STEAM
Inquiry-based thinking
Science
Science is about nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity. It’s about experimenting, encouraging investigation, and asking “Why do you think . . . ?” questions. In early childhood, science is about everyday experiences, like what makes shadows, how plants grow, why ice melts, and where different animals live and what they eat. When children tell you their idea of why something happens, that’s a hypothesis!
Technology
Technology is just a fancy word for tools. Adults tend to think of technology as digital equipment like cameras and computers or sophisticated machines in factories. But crayons and pencils are tools. So are rulers, magnifying glasses, scissors, zippers, and even dump trucks.
Engineering
Engineering starts with identifying a problem, then moves ahead to thinking about solutions and trying them out. All of us have seen children go through these processes when they’re trying to figure out how to make a strong foundation so they can build their blocks higher or when they’re working on a toy boat that will oat in the water table or making a stable base so their clay gures stand up.
Arts
Adding the arts gives children the opportunity to illustrate STEM concepts in creative and imaginative ways, express ideas about the world through music and dance, communicate with descriptive language, illustrate ideas with crayons or markers, create graphs, and build models.
Mathematics
Mathematics is much more than counting. Mathematical thinking includes comparing, sorting, working with patterns, and identifying shapes. Language, too, plays a big part in math, for example, when we use comparison words like bigger, smaller, higher, lower, farther, and closer.