A new partnership between the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, the STEAM Technical Assistance Center at West Virginia University, and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation aims to bring hockey‑themed STEM lessons to elementary schools in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Science Champions initiative involves more than two hundred educators who have co‑created lessons that use the fast‑paced world of hockey as an engaging entry point for science concepts.
A STEM Initiative Rooted in Hockey
The program, slated to launch this fall, focuses on under‑resourced schools in the Appalachian region, providing classroom kits that include lesson plans, hands‑on materials and support tools aligned with West Virginia’s College and Career Readiness Standards and Pennsylvania’s STEELS standards.
Ashley Sayre, a second‑grade teacher at Eastwood Elementary School in Morgantown, piloted the curriculum and reported that the hockey theme captured students’ attention and made the learning more meaningful and memorable.
In the “Helmet Heroes” lesson, Sayre’s class explored the history and importance of protective gear before designing a prototype helmet to safeguard an egg, blending physics with creative problem‑solving.
Funding, Design and Teacher Feedback
Nearly one hundred thousand dollars in private investment from several foundations backs the initiative, which was designed by teachers for teachers and facilitated by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
Feedback from other West Virginia teachers who tested the lessons highlighted the strong alignment with state standards, the high quality of the materials, and a noticeable increase in student engagement.