ABC STEAM (STEM) Challenge - Semester Class (Part A)

** Part A or B can be taken in any order.  **

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Activities involving these fields have a significant impact on kids. 

It might look like your kids are just playing, but they are doing so much more. Look closely, and you will see the design process in motion. You will see critical thinking skills in action, and you will notice problem-solving at its finest.  When kids play, they learn about the world around them!

In this Flex class, each week, on Monday mornings, I will be posting an ABC STEAM Challenge (on the classroom wall) that correlates with a letter of the alphabet. (Example: Letter Aa: Create an ANT that can stand on 6 legs) For each challenge, there will be a PDF sheet (with pictures) to encourage brainstorming and design drawings. This sheet will walk you step-by-step through the Engineering Design Process. There will also be a PDF sheet to create a journal with and record their final process and give details on what they learned worked and didn't work. 

I will provide suggestions for common materials around the home to use, but this is where your child can use their own critical thinking skills to develop their own ideas too! Completed challenges are to be posted in the classroom by each Friday, so students can receive individual feedback from the teacher and other students in the class. 

As a flex class, we want to feel connected as a team! We will come up with a team name and I will be posting classroom wall posts for questions and updates. These posts will be a great place to brainstorm with myself and the other students in the class. You will also be able to post photos and videos of your progress. I can/will share pictures of my own projects to help, with brainstorming ideas.  I will also be sharing child-appropriate videos describing the engineering process, and the science behind a few of the challenges, as well as the different types of engineers. Students are asked to comment on classroom posts at least once a week, however, they will be encouraged to interact with as many posts as possible.

During the last week of class, we will have a post to share our favorite challenge from the class. I will ask for a short video to be posted from each student, explaining the challenge they chose, what they learned from it, and why it was their favorite.

I will announce a time (at least once a month), where I will open the live classroom, at that time, anybody available is welcome to jump on, share what they are working on, ask questions, brainstorm with others, etc... 

I will also be available through a live meeting or private messaging, throughout the week, if your student is in need of any assistance with their challenge.  

We will make it through the 13 challenges in this 13-week section.