After forty years of teaching second grade, I transitioned in the spring of 2022 to a new role as the STEAM educator for grades 2-5. This fall, I’ll be entering my third year in this position, bringing fresh perspectives and ideas each year. With 20 classes a week, it’s essential to establish structure and routines for my students.

My back-to-school goals for STEAM revolve around the Engineering Design Process, engaging students in every step. I often ask myself, “Will my students be able to ask, imagine, plan, create, test, and improve?” During the first few weeks of school, I focus on blending this process with fostering curiosity, reinforcing students’ strengths, and embedding the 4C’s of 21st-century skills: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

In the early weeks of STEAM, I prioritize establishing routines that help students build the confidence they need to be imaginative and innovative. To ensure success with the Engineering Design Process, I create a welcoming classroom environment filled with interest-based activities. These activities encourage students to take ownership of their learning and develop personal learner agency as they engage in classroom routines, learn, and have fun.

Incorporating the Engineering Design Process

1. Ask

In the first few lessons, I introduce students to the “How Might We…?” protocol. I explain that these questions are short prompts designed to spark brainstorming. Students have the opportunity to share their ideas verbally or jot them down on sticky notes. For example, a great icebreaker at the start of the school year is the Name Tag Challenge. I might ask, “How might we design a name tag that can stand on its own?” This question presents both the task and the problem, encouraging students to imagine a solution.

2. Imagine

Students are offered some time to think and imagine how their name tag and final task will look. They can jot down ideas or tinker with materials that are available at stations to support them in the planning process that will support their name tag in standing with the materials provided.

3. Plan

Once students have a clear visual image, ideas on scrap paper, or prototypes, they move on to the next step: creating.

4. Create

Each student receives an index card and a name tag holder. Stations are set up with recycled materials, 3DuxDesign connectors and geometric cardboard shapes, magnetic building kits, KEVA Maple Planks, and Strawbees. Students are given time to engage in thoughtful exploration, creating their own name tags and engineering a system to support their name tag as a standalone structure.

5. Test

Using the provided materials, students familiarize themselves with how the materials work and test their final products. They are given time to pause, evaluate their solution, and determine if any improvements are needed.

 

 

6. Improve

After considering all their steps, many students will reflect on their final solution and review their process and improve as needed.

For the remainder of the session, students continue to engage with the materials used to stabilize their name tags, but with free choice. This allows me to offer personalized learning experiences and observe students making connections with their peers, which supports personal growth in their interests and talents through imaginative and innovative paths. By taking notes on how they incorporate the 4C’s—creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication—into their choice time, I can recognize student preferences and plan for interest-based learning in future sessions.

Allowing children to have these authentic experiences can be challenging and may involve productive struggle. However, as educators, by observing and supporting this process, we enable our students to develop learner agency while fostering a culture of inquiry and creativity. This is invaluable as they continue to design their own learning-centered experiences throughout the year.