We have a lot to be thankful for as we reflect on the year so far! Our STEAM community has grown to 44 elementary schools this year and support for our programs has been resounding from our teachers and our leadership. Last month at the San Diego Unified State of the District address at Lincoln High School, the student work showcase illuminated the power of students making a meaningful impact on their communities.
Fletcher Elementary students in Kindergarten and First Grade were represented by their teacher, Ms.Yamashita and Principal Camacho-McGrath. They shared artifacts of their students’ STEAM projects on Human Impact, Animal Ambassadors and The Power of Plants. Students wrote letters to the Governor sharing the effects of climate change and human impact, created posters and PSA storyboards sharing the problems in the environment and how to solve them, and created healthy eating awareness at their school after learning about The Power of Plants.
Students at Hoover High School also shared messages about their school’s human impact and how they wanted to increase the use of reusable water bottles and install a hydration station at their school to fill reusable water bottle. Using data from students about their human impact and single-use plastics, students used their findings to help gain funding to support the hydration station project. Our first grade students in STEAM are embarking on a similar project where they will be learning about their relationship with nature in their ONE with Nature project. Students will be sharing their ideas for how to solve the plastic pollution problems at their schools by making a PSA and creating an awareness campaign around what we can do to help.
The STEAM team at the Office of School Innovation hopes to provide San Diego Unified students with meaningful experiences that are relevant to their lives through STEAM projects. Being able to share this meaningful work with the community and have the recognition of our Superintendent, Cindy Marten, and State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, at the State of the District was a real highlight.
We are committed to empowering our students to enact change in their local and global communities and invite our community of parents and community partners to help connect our students’ classroom experiences to their world outside of school. If you have a project idea or want to learn more about how to engage our youngest students through STEAM, please contact Michael Goodbody, STEAM Innovation Manager at mgoodbody@sandi.net.
