Education Commons^™

Making Meaningful Connections With Steam For Elementary Aged Students In China, Francis Stonier

The STEAM Journal

This program included a summer STEAM experience for over 130 Chinese elementary aged children. During the week they constructed and tested an egg drop package, explored the local natural history museum, learned about animal footprints and the habitats they live in, dug up dinosaur fossils, and launched rockets. For many, this was their one of their first formal experiences with STEAM activities. The experiences provided a positive introduction or continued support for STEAM at the primary level.

Steam Explores Project Based Assessments, Erica Luvone, Loretta Radulic, Joe Mondanaro, Nicole Acevedo, Erika Dent, Ann Rhodes

STEM Month

This year, our approach to STEAM explores project based assessments in the disciplines of science and social studies. Students work in groups to produce projects that showcase work and proficiency. These projects are presented, displayed, discussed, and revisited or revised at student discretion.

Steam Report By Summer Diaz, Summer Diaz

STEM Month

Hi, my name is Summer Diaz. I am 10 years old and a student at Theodore Roosevelt School (TRS) in Weehawken. I am here to talk to you about my process through STEAM. STEAM is a very important and difficult task to do because I have done many projects involving STEAM like my Umbrella Holder that I made when I was 8 in 3rd grade. Which prevents having so much groceries in your hand when it’s raining so you only have to hold one thing. Then my most recent project is Finder which prevents you from losing your lost devices.

3 Stem Projects By Fares Soliman, Fares Soliman

STEM Month

My name is Fares Soliman. I am a fourth grade student from John Hill School Boonton NJ. I created a 3 STEM project. The first project that I made was a doll. I used pink yarn for the dress and brown yarn for the hair. I also used a round wooden ball for the face. The second project that I created was a diorama of a farm. I put some grass, trees, a barn, hay sticks, some animals, a bridge, a fence, some plastic food and corn for the crop. My third project was a diorama of a park. It …

Creative Stem Learning By Third Grade Students, Devon Marques, Jennifer Curry, Rebecca Kreider

STEM Month

At Sandshore School, STEM is infused in students’ week through the engagement of challenges and project based learning activities created and planned by our media specialist. For students, these hands-on learning activities allow time for students to collaborate with peers, express their individual ideas, learn through trial and error, and critically think using problem solving skills. Students thrive in this type of learning environment while learning skills to build self-esteem, confidence and communication. STEM education is not only engaging for all types of learners, it also provides students with real life skills targeted for success.

YouTube Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6edisr7YAc&feature=youtu.be

Don't Run Out Of Steam! Barriers To A Transdisciplinary Learning Approach, Jennifer C. Caton

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Reform-based instruction can maximize learning and provide equitable access for students in both mathematics and science. A proposal for change by national organizations shed light on the need for programs in integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or with the inclusion of the arts (STEAM). A balanced approach to integrated STEAM education uses real issues from around the world to challenge students to be innovative, creative, and think critically about ways they can provide solutions. The purpose of this article is to highlight the potential of a transdisciplinary STEAM instructional approach, while examining the barriers that teachers face in …

Steam Education Afterschool And Summer Learning, Tracey Hunter-Doniger

The STEAM Journal

This article discusses the potential of STEAM education in afterschool and summer learning programs. The author suggests artistic methods and pedagogies that can be implemented in the programs, such as TAB (teaching artistic abilities), art infusion, and Studio Thinking. Challenges are brought forward and essential factors are suggested for STEAM programs. This article outlines STEAM afterschool and summer programs as spaces that invite, encourage and provide a safe learning environment where the students have more freedom to explore and get a deeper understanding of the arts and other disciplines.

Steam Lessons From The Forest: Ingenuity, Instruments And Autonomy, Tracey Hunter-Doniger

The STEAM Journal

This article discusses a case study of an environmental art camp that was modeled after choice-based pedagogies. At this camp the children were able to choose their activities, and taught how to think and work like an artist/scientist using a sketch/field book as a guiding instrument for their inquiry and empowerment. What was found was that three pillars of empowerment formed a foundational structure consisting of three interrelated factors that inspired the campers: 1) ingenuity, 2) a useful instrument, and 3) autonomy. Cultivating the artist/scientist habits gave the students the ingenuity or practical knowledge and understanding of how the roles …

Steam Implementations For Elementary School Students In Turkey, Nil Duban, Bülent Aydoğdu, Selçuk Kolsuz

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The main aim of the current research was to fill the absence of STEAM activities for primary school students in Turkey. Accordingly, a study in which STEAM activities were implemented was conducted with the primary school students. There were four activities during STEAM implementation. The activities were these: Students recognized circuit components of simple electric circuits, designed simple electric circuits using circuit components by the guidance of researchers, later designed an ecological village via STEAM using simple electric circuits, and presented their ecological village via STEAM. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group design was used in the current …

Biomimicry A “Natural Lesson” In Steam, Steve Pauls

The STEAM Journal

The introduction of biomimicry as a theme in the classroom has some significant advantages when developing a STEAM curriculum. This growing field has many natural overlaps between the different disciplines within STEAM. There are many fascinating stories surrounding biomimicry connecting nature to simple solutions for many of our most difficult problems, especially related to the sustainability of our planet. Biomimicry cannot but help capture the imagination of our students.

A Brief History Of Stem And Steam From An Inadvertent Insider, Lisa G. Catterall

The STEAM Journal

This article traces a history of STEM and STEAM from the perspective of someone involved in arts integration research for the last 35 years, and proposes a vision for the next steps. It also provides an assessment of the risks inherent in current trends of STEAM roll-out in schools, from the lack of resources for professional development to the burgeoning market in STEAM kits and activity books that do not lead to the original learning goals of STEAM.