Full STEAM Ahead: Incorporating Art with STEM at Highfalls Elementary

At the core of STEM education is design thinking and problem solving.  STEM refers to science, technology, engineering, and math, but what about the arts?  Highfalls Elementary’s new art teacher, Brianna Scott is putting the STEAM in STEM and proving that STEM can be embedded in all classrooms-even art.

In Ms. Scott’s classes, middle school students are publishing their artwork and artist statements on her class Weebly, they are using Google CS First to learn how computer science and art work together, and they are even coding snowflakes to create digital Christmas cards!  

Art students programming Mona Lisa using Google CS First and Scratch

Ms.  Scott explains, “I think it’s important to integrate technology into my art lessons in order to promote 21st century skills. I love to teach technology, life, and career skills as they relate to art. Technology grows at a rapid rate and I like to do my part to prepare my students to be successful adults. I also want them to see that art is not just about drawing, painting, or sculpture. Artists can be animators, web designers, graphic designers, filmmakers, photographers, video game designers, and so much more.  My ultimate goal is to provide my students with the experiences and discover interests that may end up shaping their future careers.”

So what’s next for the art students at Highfalls Elementary? Ms. Scott hopes to acquire a 3D printer or 3D pens that students can work with. She is also interested in teaching Photoshop skills and stop motion animation. Artbots and claymation are also in the works for this year.

When it comes to embedding STEAM in her art curriculum, Ms. Scott says, "The possibilities are endless".

You can check out the Highfalls 6-8 student art portfolios by visiting http://highfallsart.weebly.com/

Ms. Scott showcases student artwork on her class Twitter account daily.  Follow @Highfalls_Art to see all of the great things happening in this class!