Table Of ContentFrom STEM to STEAM
Second Edition
From STEM to STEAM
Brain-Compatible Strategies and
Lessons That Integrate the Arts
Second Edition
David A. Sousa
Tom Pilecki
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Title: From STEM to STEAM : brain-compatible strategies and lessons that
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integrate the arts / David A. Sousa, Tom Pilecki.
Description: Second edition. | Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin, 2018. |
SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
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Identifiers: LCCN 2017045273 | ISBN 9781506322452 (pbk. : alk. paper)
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Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS x
ABOUT THE AUTHORS xi
INTRODUCTION 1
Why a Second Edition? 1
What’s New? 3
Looking to the Arts 4
How This Book Can Help to Implement STEAM 4
Chapter Contents 5
Who Should Use This Book? 8
What’s Coming? 8
1. Why STEM Should Become STEAM 9
The Power of the Arts 10
The Real Purpose of Schooling 11
The Arts Are Basic to the Human Experience 11
Why Teach the Arts? 13
The Arts and STEM Do Have Differences 26
STEM Learning Needs the Arts 27
What’s Coming? 29
Major Points to Ponder 30
2. What Science Says About the Arts and Creativity 31
Brain Organization 32
A Note of Caution 33
Thinking and Learning 34
Convergent and Divergent Thinking 34
Divergent Thinking Challenges the Brain—That’s a Good Thing! 36
Divergent Thinking Changes the Brain—That’s a Better Thing! 37
Why Don’t Schools Engage in More Divergent Thinking? 38
Mind-Set: It Can Hinder or Improve Achievement 39
The Arts, STEM, and Creativity 42
Creativity Versus Intelligence 42
Stages of Creative Thinking 42
Everyone Can Be Creative 44
Creativity in the History of Science 45
Creativity in STEM Areas 46
Does Technology Foster Creativity? 50
What’s Coming? 51
Major Points to Ponder 52
3. Bringing STEAM Into Schools 53
What Is Arts Integration? 54
What Is STEAM? 55
Helping Teachers Discover Their Creativity and Craft 56
Different Schools and Implementation Formats 57
The Impact of School Climate 58
Diverse Local and Socioeconomic Backgrounds 59
Implementing the STEAM Initiative 59
The Basic District Plan 61
Planning Guide 61
What We Are Learning 63
What’s Coming? 64
Major Points to Ponder 65
4. Guidelines for Creating a STEAM School 67
STEAM Guidelines 68
Guideline 1: STEAM Mission and Planning 69
Guideline 2: STEAM in the Curriculum 69
Guideline 3: Professional Development for Teachers in STEAM
Implementation 70
Guideline 4: STEAM Leadership and Management 70
Guideline 5: STEAM in Classroom Instruction 71
Guideline 6: STEAM Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) 72
Guideline 7: Expanding STEAM Beyond STEM 73
Guideline 8: Futures in STEAM 74
Guideline 9: STEAM in Action in the Local and Global Community 74
Guideline 10: A STEAM Exhibition 75
What’s Coming? 76
Major Points to Ponder 77
5. Frequently Asked Questions About Integrating the Arts and STEM 79
What Are the Arts? 80
Addressing Some Common Frequently Asked Questions 82
Question 1: How Can I Do This if I Am Not an Artist and I Am
Not Creative? 82
Question 2: What About Arts Integration Versus Art for Art’s Sake? 83
Question 3: Is There a Difference Between an Artist and a
Teaching Artist? 84
Question 4: Can a STEM Teacher Think Like an Artist and an
Artist Think Like a STEM Teacher? 85
Question 5: How Do I Make My Schedule Provide for Arts
Integration? 87
Question 6: Will Adding the Arts to STEM Affect My Students’
Test Scores? 89
Question 7: What About Common Core State Standards?
Curriculum? Textbook? 89
Arts Perception Worksheet 94
Answer Key 96
What’s Coming? 97
Major Points to Ponder 98
6. Implementing Arts Integration in the Primary Grades (K–4) 99
Importance of Movement 100
Science, Mathematics, and the Arts in the Primary Grades 101
Organization of the School and Its Culture 101
Self-Contained Versus Departmental Organization 103
Planning Tips for Arts Integration 103
Collaboration With Older Students in Mathematics—
The “Buddy System” at Its Best! 104
Arts Integration: Solo Act or Duet? 106
Ideas for Arts-Integrated Lesson Plans (Primary Grades) 106
Grade K—Mathematics 108
Grade 2—Science 109
Multigrade Arts-Related Activities With Different Animals 109
What’s Coming? 120
Major Points to Ponder 121
7. Implementing Arts Integration in the Intermediate Grades (5–8) 123
A Day in the Life of a Middle School Student 124
Departmental Organization 125
Challenges of Middle School Schedules 126
Keeping Students Interested: Comparing Music and Science 127
Teacher-to-Teacher Collaborations 128
STEM Teacher and Arts Teacher Collaborations 128
STEM Teacher and Guest Teaching Artist Collaborations 129
Let’s Hit the Road! Making a STEAM Class Trip Relevant 129
Guidelines for the Lesson Plan Format 130
Grade 7—Science 132
Grade 6—Mathematics 132
What’s Coming? 149
Major Points to Ponder 150
8. Implementing Arts Integration in the High School Grades (9–12) 151
STEAM and the Culture of High School 152
Remembering the Purpose of High School 154
The Value of Grit 155
Arts Classes, Arts Integration, or Both? 156
The Arts Show the Human Side of STEM 157
Planning for an Arts-Integrated Lesson: Rerun or New Show? 157
Pushing STEAM Along 159
Sample Comparisons of Traditional STEM and Arts-Integrated
STEAM Lessons 161
Science (Biology)—Grades 9–12: “It’s Alive!”: Creating
the Human Skeletal Form and Systems From Found Objects 161
Mathematics/Science—Grades 9–12: “Living Land”:
Designing and Building a Community Garden 165
What’s Coming? 169
Major Points to Ponder 170
9. Discoveries From the Field 171
About the Original Appetizers 172
Science—Kindergarten: My World Through My Eyes 173
Science—Grades 1–5: Habitat 174
Science—Grades 3–9: Digest-a-Fabric 176
Science—Grades 3–12: Using Drama in Science Lessons 178
Science—Grades 5–9: Cell Creation 181
Science—Grades 9–12: Learning About Nature Through Watercolor 183
Mathematics—Grades 2–3: Oceans of Time 185
Mathematics—Grades 3–6: Introducing Artists in
Mathematics Lessons 187
Mathematics—Grades 6–8: Fave Films and Probability 189
Mathematics—Grades 9–12: Millennium Mural 191
What’s Coming? 193
Major Points to Ponder 194
10. Putting It All Together 195
Know Your Instructional Intuition 196
General Guidelines for K–12 Lessons 197
Theory of Multiple Intelligences 197
Bloom’s (Revised) Taxonomy Is Alive and Well 199
Sample K–12 Lessons: Examples of Arts-Related Activities in
Science Topics 201
Sample Template for Designing a STEAM Unit Across Grade Levels 205
Professional Development to Maintain STEAM 205
Role of the Building Principal/Head Teacher 206
Peer Coaching 206
Study Groups 206
Action Research 207
Workshops on New Research 207
Maximizing Professional Development 207
Conclusion 209
Major Points to Ponder 211
RESOURCES 213
APPENDIX A: STEAM LESSON PLAN APPETIZERS
IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING 217
The Appetizers 218
Science—Grades 1–8: Earth to Table 218
Science—Grades 3–9: Learning Pitch/Frequency With a
Bottle Xylophone 221
Science—Grades 5–9: Using Mobiles to Learn About Levers 222
Science—Grades 6–12: “Born This Way” 223
Science—Grades 9–12: “The Case of the Origins of Life”:
Sherlock Holmes’s “Bigger Than Life” Case! 225
Science—Grades 9–12: Earth Structures Described Through
Mime and Theater 226
APPENDIX B: STEAM LESSON PLAN APPETIZERS
IN MATHEMATICS 229
The Appetizers 230
Mathematics—Grades 3–12: Using Drama in Mathematics Lessons 230
Mathematics—Grades 9–12: Using Fibonacci to Make
Memorable Music 233
Mathematics—Grades 9–10: A Geometry Field Hunt 235
REFERENCES 237
INDEX 243
