STEAM: The Product of Color and Ice
Authors: Brett Baxter, Allie Shannon, and Ashley Dale
Faculty Supervisor: Debra L. Smith, Ed.D.
Abstract:
The service-learning activity as a whole was a unique experience. Classmates worked together as colleagues to brainstorm ideas from our individual backgrounds to come up with engaging activities that would meld the Visual Arts and Science to create a STEAM lesson. The collaborative planning of the activity allowed students from College of Coastal Georgia to work together with teachers and students at Altama Elementary School and to create a learning experience for teachers, teacher candidates, and first graders. This was an authentic activity that allowed us to use pedagogical information and realistic classroom management. Time management also took on a more obvious role as we tried to get the whole lesson into one class period. The chance to see the children interact with the materials and to interact with us as teachers took the teaching experience to a new level. We also learned a great deal about methods of co-teaching. The exposure to STEAM principles in both planning and in execution was a valuable experience for future teachers and by the excitement in the room, a great way to engage the students at Altama Elementary.
