Incorporating STEAM in a cramped curriculum

A deep dive to how schools can utilise resources to fulfil STEAM needs

STEAM education is arguably the hottest topic of the decade. Yet despite its overwhelming benefits for learning, many educators are unable to include it in their cramped curricula. Like many others, Dalton School HK also found themselves in the same situation. With limited expertise and time, the school found a creative and realistic way to fill this gap.

Being notable advocates for STEAM learning, Big Bang Academy was honoured to be invited by Dalton School HK to host STEAM day workshops. We communicated with the school to find the most resource-effecient arrangment for the school as well as optimised learning points that suited their students best.

🧪 Workshops and Booths

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We set up booths and hosted 3 different age-appropriate workshops for students grade 1-6. Through hands-on experiments that children could take home, we explored scientific concepts such as acid and base, potential vs kinetic energy and electrical engineering. Our classes of 20 allowed for an optimal 1:8 teacher student ratio, ensuring that every child received the attention and guidance they needed.

💡 The X-Factor that Enhances Learning

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Through our collaboration, we noticed several things we endorse that Dalton School HK did to facilitate and enhance STEAM learning. Firstly, the school had a dedicated lab-styled classroom that makes for conducting STEAM activities convenient and efficient. Secondly, the school had a dedicated time slot called “X” time, in which students could choose and use their in-class time to learn out-of-classroom things. We believe that these arrangements can well-facilitate students learning, especially in science.

📈 150+ Students and Growing…

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Our workshop turned out to be a great success, especially among younger students who were more impressionable. Over 150+ students had either joined our workshop or had received an trial pack on Big Bang Lab, our very own hybrid science platform that turns abstract science concepts into bite-sized adventure-based lessons. We made a positive impact on students’ view on STEAM as well as their views on learning in general. Teachers also expressed that we saved their precious time and energy to deliver an exceptional STEAM learning experience.

After the success of the STEAM day, we are providing ECAs for Dalton School HK’s 2022 spring term. Dalton has also agreed to collaborate with us on future workshops and camps that promotes STEAM to both students and even non-students, as we share the vision to provide STEAM education to children from schools that may not have sufficient resources to do so.

👍 Key Highlights

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Hosted booths and workshops at Dalton School HK’s STEAM day
Our workshops with a 1:8 teacher-student ratio introduced concepts such as acid & base, potential vs kinetic energy and electric engineering through hands-on experiments.
150+ students were able to access our experience through different forms
We pledged to provide ECA classes for the school’s upcoming term (2022)

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