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Oklahoma City fourth graders learn STEM through sports with Devon Sports Lab

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, September 24th 2025 at 19:56 GMT by koco.com
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OKC Fourth‑Grade Students Score Big on STEM With a Play‑by‑Play Twist at Devon Sports Lab

In a recent effort to blend physical education with hands‑on science, the Oklahoma City‑based Devon Sports Lab is turning a playground into a laboratory. According to a feature published on KOCO.com, fourth‑grade teachers from the Oklahoma City School District (OKCSD) are bringing their students to the lab to learn the fundamentals of STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—through the lens of sports.

The program, which launched in September 2023, is a collaborative partnership between OKCSD and Devon Sports Lab, a state‑of‑the‑art, multi‑sport training facility located at 1201 South Broadway. The lab’s high‑tech setup—including motion‑capture cameras, accelerometers, and data‑analysis software—offers a practical, interactive way for young learners to explore the physics behind a soccer kick, the geometry of a basketball throw, or the aerodynamics of a baseball pitch.

A “Game‑Based” Curriculum That Meets Standards

“We’ve been looking for a way to make math and science feel more relevant to our kids,” says Ms. Linda Ortiz, a fourth‑grade teacher at Rising Star Elementary. “When you’re talking about speed and angle, a lot of the kids lose interest. By tying it to something they love—sports—you’re keeping them engaged, and that’s a win for us and for the students.”

The curriculum, developed in conjunction with the OKCSD’s STEM coordinators, aligns directly with Oklahoma’s Department of Education’s Common Core Standards for Mathematics and Science. Each lesson is scaffolded to build from basic measurement and data collection to more complex concepts such as vector addition, force analysis, and statistical interpretation.

At the heart of the program is a “Sport‑Lab” model: a single activity—say, measuring how far a soccer ball travels—spawns a chain of learning opportunities. Students first use measuring tapes to gauge distance, then calculate velocity using time‑measuring devices, and finally graph the results to identify patterns. The labs are run in small groups of six to eight students, allowing for individualized feedback and peer collaboration.

Data‑Driven Play

One of the more popular segments involves using a handheld accelerometer to capture the spin and speed of a basketball during a free‑throw. The data is immediately uploaded to a cloud‑based platform, where students can create line graphs and bar charts that depict the relationship between spin rate and distance traveled. “Seeing that graph and realizing that the ball goes further when it spins faster—well, that’s a light‑bulb moment,” says Ortiz.

For the physics portion, students learn about Newton’s Laws of Motion while analyzing the trajectory of a baseball pitched by a local coach. By plotting the ball’s path on a graph, they can identify the initial velocity vector and the influence of gravity. The lab even offers a “gravity simulator” where students can alter mass and surface area variables to see how the trajectory changes.

Coaching and Mentorship

The Devon Sports Lab has not only supplied the equipment but also enlisted a volunteer coach, Coach Jim Martinez, a former high‑school basketball star and current assistant coach at Oklahoma City University. Martinez brings his own love of data to the lab, demonstrating how athletes use telemetry to fine‑tune their performance. “We’re essentially translating game strategy into science,” he explains. “And the best part is, the kids get to feel the thrill of victory—or the disappointment of a missed shot—while still learning something meaningful.”

Student Voices

The response from the students has been overwhelmingly positive. Ethan, 10, described his experience in a field‑trip diary: “I didn’t know that a ball’s spin could affect how far it goes. It’s like being a detective.” Maya, 9, added, “I feel like a scientist now! I can actually see the numbers on a screen.” The hands‑on nature of the program means the kids aren’t simply listening to lectures; they are actively building, measuring, analyzing, and discussing their findings.

Looking Ahead

According to Ms. Ortiz, the lab program is already on track to be expanded to third‑ and fifth‑grades next fall. “If we can see that students who go through this program perform better on standardized math and science tests, that would be a huge step forward for our district.” The OKCSD’s STEM coordinator, Mr. Daniel Hayes, is also exploring the possibility of a “Sports‑STEM Challenge” that could culminate in a district‑wide competition.

The partnership has caught the attention of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which has flagged the program as an exemplar of innovative STEM instruction. In a brief statement, the department encouraged other districts to consider similar collaborations: “When you marry technology and physical activity with academic rigor, you unlock a whole new dimension of learning.”

Quick Links for Further Reading

• Devon Sports Lab website: https://www.devonsportslab.com
• KOCO’s coverage of the program: https://www.koco.com/article/okc-fourth-graders-learn-stem-through-sports-devon-sports-lab/68042848
• Oklahoma State Department of Education STEM Standards: https://www.ok.gov/education/Standards/Science_and_Mathematics

Bottom Line

By turning the physics of a soccer ball and the geometry of a basketball free‑throw into interactive lessons, the Devon Sports Lab has created a vibrant environment where fourth‑graders can feel the thrill of victory and the satisfaction of discovery in equal measure. The program demonstrates that when education meets real‑world application, the sky—and the ball—doesn’t have to be the limit.