Flying into Learning: Drones for Environmental STEM, Coding, and Language Development

Presentation Outline 1. Welcome, Introductions & Session Overview (5 minutes) Content: Introduce presenters, their roles, and the school/district context where the drone program was implemented. Share the session’s objectives and provide a quick overview of how drones enhance STEM and language learning. Engagement: Quick poll or show of hands to gauge attendees’ familiarity with drones and interdisciplinary integration. 2. Setting the Stage: Why Drones? (10 minutes) Content: Present brief research and classroom evidence on how drones increase engagement, support environmental science and coding, and promote vocabulary development for multilingual learners. Highlight how the program connects to college and career pathways. Engagement: Think–Pair–Share: Participants reflect on how drones might fit into their curriculum and discuss with a partner. 3. Demonstration of Drone-Based Lessons (15 minutes) Content: Walk through sample lessons and student projects, including: Environmental science career exploration Pollination modeling with drones Coding and obstacle course challenges TPR vocabulary activities for ELLs Emphasize instructional design choices and student outcomes. Engagement: Live demo or short video clips of students in action. 4. Interactive Activity: Drone Flying & Coding Practice (20 minutes) Content: Participants will explore hands-on drone flying and basic coding activities while working in small groups. Teams will practice controlling drones, experiment with simple coding challenges, and brainstorm ways to connect drone activities to their own grade level or content area. Participants are encouraged to align activities with ISTE Standards and Transformational Learning Principles. Engagement: Collaborative flight practice, coding challenges, peer discussion, and real-time sharing of ideas using digital collaboration tools such as FigJam or Padlet. 5. Sharing & Troubleshooting (10 minutes) Content: Groups briefly share their lesson ideas. Facilitators lead a troubleshooting discussion on common challenges such as classroom management, device setup, or multilingual learner support. Engagement: Peer-to-peer feedback, open Q&A, and shared problem-solving. 6. Wrap-Up & Resources (5 minutes) Content: Recap key takeaways, connect activities to ISTE Standards and Transformational Learning Principles, and provide digital resources for curriculum integration. Engagement: Quick exit ticket (digital or paper): “One idea I’m taking back to try.” Audience Engagement Tactics Presenter storytelling and classroom examples Frequent peer interaction (Think–Pair–Share, group work) Device-based polls and collaborative design tools Hands-on analysis of authentic lesson samples Peer feedback and troubleshooting discussions

Chao, P., Chen, G., & Chiu, M. (2018). “Integrating Drones into STEM Education: A Case Study.” International Journal of STEM Education. → Demonstrates how drones enhance STEM problem solving, engagement, and interdisciplinary learning. National Research Council. (2012). A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. → Supports real-world, inquiry-based approaches that align with drone integration. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2017). Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: National Education Technology Plan Update. → Emphasizes authentic learning experiences and technology integration for all students. https://tech.ed.gov/netp Asher, J. (1969). “The Total Physical Response Approach to Second Language Learning.” The Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3–17. → Foundational research supporting TPR strategies to build vocabulary and comprehension for multilingual learners. Calderón, M., Slavin, R., & Sánchez, M. (2011). “Effective Instruction for English Learners.” The Future of Children, 21(1), 103–127. → Highlights evidence-based instructional practices that support language development alongside content learning. August, D. & Shanahan, T. (Eds.). (2006). Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. → Synthesizes research on effective instructional strategies for multilingual learners, supporting the integration of language development in content-rich contexts like drone-based learning.

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