Steam is an approach that we use at Langley to help students become better problem solvers and their learning and understanding process. And so steam stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
We think of it more as an approach that gives students a chance to do multidisciplinary projects that are inquiry based and develop soft skills like collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. First graders were able to watch chicks hatch, and then make observations of the behaviors that the chicks were showing. And they had their iPads or right up close to their chicks while they were eating and drinking water that they were seeing by coding little chicks on Scratch, Jr, which is an iPad app that is very age appropriate. It uses Blockly code so everybody can do it.
Every learner every week has an opportunity to explore the steam fields. And they do that in their core classes or their homeroom, as well as opportunities in the steam classes, or in my case, my design, engineering and technology class for students in grades five through eight. So every week we have kids, learning how to think how to solve problems, and really promote that curiosity mindset. Today, they were splicing wires, I was teaching them how to use wire cutters and wire strippers so that they could create a continuous current for electricity. And they're going to get to make a project where they build a structure out of mostly recyclable materials, but they get to make what they want to make. And I think that that's much more empowering. And then they are much more invested and inventive and more engaged in general.
The great thing about our steam approach here at Langley is that it really helps us to have really strong connections with our other teachers. And it really helps us to work collaboratively together on different projects in different grade levels. By having a steam approach. It naturally has us work across grade levels across subject areas and content areas so that we can really help support our students and thinking holistically about their learning and education here at Langley.