The district has implemented “Full STEAM Ahead” summer programming in response to a survey where parents indicated they wanted more rigorous curriculum during summer school.
STEAM refers to the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Dr. Michele Norman, director of elementary education for the district, said the goal was for students to gain 21st Century skills like communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Each teacher created a 16-day course map that outlined how they would integrate the elements of STEAM in their class.
“You hear about STEAM curriculum all over the United States, and really it’s more organic than that,” Norman said. “It’s not any sort of pre-packaged program.”
One such lesson was on display Tuesday at Carden Park Elementary. A group of soon-to-be first graders read two versions of the story of “The Three Little Pigs,” then built houses out of Popsicle sticks, Q-tips, drinking straws, and Play-Doh to mimic the homes in the story.
Becky Carter, first grade teacher at Carden Park, said it was fun watching students go through the problem-solving process of building a house. In most cases, students would appear to be nearly complete, only to tear their creation down and start over with a new idea. Carter said she sometimes had to resist the urge to jump in and help her students.
“The approach to STEAM is you really don’t give them direction,” Carter said. “You want to let them figure it out on their own.”
The class will test its creations today when they confront a hair dryer decorated to look like the Big Bad Wolf.
About 3,800 students have enrolled in summer school so far, with the total expected to grow through the week.
©2017 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
