real-world problems.
Assessment in STEM uses multiple formats including observations of student problem-solving, class discussions around design choices, hands-on testing and prototyping, data collection and graphing, and project-based demonstrations. Students are assessed on their ability to apply science and mathematics to solve problems, evaluate testing results, analyze data, improve designs, work effectively in teams, show persistence, communicate ideas, and transfer STEM practices to other subjects. Formative assessments occur throughout units via do-nows, discussions, and design iterations. Summative assessments include final prototypes, written reports, digital presentations, and benchmark assessments tied to specific concepts such as gear ratios, electrical circuits, and Pascal's principle.