The acronym STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In the 2010 State of the Union address, the President of the United States emphasized the need for advancing educational initiatives in the areas of math and science. While the US remains the world leader in scientific research and discovery, economists have noted that foreign countries have created competition for jobs by making significant advances in STEM industries. Since we know our economy is driven by innovation, more than ever before, we need to equip our children with STEM skills so that they are prepared to compete in the global marketplace.
At Jack Anderson, we are preparing our students to be college and career ready by providing a curriculum emphasizing STEM opportunities at an early age. Our STEM lab is a dedicated space for teachers to encourage discovery, critical thinking, exploratory learning, use of technology, and to actively engage our students in hands-on problem solving activities.
Our Mission
Jack Anderson Elementary is committed to:
- enriching every student, every day, in integrated learning experiences that are relevant and necessary for the next level of success.
- empowering learners to interact with purposeful dialogue as they ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve.
- ensuring a collaborative culture exists to increase the capacity of staff as we evolve in professional and leadership opportunities.
- entrusting strong community partners who provide guidance and assistance ncecessary for sustaining innovative progress.
Our STEM Goals
- To continue to implement a STEM curriculum that creates STEM literate students who define problems, problem-solve, test, and make improvements both in collaborative teams and individually using science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
- To fund weekly K-5 STEM problem-solving challenges.
- To continue free before and after school enrichment opportunities to reach under-represented groups in STEM fields.
- To continue to provide STEM professional development to support ongoing STEM integration across content areas.
- To facilitate one STEM speaker per quarter per grade group.
- To increase STEM community partners to fund the STEM program.
JAE STEM Lab
The STEM lab initiative is financially supported by our parents, PTO, and our before/after school program, Jags Tree House. The lab is equipped with 24 iPads, stainless steel lab tables and stools, numerous educational models, and an abundance of science and mathematics resources to promote STEM collaborative exploration.
STEM Outdoor Classroom
The STEM Outdoor Classroom allows two classrooms of students to utilize the open-air space simultaneously. The classroom contains mostly native species of plants and has all of the necessary components to make it a certified Monarch Waystation. The space, which can also be used as a weather station, is equipped with a rain barrel, and other scientific testing instruments to help students learn about weather, plant life-cycles, environmental resource management, and sustainability.
Sponsored by the school’s PTO, the classroom was designed by local landscape architect R. Hartley Scott of Long Hollow Gardens and Nursery in Gallatin. Both the design and most of the plant materials were donated by Long Hollow Gardens and Nursery, and their experienced staff is a STEM learning partner for the school’s growing STEM program. Other partners and supporters in the Outdoor Classroom project include the Sumner County Schools Maintenance Department, The Memorial Foundation, The Sutt Family, Botsko Builders, Garrott Brothers, Stark Truss, Inc., Eagle Scout Matthew Flood & Troop 75, Northern Middle Tennessee FCA, Gupton Motors, Inc., 84 Lumber, Tabor Dental, and TCS Roofing.