Page 8 Students First Carver Elementary STEAM Magnet Program shows students how to take ownership of their learning The STEAM program at Carver Elementary Magnet School supports nontraditional student participation by engaging them in real world experiences. All STEAM-specific courses are open to all students, including those with special needs. At Carver Elementary, it is our goal to create a school with a learning environment that will promote academic rigor while increasing student proficiency in problem solving and critical thinking. We have adopted Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as our school wide course of study for all grade levels. Students are exposed to various instructional practices through interdisciplinary STEAM challenges, which are aligned to the state standards. The PLTW curriculum provides opportunities for students to use inquiry based learning to solve authentic and complex problems. In the elementary setting, students must use background knowledge to explore and develop a plan to engineer a product as a possible solution to a problem. For example, first grade students explore and research the effects of the sun and moon while they plan, design, measure, and engineer new playgrounds. Third grade students study erosion, weather systems, and building structures to enable them to design, engineer, and build different solutions to save a city from a landslide. It is important to note that the “A” in STEAM represents the STEM instruction that our students are also receiving in their related arts classes. For example, there is a program called STEM in the Gym where students are physically exercising while learning about force and motion at the same time. Teachers also facilitate students’ discovery through Wonder Walls. These walls allow students to ask questions that they have pondered and wish to research. In addition to PLTW, third and fourth grade teachers are utilizing the Math Design Collaborative (MDC) tools in conjunction with their Everyday Math Curriculum to enhance STEM lessons in math. The MDC approach supports the STEM curriculum by allowing students to collaborate in small groups to discuss and solve problems. We want to continue to grow professionally as educators to ensure the academic success of our students. We have utilized partnerships with Francis Marion University, South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Math, Clemson University, and Discovery Place to create and use additional problem based learning units to encourage both student and teacher creativity through practical applications. “All of our students have the opportunity throughout the day to be engaged and excited about learning,” said Principal Josie Little. “Our STEAM curriculum provides real life applications that students will be able to apply to real life scenarios. Research already shows that there are more STEM jobs and fewer people to fill these positions. We are working to make sure that our students, including minorities and females, have the mindset to begin thinking about all of the possibilities that STEM jobs can provide to them and to our society as a whole. I am so excited to watch our children become more inquisitive and gain valuable knowledge as they continue to learn. We are changing lives and that is a wonderful feeling for our teachers and staff.”
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