As the new school year arrives, Pennsylvania teachers are knee-deep in lesson planning while preparing for a major shift: implementing the state's STEELS standards —which emphasize science, technology, engineering, environmental literacy, and sustainability—in time for full integration into K-12 classrooms by the start of the 2025-26 school year.
To support educators already stretched for time and resources, especially those new to teaching computer science, Lehigh University is introducing the Lehigh K-12 Computer Science STEELS Toolkit : a suite of flexible, free enrichment activities designed and tested by undergraduate students and partnering teachers at local schools for use in elementary and secondary classrooms.
The Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability, or STEELS standards, were adopted in 2022, with full classroom implementation required by the 2025–26 academic year.
The statewide update marks a move away from fact memorization toward three-dimensional learning, which engages students in scientific practices, systems thinking, and real-world phenomena across STEM subjects.
Pennsylvania’s STEELS framework aims to foster integrated literacy in science, technology, engineering, and sustainability; develop critical thinking, systems reasoning, and environmental stewardship; and, prepare students for STEM careers and civic life in an increasingly complex world.
“Teachers are being asked to do more than ever before, often in subjects outside their formal training,” says Chayah Wilbers, program manager for Lehigh's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. “Our goal was to create tools that are immediately useful, easy to implement, and aligned with the spirit and structure of the STEELS framework."
Wilbers, a former classroom educator, leads Lehigh’s STEM Squad , a college-wide initiative that connects faculty, students, and research programs with K-12 classrooms. With her experience on both sides of the classroom, she plays a critical role in translating complex, college-level STEM research into engaging, age-appropriate activities for younger learners.
“Our faculty bring their deep expertise in research and scholarship in their fields of study,” she explains. “My job is to make it digestible, relevant, and fun for students and teachers, especially at the elementary level.”
The K-12 Computer Science STEELS Toolkit serves as an accessible complement to existing curricula. Each interactive module—on topics such as cryptography, coding logic, and problem-solving—includes:
A clear learning objective
A materials list (typically low-tech or printable)
A short, hands-on student activity
Discussion prompts and classroom reflection guidance
For instance, one activity challenges students to crack a code using a cipher, introducing them to basic cryptography. Another simulates computer programming with just pencil and paper, as students navigate a maze using logic-based commands. A third uses Microsoft MakeCode to teach simple animation—guiding students through programming a digital heart to beat on screen.
All modules align with Pennsylvania's STEELS requirements, but they are not formal lesson plans—they’re meant to be engaging enrichment tools that any teacher can implement easily.
These modules were developed as part of Lehigh’s Interdisciplinary Capstone Design program, with a team of computer science and engineering undergraduates drawing from their experiences as recent high school students. The result: resources that resonate with today’s learners and anticipate classroom realities.
Teachers who tested the activities praised their clarity, flexibility, and level of engagement. Feedback from local schools helped refine the modules into practical, classroom-ready tools.
This toolkit is the first Interdisciplinary Capstone Design project at Lehigh created specifically to support STEM outreach, and a new team of students is already working to expand it, adding modules in other engineering disciplines and improving site features.
Educators and administrators can browse and download all activities—at no cost—on the project’s website: engineering.lehigh.edu/k12-cs-toolkit .
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