STEAM lessons inspire integrative learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Sangster students enjoy these lessons with the Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) and STEAM teacher. Students in Grades 4-6 benefit from a one hour STEAM lesson per week where they tackle design challenges, learn the engineering design process, and feel empowered as they problem solve and integrate their mathematical understanding all while utilizing Portrait of a Graduate Skills (Communicator, Collaborator, Goal Oriented and Resilient Individual, Critical and Creative Thinker, Ethical and Global Citizen). Students in K-3 are exposed to STEAM lessons during their monthly critical and creative thinking lessons with the AART as well as with their classroom teachers who integrate lessons to more directly connect to the curriculum being taught at each grade level.

This year, students were engaged in design challenges using a variety of common household items such as cups, straws, and cardboard rolls to create marble runs, straw towers, and zipline carriers. Students in all grade levels took part in spontaneous engineering challenges using Legos, Keva Planks, Zoobs, and Hexbugs. Students enjoyed taking part in Hour of Code, where they had the opportunity to improve their digital literacy and computer programing skills. Students in grades 4-6 also cultivated their critical and creative thinking skills as they created paths for ozobots using visual codes and played a variety of strategy games. Sangster 5th graders took part in Engineering is Elementary (EiE) problem based learning units which focused on the field of ocean engineering as they applied their knowledge of density, floating, and sinking to design their own submersible.

We are excited about our growing STEAM program at Sangster, the teachers that work to integrate it into their lessons, and the students whose enthusiasm for the program inspires us.