​Reading. One of the key indicators of academic excellence starts when a child opens a book. Reading helps with basic speech skills, better communication skills, helps a student master the language, and creates more logical thinking skills. Students who read have better concentration skills, and exhibit more discipline in academic life. It’s no wonder schools focus so heavily on this crucial skill at an early age. 
 
Pitsco Education understands the importance of reading, and have built in strong reading components to the redesigned elementary coursework. Within the Pitsco Education Missions, students are asked to do many different activities that incorporate reading and literacy. Students have to read aloud, complete reading comprehension activities, speak and listen within their team, acquire new vocabulary, and use their writing skills.
 
Almost daily in their Missions, students are asked to read and gather information from informational texts (nonfiction books).
 
With the advent of the national ELA standards, literacy is significantly emphasized. The reading required of students in the Missions helps address these standards.
 
READING IN MISSIONS
Briefings

• Each interval consists of a Briefing that contains science content that students read.

Informational texts in Readings

• Every title uses unique grade-level-appropriate books.

Reading connections

• The optional Reading Connections address multiple standards under the Informational Text and Literature sections.

 
WRITING IN MISSIONS
Mission Journals

• Students write answers to Briefing questions and conclusion questions.

Story writing

• In some Missions, students will write fictional stories about their Exploration activity.

Writing connection

• The optional Writing Connection utilizes a research topic for the students to write a complete paper.

 
SPEAKING AND LISTENING IN MISSIONS
Collaboration

• Students use reciprocal reading comprehension strategies that focus on collaboration.
• Students work together in defined roles to collaborate to complete a Mission.

 
LANGUAGE IN MISSIONS
Vocabulary words

• There are two vocabulary words in each Briefing. Students write these definitions in their Mission Journal.

Vocabulary Connection

• The Connection contains the 10 vocabulary words and five activities to help students learn the words.

Research Connection

• The Connection contains eight topics for research, information on a famous person or group, and two open-ended questions.

Debrief

• Students are assessed on their understanding of the concepts they’ve read and discussed. Students are tested on their understanding of the Briefing content and vocabulary words.

Mission Journal

• This serves as a proof of learning where students write their responses, answer questions, and record information.

Grading rubric

• The teacher can assess the Mission Journals using the grading rubric and by grading the use of conventions of Standard English.

 
Not bad for a STEM curriculum, right? Adding the R (Reading) and A (Arts) elements pay off for elementary students, both know and later in their academic careers. The interdisciplinary nature of the Missions allows for the reinforcement and application of reading, writing, and literacy within the teaching of science curriculum. The Pitsco Missions provide cross-curricular connections and makes the R in STREAM an integral part in the student experience.

rWorkers today are called on to be subject matter experts in what they do. Gone are the days when someone can clock in and do a repetitive skill for hours. Today's workforce demands more: the same worker must now know how to assess, troubleshoot, fix, and communicate in a much more global sense. Work is less silo-ed, more interconnected with other teams. Added requirements are making it difficult for employees to stay ahead of demands, creating a skills gap. 

How do you train employees for these enhanced skill requirements? Many are turning to Registered Apprenticeships to fill the void. 

According to Why Apprenticeships are Taking Off, registered apprenticeships, not to be confused with less formal or company-specific apprentice programs, have five defining features:

• Employers pay participants during their training.
• Programs meet national standards for registration with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or state apprenticeship agencies.
• Programs provide both on-the-job learning and job-related classroom or technical instruction.
• On-the-job learning is conducted under the direction of a mentor.
• The training results in an industry-recognized credential that certifies occupational proficiency.

Apprenticeships allow employers to hire and train workers with the necessary skills, while students can avoid an unnecessary financial burden of student loans. According to the Department of Labor, 87 percent of apprentices are employed after completing apprenticeship programs, with an average starting salary above $50,000.

Registered Apprenticeship programs make a lot of sense in both urban and rural settings, and are easier to implement and facilitate than you may realize. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor offers several registered Apprenticeship programs, backed by curriculum from leaders in education, like Amatrol. 

Looking to learn more, or get started today? Contact Moss for learning opportunities. 

Moss is proud to offer equipment and curriculum from Amatrol’s Advanced Manufacturing program. Amatrol’s industry leading equipment and curriculum is developed in partnership with industry to deliver job ready, industry relevant skills. Working closely with companies like Caterpillar, Tropicana and many others Amatrol has designed equipment for work place success.
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Key Features

• Highly Demanded Industry Skills: Hands-On, Job-Ready
• Individualized Self-Paced or Group Learning Flexibility
• Extensive Curriculum Spanning Basics Through Advanced
• Authentic Industrial Troubleshooting
• Durable, Industrial Equipment Designed for Effective Teaching
• Superior Multimedia Interactivity Connects With Learners
• eAssessment to Accelerate Learning, Improve Effectiveness
• Learning Anywhere, Anytime – 24 x 7
• Outstanding Support
• Computer Based Training (CBT) with Amatrol’s eAssessment (available via the web)

​Want to ensure you are covering your bases and addressing the skills training most needed in your region? Check out the skills chart, which aligns coursework to job-ready skills:​

(Click image to zoom)

Learn more about available programs - contact Moss today for program details. 

How well do you know the Engineering Design Process (EDP)? How well do your students know it? If you answered “not at all” to either of those questions, think again.

You likely follow some of the steps in your everyday activities. The focus of the EDP is problem solving. I’m sure you’ve problem solved already today. Deciding what to wear, which errands to complete, and where to eat are examples of everyday situations where you subconsciously use the EDP. Let’s review the steps to see if you agree.

1. The first step in the process is Ask. For example, you can ask, “Where am I going to eat today?”
2. After you know what the problem is, you then need to brainstorm solutions. This is the Imagine step. For our example, you consider restaurants in the vicinity or what food you have at home.
3. Next, you come up with a Plan. Your plan might be to go home and make lunch, or maybe you are going to the fast food joint a few blocks away.
4. The following step is to Create your solution. If you go home for lunch, you are most likely making it. However, if you choose fast food, someone else is making it for you. Either way, you carry out your plan.
5. The final step is Improve. If you make your own lunch, this step is fairly easy to understand. Did you like what you made? Is there something you would do differently next time? How can you make it better? If you go to the fast food joint, this step is still applicable. Did you take the best route to get there? Did you like what you ordered? Would you order something different next time?

EDP IN PITSCO MAKER SPACES
The Engineering Design Process is something we use more often than we realize. However, many kids today do not have this same skill set and often lack problem-solving skills. So, let’s look at how a Pitsco Maker Space Project can be used to teach the EDP. The KaZoon Kite Maker Project spans all three of our leveled makerspace packages.

• Ask (prompt) – Give your students a problem or prompt to solve. For example, build a three-dimensional (could be 2-D for elementary) kite composed of at least four tetrahedrons.
• Imagine – Ask your students to brainstorm their designs. They could draw them, write about them, discuss them, or utilize technology. The sky’s the limit, and it’s okay if they use different strategies.
• Plan – Whether the students are working individually or in a group, they need to pick one design.
• Create – This is the best step because students are able to get their hands on the materials and build something. This is where they learn perseverance, teamwork, and determination. This is the step where they get to make it their own!
• Improve – After making their kites, students will need to test them. Do the kites satisfy the given prompt/problem? Do they fly? Is there anything the students would like to change to make the kites better?

After your students start using the EDP, it will come more naturally. After a while, they won’t even think about it being a process. They will just solve problems, and that’s exactly what you want them to do.