Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Professional Learning
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Unlocking STEM Futures

Will Markham, Michell Eike, Rachelle Johnson | Published: June 9th, 2026 by K20 Center

Summary

In this session, participants will consider the challenges that first-generation college students have with finding success in STEM programs. Participants will explore different types of interventions—representation, exposure, and coursework—and collaborate on ways to make a difference at their school for their students.

Essential Question

How do we get students interested in STEM degree plans?

Learning Objective

Identify different types of interventions to support first-generation students’ interests in STEM degree plans.

Snapshot

Engage

Participants consider the meaning of the terms first-generation and STEM.

Explore

Participants read quotes from research articles and reflect on how they feel about challenges surrounding first-generation college students pursuing STEM degrees.

Explain

Participants formalize their understanding of representation, exposure, and coursework and the impact these interventions can have on first-generation students.

Extend

Participants collaborate to generate ideas on how to integrate representation, exposure, and coursework into their schools.

Evaluate

Participants reflect on their learning and consider ways to support students interested in STEM degrees.

Materials List

  • Presentation Slides (attached)

  • Magnetic Statements posters (attached; one set per session; print one-sided)

  • Making a Difference handout (attached; one per participant; print one-sided)

  • Spotlight STEM Success handout (attached; one per participant; print two-sided)

  • Chart paper or giant sticky notes (three sheets)

  • Markers (one per participant)

Preparation

Prior to the session, prepare three sheets of chart paper by labeling them: “Representation,” “Exposure,” and “Coursework.” Do not hang these until after the Explain phase of the learning experience. If you anticipate having a large session, consider having multiples of these so that groups can comfortably gather around, read, and write on the chart paper.

Print the attached Magnetic Statements posters and decide where you would like to hang them for the Explore portion of the session. The attachment is a six page document, where pages 1–5 each have a quote and are intended to be hung around the room for participants to gather around. The last page contains a list of the quotes with their corresponding sources. As the facilitator, you may find it helpful to use this page as a reference, whether that be digitally or as a printed page.

Engage

10 Minute(s)

Use the attached Presentation Slides to guide the session. Display slide 3 as participants enter the room. As the session begins, ask participants what comes to mind when they hear the term first-generation. Have participants discuss with others at their table for a few moments or ask volunteers to share their thoughts with the whole group.

Move to slide 4 and share that the term “first-generation” can have different meanings, and for this session, you should be using first-generation to refer to students who do not have a parent or guardian who attended college.

Repeat this process again using slides 5–6 for the term STEM. Help participants understand that this shared understanding of vocabulary is what should be used throughout the session.

Transition through slides 7–8 and introduce the essential question and learning objective.

Explore

20 Minute(s)

Display slide 9 and share the Magnetic Statements strategy with your participants. Read the statements around the room. Consider using the last page of the attached Magnetic Statements posters for quick reference. Instruct participants to choose the statement that most repels them.

After a couple of minutes or when participants have all gathered into groups, show slide 10. Tell participants they have five minutes to discuss within their groups the following prompts from the slide and select a spokesperson:

  • Why did you choose this statement?

  • What is one way it can be reversed, solved, or fixed?

  • What is something we can do?

Start the 5-minute timer on the slide.

As time allows, ask volunteers to read their Magnetic Statement and share their group’s response for one of the prompts.

  • Magnetic Statement 1: “...First-generation college students were less likely to take the sort of rigorous math and science courses in high school that allow for a smoother transition into STEM majors.” (Bettencourt et al., 2020, p. 768)

  • Magnetic Statement 2: “...[First-generation college students] are less likely to know what careers are available to them, as well as what any particular job will include on a day-to-day basis…” (Coleman et al., 2025, p. 49)

  • Magnetic Statement 3: “46% (13 of 28) of [first-generation college students] spoke of hidden expectations within STEM departments that shaped their perceptions of what students should know at the undergraduate level or how they should act as a STEM student.” (Google et al., 2023, p. 13) 

  • Magnetic Statement 4: “Compared to continuing-generation students, first-generation students had significantly lower self-efficacy, emotional regulation, first-semester [college] GPA, and first-to-second year retention…” (Koh et al., 2022, p. 1078)

  • Magnetic Statement 5: “...[First-generation college students] constitute 30% of undergraduate degrees...” (Marco-Bujosa et al., 2024, p. 906)

Explain

20 Minute(s)

Display slide 11 and give each participant a copy of the attached Making a Difference handout. Explain the three ways educators can make a difference in their school(s): representation, exposure, and coursework.

Explain that representation makes a difference because when students can see people who look like them from similar backgrounds and circumstances thriving in STEM careers, they can envision more possibilities. Explain that representation sends the message to students that “this path is for me too.”

Explain that exposure allows students to explore hands-on experiences like mentoring relationships, internships, and enrichment programs. These experiences give students a real taste of STEM in practice, building both skills and a sense of belonging that keeps them engaged. Lastly, when students have access to rigorous STEM coursework in high school, they arrive at postsecondary environments better prepared and more confident.

Move through slides 12–14 and share the respective attributed information about representation, exposure, and coursework to share evidence that these interventions are transformative.

  • Slide 12: When students completed assignments featuring a variety of scientists, first-generation students increased their ability to relate, which provided a stronger sense of belonging. (Metzger et al., 2023)

  • Slide 13: Students with experiences in STEM during secondary school impact college STEM success. (Bettencourt et al., 2020)

  • Slide 14: High school students who completed courses that were similar to the rigor of college-level courses were better prepared for STEM coursework. This preparation helped students finish challenging coursework despite obstacles. (Carver et al., 2017)

Move to slide 15 and give each participant one copy of the attached Spotlight STEM Success handout. Explain the available resources for each intervention. Explain that the Spotlight STEM Success handout is a resource to support representation. Share that the handout offers ways that participants can showcase a variety of STEM professions throughout the school year.

Share that the STEM Challenge Curriculum collection and the College2Career Forum: How To Guide resource support exposure. Share that these resources engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based activities in the classroom with career professionals.

Share that the Power Up: Science ACT Prep and Power Up: Math ACT Prep resources support coursework; these are each 10-week lessons to integrate into existing science and math curriculum, respectively.

Extend

15 Minute(s)

Display slide 16 and introduce the Chalk Talk instructional strategy. Distribute a marker to each participant and preview the activity. Explain that they are to visit each of the three posters, labeled “Representation,” “Exposure,” and “Coursework.” At each poster, they should write ideas for actions they could take to support each intervention. When they are at a poster that already has ideas, they need to respond to others’ ideas, using words, drawings, etc., and add new ideas. As they visit the posters, they should remain silent, only representing their thoughts using their marker on the chart paper.

Evaluate

5 Minute(s)

Display slide 17 and share the What? So What? Now What? instructional strategy. Direct participants to write their responses to the following prompts on the back of their handout:

  • What stood out to you regarding what you learned today?

  • Why do you think first-generation college students need tailored supports?

  • In what ways can you support first-generation college students interested in STEM degrees?

If time allows, invite volunteers to share their responses.

Research Rationale

Careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are increasing, and there is a need to develop and nurture STEM talents in the United States (Pearson et al., 2022). First-generation college students (FGCS) are significantly underrepresented in STEM fields; this disparity is driven by higher dropout rates and the burden of navigating unspoken departmental expectations that many are unprepared for without prior family guidance (Google et al., 2023; Marco-Bujosa et al., 2024; Peña et al., 2022; Riegle-Crumb et al., 2019). Prior to college, STEM experiences influence the selection of a major and can be a predictor of success in courses (Bettencourt et al., 2020). FGCS lack the social capital of their middle-to-upper-class peers and thus struggle in their college and career readiness experiences (Almeida et al., 2019). Research shows that representation of first-generation students helps to increase student achievement in coursework (Mowreader, 2023).

Resources

Publisher

K20 Center

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Downloads

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Standards

InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards (K-12th)
2l: The teacher believes that all learners can achieve at high levels and persists in helping each learner reach his/her full potential. 

Facilitator Resources

Click on a file type icon to download an attachment.

  • Magnetic Statements—Unlocking STEM Futures
  • Presentation Slides—Unlocking STEM Futures

Learner Handouts

Click on a file type icon to download an attachment.

  • Making a Difference—Unlocking STEM Futures
  • Spotlight STEM Success—Unlocking STEM Futures

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License.

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