Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Many children will have the chance to learn about the history and culture of the Vikings – a group of Norse pirates.

Norse people had a particular set of beliefs that helped them to understand themselves and the world around them – from the reasons the flowers grew to the movement of stars in the night sky.

During the time of the Vikings, the most popular god was Thor. But, there were also many Norse goddesses Vikings would have told the legend of — and held dear to them.

Freyja – Norse goddess of love, battle, and death

Freyja is the most celebrated of the Norse goddesses. Her father was Njǫrd, the god of the sea, and her twin brother was Freyr – the god of rain, sun, and peace. When Freyja isn’t traveling on a boar with bristles of gold, she is flying in a chariot pulled by cats. She had a golden necklace, crafted by dwarves, called the Brísingamen. Loki stole the necklace features in many famous Norse tales and at one point.

Idun – Norse goddess of spring, new life, and youth

In the Old Norse language, Iðunn means ‘the rejuvenating one.’ This name relates to her powers: she carries a fruit basket granting immortality. The Norse gods must eat them to renew their youth and remain immortal. Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth in nature, which leads to the connection between Idun and spring. Idun is the wife of Bragi, the god of poetry. This match makes sense even today; springtime inspires many poets, artists, and musicians. Unfortunately, there aren’t many tales that have survived that mention Idun. Her adventures remain a mystery, except for the famous story below.

Loki, a cunning God known for his shapeshifting abilities and considered a God of fire, quarreled with a great giant, Thiassi. To appease the giant, he promised to give him the Norse Goddess of spring, Idun. He lured Idun into the forest, and Thiassi kidnapped her, stealing her and her golden apples, away into the realm of the giants. Her absence, and the absence of the revitalizing magic of her fruits, caused the Gods to wilt and age. Their hair turned grey, and their backs stooped. So, they forced the trickster God, Loki, to rescue her.

Loki took the Goddess, Freyja’s, cloak, transforming himself into a falcon. Then, depending on which version you read, he swooped, turned the Norse Goddess of spring into a nut or sparrow, and flew off with her in his talons. This led to the giant transforming into an eagle in pursuit, ultimately leading to his demise.

Frigg – Norse goddess of foresight and motherhood

Friday is named after Frigg – Frigg’s Day. Frigg is the wife of Odin, the leader of all the Norse gods. Frigg’s magic meant that she could determine the course of fate and make events happen – she is often depicted with a spinning wheel and spindle, symbolic of weaving time. However, by the late Viking age – at least in written tales – Frigg and Freya’s names were somewhat interchangeable, and their traits were very similar.

Skadi – Norse goddess of winter and hunting

Skadi is a giantess who hunts in the mountains on skis. Her name is likely linked to the name Scandinavia – the land of the Nordic countries. As to which came first, no one is certain. She uses a bow to hunt in the high mountains, where it’s permanently covered by ice and snow. She was once married to Freyja’s father, Njord, the god of the sea, but the two could not agree on where to live. It was too light, noisy, and warm by the sea for Skadi. Among the giants, she is rare for her loving nature. As a representative of survival during harsh winters, she is favored in tales and was worshipped by Norse people.

Sif – Norse goddess of the earth, homes, and crops

Sif is the wife of Thor. Her golden hair represents the wheat fields that she helps to grow. She plays a vital part in the Norse myth, The Creation of Thor’s Hammer. One day, the mischievous Loki decided to cut off Sif’s long, golden hair. Angered, the god of thunder, Thor, threatened to harm Loki; but Loki persuaded Thor to spare his life if he would find even better hair for Sif. As with many of the Norse goddesses, little detail remains of Sif’s own stories and life. However, in Old Norse, we know that a common moss species is called ‘Sif’s hair.’ Along with her marriage to Thor – god of storms and rains needed to help crops grow – this suggests she was regarded as the Goddess of plants and the earth.

Hel – Norse goddess of the underworld

Hel is the daughter of Loki, and her name means ‘hidden’ in Old Norse. She watches over the dead who arrive and dwell in the underworld, a place called Niflheim. In Old Norse myths, Hel is described as half made from flesh and half blue, always looking fierce and downcast. She recurs in many books of Norse myths from the 13th century. Unfortunately, her name has such strong connections with death that, as of 2017, it is against the law to name your child Hel in Iceland.

Roman Gods and Goddesses

The Ancient Roman religion was based on a belief in different gods and goddesses, with each playing an essential role in other aspects of everyday life during Ancient Roman times. So while there were thousands of Roman gods, we’ll introduce you to the 12 major Roman gods and goddesses.

Many Roman gods and goddesses were derived from Ancient Greeks Gods. However, as the years went by, their agnostic religion started to decline when Christianity became more influential during the 4th century, and eventually, Christianity overtook the agnostic religion completely.

Who were the 12 Roman Gods and Goddesses?

• Jupiter – God of the Sky
• Juno – Queen of the Gods
• Saturn – God of Time
• Neptune – God of the Seas
• Pluto – God of the Underworld
• Venus – God of Love and Beauty
• Minerva – Goddess of Wisdom
• Mars – God of War
• Mercury – Messenger of the Gods
• Apollo – God of the Sun
• Diana – Goddess of the Hunt
• Ceres – Goddess of Agriculture and Familial Love

Roman Religion

The Romans worshipped many Gods because they believed that everything from rivers to trees and cows to crops had a guardian spirit watching over it. Each god could be assigned one or more jobs – some of these jobs could be very important, like ensuring the sun rose each day or crops grew in the fields, whereas others were less important.

The people of Rome would pray to their gods at least once a day – the god they would pray to would depend on what they wanted or needed. As Rome expanded and its citizens interacted with people who worshipped other gods, they adopted more and more into their roster. The train of thought was that if the new people in Rome had been successful, the god they worshipped must have played a hand in their success. So the Romans decided to adopt gods from other religions. However, they would change their names to represent Roman names and aspects of their personality. The Romans particularly liked many Greek gods, so much so that they adopted many of them into their religion, combining them with the older Etruscan gods that the Romans worshipped before.

The Romans took the worship of their gods exceptionally seriously and dedicated much of their time to it. As well as prayer, sacrifices were also expected to be made to the gods. Almost everything that happened to a Roman citizen, good or bad, would be linked back to their worship, or in some cases, lack of it – to the gods.

Did you know: the Romans believed that blood sacrifices were the way to communicate with the gods and demonstrate their dedication. As a result, bulls, sheep, and pigs were common sacrifices.

Jupiter – King of the gods and the sky

Jupiter was regarded as the Roman equivalent of the Greek God – Zeus. Jupiter was the brother of Neptune and Pluto. He was the king of the gods, the sky god, or the great protector. He controlled the weather and the forces of nature, and he was known to send thunderbolts to warn the citizens of Rome.

Juno – Queen of the Roman gods

Based on the Greek goddess Hera, Juno was Jupiter’s wife. It is said that she was the Queen of the Heavens, as well as childbirth and fertility. The month of June is named after Juno.

Neptune – Roman god of the seas

Neptune is the Roman equivalent of Poseidon. First, he was the deity of the sea, although later, he was associated with rivers. In art, he is often shown with a trident and a dolphin.

Minerva – Roman goddess of wisdom and war

Minerva is the Roman name for Athena, most commonly known as the goddess of war. However, she was also the goddess of commerce, industry, and education. Legend has it that she sprung from Jupiter’s head.

Mars – God of war

Mars was the Roman version of Ares. He was the god of war and second in command to Jupiter. Mars was considered the father of Romulus and Remus, the mythical twin creators of Rome.

Venus – Roman goddess of love and beauty

Venus is based on the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. According to legend, Venus was born out of the foam of the sea. She is often depicted as rising out of the waves in a calm.

Diana – Roman goddess of the hunt

Diana is the Roman version of Artemis. She was the goddess of wild animals, the hunt, the moon, chastity, and childbirth. She was the twin sister of Apollo, and she was very popular with Romans who lived in rural areas.

Pluto – God of the underworld

Pluto was Jupiter and Neptune’s brother and the Underworld god. The Romans believed the Underworld to be the place people went after death.

Mercury – Messenger of the gods

is the Roman version of Hermes and is the god of translation, interpretation, and messenger of the gods. He was considered the cleverest of all the Olympian gods and a messenger for them. He also ruled over wealth, good fortune, and commerce.

Saturn – God of time

Saturn was the first king of the gods and was also known as the god of time. Saturn carries a scythe – a tool used to cut crops. Saturn’s festival, the Saturnalia, became one of the most famous Roman festivals. When Saturn died, the world was split between his sons, Neptune, Pluto, and Jupiter.

Ceres – goddess of agriculture

Ceres was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Demeter. She was the goddess of grain and agriculture in Greece and Rome, so she was essential to farmers. She was credited with teaching people how to grow, preserve, and prepare grain and corn, as she was thought to be responsible for the fertility of the land. Unlike many gods, Ceres was believed to be active in daily life. She was also heavily associated with motherhood and motherly love due to her close relationship with her daughter Proserpine (or Persephone), the wife of Hades. The Romans believed that the seasons were caused because Ceres went into mourning for half the year when Proserpine was in the underworld with her husband during the winter months and would celebrate her return by making the earth fertile during the summer.

These are the 12 main gods and goddesses in Greek and Roman polytheism. However, as we mentioned before, there were other gods, too. Though they took a back seat in comparison to the main Olympian gods, you might recognize a few of them:

Vesta – god of the home and domestic life

Pax – the god of peace

Nemesis – the goddess of revenge

Cupid – the god of desire

Bacchus- the god of wine, drunkenness, madness, and revelry

Janus- the god of gates, doorways, and time

The Furies – the goddesses of vengeance

Some other gods were also commonly worshipped in the Roman empire after being adopted from different regions. Some stayed quite regional, surviving as local patron deities, whereas others rose to the status of different faiths worshipped instead of, or alongside, the core Roman pantheon. Here are some of the most well-known examples:

Mithras

Mithras was a god who was very popular with soldiers all over the Roman empire. We don’t know precisely where Mithras came from, and indeed he may have been an amalgamation of a few other gods who were all bundled together to form a new faith. Still, historians and archaeologists believe that Mithras originated in modern-day Iran. He was commonly depicted slaying a bull and was associated with warfare and the sun.

Isis

Isis was originally an Egyptian goddess, heavily associated with magic, mysticism, and healing. She became very popular in Rome after Egypt was added to the Empire.

Cybele

Cybele was a mother goddess, originally from what’s now modern Turkey. The Romans adopted her and renamed her ‘Magna Mater,’ using her to claim Trojan heritage (to which the Romans commonly tried to lay claim to giving themselves a more glorious mythic history). Her worship was originally quite heavily Romanized, but later it began to return to older traditions from Asia Minor, and many Romans saw worshippers of Cybele as effeminate and barbaric.

Sol Invictus

Sol Invictus was a Romanized version of a Syrian sun god, combined with an early Roman sun god Sol who had largely been forgotten when the Romans adopted the Greek pantheon. Nevertheless, the worship of this god was prevalent during the later years of the Roman empire before Constantine I’s conversion to Christianity.

Fun Facts About the Roman Gods and Goddesses

• • • It’s believed Jupiter held thunderbolts from his hands that gave him the ability to fly.
    • Juno’s sacred animal was a Peacock.
    • Mars’ symbol was a sacred shield.
    • Mercury-ruled over good fortune.
    • Neptune was seen holding a spear in he would use to catch fish.
    • Venus was made an ancestress due to her importance.
    • Minerva was born from Jupiter’s brain and didn’t have a mother. It’s believed she devoured her in an attempt to prevent her birth.
    • Vulcan was the god of fire and was believed to be behind volcanic eruptions.
    • Vesta is the goddess of the hearth fire and was represented by the fire in her temple.
    • Neptune was known to be moody, so people who lived along the coast were terrified of him.

Rome and Christianity

As we said earlier, the answer to our question of what religion the Romans were, is multifaceted. This is because of the emergence of Christianity in the 4th Century.

It is widely known that Rome got more extensive as it conquered neighboring cities and took control of new land and the citizens that inhabited it. As a result, Romans would meet people with different religious beliefs, one of which was Christianity.

However, Rome didn’t become a Christian empire overnight, and at first, there was a lot of resistance from the Roman people. Jesus was said to be born in Palestine. At the time, Palestine made up part of the Roman Empire, and when Jesus began to teach Christianity around 29 A.D., he was crucified on the cross.

Unlike many other religions at the time, the teachings of Christianity were founded on forgiveness, peace, and unity. Was in stark contrast to the anger, jealousy, and punishment that many of the Roman deities seemed to encompass.

Despite its gentle teachings and messages of unity and forgiveness, followers of the Christian faith were ostracized, beaten, and blamed in Rome for a very long time.

It was not until Emperor Constantine was crowned that Christianity became truly accepted. The acceptance of the Christian faith is believed to have come about because of a dream – Emperor Constantine reported he was told to paint the Christian symbol on his soldiers’ shields in his dream. So he did, and his men won the battle.

As a token of gratitude, he decided that he would allow citizens of the Roman Empire to worship any religion freely, including Christianity. Not long after this, Emperor Constantine converted the temples of the Olympian gods into Christian ones. Polytheism didn’t evaporate, but eventually, it declined, and Christianity became the dominant religion.

It is said that one of the reasons Christianity was able to grow so widely and so quickly was because of the structure of the Roman Empire. For example, the Romans built excellent roads, making it easy for people to travel, and pass on the teachings from city to city.

The Roman Empire was also multi-lingual – they spoke Latin and Greek, making communicating and translating ideas to a bigger audience easier. The Roman Empire eventually became the Holy Roman Empire, and the Vatican, widely recognized as the heart of the Catholic Church, still stands in Rome to day.

Your child’s reading development starts early! Find everything you need to know about what an Emergent Reader needs to succeed in their reading journey here!

What is an Emergent Reader?

Sometimes known as a “Beginner Reader,” an Emergent Reader is usually a term reserved for early childhood students who have shown interest in reading but cannot yet read independently.

Usually found in Pre-K and Kindergarten students, a few specific characteristics can single out Emergent Readers. However, this stage occurs within all children and is vital to their development as independent, confident readers.

Emergent Readers can pick up on reading faster than their fellow students who may not have yet entered this stage of development. Supporting an Emergent Student’s curiosity and attempts to read with vigor will help their reading development increase dramatically!

Signs of an Emergent Reader

As mentioned before, Emergent Readers can be noticed through specific characteristics. For example, your student or child may be an Emergent Reader if they:

• Have a healthy appetite for reading but may not yet be able to discern sentences or more complicated words.
• Understand the alphabet and can recite most or all of it without visual aid.
• Understands the uses of writing, as they know letters, sentences, paragraphs, etc., can convey messages.
• May attempt or pretend to read stories they are familiar with hearing (as an example, they may try to read along with bedtime stories phonically).
• Attempt to write (scribble sentences or words, as if to copy sentences they see).

The Stages of Reading Development

The Emergent Reader stage of a child’s reading development is the first step to their growing comprehension of the English language. In most circles, there are Five Stages to Reading Development. These stages are:

Emergent Reader

As mentioned above, these readers are just grasping the concept of the alphabet and words. They are driven by their curiosity and interest in written language but cannot yet read independently. Usually, Emergent Readers are around six months to 6 years old.

Novice Reader

Novice Readers can now read aloud, connecting letters with phonics and allowing them to “sound out” whatever they may be reading. However, novice Readers may still require help from a teacher or parent and struggle to read independently. Novice Readers are typically found between the ages of 6 to 7.

Decoding Reader

Decoding Readers can decode vocabulary to allow the stories they are reading to flourish as they read. In addition, these readers can discern meaning in the words they read through decoding methods. Decoding Readers can be anywhere from 7 to 9 years old!

Fluent Reader

Fluent Readers can thoroughly read sentences and passages and comprehend the basic meaning of each word. In addition, they can recite passages within their head and write fluently. Fluent Readers vary in age, but most are between 9 and 15 years old!

Expert Reader

Finally, Expert Readers can discern different meanings within texts. They can read different tenses, perspectives, and types of writing with little to no issue. It is the final stage of every reader’s development. Expert readers usually fully develop around the age of 16 and older!

Everyone goes through these development stages before they are expert readers! Emergent Readers are simply the first step toward your child’s journey into the world of reading! Being aware of each stage prepares parents and teachers alike for each phase of a child’s development.

Why is the Emergent Reader Stage Essential?

Everyone has to start somewhere. Emergent Readers are the beginning of your child’s learning to read fluently!

The Emergent Reader Stage is when children begin to harness interest in reading. Though they cannot phonically connect language to the written word without assistance, they can comprehend that meaning is derived from the sentences and stories they listen to.

Emergent Reader’s knowledge of the alphabet and certain CORE words (stop, go, on, off, etc.) allows them to easily absorb lessons centered on reading aloud with guidance. Along with interest in writing and stories, reading lessons are ideal for teaching them the next steps of reading development.

Creating moments where reading is fun and engaging for Emergent Readers will invite them to continue reading. And if a student falls in love with reading, they will be inspired to try examining harder passages and increase their reading prowess!

How to Engage an Emergent Reader

Every Emergent Reader is different. With this in mind, you will have to consider other ways to engage your emergent reader! Collecting easy-to-read-aloud books and reading resources will help you find what might interest your students.

Also, when reading with an Emergent Reader, try finger-point reading along with them. Finger-point reading uses your finger to point to each word and then read it out, harnessing both motor and mental functions to make memorization easier. Modeling finger-point reading to children will inspire them to pick up this habit.

Beyond just collecting interesting reading material and training their memorization, you must also find ways to boost your student’s or child’s confidence in their reading skills. For example, allow your children to follow along with simple sentences. Reading aloud independently can help them feel comfortable and aid their growing confidence.

With newfound confidence, children can also begin to see a connection between communicating and writing. Between reading lessons, have open conversations with students about the passages, sentences, or stories you are reading together. Connecting meaning to words harnesses children’s listening skills and reading comprehension, helping their developing brains to gather new information on the words they are just beginning to comprehend.

To define STEAM, we must first know what the acronym stands for. STEAM education is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math. They are a group of subjects that are all entwined with one another and cross-pollinate for healthier industries and sectors.

STEAM gives teachers the tools to employ project-based learning to encourage students and children to form collaborative methods and understandings of the five fields of knowledge. Using STEAM uses both sides of the brain. Rather than creating a barrier between the two as was done in traditional education, it aims to bring out the artist within the engineer, the mathematician inside the musician, and the scientist within the designer.

What subjects are included in STEAM?

• Science: Includes Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
• Technology: This incorporates all Information Technology and a range of electronics and other gadgets abroad.
• Engineering: From construction to vehicle manufacturing, engineering is everywhere.
• The Arts: Important for literacy, creative thinking, and unique problem-solving.
• Math: Math is everywhere and used by us every day.

STEM vs. STEAM

We have established what STEAM stands for, so we must look at STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The fact that STEM missed out on the Arts was raised over the years since its introduction by teachers, employers, and parents alike. The absence of creativity that the Arts bring to the program was felt in industries. Because as essential as STEM subjects are, they do not exist in a vacuum, and many disciplines cross over.

A frequently asked question is, “why are the arts important in STEM?” The answer is that the inclusion of the Arts into STEAM is important as it is often overlooked and overshadowed by its counterparts. The initial omission in STEM in the first place speaks volumes about this. How many use logos, concept art, 3D modeling, and creative writing to get their messages and ideas across when we consider all the technology, engineering, science, and information of companies and industries? The answer is all of them. And behind all these processes is a creative mind at work; unless these creative minds are fostered and nurtured, everyone else loses out.

Without incorporating the Arts into the wider field, many children’s full creative potentials often go unlocked and unused. And the heightened cross-disciplined nature of STEAM vs. STEM is advantageous as different perspectives and how people view problems through different lenses are often instrumental in fac

The main objective of implementing the Arts into STEAM is to take advantage of its standards process, where the emphasis is placed on the following:

Creation

• Conceptualization
• Development
• refining

Presentation

• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Convey meaning

Responding

• Analyze
• Interpret
• Criteria application

Connecting

• Personal experiences
• Relating

When did STEM become STEAM?

It was in 2006 when researcher, Georgette Yakman, realized the benefit of turning STEM into STEAM as the creativity and innovation the Arts bring to STEM are invaluable. So she did just that, and STEAM has been full steam ahead since!

Why is STEAM Important?

STEAM is important because it prepares students for real-life opportunities that will help them grow and adapt in later life. Rather than having a barrier between subjects and disciplines, the fluidity STEAM education offers is invaluable life lessons to young students and gives them a better appreciation of their symbiotic relationship.

STEAM was created with an end goal in sight – employment and opportunities. Because what good is education if it makes children ill-equipped for when they reach the stage of starting a career? STEAM aims to bridge this gap and provide students with the skill set to help them get the jobs they want and make for an efficient and cohesive workforce where everybody wins!

As technology replaces more repetitive task-based work, employers seek more well-rounded candidates that fit more fluid-based roles. So, the main objective of STEAM-based education is more important than ever, where the end goal is equipping children with multiple skillsets and making them comfortable in various arenas.

The Arts are not just beneficial for STEM, but STEM is advantageous to the Arts too. Think of all the creative outlets that rely on technology, such as photography, graphic design, music production, etc.; training creative students to become more literate in the tech sector can boost it as they can solve problems in this area.

The STEAM Educational Model

Using the STEAM model of education is both exciting and rewarding. However, it can also be detrimental without understanding how STEAM should be implemented and observed. It is important not to fall down the same pitfalls as its predecessor, STEM. Therefore it is essential to follow some core components and maintain standards to get the most out of STEAM.

• Due to its integrated approach, the standards, assessments, lesson plans, and implementation must have an intentional connection.
• A STEAM-based lesson or project must have at least two standards from Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math. They must also be assessed through each other.
• The STEAM learning model’s core emphasizes process, inquiry, and collaboration – this approach must be observed.
• Ensuring the application and initiative of the Arts is key for a successful STEAM-based project or lesson.

Regardless of what you teach, there is a basic six-step approach to teaching a STEAM-based lesson. By using the Arts standards framework to view the content created, you can ensure a reliable and consistent process and evaluation for your students.

Use this handy process as a lesson guide and plan for your STEAM classes while implementing the STEAM process. Let’s have a look at each step.

1. Focus

Firstly, it’s time to choose a question to answer or a problem to solve. Remember, it’s imperative to have a clear spotlight on how the chosen question or concern directly relates to the core STEM subjects and how it can be implemented through the Arts standards.

1. Detail

During this second phase, identifying the factors feeding into the problem or hindering the answer is a question. As observations are made on why the problem persists, you will begin to feel the benefits of cross-disciplinary working – as skills, experiences, and knowledge from other subjects will be used.

1. Discovery

During the discovery step, research and intentional teaching are key here. For the problem in question, students must research what real-life solutions aren’t currently working and what other solutions are being developed. At this stage, as a teacher, you must gather what processes and skill gaps must be addressed to find a solution.

1. Application

This is now the part where hands-on solutions are implemented and tried by your students. After they have completed their analysis of the current solutions and have a firm idea of what still needs to be addressed, it is time to make their solution a reality. They must use their prior skills, experience, and knowledge or what they were taught in the discovery stage to make this happen.

1. Presentation

After students’ solutions have been completed, it is time for presentation and evaluation. This is not just an opportunity for students to receive feedback but also to become active participants in the process, an integral aspect that shouldn’t be understated.

1. Link

The final stage of the process is the chance for students to reflect on the feedback received about their approach and their own experience. What have they learned? What would they do differently next time? Were they successful? They can refine and improve their solutions and answers by answering these questions or as a group.

5 Benefits of STEAM Education

• Improve problem-solving abilities.
• Applying the creative process to multiple disciplines.
• Champions collaboration and builds an appreciation for other disciplines.
• Engages students in practical and meaningful activities.
• Encourages students to make thoughtful leaps and connections.

Literacy in STEAM

One of the most important points about STEAM to stress is the emphasis on process-based learning. Using inquiry and critical thinking in an Arts-style standards framework, pushing children to ask questions and the right questions is super important. The sort of questions where finding out the answers themselves in a practical manner is the best option.

Using creativity, curiosity, and inquiry borrowed from the humanities is a great way to find solutions to a problem or answers to a question. But using STEAM does not mean letting English Language Arts or Social Studies take a step back and lose importance.

Social Studies and the humanities, for example, ask many questions and demand inquiry. STEAM is a very encompassing approach to learning that isn’t exclusive to the main STEM or STEAM subjects but is beneficial to learning and education.

Literacy within STEAM is still very prevalent; as part of the inquiry process, the evaluation, the reflection, and other functions within the main STEAM approach will utilize the written word and reading. Comprehension and making something comprehensive is also an asset.

Literacy is also always thought of in terms of written language – but what about reading music? Understanding chemical equations? Computer coding? These are all proof that literacy comes in many forms, and the STEAM approach will build literacy in one capacity or another.

The future of STEAM

With looming issues and problems not only in the U.S. but also the world over, the power of STEAM must be utilized as soon as possible to reap the benefits better. As the U.S. Department of Education states, it’s more important than ever that our students and future leaders:

• Develop the knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems
• Have the capacity to make sense of information
• Know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make informed decisions
• And students can do exactly that with high-quality STEAM education.

This highlights the importance of STEAM education and the value even the U.S. government places on it.