We are now onto the last lesson of STEAM in a box in Powerstown Educate Together! The project has been really successful and has definitely had a really positive impact on the children and will have a positive impact in the school community.
The children has been engaging really well in the lessons. STEAM in a Box- Building blocks of biology has been a really hands on, active programme. The children have been asking questions, engaging in the scientific method by predicting, carrying out experiments, analysing information and drawing conclusions. The children learned about the characteristics of life, viruses, bacteria, cells, plants and animals. We are lucky to have hens in our school that made our lessons even more active.
As well as the children learning lots of new skills, another impact which it has had is that it has given the children an interest in the school garden. We learned about plants, animals and the characteristics of life through the programme and after teaching the lessons, I would bring the children to our geodome. The children have a great interest now in the school garden. The staff who run the school garden have noticed the interest and asked them to help them with jobs such as planting, watering, composting etc. It has been great to see the children develop such a passion for nature.
In Term 2 of the school year the children have been taken part in the lessons. In Term 3, they will help teachers in 5th class also carry out Steam in a Box. They will be assisting the teachers and the children in the class. In our school we put a large emphasis on peer tutoring and children being fully involved in the school community. We want for our older children to take on more responsibility.
Next year, we would love to use the funding to purchase an Engineering in a Box- which which focuses on Shelter, Structure and Infrastructure, Machines and Mechanisms, Engineering for Energy, Water and Waste Management, Biomedical Engineering, Electronic Engineering.
Here is our action plan.
Timeline- Month of January, we will meet as a team weekly to discuss progress. Steam in a Box is expected to send the boxes at the beginning of January.
Budget: The Budget will cover the cost of two boxes:
2 x Building Blocks of Biology Boxes [Teacher Led] for Year 1.
Building Blocks of Biology Programme - Focuses on living and non-living things including viruses, cells, plants, animals (biodiversity)
Expected impact: We would like to create a positive attitude towards STEAM in the school and community. We would like to build problem-solving skills, questioning, collaboration and synthesising skills in the children. Our aim is that the older children (6th class) use their new skills to teach the younger classes about the human body, animals and plants. They will complete workshops with younger classes with the support of their class teachers. The aim is also that the older children can take control of caring for the plants in the geodome ( a programme in which members of the community also participate in).
3/5 of our team members!
We will be buying two 'STEAM in the Box' resource boxes and will receive them in January.
We are hoping to focus on something environmental based
