Looking for some ways to add some STEAM into your lessons? The idea can sometimes seem overwhelming, but you can take some simple steps to do just that! Thankfully, there are also plenty of online resources to help out.
Here are a few tips and resources:
1. Engage Students with an Interactive or Hands-On Demonstration
Many students are apprehensive with STEAM lessons because they are intimidated with the subjects it involves. A good way to break that apprehension is by dispelling the myth that science, engineering, and math are difficult subjects that they cannot understand.
Rather than starting a STEAM lesson with a lecture or explanation, try a simple demonstration. There are plenty of online resources to find simple demonstrations to fit your lesson, including videos!
We recommend the following YouTube channels to find effective STEAM lessons and projects.
*Science Buddies (lots of easy projects that can be done at home).
*Raising da Vinci (they don’t do new videos any more, but they have a number of older videos featuring fun science projects).
*Technovation (the playlist linked here includes some science lessons and projects for older students, some featuring Boeing engineers).
Here’s a great example of a video that can be incorporated into your lesson plan. This video from Science Buddies features a STEAM project that can be done at home or a classroom, as students learn about lift by creating a paper model helicopter!
2. Allow Students to Analyze and Apply the Demonstration to STEAM Principles
It is key that students are able to apply the hands-on or visual demonstration to the lesson. It sharpens their critical thinking skills and develops their curious nature. Teachers should guide the discussion, and ensure students analyze, compare, and contrast what they have seen and experienced.
Use STEAM demonstrations that involve problem-solving. Engineers use their expertise to solve real-world problems like building bridges, and kids will enjoy applying a project to a real-world situation. Even better, ask students to provide a problem they have in their everyday life, and ask the class if a solution can be found using STEAM principles.
3. Highlight the Practicality of the Lesson
Students often do not make the connections between the scientific principles they are learning to the world they live in. Teachers can often make these simple connections from their own first-hand knowledge.
Use STEAM demonstrations that involve problem-solving. Engineers use their expertise to solve real-world problems like building bridges, and kids will enjoy applying a project to a real-world situation.
Many of the videos and resources found online feature engineers and professionals who can easily explain how STEAM principles can benefit us in practical ways.
For example, point out that geology and chemistry gives us a knowledge of metallurgy, which allowed us to learn about the electrical properties of copper and silver. Copper and silver is used to create the circuit boards that make our cell phones work. Without learning about the rocks and metals in the ground, we wouldn’t have phones to text on!
4. Additional Resources for Further Learning
Suggest books, websites, or YouTube channels that allow for additional learning by students outside of the classroom environment.
The Carnegie Science Center’s STEMisphere (click here) includes resources for teachers, parents, and students.
Microsoft’s Education Initiative includes the “Hacking STEM” project, which includes lessons kids can do at home.
We also recommend the Roku documentary series “Make It Work,” which features a number of STEM/STEAM initiatives in education. It is a great watch for teachers, but a couple of instances of crude words make it unsuitable for young students to watch. It is free to view on the Roku channel by clicking here.
If you know of additional STEM/STEAM resources we can add to this list, please list us know!