Having a STEAM lab available to my students in my classroom has been very beneficial. Students have been able to use the lab to explore how things work and the way they move. It has fostered independent thinking, teamwork and collaboration amongst these young developing minds. My students are always so eager to use our STEAM Lab in many different ways. Some of the students use images from the books that came with the manipulatives, some use stem task cards to build and others use their imagination. Our STEAM Lab has brought hands-on experience to my students that they would not otherwise have had. They put to work their brainstorming and problem-solving skills each time they utilize these materials. My students take a lot of pride in their creations and get some excited once they have finished the creation they have imagined or duplicated from an image. They are eager to teach one another how to use something or share their ideas- often putting to work their developing leadership skills. Students have also learned of the idea of failure- mistakes are common and they know that it is okay to have to try again or start over. The ideas that perfection is boring and mistakes are common and necessary to succeed have been reinforced through having the STEAM lab in our classroom.
Ms. Alyssa Hamers
First Grade teacher
Royalton Elementary