Marcia Andrade Serpa, Peri Jacoubs and Julie Perillo

The team’s innovative teaching idea, “Full STEAM Ahead,” focuses on using the Museum of Science, (Boston “Engineering is Elementary” program kits to bring hands-on) Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) experiences to children in their socially and economically diverse city. Among other materials, each kit contains an educational picture book that features diverse characters with whom their school’s multi-ethic student body can relate. By introducing STEAM concepts, connecting them to literature and facilitating the design-build-test-redesign cycle, these kits will not only teach students about science and engineering, but also help them develop critical communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills.