Computational Thinking Integrated Science Lesson: STEM Integrated Teaching Approach With Data Practices on Climate Change

We have developed and implemented a 6‐h lesson plan with a STEM‐integrated teaching framework that integrates computational thinking (CT) into science lessons through data practices. The aim of the STEM integrated lesson plan is to teach middle school students climate and weather concepts using data and to increase their understanding and awareness of climate change by supporting ideas with evidence from data. The detailed plan includes six steps. A digital data collection and visualization tool (LabStar) was used to collect, visualize, clean, and sort local data, and create graphical representations of historical data. In the worksheet, data practices (collecting, creating, manipulating, analyzing, and visualizing data) were conceptualized through CT components (decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking) to guide students toward scientific reasoning and data‐informed understanding of key concepts. Results showed that the integrated STEM approach with CT practices can facilitate understanding of scientific concepts, support communication through data, and raise awareness of both evidence‐based reasoning and climate change.