Soaring with Ms. Sweeting

STEAM Pre-K-2nd Grade

Think about the STEAM experiences you had as a student in your early childhood education experience...

What is STEAM?

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics

STEAM builds critical thinking skills through an engineering or design approach in creating and solving real-world problems, while boosting students' skills in science and math.

Is STEAM Possible in PK-2?

STEAM does NOT have to be difficult in order for children to gain necessary skills. Do not overcomplicate things! Keep it simple!

What Does Simple Look Like?

• Science- performing small experiment and answering thought-provoking questions based off the experiments
• Technology- crayons and paper for the design
• Engineering- thought processes are the foundations 
• Arts- illustrate concepts
• Mathematics- playing with and organizing shapes

Students need to start somewhere!

Why STEAM?

• We have no clue what future job opportunities and desires our students will have
• 4 C's- creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking
• Real-life applications and 21st century skills
• Project-based learning
• Teamwork
• Engaging learning method
• Hands-on learning

How to Implement STEAM Into the Classroom:

• Can be used in all content areas
• Makerspaces- an area in the classroom that provides students with multiple materials to complete tasks for STEAM; they support children's learning
• STEM bins
• Play planning-students plan their play and map it out and then build it
• Can be done in whole-group, small-group, or centers

Resources:

• https://teachoutsidethebox.com/
• https://stemactivitiesforkids.com/
• https://ourfamilycode.com/31-days-of-low-prep-steam-activities-for-kids/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=463126268_15934288_380173
• Draw and Tell app- draw out STEAM designs
• Pic Kids app- collage their favorite designs for inspiration
• "If I Built a House" by Chris Van Dusen
• "What to Do With a Box" by Jane Yolen
• "The Most Magnificent Thing" by Ashley Spires
• https://www.naeyc.org/

Reflection:

I knew about STEAM before this presentation but I never knew it could be implemented into the early childhood classroom. It blows my mind that young children can perform STEAM projects and experiments. I believe this knowledge will be beneficial for my future classroom because I will no longer underestimate the power and ability of young children, which will only aid them in learning more beneficially and engagingly. I also did not know that STEAM could be as simple as using crayons and paper to illustrate ideas and concepts. This presents the concept that STEAM does not have to be too complicated or expensive, which can be two intimidating aspects of STEAM.

All pictures are from Google and Pinterest!