Christy Wilson

Wilson’s innovative teaching idea, “STEAM-ing Through Kindergarten,” is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of post-elementary opportunities available by providing a challenging, engaging and collaborative STEAM (science, engineering, technology, arts and math)-based curriculum. According to Wilson, research has shown that if a child is not actively engaged in math and science at an early age, their interest in these subjects can diminish significantly by the time they enter third grade. The project will help students align the lessons they learn in the classroom with STEAM-based careers. The overall project will have students creating their own animal based on a year-long unit learning about several different animal types. Students will choose two to three animals, combine different parts from each, and develop their own new species (or "wild thing") to showcase to the school. The hope is to involve local engineers and scientists that study the specific animals the class researches. By incorporating professionals and showcasing real-world careers, students will expand their horizons.