A STEAM activity is a lesson that covers one of the core STEAM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. It’s a common acronym in the education world to reference these important subjects and skills — in and out of school. STEAM activities are cross-curricular, meaning they cover several topics at the same time. Many teachers will choose to use STEAM activities to cover other disciplines, including history, reading, art, and music along with traditional math and science activities. STEAM activities, unlike traditional STEM activities, focus on exploring the familiar fields of science and mathematics while using the creative problem-solving and inquiry-based techniques usually seen in more creative fields like the arts.
Here’s what this looks like in action. A traditional prompt might read: label the parts of a bicycle. A STEAM prompt would ask kids to create a prototype for a method of transportation that uses less fuel and still gets people to work on time. See the difference?
STEAM activities engage kids in STEM-based learning and go beyond core STEM subjects to nurture the development of additional skills like:
Critical thinking
Creativity
Collaboration
Communication
By practicing these soft skills, kids can develop both the soft and hard skills needed to thrive in STEM fields. Oftentimes, kids will even enjoy these kinds of learning activities far more than traditional learning exercises. We are so excited to see what your child CREATES!
