This program was designed to provide librarians with informal STEM learning activities for their learner patrons based on real-life scenarios applicable to a variety of communities. 

Agent Double-O STEM Spy Theme

An animated character named Agent Double-O STEM appears in the introduction and conclusion videos for each scenario. She also appears in the agent (A.K.A. learner) handbook. To further support the spy theme, learners are referred to as "agents," and a problem is referred to as a "mission."

Scenarios

Each mission (A.K.A. problem) is presented using an animated video depicting a real-world problem encountered by the main character and involves different types of research, design, and prototyping. Missions topics include

• Bike Lane Barriers
• Climbing structure
• Community Garden Watering Solutions
• Community Garden Pest Management Solutions
• Food Packaging
• Playground Calm Space
• Wheelchair Accessible Swings
• Zoo Animal Enclosures

Activities

The activities for each Double-O STEM Club case:

• Align with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and American Association of School Libraries (AASL) standards.
• Are categorized as "Think," "Create," or "Share & Learn" to further align with American Association of School Libriaries (AASL) standards.
• Were designed for 3rd - 5th grade learners.
• Facilitate creative problem solving. 
• Include hands-on learning tasks.
• Promote group work and collaboration among team members.
• Require access to a computer and building supplies (flexible to accommodate resource availability)
• May be adapted, supplemented, or enhanced by librarians to suit the needs of their particular library and community.

Audience

Librarian Facilitators

This course was designed to utilize the unique skills that librarians possess (e.g- information-seeking) using a curriculum that non-STEM experts can follow. Some ways in which librarians will need to facilitate these STEM lessons include:

• Guiding learners in their search for information to help them learn and solve the problem.
• Asking learners questions to help them think through possible solutions to the problems.
• Providing and assisting with technology and materials as needed.
• Encouraging teamwork, collaboration, sharing, testing, reiteration, and reflection among the group.

Student Learners

As mentioned earlier, this course is geared toward children in grades 3 - 5 and intended for use with a librarian facilitating and guiding students as needed. Activities include self-directed learning tasks that involve research, exploration, questioning, critical thinking, designing, creating/building, sharing, collaboration, and reflection.

Each case is based on a possible real-world problem and includes a brief video introduction, an agent (learner) handbook, activity descriptions, and a brief video reflection.

Video Introduction

This video presents the story, introduces characters, and identifies the main character's problem. This is also when the Agent Double-O STEM character is introduced to learners (called "agents") and encourages them to help solve the main character's problem. Therefore, this video should be shown to learners prior to the agent handbook and STEM activities.

Agent Handbook

Upon researching and brainstorming solutions to problems, learners will need a place to take notes. While questions are presented in the agent section of the online chapter, this course also includes a downloadable handbook for each case that includes brief activity descriptions, questions, thinking prompts, and white space for taking notes. This is presented as an "agent handbook," as learners are acting as new agents helping the main character with the mission/problem. Librarians may choose to download and print this handbook for learners or have them do it. Alternatively, librarians may decide to have learners type answers on the computer or provide learners with a folder in which to place the printouts or spiral notebook in which to write answers, sketch ideas, etc. 

Activities

There are multiple case-based STEM activities for each case/problem scenario. Activity descriptions for each case for both learners and librarians are organized into sections entitled "Think," "Create," and "Share & Grow." Librarian activities also include standards, instructions for set up, a list of materials, and common search terms and/or website recommendations to be used as needed to help with learners' STEM research. Numbers that correspond to the activities within a case should match among librarian and learner materials (online and printable versions).

General activities have been provided, as well as ideas for specific ways to implement research tasks, designs, prototypes, etc., That said, how the activities are executed with respect to design and construction materails; use of computers, robotics, 3-D printers; etc. is ultimately left up to the librarian to decide what is best given the resources available, as well as learners' ability and interests.

Some case scenarios may apply to two projects (e.g., community garden watering solutions and community garden pest control). These projects are closely related, but are written to be completed separately. In these cases, the beginning and ending videos will be the same for both projects, as well as some of the general activities (e.g., introduction activity and the celebration activity).

Video Reflection & Celebration

The mission concludes with a short video message from Agent Double-O STEM celebrating and praising learners for a job well done. It also serves as a brief reflection of the case and of problem(s) solved. The video should complement a reflection and discussion among learners about their design decisions and solutions.