Exploring Simple Machines With Creative Movement

Scientific Literacy

Within an increasingly complex and technological world facing growing global sustainability issues, it is critical our nation’s students develop a foundational level of scientific literacy. Whether they become scientists, journalists, or refuse handlers, their participation in today’s world requires the ability to think critically and act responsibly based on sound information and judgment. It will be the abilities to think and act that allow us to maintain and improve the quality of life for future generations to come. Through the process of teaching STEM concepts through movement and teaching movement competency framed in STEM content we can empower students in our classrooms to have the agency and self- confidence to become active participants rather than mere observers in the world.

To accomplish this end, students need engagement in the active “doing” of science. Through this engagement, they develop the proficiency to ask questions, design and carry out investigations, and reflect critically on the outcomes. Children learn science best by “doing” science (Martin, 2011). An engaged elementary classroom committed to the integrated needs of a STEAM curriculum needs to begin with a robust commitment to providing hands-on use of science process skills in open-ended inquiries. With that foundation as a base, learning is enriched and broadened throughout all aspects of STEAM – including the use of technology, the analysis of mathematics, meaningful interactions with text (in the broadest sense), and the integration of the arts – in our case, creative movement.