As educators of the 21st century, it is an inevitable responsibility that we equip our students with the knowledge and the skill set which will ensure a successful and fulfilling career path. Presenting children with real-life situations and offering them opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills, make decisions independently and collaborate to find solutions to real-life problems are the key goals of a STEAM program.With Global Warming being one of the high-ranking problems in our world today, we recently posed a question to our Grade 3 students about possible ways we could integrate green spaces into a crowded urban cityscape. Applying their knowledge of Science in Plants, Stability and Structures, students designed a simple building within a limited space and devised methods to accommodate adequate greenery on the structure while also maintaining its stability. Using their rapidly evolving Technological skills, students compiled presentations illustrating the process of seed germination. The germinated seeds were the plants that they used in their structure. The Mathematical component of the project included measuring the sprouted seeds and graphing the results. Through trial and error, students had to experiment with a variety of seeds that would sprout easily and also maintain steady growth. They had to source out the most effective materials that could be used to build their structure and sustain the sprouting seeds.Thriving in an economically driven, global environment requires more than just a STEM skill set. The STEAM process develops much more than a student’s problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills. It shapes our students into persevering, committed and patient people who will embrace tomorrow’s challenges with flexible and open minds.Here are some of the finished products……..carefully thought out, creatively engineered and patiently tried and tested, skillfully built masterpieces indeed! STEAM LABORATORYBy Mrs. Abey
