Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics

What does STEAM education look like?

STEAM education is project based, hands-on learning in which students practice skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving. Students use their creative thinking skills to design, build, and improve upon solutions to problems in the real world. STEAM education is interdisciplinary, meaning that it spans multiple content areas at one time.

How do students get STEAM education at Moore Elementary?

In the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year, students are introduced to a module from Project Lead the Way (PLTW). Moore received a grant from PLTW to help enhance our STEAM education. All students go to the STEAM lab once a week during their specials time. The module is called Exploring Design: Structure and Function and follows an APB model (Activities, Project, problem Based learning). First, students explore the world of design and engineers by learning about structure and function. The activities build scaffolding by exploring the structure and function of different objects through observation, exploration, and building a beanstalk. Next, students engage in a project to help do away with misconceptions of building materials and how they apply to structure and function by taking on the role of one of the little pigs in another familiar story. Finally, students are presented with a problem - building a new paintbrush. Students must first consider the desired function of the paintbrush and then build a structure that will fulfill that function. In the APB model, students work at a table with other students. Sometimes they work together and sometimes they work independently, but are still able to communicate with each other about their own ideas.All PLTW modules follow this same process. 

Starting in the second semester, PLTW modules will move into the hands of classroom teachers. The STEAM lab will transform into the Lego/Robotics lab. K-2 will work with the new Wonderkind Pilot program. 3-5 students will work with the Spike Lego program and BricQ.

http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/magnet