This post helps educators get started with storytelling in STEM by providing six free, ready-to-use STEM lesson resources, including GRASPS scenarios and printable activities. Storytelling enhances STEM education by making science, technology, engineering, and math more relatable and engaging. The power of storytelling in STEM lies in its ability to spark curiosity and create connections, inspiring students to explore STEM subjects with enthusiasm.
While many busy teachers struggle with time constraints, they also face the challenge of creating captivating STEM lessons that meet the necessary standards. Similarly, students who find STEM subjects complicated or intimidating may need assistance forming a meaningful connection with the material.
Fortunately, there is a powerful tool that educators can use to make STEM more accessible and engaging for all learners, particularly at the elementary level: The Power of Storytelling in STEM.
This blog post will explore how stories can be leveraged to teach STEM topics effectively. By combining narratives with STEM concepts, educators can create engaging lessons that enable students to connect with the material on a deeper level. I tend to focus on upper elementary and lower middle school students, but you can use these resources for other grade levels as well.
So, what exactly is the power of storytelling in STEM? How can educators harness this resource to create effective and engaging lessons? Let’s dive in and explore how stories can enhance STEM education.
Using GRASPS to Harness The Power of Storytelling in STEM
The GRASPS model, developed by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, is a framework for creating student-centered, inquiry-based learning experiences.
Their best-selling book, Understanding By Design (commonly referred to as UbD), covers the philosophy behind the GRASPS model. The authors advocate for the design of meaningful and authentic learning experiences for students.
In a STEM-based GRASPS, students create something (usually a product) to solve a problem for a client/audience. Designing and creating physical solutions can make learning more tangible and applicable to real-world situations.
The GRASPS acronym stands for:
- Goal: What is the problem to be solved?
- Role: What role will students assume in this STEM learning experience? Who are they?
- Audience: Who will students be solving this problem for?
- Situation: What is the context or scenario for this learning experience?
- Product/Performance: What will students create to solve the problem?
- Standards and Criteria for Success: What are the critical design specifications of a successful solution?
The GRASPS is a valuable tool for educators to connect the vital elements of a context and create a compelling story for a STEM project or activity. This model helps teachers frame a scenario as a brief story in which students are the main characters with a problem-solving purpose!
Engaging Students with The Power of Storytelling in STEM
Encouraging students to visualize themselves as the main characters in a story can work wonders in terms of enhancing their interest and comprehension. By immersing themselves in the narrative, students can more easily relate to the material and more deeply engage with the subject matter. This technique can create a more enjoyable and effective learning experience. The longer the lesson, the greater the GRASPS’s importance in initiating and maintaining buy-in. A GRASPS provides a clear framework to guide students through a successful STEM project or activity.
Writing a GRASPS scenario can be a solid starting point for teachers when developing a unit. It can help organize resources and ensure the lesson aligns with the intended learning outcomes. The brief nature of the GRASPS makes it a time-efficient tool for creating lessons as well.
GRASPS Performance Task Examples
There are many GRASPS resources online to draw inspiration. Author and educator Jay McTighe shares math and social studies examples for educators to create project-based learning activities. The sentence starter statements he shares for each part of the GRASPS offer teachers ways to get their thinking going when writing a scenario.
The Product in GRASPS
Suppose you need to figure out what students could make to solve a STEM problem (i.e., the Product). This PDF resource also offers 80-ish ideas separated into three categories: written, oral, and visual.
An actual physical product is an excellent option to strengthen engagement and show evidence of STEM learning. Physical manifestations of learning through the creation of products can reveal hidden skills and easily showcase thinking for stakeholders. For example, during a special event at school where parents visit the classroom, presenting an actual physical product like an aluminum foil boat or a paper helicopter can be an exciting way to engage visitors. These authentic creations show parents what students have learned in STEM, highlighting their skills and creativity.
GRASPS Model Visual Example
Presenting the GRASPS to your students can be done in many ways. When I taught MYP Design, I wrote the document to be at most one page and chunked the text by each component of the GRASPS. Text formatting, such as bold or more prominent font, can help reading comprehension by emphasizing essential words or ideas, making them easier to find and remember. Providing the GRASPS in physical and digital formats makes it easier for students to use and get into the scenarios.
I like to print the GRASPS on paper and then glue them onto corrugated cardboard. One document per student table provides easy access. The cardboard feel can make the scenario more tangible, official, and important. Plus, it’s cheap and takes little time to set up.
Instructional Graphics
Creating a digital presentation with clear and simple graphics for each part of the GRASPS is very helpful for buy-in and comprehension. For English Language Learners (ELLs), visuals can be especially beneficial in reducing language barriers, aiding in understanding new concepts, and providing a more inclusive STEM story learning experience.
Here are two GRASPS examples as digital presentations with visuals:
- Aluminum Foil Watercraft Prototype for the Three Little Pigs (12 Slides)
- Mars Helicopter Prototype (7 Slides)
Incorporating multimedia elements like pictures and videos makes learning more engaging and enjoyable. I prefer the minimum amount of visuals to boost engagement and interest. It’s worth noting that Mayer’s multimedia theory states adding too many pictures or videos to teaching materials can make learning more challenging. That is, too much to look at and process makes it difficult for students to retain information. Mayer and Moreno’s (2003) research shows that removing unnecessary visuals helps students understand better.
While creating visuals may take more time, the process of designing them can also clarify an educator’s thinking about the lesson and result in more effective teaching. I’m currently using The Noun Project for line art, and it’s been simple and solid for creating visuals for my instructional materials. They offer educators a discount as well!
GRASPS Success Criteria
The power of storytelling in STEM requires that students engage in meaningful tasks. In contrast, traditional learning and assessment focus on content coverage and recall.
Alison Yang makes a great point about leveraging the power of the GRASPS. She contrasts what not to do with what should be done with regard to the success criteria in the GRASPS.
Success criteria should focus on what the student should do to meet the goal in their role as described in the GRASPS. It should not reference the assessment that you may be using for feedback and grades.
The GRASPS Helps with Metacognition
Alison Yang also emphasizes the GRASPS’s power in developing metacognition. By grappling with a STEM-related problem, students better understand what is required of them, thereby reflecting on their strengths and reducing confusion. Focusing on another’s needs while acting in a specific role naturally promotes self-assessment while getting at the best possible solution.
Solving problems for others opens doors for empathy. Empathy involves the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. Metacognition consists of the ability to understand one’s own thoughts and feelings. Empathy and metacognition may be two sides of the same coin! Utilizing STEM-related tools like the GRASPS framework to cultivate metacognition and empathy can foster a caring and inclusive classroom environment.
Books and STEM Activities
In upper elementary and lower middle schools, chapter book studies often involve a combination of individual reading, group discussions, and written assignments. Chapter book studies are typically done in an English language arts class.
The power of storytelling in STEM can be achieved through fictional stories that explore scientific concepts or real-life examples that showcase the practical applications of engineering. Regardless, in almost any story, you can find a problem to be solved where a STEM-based solution applies. The University of British Columbia cites multiple examples of the power of storytelling in STEM, especially for girls.
Engineering in STEM
As a balance to the language arts learning in stories, STEM is a great fit. I prefer to focus on the engineering part of STEM. At its heart, engineering is problem-solving. It is the driver to leverage science, math, and even technology to develop solutions by designing and building things that work efficiently and effectively. Since engineering naturally incorporates the other STEM areas well, try focusing on the power of storytelling in STEM as an engineering problem.
But not just any engineering problem. Engineer a solution to focus on the A in the GRASPS–the audience. Make the audience’s life better by choosing a meaningful problem to solve for them. Choose a relevant story or narrative that resonates with the students and has a relatable character facing a challenge or problem that can be addressed through STEM. The story should evoke empathy and a desire to improve the character’s life.
STEM Story Example: Engaging Education
There are lots of classic stories that meaningfully connect with students and STEM. For example, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White is considered a classic because of its timeless themes, universal appeal, and beautifully written prose. The illustrations are also simple, understated, and easily capture the characters’ emotions and interactions.
STEM Activities for Charlotte’s Web
Spoiler alert here, just in case! Toward the end of the story, Charlotte’s wish for her baby spiders, when they fly off into the world, is for them to lead long and happy lives. Before she dies, Charlotte spins an egg sac and lays her eggs, and when the eggs hatch, her offspring begin to spin their own webs.
As they mature, Charlotte’s baby spiders begin to balloon, or float away, on their webs to start their own lives. Before they go, Charlotte tells Wilbur, the pig, to make sure they’re okay and reminds him to be a friend to them.
There are many STEM examples of spider parachute activities online to recreate this touching and bittersweet event in the story. Tissue paper, coffee filters, and plastic bags can serve as parachutes. Thread, ribbon, or string fasten the parachute to the baby spider or holder.
Paper cups or cardboard egg container sections can hold a plastic or paper spider and provide a balancing mass. Paper spiders can be attached directly to the parachute cords (if massed appropriately). The baby spider load plays a critical role in regulating the descent speed and stability of the parachute system. Even a paper wad can do the trick. In fact, many variables are involved in the nature of the descent of a parachute!
However, more clarity is needed to determine what is a successful design. Creating a functioning parachute may be sufficient for a successful engineering design for lower grades. What would be the standards and criteria for a successfully engineered parachute for older students?
Solving STEM Problems Through The Power of Storytelling
Here’s a GRASPS example that leverages the power of storytelling in STEM with a focus on Charlotte’s baby spiders. It’s written for upper elementary students. The success of the engineering design is determined quantitatively, and students are incentivized with an emotional hook.
- Goal – Help Wilbur fulfill his promise to Charlotte! Design and build parachutes to safely transport the baby spiders away from Charlotte and deliver them directly to Wilbur.
- Role – You are part of the Zuckerman Farm Wellness Team! Your essential mission is to keep everyone safe and happy on the farm.
- Audience – Your audience is Charlotte’s baby spiders, who must skillfully float away from their mom and securely reach their final destination, Wilbur himself.
- Situation – As a dedicated Zuckerman Farm Wellness Team member, you are tasked to help Charlotte’s babies safely leave their mother. Like Charlotte, you want to ensure her baby spiders have a safe and successful journey as they balloon away to begin their new lives. Your task is to design and build parachutes to safely transport the baby spiders away from Charlotte and deliver them directly to Wilbur, the pig.
- Product – You will create a functional parachute prototype capable of descending gently through the air while securely carrying a baby spider. It should provide a controlled and accurate drop, landing as close as possible to Wilbur.
- Standards and Criteria for Success –
- Accuracy: The baby spiders shall land as close as possible to Wilbur, the pig.
- Safety: The baby spiders shall remain secure and unharmed throughout their flight and landing.
- Consistency: The parachute shall work the same way every time it is used.
GRASPS Details
For this engineering problem, help students gather data as they test the parachutes. Visual descriptors such as close, medium, and far allow younger students to communicate results. Measuring the distance from the parachute’s landing spot to Wilbur is more precise. Try to control variables–a consistent drop height above the target helps acquire accurate results. After multiple flight trials, you can summarize the flight data with mean, median, and mode to best determine accuracy.
Consistency is vital in engineering because it helps us trust that things will always work the same way. When something is consistent, we can rely on it to do its job correctly and safely. We want our audience to trust our designs! Students can build trust in their parachute prototypes with multiple tests. For example, one successful flight out of ten would not be a successful design. A parachute that lands close to Wilbur the pig over and over would be a successful design.
Free Resources to Unlock The Power of Storytelling in STEM
To unlock the full power of storytelling in STEM with the cherished classic tale of Charlotte’s Web, check out these free STEM resources for teachers! After you build your baby spider parachutes, place Wilbur on the floor and aim the babies for his loving heart.
Most of these teacher STEM resources come in PDF format for easy printing and minimal ink use. Also, a Google Slides version of the GRASPS scenario is available for you to customize according to the needs of your students. So, dive in, and embark on this thrilling adventure with these free printable STEM activities to save the baby spiders!
- GRASPS Scenario with Graphics (PDF)
- GRASPS Scenario with Graphics (Google Slides; makes a copy)
- 20 Small Baby Spiders (PDF)
- 12 Medium Baby Spiders (PDF)
- 4 Large Baby Spiders (PDF)
- Wilber the Pig, Heart Target (PDF)
Wrapping Up the Power of Storytelling in STEM
I hope you found this blog post on the power of storytelling in STEM using Charlotte’s Web as an example informative and inspiring! Storytelling has the incredible ability to engage and captivate young minds. Combined with STEM concepts, it becomes a powerful tool for teaching and nurturing curiosity. Using a beloved story like Charlotte’s Web can unlock the imagination and make complex topics more relatable and accessible to children. Keep exploring the possibilities of incorporating storytelling into your STEM lessons or activities!