Making models of watersheds and landforms as part of 1st graders' studies of North America

Where would you build a house near a river?

Rearranging continents to recreate Pangaea

Last spring, TCS STEAM coordinator Steff Smelser and I had the opportunity to spend three days at a STEM to STEAM conference at RISD and to participate in workshops with inspiring educators and professionals in STEAM fields. In addition, we met and heard presentations by members of the joint Brown-RISD 2014 Solar Decathlon team, who participated in a real-world STEAM design challenge. It was wonderful to be inspired and to feel validated in our work. Here's more to bolster our vision (from the NY Times Education Life section this past week-end):

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/education/edlife/putting-art-in-stem.html?_r=4

Brown-RISD Techstyle Haus 2014

Second grade colonists have been collecting natural materials from around campus and experimenting with natural dying methods.