Ever wonder how amazing structures such as the IFC building are able to withstand a T10 typhoon? Are you a problem solver at heart? Well, then you might have been bitten by the engineering bug. Engineers are people who want to know how and why things work. They design and build solutions to solve SPECIFIC problems. To prepare children for such jobs in the future, an educational approach called STEAM is being integrated by schools globally. STEAM, which is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, guide students into inquiry, critical thinking, and dialogue.

At AIS, students are always encouraged to inquire, think, and communicate with each other and with teachers.

In November, AIS elementary students and teachers focused on a variety of STEAM activities in their lessons. Led by Ms. Emily Macknicki and Sophie Oostendorp, students were challenged with different engineering projects.

• EC 1 students were introduced to STEAM with simple coding without technology.
• EC 2 students were able to construct bridges to hold the weight of 2 toy trucks.
• Grade 1 Junior students were asked to design and build push and pull toys.
• Grade 1 students created shadow structures to observe the sun.
• Grade 2 students made grass head models to study seeds and plants.
• Grade 3 students designed and created endangered animal habitats.
• Grade 4 students studied plate tectonics by designing and building seismographs.

If you walked into any classroom during these lessons, you would see:

• Meaningful discussions among students.
• Students collaborating on designs and builds.
• Students taking ownership of their learning.
• Enthusiasm towards their projects.
• Reflection on mistakes.
• Frustration in conjunction with perseverance.

Science, technology, and engineering play a more profound part in our every day life. It is important that our students are exposed to STEAM to create an interest in these areas. It is our hope that we sparked an interest in the fields of Science and Engineering and for our students to have a better understanding of how science and engineering are incorporated in our existence.

You can check out some our students engaged in STEAM activities on our Twitter hashtag #AISSTEAM