Basketball Meets STEM Learning for 6th & 7th Grade

EVERFI by BlackBaud is dedicated to helping organizations tackle intractable social issues by providing the missing layer of education. EVERFI leverages the combined power of their platform, people, and partner networks--like ELB Learning--to make sure learners have the tools and skills to drive ecosystems of change and inspire lifelong success.

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This course utilizes the sport of basketball to teach a variety of math and science topics. It draws connections not only between the game of basketball, but also on the surrounding experience that contributes to the player and fan enjoyment of the game. This course aligns to 6th and 7th grade STEM standards.

The course is comprised of two lessons: Free Throw Probability which uses the concept of probability to predict how a player will do at the free throw line and Arena Sound Waves which explores the impact of sound on basketball games.

This course uses 3 types of game learning to help the students comprehend everyday STEM concepts and retain them. They are as follows:

1. Real-world based learning: the course consists of authentic and real world scenarios to engage the middle school audience. These scenarios exemplify how STEM concepts and principles are utilized in the game of basketball such as probability and statistics.
2. Modular, modern content: the course is broken down into modular lessons, allowing students and educators to freely move throughout the course and select the most appropriate module(s). The teacher or student does not have to follow the storyline.
3. Expanded applications: in order to engage as wide an audience as possible, the course content will highlight STEM connections to basketball that go beyond solely the player’s experience. By focusing on wider applications of the basketball experience (for example, the fan experience, sports medicine, statistics, etc.), the mini-course will be distinct from other sports-and-STEM content.

Each lesson focuses on a different STEM concept and follows a similar flow:

• Introduction to the concept
• Interactive content and lesson activities
• Conclusion and Resolution
• Reflection leading to a career connection

Each scenario presented allows students to explore and make mistakes, but ultimately leads them through to the correct answer. Connecting core STEM concepts such as statistics and the science of sound to the sport of basketball makes complicated concepts less abstract and more relevant to the student and consequently easier to understand.

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This course earned a 2019 Silver Medal in the International Serious Play awards.