As technology advances, schools are embracing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) in a variety of innovative ways, from hands-on labs to collaborative projects that combine art and mathematics.
Case in point: Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. “Walk into a Mirowitz science classroom, and you may find students sorting through the soil to discover decomposers, building electrical circuits, or creating 3D models of human body systems out of found objects,” says Shannon Rohlman, the school’s director of instruction. “These disciplines are woven throughout our program, fostering creativity and critical thinking.”
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Much of the school’s STEAM learning happens at its outdoor learning labs, such as a pond, a prairie, gardens, a compost bin, or even a chicken coop. “These labs allow students to learn about ecosystems, sustainability, and biodiversity in a hands-on environment,” Rohlman says. “Research shows that fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep connection to the world around them is the best way to prepare thoughtful, engaged citizens who are ready to address the challenges of tomorrow.”
Likewise, Visitation Academy embraces outdoor STEAM education. Its new Owl’s Nest learning space—complete with a building materials area, a water area, and more—can be used by all ages for free play or educational initiatives. “Any time a teacher says, ‘We’re going out to the Owl’s Nest,’ the students are very excited,” Lower School principal Marlise Albert says. “But what makes me really excited is how much our middle- and upper-school girls are using the space.”
Parkway School District has focused on Project Lead the Way, a nationally recognized STEM curriculum. The program’s problem-solving framework includes a variety of units that require elementary-age students to think critically and creatively.
“As times change, the way we prepare our students must evolve as well,” says Jenn Abdel-Azim, Parkway’s coordinator of elementary STEM and math intervention. “Parkway became the first district in the region to adopt Project Lead the Way as the foundation of elementary science, providing hands-on, real-world learning for all.” The program encourages students to “think like engineers” and gives them the skills and resources to succeed with this type of learning.
“From building sun shelters in kindergarten to designing water purification systems in fifth grade, students use the engineering-design process to solve meaningful problems while learning about topics from forces and interactions to the water system,” says Abdel-Azim. “Our students now call themselves engineers and approach these real-world challenges with confidence.”
At Forsyth School, fifth graders step into the role of being a commissioned artist for a “client,” such as a parent or caregiver, while learning about math and art. They even took a field trip to the Kemper Art Museum for inspiration. “The idea is that the fifth-grade mathematician becomes a commissioned artist,” says art teacher Saaba Lutzeler. “On the front end, they are learning a huge number of math skills, and on the back end, they’re learning the art skills, and there is overlap in the middle.”
According to Forsyth School math teacher Nicki Kohrs, the real-life application of math skills has heightened students’ interest in the subject. “The math skills are an integral part of what they need to do to make a profit and create this piece of art,” says Kohrs. “They have to take measurements of where the piece is going to go because they need that for their piece of art. They need to know the cost of supplies to understand how to make a profit. They have to round when they work to find the unit price, such as a piece of wood or a square unit of canvas.”
This collaborative STEAM project has also allowed students to bolster their creative and critical-thinking skills. “We made a word cloud of feedback to have our students’ voices reflected, and the number-one word was fun, but we also saw words like hard and frustrating,” Kohrs shares. “They learned to tolerate some frustration while having fun. This type of project opened their eyes to something they didn’t know before.”
New Science
Experience STEAM-related exhibits at these STL favorites.
The recently revamped Life Science Lab Atrium showcases nature’s role in advancing medicine, and the newly updated Inside the Vault gallery highlights collections from ancient fossils to cultural artifacts. The Discovery Room has some new additions that will engage young learners, while the perennial favorite Energy Stage showcases dynamic STEM demonstrations.
Explore immersive exhibits that challenge perception and ignite curiosity, enhanced by a new K–12 STEM curriculum developed in partnership with stem.org.
MADE for Kids’ Makers Workshop
Engage in hands-on building and tinkering to spark creativity and engineering skills.
Unearth fossils in a fun, interactive paleontology exhibit designed for young explorers.
