STEM and LIteraCy in Education (SLICE)

The vision of this project, Science and LIteraCy in Education (SLICE) seeks to enable grades 4-12 STEM and Literacy teachers to reach for excellence in elementary, middle and high school STEM and Literacy education through Hands-on, Standards-based, Project-based and Technology-based (HSPT-based) learning environments. The outlined project assists region-wide elementary, middle and high school teachers to (1) gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter, (2) connect Practices between Common Core State Standards in Literacy and Math, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and (3) utilize cross-cutting concepts promoted in NGSS to integrate the disciplines of STEM and Literacy.

The project represents a partnership among 120 Grades 4-12 STEM and Literacy teachers from fifteen school districts in Tennessee: Hawkins (Lead), Bristol, Carter, Cocke, Elizabethton, Greene, Greeneville, Johnson City, Johnson County, Newport, Kingsport, Rogersville, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington; six business partners (Ballad Health, Cooper Standard, Domtar, Eastman, Nuclear Fuel Services and ZF-TRW); ETSU Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education, School of Graduate Studies and Northeast Tennessee Innovation STEM Hub. This opportunity provides a chance for teachers from surrounding districts to join with STEM and Literacy faculty and professionals to form a strong professional learning community focused on the integration of STEM and Literacy.