STREAM

STREAM Program Frequently Asked Questions

What is STREAM?

STREAM is a mission-centered approach to teaching Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Math. Students will make connections across each of these disciplines with an emphasis on scientific observation, technological exploration, artfully engineered design with a focus on solving relevant, real world problems, all grounded in a Catholic world-view.  We posit that a STREAM program is a transformative catalyst for creative problem solving.

How is STREAM different from the regular course of study at RES?

At its core, a STREAM course, like all Resurrection courses, is a Catholic mission-centered approach to preparing our young women to transform society.  However, a STREAM course is one that uniquely positions the student as a contemporary, integrated problem solver, combining skills and understandings taught and acquired in a variety of courses and contexts (drawing from current and previous coursework), to solve real world problems or advance conceptual understandings. These courses will rely heavily upon either the 5-step Engineering Design Process or significant cross-curricular integration connected to a project-based learning approach.

What does a STREAM student’s schedule look like?

Students will take STREAM I their freshmen year; STREAM II sophomore year; optional STREAM electives their junior year; and then STREAM III (capstone project) their senior year. STREAM electives include robotics, mobile makers, integrated health science, graphic design & more. STREAM I & II are honors level courses and STREAM III is design to be an AP course and has to the potential to earn the student college credit.

Students will also participate in the annual STREAM research symposium, the STREAM club, and many out of school STREAM experiences.

Students who complete the four-year STREAM program will be recognized at their senior graduation with a STREAM academic cord and a certificate of completion.  

How can a student be a part of the STREAM program?

Students and parents can look for more information when 8th grade girls take the entrance exam at Resurrection in December. Potential students will submit an application and then participate in an interview.

STREAM I Foundations

Foundations is a foundational course in the STREAM cluster for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This course covers basic skills required for STREAM fields of study as well as the inquiry process. Upon completion of this course, students are able to identify and explain the steps in the engineering design process, general scientific inquiry process, and non-science problem based learning process as well as begin to articulate the value of skill integration. Students will conduct guided research to develop meaningful questions, define simple problem scenarios and scientific investigations, develop fundamental design solutions, conduct basic mathematical modeling and data analysis, and effectively communicate solutions and scientific explanations to others using the various principles of Speech (embedded within the course). Students will begin to develop the skills necessary to become creative and innovative problem solvers of real world issues.

STREAM I Foundations engages students through a series of problem/inquiry based projects that help improve their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. All projects seamlessly integrate the Engineering Design Process which allows students to creatively explore STREAM through design.

STREAM I Foundations also utilizes liberal arts disciplines to provide meaning and depth to the content. Students will develop invaluable skills focusing on leadership, team building, creativity, and communication.

This is an Honors credit-bearing course.

STREAM II Applications Course
Two Semesters Prerequisite: STREAM I

STREAM II: Applications is a project-based, mission-centered learning experience with a focus on computer science and robotics for students who wish to further explore the dynamic range of STREAM fields introduced in STREAM I: Foundations.

Building on the content and critical thinking frameworks of STREAM I, this course challenges students to apply the scientific inquiry and engineering design processes, from a Catholic worldview to more in-depth and complex projects selected by the student with the help of teacher input. Instructors design a project in one of three broad pathways (humanities, traditional science or engineering) that reflects the interest of the class as a whole; the students then apply the steps of the various problem-solving process taught in STREAM I throughout the course to ask questions, test hypothesis, model solutions and communicate results. In some cases, instructors may be able to design hybrid projects that employ elements of all three major area processes.

Upon completion of this course, students will have a thorough understanding of how professionals research problems and methodically apply STREAM knowledge and skills; and they will be able to present and defend explanations and/or an engineering design solution to comprehensive STREAM related scenarios. All projects will reflect interdisciplinary integration.

This is an Honors credit-bearing course.

STREAM III Elective Options
Two semesters: STREAM I and STREAM II Prerequisites

In STREAM III, students take an elective to explore specific areas of interest. Elective courses include Integrated Health Science, Introduction to Robotics and Foundation Principles for Engineering.

 

STREAM IV AP Research
Two semesters: STREAM I, STREAM II and STREAM III Prerequisites

Students conclude the STREAM program with a senior year AP research capstone project. Students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills acquired in the previous STREAM classes to identify a problem they want to solve. The identified problem must be reflective of the student’s understanding of the humanities and of engineering design.