STEAM

Exploring God’s World Through STEAM

PCA is proud to announce the opening of our very own STEAM Lab. Students are able to explore robotics, technology, life science, physical science, earth science, arts and enginnering in our STEAM Lab. STEAM is an extra special part of PCA’s curriculum. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. PCA students learn to explore God’s creation through the gifts of the mind that He has given us. Much like our namesake, Pythagoras, PCA students discover the world through these disciplines. As such, our students learn to think critically and innovatively about the world. PCA provides a number of learning opportunities to explore God’s world through STEAM. Teachers focus on an engaging, hands-on activity, where children might get messy, but they have lots of fun learning using their senses. In addition to these weekly activities, each grade level has thematic science topics that they build on from year to year. These topics include physical properties of matter, animals, plants, space, weather, life cycles, and geology.

Building on the daily classroom activities, every Spring, upper level students participate in a Science Fair. They create either science experiments or present engineering concepts. They work with their families to create these projects, thus bringing the learning that is done in school to the home. Families have the opportunity to bond over these activities at home. Students then present to their peers, working on their speech skills, and have their peers engage in their science experiments as well. Further creating family learning time, PCA now incorporates STEAM activities in its Winter Open House event. Children and their families go on a treasure hunt of STEAM activities in each PCA classroom, learning together and connecting.

PCA provides various technologies to support these learning activities. These technologies include class Chrome books for supplemental math, IXL, XtraMath, and an interactive whiteboard in each classroom. Students learn that technology is not just a means of entertainment, but rather a tool for learning and exploring our world. By adding art to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, students are encouraged to explore creative solutions. Through these STEAM activities and projects, students learn to present confidently— a life-skill that will be useful many times over in their lives. Like our “lover of wisdom” Pythagoras, PCA students discover mathematical concepts, study the stars, learn about the physical world, consider music and art as part of God’s perfection.