Worldwide it is observed that more and more children are involved in S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics).
Parents and educators, therefore, are interested in learning and delving into 21st century skills and specifically how they are cultivated and who can teach them to their children. There are many schools and educational systems around the world that incorporate the S.T.E.A.M. method. in the educational process.
The reason why so much emphasis is placed on the inclusion of this method is because it enables children to learn an out-of-the-box way of thinking and to develop their talents by acquiring knowledge and skills that will be necessary in their lives.
With S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) children learn to observe, experiment, build, program robots by writing code. But at the same time, they learn to believe in themselves, to communicate with others, to cooperate, to lead and be part of a team, to think critically and to be able to solve real-world problems.
This experiential approach aims at the all-round development of children from a very young age and parents can contribute to the cultivation of these skills with simple activities.
Ice Sculpture
When we start a STEAM activity we need to have a question/problem, which we try to answer/solve.
Here the question is: "How can I make an ice sculpture?"
Materials:
Water
Tupper/bowl
Salt
Watercolors
Spoon
Procedure:
1.Fill the taper with water (we can optionally hide various small objects inside)
2.Put it in the freezer to freeze and after it freezes, remove the ice cube from the taper and place it on a tray
3. Try to find materials that melt the ice so that we can shape our ice cube. Try various kitchen materials (flour, salt, sugar, coffee, soda, warm water, ice water, and whatever else the child thinks of).
4. After creating the shape you gave to the ice, you can color it with watercolors.
Important note! Leave time and space for the child to observe, experiment and draw conclusions without giving ready answers.
A few words about Marilisa - Pontikou Lignou
Marilisa studied at the Department of Preschool Education and Education of Ioannina and then at the Institute of Education, UCL, where she specialized in Educational Technology. She has been engaged in a study on the integration of technology in preschool age.
Returning to Greece, she worked as a preschool teacher and then devoted herself to the application of the STEAM method through teaching, but also through scientific articles and presentations. She is also a member of the Hellenic STEM Scientific Society.
Meet MIT KIDS
MIT kids is a pioneering space, created by Marilisa Pontikou-Lignou, in which preschool and school-age children cultivate 21st century skills through the S.T.E.A.M method. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics).
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