Summary
In this session, we share experiences of our collaborative, three-year pedagogical project that focuses on building elementary pre-service teachers’ geographic awareness and geographic lens with a purposeful eye towards connecting social studies, geography, science and STEM engineering processes that contribute to geographic thinking. Engaging the most popular global sport on the planet, Formula 1, a high-speed and thrilling racing series that encompasses 21 countries and 5 continents over the course of a year, we will share with participants how we foster an inquiry-based, experiential, and curiosity-driven “race week” experience that showcases vast geographical locations, diverse cultures, elements of human-environment interaction, a geography-informed student built foldable, codable Ozobot robots, and integrated STEM learning standards for our students and the young learners they will teach. Participants will leave the session with materials, handouts, examples, and resources to help them consider their own Formula 1 exploration connected to global sport and popular culture for both young learners and pre-service teachers. While we worked from an elementary viewpoint, we think there are opportunities for all grade levels and related disciplines given the spatial, ecological, historical, economic, and technological perspectives possible.
Session Focus
All Grade Levels | Curriculum and Instruction | Pre-Service Teachers, Elementary, Formula1
Conference Room
Lewis
Meet the Presenters
Lori Meier is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at ETSU. Her teaching and research interests include elementary social studies education with a specific focus on elementary geography and building pedagogically innovative moments of “global connections” with pre-service teachers. She also leads the M. Ed. In Curriculum and Instruction graduate program with an eye towards incorporating curriculum studies and foundations.
Laura Robertson is an Associate Professor of Science Education at East Tennessee State University. Her teaching and research interests include integrating science with other content areas, STEM education, and collaboration between pre-service and in-service teachers. She has 11 years of experience as a middle school math and science teacher and 11 years of experience teaching science and STEM education courses in higher education.
