S.T.E.A.M.
By: Darryl Anderson
SCIENCE
Grades K-4: Students in this age range will learn about the importance of key areas: pollution, water conservation, recycling, animals, and their habitats (forest, desert, jungle, wet land, and the sea) with the goal of keeping the environment safe and clean.
Grades 5-8: Students can conduct sample tests to assess the purity of air and water and conduct a waste census to analyze the accumulation of trash disposal in communities. In addition, projects like recycling partially eaten or rotten fruits and veggies for composting to grow more food and making a greenhouse are science-based activities for students to engage in.
Grades 9-12: Proper disposal of E-waste, analyzing urbanization and its impact upon deforestation, and the study of heavy metals contaminating water sources are projects suitable for the high school level.
TECHNOLOGY
Grades K-4: Primary school level students can engage building Lego balloon and wind cars. Also, students can learn how to produce energy from food waste.
Grades 5-8: Middle School students learn about and create insulation to make homes energy efficient and build 3-D Printed biodegradable mosquito traps.
Grades 9-12: Technology based projects that can aid students in understanding and improving the environment: building sensors to monitor decreasing water levels and detect wildfire risks such as wind speed, humidity, and temperature.
ENGINEERING
Grades K-4: Primary School students can develop a solar power salt remover from saltwater sources to manufacture clean water, building a truss bridge to improve transportation, and make a solar oven as an alternative method for cooking.
Grades 5-8: Middle School students can engage in building housing structures to withstand natural disasters and backyard weather station to forecast the weather.
Grades 9-12: High School students can utilize engineering in these areas: aquaponics to grow food, urban designing which preventing overcrowded cities and reducing pollution, and keeping storm drains clean free of trash.
ART
Grades K-4: Primary school age students can learn how to recycle by gathering old, broken crayons to make new crayons. Also, students can create bug hotels using sticks, strings and nets to preserve the habitat of insects.
Grades 5-8: At this level, students can create wildflower seed bombs where the paper is used as compost and aids in seeds germinating.
Grades 9-12: Creating a video or infographic to spread awareness in the following areas: methods to change the food system, longevity of natural resources, and wildlife conservation.
MATHEMATICS
Grades K-4: Students in this age range can utilize math by measuring the depth of sand and weighing a bucket of sand, planting seeds (involves counting the seeds and planting a row) and measuring the usage of and learning how to conserve water.
Grades 5-8: Compile data and create line plots to compare the distribution of carbon dioxide between rich and poor nations. Use volume and surface area to create well designed containers to store liquids and food to eliminate waste of space and product.
Grades 9-12: Applying Algebra and Geometry to calculate oil production and predict shortages. Using real data to learn about national budget spending.