Coppell ISD will be spotlighting the STEAM specials class at all elementary schools. This week’s spotlight is on Richard J. Lee Elementary and STEAM Teacher Priscilla Shaner.
Teaching the STEAM specials class is a bit of a homecoming for Priscilla Shaner, though she has taught at Richard J. Lee Elementary since the school opened ten years ago.
“I love teaching this class,” Shaner said. “I get to teach every student at the school and engage them in subjects I love.”
Shaner taught a similar Creative and Design specials class at Lee for four years. She taught third grade last school year and has also taught fourth grade Lee.
“STEAM is a class that I am so excited about teaching and seeing students have fun in every day,” Shaner said.
On August 28, fourth-graders in Shaner’s class were learning about technology, the “T” in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.) These Lee learners began their class by sharing what they thought technology meant. The answers were devices, computers, artificial intelligence and anything that plugged into a wall. They were given a question to answer before the end of class, “Is a shoe technology?”
The students then had a small group activity, where the group was given a bag with an everyday object inside. The students then had to discuss if a straw, a spoon, an eraser, a paper cup or a marker are considered technology.
Shaner shared that technology is anything designed to solve a problem. Her goal in the class was to expand the students’ view of technology and help them see how STEAM applies to everyday life.
The students then split up into groups again to build an object that would solve a problem. The student groups had the option to build a catapult, a mechanical claw or a mechanical crane.
Vishnu Pavan’s group successfully built a catapult, which they were able to test before the end of class.
“STEAM is all about creativity,” he said while declaring the class as the “funnest” one to attend, laughing about using the made-up word to describe the STEAM class.
Deetya Panakam’s group worked together to build a crane.
“STEAM is about problem-solving,” she said.
Shaner believes her students are learning far more than about STEAM.
“They are learning how to work together, how to communicate with each other and with me, how to find solutions to problems, how to be creative, and, most importantly, how to have fun,” she said.
In the end, these fourth graders in the Yellow House at Lee determined that yes, a shoe is technology, because it helped solve the problem of walking in bare feet.
New for the 2023-2024 school year, Coppell ISD is offering a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum — including coding, robotics, and the engineering design process — at all of its elementary schools. This instructional design promotes higher-level thinking and creativity for Kindergarten to 5th grade students. Each of the district’s 11 elementary schools has a full-time STEAM educator and the STEAM program is being provided to Kindergarten to 5th grade students at all elementary schools as part of the weekly “specials” class rotation, in addition to music, art, and physical education.